January 27, 2025
By Hope Salvatori

According to a recent Cvent Source Snapshot Report, 91% of event programs contain in-person events. That makes the sourcing of a physical venue one of the most important decisions an event planner can make.

What’s more, the events industry market share is expected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2035, and planners must do all they can to make the most of their budgets while competing for venue space in a growing market.

So, how do you make sure you’re finding the best venue for your event? Read on for a complete event venue checklist that will help ensure you cover all your bases. 

What should you consider when looking for a venue? 

A venue might dazzle you with its cutting-edge technology and impressive, modern architecture. You can just see your event marketing shine with this visual jewel at the center of it. However, while an attractive venue is important, try not to let it blind you to a venue’s overall suitability for your event.

The venue might have all the looks and external features you want, but you always need to keep the less glamorous, behind-the-scenes elements in mind as well. After all, a beautiful space won’t feel so beautiful if there are technical glitches, limited access to spaces, or rooms that wind up being too hot or cold.

The following event venue checklist contains venue sourcing tips to help you keep the right details in mind and choose the right space for any in-person event. Be thorough in your assessment of an event venue by honestly answering every question on the event venue checklist.

Is the price right?

While an event venue may have all the space and technological bells and whistles you could ever want, that could all be moot if the price to hire the venue is too high for your established budget.

Alternatively, you might find the venue is within budget but, in your estimation, the cost is too high for what’s being offered along with the space. There is such a thing as negotiation, of course. So, put your event management skills to the test and do what you can to get that price down to what you feel it’s worth.

You might also consider looking into the latest event venue trends to see how other planners are making the most of their budgets, what’s important to attendees, and how your venue can help elevate your event and improve ROI.

Are your event dates available?

If your event dates are firm, you’ll naturally be limited in your search to only those venues that are available for those dates. If you have room to be flexible, though, you could open the door to amazing venues that are available on alternate dates. Make this determination before you begin sourcing to ensure you’re able to search for venues on all possible dates.

Is the venue the right size and configuration?

At the point where you’re choosing a venue, you probably know how many attendees you’re targeting, what type of sessions or event programming you’re planning, and perhaps even how many vendors or exhibitors you’d like to participate.

Does this venue seem capable of accommodating all those people? More than that, does the venue have the layout and separate spaces to function the way you need it to?

The availability of separate spaces can enable things like:

  • Private break-out sessions 
  • Large and small sessions 
  • Demonstrations that don’t distract from what’s happening on the main floor 
  • Changing rooms for presenters 
  • Prep/staging space 
  • A/V hub 
  • Storage 
  • A press office
Event Breakout Session Cvent CONNECT Europe 2024

Which services/suppliers are available in-house?

Do you have resources available on-site to help you with the logistics of the event? A property manager who knows your venue can be a great resource for planning the general layout of the event. If they’re usually nearby, they can also be readily available should you have any questions or if issues arise.

Some venues may also have their own in-house suppliers for things like:

  • Furniture Rental. Do they have things like chairs, tables, and room dividers available for use? If so, do they have enough for your event? 
  • Catering. You want to have some refreshments available for vendors and attendees. The type and amount of these refreshments are dependent on how long your event is running and the time of day.  
  • Tech Support. To handle any issues with your Wi-Fi, A/V, and other systems, available technical support experts are worth their weight in gold. 
  • Interior Design. You may already have your own vision of how your event should look, and the level of design expertise needed to bring your vision to life. However, an interior designer already familiar with the venue can make things easier when sourcing décor, sound-proofing solutions, and furniture.  
  • Security. Are your attendees generally calm or rowdy? Will vendors have expensive products onsite? Throughout the length of your event, including after hours, you’ll want ample, visible security available. 
  • Janitorial. In addition to daily deep cleans after attendees have left the venue, you’ll probably need janitorial staff available during the event to clean up spills or other unexpected messes.

