UNIT 5

Staging –

Choosing the event site,

Event Venue Selection

Keep following things in mind while selecting a venue for your event:
1. Target Audience/Guest Size: This means the number of people you are expecting to attend
your event. Make sure that your venue can easily accommodate your expected target audience. Your
venue should not be too small or too large for your guests. If too small, then your guests
will feel discomfort. If it is too large then you will unnecessarily end up paying more for
the venue. Get firm indications whether guests plan to attend your event by sending RSVP clearly
printed on the invitation.

The term RSVP is a French acronym. Its meaning in English is 'Please Respond'. If RSVP is
printed on the invitation then the invited guest is expected to tell the host whether or not
he/she is attending the event. Since many people don't understand the meaning of this
term or don't bother to reply back, it is advisable to individually call and ask your guests
about there plan to attend the event. In this way you can get quite accurate idea of the guest
size which will help you in deciding food and beverage quantities also.

2. Target Audience Status: If you target audience are rich people then your venue must be a five
star hotel or resort and all the services provided during the event must be of very high quality.

3. Target Audience Convenience: Select venue according to target audience convenience.

4. Climatic Conditions: Keep Climatic conditions in mind while selecting a venue. If you are
going to organize an event during rainy season or during peak winter then selecting an
open-aired venue is not a good idea. Always try to organize indoor events if possible as
there production cost is lesser than the outdoor events.

5. Venue History: Before hiring a venue check out the history of the venue. Find out how
many events have been organized in the venue so far. In this way you can find out whether
or not venue and the staff there is event friendly. This will help you immensely when you
later organize event there as you will have to do less amount of work in making the venue
suitable for the event. If venue has noise ordinance problems in the past like neigbours
calling the cops to shut down the event, then it is not a good idea to organize event there
especially outdoor event.

6. Venue Services: Before hiring a venue check out the number of services provided by the
venue like:
Parking Facility
Make sure venue has its own parking space. It should be big enough to accommodate your
target audience's vehicles conveniently. If parking space is not adequate then look for
other venue. Never compromise on parking space especially if you are organizing event
on a large scale.
Security Arrangements
Security of guests, service providers and target audience is a very important issue which
should never be neglected or compromised at any cost. Make sure that your venue has adequate
number of fire extinguishers, fire alarms, emergency escape routes, sprinkler system (a system
consist of overhead pipes designed to control or extinguish fires), security personals, handicap
ramps, security cameras, first aid kits and power backup (like generator, inverter, UPS).

Venue Staff
Your venue must have adequate number of staff to serve your guests. Find out the ratio of
servers to guests. The venue staff must be friendly, helpful and courteous. It should be
decently dressed. Give special attention to there personal hygiene. Nobody likes to be
served by someone who is stinking and looks like a pirate of the 13th century. Ask you
venue manager whether or not the staff is able and willing to work overtime.
Restrictions
Every venue has some unsaid restrictions like photography and videography restrictions,
alcohol restrictions, music restrictions, dress code, decoration related restrictions (like
you can not install your own structure and lights for decoration or paste/paint anything
on the venue's wall), advertising restrictions

Additional Services
Some venue provides additional services like catering, floral decoration, fireworks, audiovisual
aids; Staging, Lighting, props, decor for event production; ticketing, reservation,
transportation and sight seeing tours for the guests; DJs, anchors, performers etc for event
programs.

7. Venue Fees: Always consider following questions in mind while deciding to hire a venue:
1. What is the venue fee?
Does it include all other taxes? (Negotiate rental fee to ensure the best deal.)
2. What is included in the venue fee?
Is dance floor included in venue fee? Are table, chairs and linens included in the
venue fee? Is security and liability coverage included in the venue fees?
3. What is not included in the venue fee?
4. Is there any cost for parking?
Generally parking space is provided free of the cost by the venue but some venues
may charge separately for parking facility.
5. What is the price range for a seated/buffet lunch and dinner?
6. What are the Corkage fees?
This includes fees to server liquor. Make sure that venue has the license to serve
alcohol. Check the license for expiration date.
7. What is the cost of sleeping rooms?
8. What is your cost per person and per food item?
9. What are your bartending and bar set up fees?
10. What are your fees and how do you charge for providing additional services?
Such as floral decoration, fireworks, audio-visual aids; staging, lighting, props,
decor for event production etc.
11. What modes of payments are available?
12. What are your payment, refund and cancellation policies?

