Event Planning Checklist: Event Space Walk Through
As part of your event planning checklist, be sure to do a walk through of your event space before and after you’ve determined it to be the place for your event.
Finding the right place for your event comes down to budget, location, availability as well as if the event will work for what you plan to use it for. During the location scouting you’ll more than likely check out a number of spaces both online and in-person. While doing a walk through of a potential location here are a few things to look for:
- The Space Itself: Review what condition is the event space in (carpet, drapes, paint, etc.). It is up the standard you require for your event. Will it hold the number of people you anticipate? How is the lighting? Does it work for your needs? Imagine the flow of your event – can you see the space accommodating those needs?
- What Comes with the Space: This is your chance to find out what comes with the space itself? Can you hang signage? Are their restrictions on decor such as use of candles? Does it come with wait staff or bartenders? When can you get in to the space for load in and when do you need to be out? Is there a service entrance or elevator. Think about your event – what do you need to make it happen?
- AV/Entertainment: Does the space have the AV and AV hookups that you need. If you are planning for a DJ or band can the space accommodate it?
- Catering and Bars: Can you bring in your own food and beverages or do you need to use their in-house catering/bar staff? If you need to use their catering/bar staff does the menu fit in your budget and is it what you want to serve? If you need to use their catering be sure to set up a meeting with the executive chef and do a tasting.
Once you determine the space for your event it helps to do a second walk through with a couple key people who are helping you put the event on. It also helps to take lots of photos. The photos will serve as a guide to assist you when you develop your floor plan and decor schedule.
For example, I am helping to plan the event for the New York Junior League Fall Auction. We are holding the event at Hudson Terrace in New York City. I did a walk through with the committee members overseeing decor, check-in, check-out and silent auction, and it was during that walk through when we determined how the event will be set up in the space, came up with ideas for decor placement, and more.
Here are some photos from the walk through as well as the ideas that stemmed from them:
We saw this area on the third floor and immediately thought it would be a great VIP area:
Pre Event Walk Through
And here we were able to begin visualizing the layout of the silent auction items:
Pre Event Walk Through
While it looks like a lounge now, in this room we saw a perfect space for a live auction and dance floor:
Pre Event Walk Through
At the end of the day a walk through is vital as part of your event planning checklist as it helps you determine if the space will work, what elements you may need to bring in on your own. It also helps you begin to plan your event flow and floor plan.