You’ll want to verify if a venue has these services available for your use or if you’ll need to bring in third parties. All of these variables will help you determine whether the venue is the most cost-effective option or whether there are too many external vendors needed to make it a viable choice.

Of course, even if your venue does offer these services, there’s no guarantee what’s included in your venue rental. Be sure you understand the full cost before making any decisions.

Is the venue available for your exclusive use? 

If you’re looking for a venue where your event will be the only one hosted on your event date(s), you’ll need to be sure the venue is available for your exclusive use. There are several advantages to this, including having all venue staff dedicated solely to your event, having access to all facilities, including restrooms and parking, and so much more.

If you’re happy to share the venue, however, you might be able to snag a discount by using only certain rooms, services, or facilities. Consider what your event really needs and what makes the most sense for your budget.

Are there guest rooms onsite? 

If you’re planning a multi-day event or a destination event, it might be important to you and your attendees to make sure there are guest rooms and other accommodations onsite.

If you do choose to source a venue with onsite guest rooms, find out whether there are group rates or room blocks available to help make the nightly cost cheaper for your attendees. 

Is the venue accessible? 

A venue’s location and overall design determine its accessibility. Basically, is a venue easy for attendees to find, travel to, and move around in, particularly if they have a physical disability? 

For general accessibility (i.e., ease of accessing the venue), you should look for areas where transportation to and from the venue is as straightforward as possible, and consider what other accommodations are nearby for those traveling to your destination. 

Particularly if you’re planning a multi-day event or a destination event, try to find a venue that’s near a variety of restaurants; public transportation options like airports, train stations, and bus lines; and activities for attendees to enjoy during their down time. The easier it is for attendees to find all these things nearby, the easier it is for them to enjoy themselves!

Beyond a venue’s location, you must consider accessibility through the lens of those with disabilities. If the venue is new or recently updated, it’s likely to have wide halls, ramps, and other elements that are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. 

Not only are they the law for commercial spaces, but ADA regulations actually make for an airier, easy-to-use space for everyone. Be sure when sourcing your venue that you understand what the experience will be like for attendees with disabilities and whether there will be any challenges to consider, such as restroom locations, ramps at entrances, easily accessible elevators, etc.

What parking and transportation options are available?

Event Travelers Cvent CONNECT Europe 2024

Not all venues offer parking—particularly in more urban settings, you’ll need to consider how your attendees are likely to travel to your venue, whether it be by car, bus, train, or foot.

If parking is available, is there enough space for your anticipated attendees? Is the parking lot close enough to meet accessibility needs? What is the cost to park for the duration of your event? Can you negotiate a group rate or other discount to ease the financial burden on attendees?

In some cases, parking might not be possible, or it might not be the best or most cost-effective option. If the venue is perfect in every other way, though, there are options to help attendees reach your event with limited inconvenience, including:

  • organizing shuttles to and from surrounding hotels, train stations, and airports 
  • setting up an agreement with a ride-sharing app to provide discounted rides to attendees 
  • working with local transportation networks to set up reliable transportation during set hours 

How accommodating is the venue for load-ins and load-outs?

Enabling numerous vendors to bring their displays and/or products in and out of a venue is a complex and often chaotic dance. Will your chosen venue help make this process easier, or will it make things more complex?

Well-designed event venues should have large rollup or fold-out doors that will allow for large displays and even vehicles to enter and leave the space as needed. Vendors love being able to easily get to and from their position in an event without having to carry things long distances.

What’s more, how far in advance can you and your vendors and exhibitors have access to the venue? If there’s a large window to set up and tear down, that makes things simpler for everyone trying to coordinate. That ease is also something vendors and exhibitors will remember when deciding if they’ll want to participate again next time.

How are the lighting and acoustics? 

Different events, and even different sessions or programs within an event, require different types of lighting and acoustics. You want to make sure that your selected venue offers plenty of options to help bring your vision to life—or that you’re financially prepared to hire a vendor who can provide you with what you need. 

