Arguably the most important part of planning an event is selecting a venue. This is where all other parts of the event originate from, especially if event planners have many vendors. When booking a venue, it’s important to fully understand their rules and regulations, as this may affect what vendors you can and cannot work with. For example, many event planners are very attached to their AV company and/or caterer and therefore it’s important to source a venue that will allow these types of outside suppliers. Venues in Toronto are in the hundreds and with so many options to choose from I’ve made a list of 25 questions that event planners can ask to help select the best venue option.
1. What’s the legal capacity of the venue?
2. What’s the venue rental fee?
3. What’s included with the venue rental fee?
4. What’s not included with the venue rental fee?
5. What other charges are associated with booking the venue? (landmark fees, service charges, facility fees)
6. Is there a minimum spend required for F&B service?
7. What is the venue’s deposit and payment schedule?
8. What is the venue’s cancellation policy?
9. Does the venue allow outside catering?
10. Does the venue prohibit any outside vendors, if so, who?
11. Does the venue provide bar service?
12. Can you bring in bar service to the venue?
13. When can you have access to the venue for set-up?
14. What rentals does the venue require? (glassware, tables, chairs)
15. How long do you have the venue for tear down?
16. What staffing comes with the venue rental? (bar, security, coat check, operations, servers, manager, event coordinator)
17. Does the venue require a certificate of insurance?
18. Does the venue have a parking facility?
19. Does the venue charge for parking?
20. Is the venue fully accessible?
21. Does the venue have an emergency procedure plan?
22. Does the venue book multiple events simultaneously?
23. Does the venue do or offer anything unique that sets them apart from the rest?
24. What time can the event run until?
25. Does the venue require any permits or licences for events?
Another important element an event planner should consider when booking a venue is its location in the Toronto area. How accessible is the venue via public transportation and how will the guests arrive? Event planners should research the traffic conditions when guests are expected to arrive – this can have a huge impact on the success of an event. Most importantly, event planners should feel like their business is of value to the venue they’re booking. If you feel the venue is not all that interested in your business, move on, there are many other venues looking to host you.
