Choose a venue that matches your event’s size, image, and objectives.
PRELIMINARIES
What is the purpose of the event?
What kind of image do you want the event to project?
How many guests? Who are the guests?
Will you need exhibition space?
A stage? Runway? Props?
Will you need A/V equipment for speakers, shows, presentations?
Will there be dancing? If so, you need a dance floor and music.
What kind of sound system and lighting capabilities do you need?
What kind of ambience and decor?
LOGISTICS
What will you need to fit into the room?
How many people? Exhibits?
Musical equipment? Products?
Food and beverage stations?
How many tables, bars, food stations, sign-in stations, coat checks, and rest rooms do you need?
What will the traffic patterns be? Look for entrances and exits, location of the various food, beverage, sign-in stations, kitchen, coat checks, rest rooms, etc.
If your event is to be held outside, what is your contingency plan for bad weather?
SITE AND LOCATION
Does it correspond to the image you want to project?
Is it clean?
Is the site easy to get to and from?
Are you arranging for transportation?
How will guests be arriving?
Are there parking facilities nearby?
Public transportation?
Is transportation from the area accessible when guests are ready to leave?
Are there elevators?
Handicapped access?
Do you need extra security inside the building or outside in the parking lot?
TIPS FOR NEGOTIATING WITH THE SITE
Is there any flexibility with days and dates? It can make a significant difference in pricing.
Be ready and willing to give and take, so both parties are in a win/win situation.
Ask for and negotiate your group’s top priorities first. Extras and less important issues can be discussed after the main points.
Be realistic in discussing the guest/attendee count with the venue. It helps them help you.
For receptions, don’t order total quantities of all food categories based on guarantee, i.e. specialty orders of sushi, seafood can be based on lower number of guarantee.
Negotiate an all-inclusive fee of gratuities and tax, and note hidden costs and agree upfront.
Include set-up and load-in time, and be aware of other activities taking place in the venue that will affect loading dock and time.
Be specific in negotiating day/date versus “60 days from…” and percent of total versus an estimated amount regarding deposits and payments.
Write things down and send letters of confirmation to the venue after telephone conversations. Get replies in writing.
Develop a relationship based on respect and professionalism. This is fundamental and a good business practice.
Envision your meeting or event at the site, and do a mental walk through every detail to ensure it’s the right fit. Negotiate up front to get what you need to make it right.
Remember your creativity and design can accentuate the positive and downplay the negative, such as unsightly walls and obstructions—make it work.
SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THE SPACE CREATIVELY
What features stand out about venue? Can they be incorporated into theme design to meet event objectives? Columns, for instance, can be used to frame bars and food stations. Decorate columns with fabric or make them trees. Use “niches” for specialty bars or dessert.
Use “pre-cut” stick-on arrows, footprints, dots, or color tape to lead guests to event from lobby or elevator to registration.
For big spaces, use lighting and dramatic color effects—accentuate the positive! Décor and design elements can make a space that is too large for your group appear smaller and more intimate, so your guests don’t get “lost” or overwhelmed by the larger dimensions.
Use gobos (custom shapes reflected through lighting equipment).
Use the stage, if built in, for seating or as lounge area, or create levels with risers.
Swag fabric to cover ceilings, walls or décor.
Use balconies or top of stairs for musicians.
Decorate stairs with flowers or candles.
Carry theme into outside entranceway, foyer or pre-function space for an instant first—lasting—impression.
If parking is needed, use flowers or balloons to “designate” parking spaces.
Use lighting for décor and safety.
Restaurants
Choose a restaurant as you would select any event site. Consider the location and its accessibility for your guests, as well as the type of food they are likely to enjoy.
Where will your guests be coming from?
Do you need a site within walking distance of the office?
Is it important that it be centrally located?
If people will be arriving by car, are there adequate parking facilities? Valet parking?
Is public transportation advisable and available?
Is the area dangerous or undesirable at night?
Do you need wheel-chair access?
Are there rules about smoking?
What is the ambience inside the restaurant?
What about the view?
