Event venue budget

Sizing the room

Venues publish capacities by layout because the same room holds very different numbers depending on how you set it. The calculator uses common planning allowances per guest for each layout. Treat the result as clear floor area: add space for a stage, bars, buffet lines, registration, photo walls and a dance floor, and check fire-safety capacity, which is the legal limit regardless of how many chairs fit.

Building the budget

For most downtown events, food and drink is the biggest line, followed by the venue fee and production. Many venues trade the hire fee for a food-and-beverage minimum; when that is the case, set the hire fee to zero and make sure your per-guest catering figure multiplied by guests reaches the minimum. Service charges and local sales taxes can add a significant share on top of menu prices in many cities, so ask whether quotes include them.

Questions to ask every venue

• How long will you hold the date without a deposit, and what triggers a first-option challenge?
• What is the cancellation schedule, and does it change with the guest count?
• Are AV, staging, furniture and security in-house or can we bring suppliers?
• What are the load-in times, noise curfew and end time?
• Is the space step-free, with accessible washrooms?

The full checklist is in choosing a downtown event venue.