When it comes to acoustics, large event spaces can result in overwhelming echoing that drowns out conversations and speakers. Could sound-controlling fabrics, dividers, and other surfaces manage that and bring all that ambient sound down to size? 

Do you have access to a good A/V system? 

Event Tech Tour Cvent CONNECT Europe 2024

If a venue is in the business of attracting regular in-person events, it could already have a state-of-the-art A/V system in place. If it does not, at the very least, it should have the capability of working with your own A/V vendor.  

Check the venue’s setup to see if it will make it easy to make announcements, change up music, get speakers connected to microphones, and otherwise meet your needs. Current event trends demand a seamless blend of unique in-person experiences and cutting-edge technology. So, you want to ensure your A/V setup will be able to deliver on both. 

What is the situation regarding utilities? 

You want attendees, participants, and sponsors to have more-than-adequate access to electricity, Wi-Fi, and all the other utilities that they may need. Beyond the mere availability of these necessities, you should also ask: 

  • Is the cost of utilities included in the price of the venue rental?  
  • Does the venue have its own Wi-Fi people can use? 
  • Is the Wi-Fi fast enough for frequent video streaming as well as general surfing on top of what’s needed to run the event? 
  • Should you consider bringing in a generator for backup power, just in case?  

Are there enough bathrooms (in the right places)? 

It may not sound like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but bathrooms are very important to the success of an event. If someone must wait in a long line or walk 15 minutes to use the bathroom, they’ll remember that.   

A good rule of thumb is to have at least one toilet for every 75 guests. Depending on the size of your event, these toilets should ideally be spread out over multiple locations for convenient access. 

Don’t forget to consider accessibility when evaluating bathroom space. The location and size of bathrooms matters most to people who will have a hard time entering or using them, so make sure ADA bathrooms are available at an easy distance for attendees. 

How do you manage temperature control? 

You want your event to be comfortable, which makes the ability to control the temperature highly important. Especially if you’re in a particularly cold or warm climate, you’ll want attendees to feel comfortable, and if you feel like it’s too hot or cold on the day, you should have the ability to quickly adjust the temperature as needed.  

Next to temperature control, you want to ensure good air flow in general. If a space feels too still and stagnant, that can actually lead to overheating, lethargy, and grumpiness. Steady air flow through vents or windows can help to keep your event’s energy high and positive. 

Does the venue feel right? 

This is certainly subjective, but the feeling you get when you enter a venue does matter. If you believe that a venue feels “weird” or “off,” odds are you won’t be alone.  

When you visit your venue, note whether it feels generally comfortable. You’ll see that the paint, carpet, and other finishes are clean and in good shape. There are no water stains in the ceiling or dusty cobwebs in the corners. Such details indicate that the venue is well cared for and all critical internal systems, like HVAC and electricity, are well-maintained. 

Is there flexibility in your contract? 

As you move toward selecting a venue, you’ll need to consider the contracting terms and whether you need any flexibility. If you’re booking room blocks, for instance, how flexible is the venue on minimums if you don’t fill all the rooms? 

If something happens that requires you to cancel or postpone your event, what sort of flexibility does the venue offer, and in what scenarios are you on the hook for the full venue cost? 

What should you prioritize when venue sourcing? 

There’s so much to consider when it comes to your venue sourcing strategy, but you should prioritize finding a venue that’s available for your event dates, is within your budget, is in your preferred location, and has the space and layout you need.   

These elements are the bare minimum requirements you’ll need to meet, and once you’ve narrowed down your selection using these parameters, you can start thinking about the finer details on your venue checklist. 

Ready to get started looking for your next event venue? Having the right event tech can help you find event venues that are right for you and the amazing event you have planned.

Hope Swedeen

Hope Salvatori

Hope is a Senior Content Marketing Associate who has been with Cvent for more than two years. She has 8 years of experience producing content for corporations, small businesses, associations, nonprofits, and universities. As a content professional, she has created content for a wide range of industries, including meetings and events, government and defense, education, health, and more.

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