7 October 2022

Why The Venue Is Everything In Events

You know the saying, ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’? Well, there is nothing more true than in events which is why the venue is always king as this is the first taste of your event that your guests get to experience, and why, in my opinion, you need to spend the time getting it just right!

Here at Lucy Claire Events, we spend a lot of time looking for venues, filling our little black book full of magical spaces for all occasions and this has been built up over the years and many, many hours. I know the importance of first impressions so the venue you choose has to both service the event you are hosting as well as represent the person and brand that is putting it on.

Looking for a venue can be incredibly overwhelming. I totally get this, which is why we are so busy with our venue-finding service saving people precious time. Here are a few tips to help you get underway. I hope they help!

Put together a ‘needs’ list

Before you embark on your search, put together a list of what you need from the venue. This will ensure you don’t get distracted by something that perhaps wows you but isn’t functional for your needs. So, do you need a space of a specific size, a stage, tech support for a corporate event, for example, or for a private party, do you want somewhere exclusive, easy to access with specific catering needs?

Doing this initial ‘needs list’ will ensure you stick to your criteria and don’t waste time looking at spaces that won’t fit the brief.

Know your budget

This is a biggy! As with anything, you can spend thousands on a venue if you want, but do know your budget for the venue and what that includes – is this food and drink as well, together with any added extras such as service charge and VAT? Make sure you ask for a full breakdown of costs from each venue so there are no hidden surprises.

Be specific

By really honing-in on what you want really does save time and money and as venue finders, you are a dream as we can get cracking to find exactly what you’re looking for. Taking the time to really map out what you want in terms of criteria really does pay off in the long run.

Don’t forget the power of getting out there

As venue finders, we never underestimate the power of getting out and about in an area and seeing what potential venues there are. We are lucky to have a black book of amazing venues and are the first to know of new openings, but we still unearth some hidden gems by getting out and about. I love discovering new spaces and the leg work that goes with it – and it saves our clients so much time and energy! 

Put yourself in your guests’ shoes

On our site visits, we always put ourselves in our client’s shoes and really look at the space in line with their objectives and needs for the event and ask if the space meets those needs. We drill down on what people will be greeted with first, how does the space look, is it accessible, does it meet the guests’ needs? This allows us to iron out any issues before the event or make necessary amendments.

Are you looking for a venue to host your event? We would love to help you – do get in touch for more details.