Choose a venue that fits the crowd you'll get
Capacity math, layout, sound and access: what to look for in a room and what to ask before you sign anything.
The Valore team · 2 min read
The venue does a lot of the hosting for you. A room that's slightly too small feels full of life. The same crowd in a room twice the size feels like a party nobody came to. Pick the room for the night you'll actually have.
Do the capacity math
RSVPs aren't attendance. Free events in particular lose a lot of their yeses on the night. Use your own history if you have it, or a quick estimate if you don't, and choose a room whose comfortable capacity sits just above the number you expect.
- Standing receptions need far less room per person than seated dinners. Check which capacity the venue is quoting.
- Leave space for whatever isn't guests: a bar, a stage, a registration table, a coat pile.
- If you're unsure, pick the smaller room. You can always open a second area if it fills up.
Look at the layout, not just the square footage
Walk the room as a guest. Where do you come in? Is there somewhere to put your coat and get a drink within the first minute? Can people hear each other at the bar? Is there a natural spot for the host to speak from where everyone can see?
Long, narrow rooms split into a front and a back. Rooms with one obvious corner gather everyone in it. Pillars hide your speaker. None of these rules a room out, but you'll want a plan for each.
Visit at the right time
A café that's calm at 11am can be deafening at 7pm. A rooftop that's lovely at noon can be freezing at dusk. Visit at the same day and time as your event if you can, and stand where your guests will stand.
Ask before you sign
- What's the minimum spend or hire fee, and what's included (staff, AV, furniture, cleaning)?
- What time can we get in to set up, and when do we have to be out?
- Is there step-free access, an accessible bathroom and somewhere to sit?
- What's the sound policy and the hard finish time?
- Can we bring our own food, drink or vendors, and is there a fee for that?
- What happens if we cancel, or if numbers change?