Does the establishment’s image complement the image of your event and that of the client? Do you want a staid environment or a flashier, trendier spot?
Will your guests be rubbing elbows with the other patrons of the restaurant or will you have a separate space to call your own, away from the regular restaurant traffic?
How is the service? Generally rushed, brusque or congenial?
How is the food?
Menu choices?
Food preparation?
Food presentation?
Can they do what you want them to do for your event?
Food and Beverage
Be very specific about the food and beverage requirements and how much you are willing to spend. Following are questions to ask when planning an event at a restaurant.
What are the specialties of the restaurant? What do they recommend?
What kinds of food will appeal to you guests?
Do you want a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvre? Butlered or buffet style?
Do you want an open bar with premium brands?
Will there be a sit-down dinner as well? When?
Buffet or table service?
Will the plates be prepared in the kitchen and brought out to the guests, or will guests be served individually at their tables French style?
Will the bar remain open throughout dinner?
Do guests have a choice of entree?
Do any of your guests have special dietary requirements you should know about and bring to the chef’s attention?
All the above considerations factor in the costs of an event. Know exactly what you will be getting.
BUDGET BOOSTING STRATEGIES
Restaurants welcome event business especially when their regular business is slow. You will be more likely to be able to negotiate a good price on an “off” night such as Sunday or Monday. (Thursday through Saturday tends to be prime time.) Restaurants also may be willing to open on a day they are usually closed to attract your party business.
Breakfasts can be cost-effective alternatives to lunch or dinner times. So can afternoon teas, especially since alcoholic beverages are not generally expected during these time slots.
Lunch is likely to be less expensive than dinner; a growing number of high-end restaurants are featuring prix fixe menus at lunch for as much as 40% lower than typical dinner prices. Dinner prix fixe menus are also becoming more popular and may be reasonably priced.
Restaurants may offer pre-theater or early dinners that can be much less expensive than later meals.
FOR PRIVATE PARTIES AT RESTAURANTS, CONSIDER THESE ADDITIONAL COSTEFFECTIVE STRATEGIES:
Buffets with food stations require fewer waitstaff and are generally more moderately priced than fullservice sit-down meals.
Limited-choice meals are generally less expensive than those allowing guests to choose from a wide menu selection.
Consider cocktails and hors d’oeuvre instead of a full meal.
Choose a less-expensive bar arrangement: short open bar cocktail period or limited selection of just beer and wine.
Nightclubs
HOLDING EVENTS AT NIGHTCLUBS
What sort of bar service is provided?
Is the club’s DJ included in the rental fee?
What about coat room and rest room attendants, or extra security guards?
How long is your party scheduled to last?
Will the club be closed to the public during your event?
Can your guests stay, if the club opens to the public after your party?
What kind of crowd generally frequents the establishment and will this be a cause of concern to your guests, if the two groups happen to cross paths?
Find out about extra costs, such as overtime charges for labor, taxes and gratuities.
What is the cancellation policy?
How will costs be affected, if more or fewer guests show up than you had expected?
What is the payment procedure? (Usually clubs require 50 percent when you sign a contract and the rest by the night of the event.)
COST CONTROL POINTERS
Choose a club that already has the built-in theme you want for your party.
Hold the event on an off-peak night, Monday through Wednesday.
Choose an off-peak time: lunch, late afternoon, or early evening (until about 9 pm).
Rent the space for three hours instead of four if possible.
Limit the open bar to soft drinks, beer and wine.
Have a buffet with lighter food instead of a full-service sit-down meal.
Hotels
Hotels specialize in one-stop shopping for special events, since facilities and staff are already at your service.
Meeting Room Checklist
Will the size and shape of the room work for what you want to do?
Is the ceiling high enough to allow the size image you need—one that can be seen from any spot in the audience?
Are there obstructions, such as chandeliers and columns?
How is the furniture arranged? Can it be arranged differently?
How much light is there from windows and ambient light?
Do you have adequate computer hook-ups, T1 lines, satellite connections etc.?
Will you be using rear-screen or front-screen projection?
