Venue site visits are one of the most important elements of event planning. When looking for an event venue for rent every planner will explore different venue options and select a list of spaces to visit in person. Choosing the wrong space for your event can turn into a nightmare and you should make sure to show up prepared at your venue walk-throughs.

Here are a few tips to tackle a long day filled with site visits and to be able to book the perfect space for your next event:

1) SMART SCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENTS IS KEY.

You should try to make the most out of your venue walk-throughs day by stacking as many venue site visits as possible into your schedule. (Pro tip: if your event reoccurs in a specific city each year, or if you know you do a lot of events in a specific city, spend a day after your event looking at different and possible venues. You’ll be saving money, time, and getting a jump on your next event!) There is definitely an art to scheduling and seeing multiple places within a day - and staying on time for all your appointments is usually half of the battle! 

2) TAKE PLENTY OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS.

Your phone serves many purposes during a site visit - it’s your camera, your video recorder, and your digital notebook all in one. Since you are savvy and are doing site visits so far in advance, photos and videos are extremely important. Be sure to know what you are taking videos/pictures of. Videos are generally preferred when trying to give your clients or your team an idea of the feel and overall experience the venue has to offer. 

3) DON’T FORGET TO TAKE NOTES.

As you talk to your venue contact there could be details or questions that come up that you’ll want to remember or follow up on either with a vendor, or someone at your company - always write everything down to reference when you need to.

4) SHOW UP WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS READY

The venue search and venue booking process for filming, photo shoot or events can be challenging and it involves a lot of information. Do your research before your site visit and have a list of questions to ask the venue manager or property owner. You will have your venue contacts undivided attention during this time - much easier than waiting for them to email you back. I try to have some venue specific questions, but also ask questions about your event, if you know you have vendors you want to bring in ask now (especially if you haven’t signed a contract yet - this is the best time to start negotiating down those extra fees) 

5) INVITE YOUR VENDORS & PARTNERS TO JOIN YOU

Make sure to invite your preferred vendors and any other player involved in the event planning process to join you during the site visit. Vendors usually ask the questions we don’t know enough to ask and if they need to take measurements or discuss setups they’ll be able to do it while they are there. It is very important to know the kinds of things vendors are asking and keep an eye on if they are asking for anything that will affect your overall budget. It’s also good to have everyone together to brainstorm or visualize the space in different and creative ways. It’s a team effort - just make sure to let your venue contact know they are coming!

6) WEAR COMFY SHOES

You will probably be running around from venue to venue, so a comfortable pair of shoes is essential! If you decide to wear fancier shoes, make sure to pack an extra pair of comfortable shoes just in case.

7) DON’T FORGET TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK

Venue walk-throughs can take hours and you have to be prepared to run around all day. While sometimes you may get a lunch meeting out of the deal, other times the day could get away from you and food will become an afterthought. Make sure to pack a lunch to go or reserve 30 minutes to enjoy your lunch. Don’t forget a bottle of water also, hydration is important!

As you can see, the site visit process can be very complicated and time consuming. It requires great organizational skills and a great talent in managing a lot of moving pieces. 

Piovra Group and his knowledgable team of venue matchmakers for filming, photo shoots and events can take care of the entire venue search and booking process from start to finish. From selecting a list of venues based on each client needs to checking availability and setting up site visits. Thanks to Piovra Group 3-step venue booking process your experience will be so smooth you will be able to spend all of your energy paying attention to the very important elements of event planning and design.