Helpful Hints: Navigating the Nitty-Gritty of Venue Selection and Contract Negotiation
Are you planning an event for the fall season? Look to book now.
All the hitches, glitches, postponements, and predicaments that came with the pandemic are coming to a head as venues reopen their doors to in-person possibilities. Live events were canceled left and right as COVID clutched the world and now clients are eager to get back to live events and make up for the lost face-to-face time. All of this is coming to a head as venues are not only eager to capture lost revenue but they’re being inundated by those who are ready to get back to in-person events. In fact, many venues are already at capacity for the coming seasons.
With new health and safety regulations, there are many issues to consider. Some venues were forced to lay off staff in order to stay afloat over the past year so you’ll want to be mindful of possible changes to their capabilities.
Here are a few questions to consider:
Have staffing and service capabilities returned to their 2019 benchmark?
Can the venue provide adequate security and janitorial personnel?
What protocols are in place regarding COVID-19 safety? Will vaccination proof be required? Will there be testing on-site?
How much time will be available for load-in and tear-down? Is there enough buffer between the end of your event and the one to follow in that same space? Can you get a discount on your non-event days, which was standard “before” but may not be now?
What other events are taking place simultaneously at the venue? Larger hotels could mean multiple programs. Could this cause a conflict with your event?
What rules and regulations do you need to consider when working with a union venue?
A new layer of intricacy due to COVID regulations requires a keen eye and careful consideration of all event elements. Your venue is at the heart of this complex construction and merits a special focus.
It’s All in the Details: The Dos and Don’ts of Venues and Contracts
DO involve your event planner in venue selection and allow them to read through your venue contract with you BEFORE you sign them. More often than not, your planner already knows the venue inside and out. Some venues have limited loading dock capacity that can lead to longer setup times or they may have fire regulations that require a catering tent. Take advantage of your event planner’s expertise and listen to their input on the challenges and benefits of any given space. Let them unlock loopholes and masterfully mediate your contract terms and negotiations. They have the skills to help you get the best deal.
DON’T get yourself in hot water by blindly trusting that your venue is looking out for your needs. Live-event sites and settings are understandably eager to make up for lost revenue. They will do their best to accommodate your needs, but remember to keep your wits about you. What are your requirements for the event space? Does it truly fit your needs?
DO allow your event planner to suggest more than one venue. Don’t limit yourself to just hotel spaces. There are so many great venues—from galleries and museums to local breweries and former tank factories (ask us where!)—that often get overlooked by the hotel crowd. At a time when everyone is ready to get back into the game at once, thinking outside the box will be your key to an amazing location. Our event planners are artists; able to pull out all the bells and whistles to manipulate a blank slate space into a masterpiece.
DON’T forget about emergency and/or cancellation clauses. Understand a venue's cancellation policies—especially around COVID protocols and potential surges. If your event is in California, you should consider a fire clause. Sadly, we’ve had more than one event canceled, rescheduled, or postponed due to smoke from wildfires. Think about your worst-case scenarios, and be prepared. Health and safety are prerequisites to a perfect event experience.
DO put a backup plan in place. Consider adding a hybrid component to your in-person event—and a virtual event expert to help facilitate those needs. Should you encounter obstacles like health and safety hurdles, they should inspire a spin and not put your event arrangements on hold. For example, Kennedy Events is currently planning an outdoor event for the fall that includes a contingency plan in the event of potential wildfires or another COVID lockdown. The show will go on!
PRO TIP: Planning a virtual or hybrid event? You’ll benefit from a “venue” search for the platform where you’ll host that hybrid or virtual event. Better yet, let us do it for you.
Struggling to Locate the Perfect Venue For Your Next Event?
The team at Kennedy Events is well-positioned to locate the dream destination for your next event. We offer custom venue search packages if the event planning portion is already underway and in different hands. We’ll work with you to uncover the specifications and requirements of your event space and offer tailored solutions. Schedule some time with us to learn how we can bring our expertise to your next in-person, virtual, or hybrid event. You can also check out our venue search checklist for more helpful hints.
MARIANNE JACKSON
Marianne Jackson is a senior producer and the creative director at Kennedy Events. She specializes in making our client’s biggest design and decor dreams tangible while also ensuring that the event day menu is worthy of a Zagat mention. (Seriously, her taste and culinary connections are that good). Her fervor for adventure, cuisine, and aesthetics is visibly apparent in every event—whether in-person or virtual—she produces.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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