Although rear-screen projection makes for a neater presentation because you don’t see the equipment, not every room can accommodate it. If a room is square, you’re better off with front-screen. If the room is rectangular and large enough, or if there’s a stage from which to shoot, rear-screen will work.
What kind of sound amplification do you need? Your choice of microphone will depend on the room’s size and shape, whether or not there are plush furnishings and heavy draperies or bare windows, the number of people in the room, and whether you will be recording the meeting. When using wireless microphones, be sure to check for possible dead space. Always check for feedback problems ahead of time.
Will you need a stage? A podium?
If there is a room rental charge, how much is it?
What is included in that fee?
What is the ambience of the room? Is it clean? Does it smell smokey or musty?
What is the rest of the property like on the way to the room?
How will tables be arranged?
What kind of linen and table settings will be used?
How many chairs will be placed at each table?
Where are the bar, rest rooms, coat check, etc., in relation to the room? Are they adequate? Is service staff included?
Is there elevator service available?
Menu Planning Checklist
When discussing the menu, be specific about what is being served, how and when it is going to be presented.
Will there be butlered hors d’oeuvre or a buffet?
Specifically, what foods and how much will be offered?
Will the meal be presented buffet-style, or will guests be served at the tables?
Will plates be prepared in the kitchen and then brought out or will individual portions be served to guests by waitstaff attending the tables?
Will guests have a choice of entree?
How many courses will be presented and how much time will be alotted between courses?
What beverages will be served with the meal?
Will there be open bar service before the meal? For how long? What type of bar?
Will open bar service continue through the meal? After the meal?
Banquet Room Checklist
If there is a room rental charge, how much is it?
What is included in that fee?
What is the ambience of the room? Is it clean? Does it smell smokey or musty?
What is the rest of the property like on the way to the room?
How will tables be arranged?
What kind of linen and table settings will be used?
How many chairs will be placed at each table?
Where are the bar, rest rooms, coat check, etc., in relation to the room? Are they adequate? Is service staff included?
Is there elevator service available?
Casinos
Top casino hotels and casino resorts can offer meeting and event planners many diverse facilities beyond the gaming rooms: expo and meeting space, topquality accommodations, fine dining, and exciting entertainment options.
TIPS ON HOLDING EVENTS AT CASINOS
When choosing a casino as a venue for your event, arrange to have a complete guided site inspection. A qualified staff member, often an in-house event planner, can be most helpful in showing you what the property has to offer and how it specifically can meet your needs.
Ask to see meeting and conference facilities, but also any other aspects of the casino hotel your guests or meeting attendees will be using, such as the gym, spa or work-out rooms, sleeping rooms, bar/lounges, gaming halls, and restaurants.
Ask what types of events have been done successfully on the premises before and who was responsible for organizing them. Also inquire as to what kinds of services casino staff provide in terms of organizing banquets, theme parties, team-building events, making transportation arrangements, etc.
If you need rooms for speakers, presentations and the like, make sure technical support services are available and that the equipment you need is available.
Corporate Meetings & Conference Centers
Meeting Planners’ Cost-Control Checklist
Exactly what is included in the conference pricing package and what is extra (special A/V equipment, etc.)?
For one-day meetings what are the minimum rental policies and charges?
Are there discounts for using the facility long-term for multiple meetings?
Do prices vary with the season or day of the week?
What about location? Out-of-town sites require extra transportation costs and travel time, although they may offer distinct advantages in other respects.
Are the food choices acceptable to your guests, or will they be tempted to purchase their meals elsewhere?
Are there extra charges for using the recreational, gym, or spa facilities?
If so, what are they?
Yachts
GUIDELINES FOR HOLDING EVENTS ON YACHTS
When inviting guests to join a cruise be very specific about the vessel’s exact point of departure and departure time. If guests miss the boat, they miss the event.
Build in a little leeway by starting the cocktail hour on board an hour before departure.
Also indicate the time the vessel will return to the dock and have provisions for ground transportation pre-arranged if convenient for guests.
Check out brokers’ and yachts’ reputations and do some comparison shopping for prices.
