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What to Consider Before Choosing Your Event Venue
- Unica Party Rentals
- Sep 22
- 6 min read
Written by: Dianna Candido
Plus, the one thing that surprises most people planning events.
You’re doing the research, combing through articles, and taking notes of cool event spaces in your area. And as you’re scrolling through endless lists of the most notable venues in town, you keep recalling certain elements from events you’ve been to in the past. The catering from the wedding you attended last summer, and last month’s dinner party had an indoor and outdoor space that was perfect.
You’re excited at the possibilities, but mostly… you’re just overwhelmed.
It’s tempting to make choosing a venue seem simple — just get the one that looks the best, right? But it’s NOT that simple. A lot goes into making this decision for your event — and it better be the right one. Having your event flop isn’t exactly in your plans.
Which means that this decision feels Big with a capital B.
As event industry professionals who partner with venues to help events look great and go smoothly, we know how important it is to find the right venue — and feel confident you made the right choice. That’s why we recently chatted with one of our venue partners to give you inside intel on how to find and choose the right space for your event.
Here’s what you should consider when deciding on your venue…
Practicalities and Logistics
First and foremost, make sure you consider cost and guest count. “The cost of hosting an event seems to always take clients by surprise,” says Brandi Hann, Senior Director of Event Services at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center. “I advise clients to research costs for entertainment, catering, and decor before setting their guest count. Once they have a budget cost per person, then find a location that can hold their maximum number of guests they anticipate having.”
Hear that? Don’t assume you can spend $X on your venue without first considering ALL the other elements you want to incorporate at your event.
Think big picture. Research costs for everything you need to cover, then come up with a budget range you’re actually comfortable with. (Our recommendation is to include a buffer for unexpected costs.) From there, you can consider the guest count.
Most people decide on guest count initially, but by considering overall cost first, you may find that a smaller guest count is more realistic, or that adjusting for a higher guest list needs to be your priority. Either way, you this process will shed light on the next steps.
Even though it’s important to choose an on-budget venue with the capacity for your desired guest count, there are other logistical boxes to check when considering a venue. These can include:
Venue Amenities: Think onsite restrooms vs rented, string lights or unique backdrops, idyllic bonus features, etc.
Date of the Event: If you’re planning a holiday party or there a specific date you NEED to have for your event, double-check your top venue asap to make sure you can lock in the date.
Guest Event Flow and Accessibility: Does your event need different settings or stations, multiple rooms, easy access to public transportation, Accessibility for disabled or elderly?
Weather: Do you need indoor access or do you prefer primarily outdoors? What sort of contingency plans does your ideal venue have?
Occupancy and Structure: This is a big one. Depending on the location, you may need a Temporary Structure permit for things like tenting and staging.
Event Waste Management and Greening: If your venue doesn’t cover this aspect, you’ll need to outsource. (No one wants to worry last minute about having proper waste or recycling receptacles.)
Make a list of what you need for your event that may impact which venues you consider. Once this logistical side of things gets taken care of, you can move on to more “fun” territory.
Ideal Setting for Event Type and Guest Experience
At this stage, you can consider what kind of experience you want for your guests — and what a venue can do to help you achieve it.
Consider what you want your guests to experience, and what sort of “vibe” and theme you want. Do you want your guests completely in awe of the view? Do you want them complimenting the beauty and history of the event space? Maybe you want them to simply enjoy themselves by mingling and soaking in the energy.
The event type also influences which venues you should consider. (You’re corporate luncheon certainly doesn’t need a grand ballroom full of historic charm.)
Considering the event type and guest experience will help you determine the type of venues to consider: historic, artistic, modern, scenic, unique, corporate, etc.
Don’t forget to look at hidden gems like the Freidenrich Conference Center at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center. Brandi mentioned this unique space when discussing guest count: “Our Freidenrich Conference Center is our hidden gem with amazing views of the mountains from the beautiful outdoor covered terrace that comes with the venue,” she said. “The space maxes out at 150 guests which can be sometimes why it is overlooked.”
Our take? Always ask venues or event planners what spaces get overlooked because chances are they have something up their sleeves.
Inclusions and Extra Perks
You’ve nailed down your overall budget and guest count, and you’ve decided what type of experience you want to focus on. So, what next?
Consider extra perks and inclusions. These are the things that can tip venues in your favor. Things like catering, space creativity, AV connections, event rentals, etc.
Space flexibility is definitely a perk worth seeking if event flow is a top priority. At JCC, this is something you get automatically. “All of our indoor and outdoor spaces offer a blank canvas for our clients,” Brandi stated. “We set up our items in any arrangement that suits their needs, making each event we host unique.” Simply put, whatever needs to happen for your event space can and will happen at JCC.
Space flexibility is a big plus, but sometimes there are other venue perks. The more included, the fewer boxes you have to check yourself. (Although we’ve got you covered if you need any vendor in the industry.)
Brandi said it best when she said, “Find the venue that has most of what you need already so the added costs do not overwhelm your budget later in the planning process.” If you’re the type of person who likes streamlining to make things easier, that’s the way to go.
Find an Event Venue Big on Customer Service
The event venue you choose has a massive impact on your event. It sets the stage. Sometimes literally. It impacts guest experience, flow, energy, feeling, timing — literally everything.
So what happens when you have more than one venue that checks all your boxes? Go with the one that has made you feel the most comfortable.
Customer service is (and should be) a factor.
How do they handle last-minute changes?
How professional have they been?
How willing to answer questions or pass along information?
How have they made you feel about the process?
Do you like the way they communicate?
Simply put, you should feel taken care of. Period.
For example, OFJCC wants your event to be seamless and memorable, so they include things like an assigned event attendant for all events and a list of preferred vendors for you to use. They also do their best to accommodate their clients’ vision for their event. That way, planning and executing your event is easier, your venue is exactly what you want it to be, and you have the support you need to rock out a great event.
That is exactly what we mean when we say consider a venue with a focus on customer service.
Choose the Right Venue for You
We get it — this is a big decision. But venues like JCC and our other hidden gems take care of their clients, and can help you make a decision you feel confident about. Find out more about JCC and its versatile spaces.
If you’re planning an event or are in the event industry, check out our blog page, where we highlight experts in the industry to bring you behind the curtain of Bay Area events.
