Keys to a weekend venue

So you’ve booked a venue for an entire weekend...that sounds too good to be true but

it’s not.  Several local venues hand over their keys for 2-4 days and as long as you don’t burn the place down and leave it like you found it you can pretty much do anything you want.  While this sounds like a lovely idea…it’s not if you don’t have a production team to handle all of the logistics, delivers, set-up, tear-down, clean up and traditional venue responsibilities.  It’s great to have extra time to set up and take down everything but it’s a very long weekend and you will want to save all of your energy for the dancefloor (we hope).

Thinking of booking one of these weekend getaway retreats? Here are some great questions to ask:

·         If an emergency happens, how close is the nearest staff member?

·         What all does the rental come with?

o   Does it come with tables, chairs, dancefloor, etc?

o   Does it come with sheets and towels?

§  Do you have to wash prior to leaving?

·         What are the rules for cleaning up?

o   Does the venue supply toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags?

§  Where is the plunger located?

o   Do they have mops, brooms, dustpans, etc?

o   Are there trashcans on the property, if yes, how many?

§  Is there a dumpster on site?

§  What are the rules regarding trash?

§  Do they recycle?

·         Make sure to know where all of the water and power sources are located.

·         How close are the neighbors?

·         What is the noise restrictions?

·         Are there any parking restrictions?

o   Have you thought about parking attendants to make sure there is order in the parking area so you can get as many cars parked closer to the venue?  And so that their cars/trucks are not all in the back of your photos?

We highly recommend bringing in a professional team to make sure to come in and assist with the set-up of tables and chairs for safety and proper set-up.  The worst

thing to have happen is have a fire marshal check out the venue and shut your event down or worst someone gets hurt during an emergency.  Plus you want to make sure all of your tables are properly secured and locked in place…you don’t want your cake falling or a table falling on a guest.   Not to mention having extra hands on deck the day of the event allows you to be a fully rested guest at your event and you can relax knowing you don’t have to clean up either.  It’s great having true unlimited hours but remember although you have the venue for unlimited hours, you might not have your vendors for unlimited hours.  Read all of your contracts and negotiate timelines that work best for you, your vision and your venue.