Confirm what kind of liability insurance the boat has.
Find out who is responsible for what in the event of an accident.
What is the maximum number of guests that will be comfortable on the vessel, not just the maximum allowed.
Make provisions to allow for rain dates and rough seas.
Investigate off-peak rates if your budget is limited.
Checklist For Choosing A Vessel
How large is your group?
What will the flow of traffic be like on board?
How much usable space is there?
How many decks?
Is there enough room inside the vessel to accommodate the entire crowd if the weather is bad?
Think about the purpose of the event.
Will you need audio/visual equipment or a good sound system?
How will the space be set up?
Do you need a coat-check area?
Will there be dancing?
Where is the galley and how well is it equipped and maintained?
Where will the bars be located?
How do you want the tables to be arranged if a meal is being served?
What kind of food will you be serving and how will it be served?
How many rest rooms are there and where are they located?
From what pier does the yacht sail?
Or does it sail at all? If you don’t actually want to tour the waterways, stationary vessels can be rented for a similar effect. Plus, an event on board a docked vessel gives guests the option of leaving at their convenience.
Will you have the whole ship to yourself or are other groups or even the public on board during your event’s time?
What about safety factors?
Coast Guard certification?
Insurance?
Exactly who is liable if an accident occurs on board?
Who is responsible for the food?
music? decorations?
Spas
USING SPA FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Spas have become a burgeoning business by popular demand. Countless hotels and resorts have upgraded, renovated, expanded and constructed brand-new facilities to meet guests’ increasing requests for spa treatments and services. Even many casinos and conference center complexes have built spas offering the latest amenities to attract more clients.
Following is a run-down of some of the services spas may provide and tips on how planners can incorporate spa facilities and services into their event and meeting planning agendas.
A VARIETY OF OPTIONS
Services spas offer can vary widely from one to the next. Some full-service resort/spa/conference facilities may be especially useful to corporate event and meeting planners, because they specialize in programs that link work and wellness and offer classes to reduce stress, lose weight, or quit smoking. Other services might include image consultations with hair and make-up styling, manicures and pedicures.
All that in addition to steam and inhalation rooms, whirlpool baths, herbal and hydrotherapy treatments, wraps, reflexology and massage therapy, as well as other assorted restorative treatments.
A spa can be an event site in its own right. It can be the perfect place to launch a beauty product aimed at caring for or rejuvenating the skin or nails, or any product or service that helps people de-stress and relax. Introduce a new scent with essences of calming chamomile and bergamot, a tea that combines aromas of vanilla and lemon balm, or even a new line of plush, luxurious towels. Any food, beverage, herbal supplement related to slimming or refreshing or reinvigorating the system—mind, body or soul—would be an ideal fit for a launch or PR party at a spa.
Invite guests to use spa services as an incentive to attend an event. The spa could be open to them immediately after the event or a gift certificate for future use included in the goody bag. (Guests have to be present, of course, to receive the gift.)
Choose a hotel, resort, casino, or conference center complex that has a spa on the premises when organizing meetings, conferences, or executive retreats, so guests can book spa treatments during leisure hours or take a spa break between sessions.
Use gift certificates for spa days or spa treatments and services as awards and incentives for outstanding employee performance or special achievement.
Spa gift certificates also make excellent corporate gifts. Give them to business associates and clients you think will enjoy them as gestures of thanks and appreciation.
POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN WORKING WITH SPAS
Conduct a site inspection to check for cleanliness, attention to hygiene, privacy concerns, and find out about the roster of services offered.
Negotiate with the manager or appropriate spa representative to ascertain how your guests’ or clients’ services will be booked and paid for, including how much lead time is needed in scheduling treatments or use of the facilities, and exactly what is included and what is not. (Products used during treatments, for instance, might be for sale at the spa at extra cost and would be the responsibility of the guest.)
Determine the gratuity policy in advance and clarify who leaves the tip, you or the guest/client.
Inform your guests and clients of the above.
Remember, spas aren’t just for gals—more and more men are seeking spa services and appreciate a wide range of treatments they offer.