8. Venue Inspection and rehersal: If you will go as an event manager to a venue for inspection you will
be shown the venue as an ideal venue for organizing your event. So best way of inspecting a
venue is to check-in there as an anonymous guest, stay there for 2-3 days and deliberately
use all the services provided by the venue.
Make sure Air Conditioners, fans, water tabs work properly, elevators are operational.
There is adequate lighting and ventilation. Check out for stage setup
9. Amount of Work Required: On the basis of venue history, services provided by the venue
and venue's inspection determine how much work is needed to be done to make the venue
suitable for your event. Select a venue where lesser amount of work is required to be
done. Lesser the work, lesser will be the production cost of the event.

Developing the Theme for an event and Managing the Environment

Before you pick an event theme at random, you should think about the reason for having a theme in the
first place. Will it appeal to a certain audience?

At the same time, it’s also prudent to think about some of the limitations you face when picking a
theme. Your event budget might be a deciding factor.

Here are some of the things you should think about when choosing an event theme.

1. Aim

The first question you should ask your self what the aim of the event is. A charity fundraiser will have a
different purpose than a community street party.

2. Audience

The audience you want to attract should also guide your efforts when you choose a theme. A dress-up
event will not be very appropriate for a group of business professionals.

3. Venue

The event venue will also limit the possible themes you can choose from. You can’t host an indoor beach
party at a museum. (Well, you can, but…)

Pick a venue that matches your theme.

Your event theme should go hand-in-hand with your choice of venue. Make sure that they complement
each other, rather than be at odds.

4. Budget
You should also consider the dreaded B-word. How much money will it cost to pull off a particular event
theme? Do you have the budget for it?

Exotic venues and beautiful decorations can quickly get expensive. Consider your event budget when
you choose the theme for your event.

5. Season

Depending on your event, the weather might also affect your choice of themes. If you’re hosting an
outdoor event, then rain, wind, and snow could get in the way.

What to include in your event theme

Once you’ve decided on the theme for your event, it’s time to look at how you can incorporate it.
Fortunately, your options are many.

The more elements you can include your theme in, the stronger and more memorable it will be. Quirky
invitations, decor, and food are also more likely to get shared on social media.

Here are some of the things your theme could influence.

1. Invitations

Use the event invitations as a teaser for your theme. If you’re organising a treasure hunt, why not use a
crumpled treasure map as an invitation?

Get creative with the invitations.

2. Marketing

The theme should also be part of your event marketing efforts. Social media is where you can use your
theme to tell a story about your event.

If you’re organising a 70’s disco party, post images of fabulous outfits. Or ask people to share their
favourite disco song and start a conversation around it.

3. Decor

The event decoration is probably one of the most important aspects of your event theme. Along with
the venue, the decor is what helps create the right atmosphere.

A Halloween-themed dinner party should include some ghosts, pumpkins, and skulls. A Cinco de Mayo
party needs a pinata.
4. Food and drinks

The menu at your event is also a great opportunity to incorporate your theme. In fact, the food and
drinks can be as much a part of the décor as the decor itself.

You can also switch up the way you serve it. Why not serve pina colada in a hollowed-out pineapple for
your Hawaiian-themed event?

5. Entertainment

The speakers or entertainers you feature at your event should also be in line with the theme. A
Christmas party calls for singing elves, and so on.

Dressed up performers are always fun.

6. Activities

You can also incorporate some fun activities into your event. In the case of a treasure hunt, the activity
is the event. But why not have participants dress up as pirates?

The activities should, of course, be in line with your event theme.

Providing the Services, Arranging Catering & Accommodation,

he Event Planner's Preliminary Work

By the time an event planner meets with a caterer, much of the preliminary work has been done.

The event planner understands in detail the type of event planned, its purpose, and its guest list. It
might be serious or celebratory. It could be a business meeting or a bring-the-kids company bash. The
guests might expect cocktails or vegan health drinks, a sit-down dinner or finger food. As importantly,
the planner knows the budget constraints.

All of that and more goes into choosing a venue that has the right size, location, facilities, pricing, and
food and beverage services.

Deciding on a Menu
An event planner meets with the banquet or catering manager well ahead of an event to discuss the
basics. A business meeting that will carry over into the afternoon may require box lunches, while a
black-tie charity gala calls for a plated menu.

The planner and caterer then decide what they'll serve An event planner needs to take into account the
expectations of guests as well as the budget and should talk openly with the caterer about budget
limitations. A good caterer can help create an event that looks elegant but isn't necessarily costly, with
choices like using local seasonal produce.