I received a question about different event venues and prices the other day. Without any more information, it was obviously a bit difficult to provide a clear list. Instead, I gave some questions in return to consider, when starting to organise an event. This became shortly a whole checklist for how to start event organising, and I believe it will help You too towards your dream-come-true event seeing daylight!
What one should know in order to suggest different options is…
CHECKLIST how to start event organising
- What is the purpose of the event? It’s crucial to understand the big picture right from the start.
- What shall be the date, or which season / month / week / day(s) in general?
- What is the timing for the event or how many hours will the venue be needed? Consider not only the duration of the event, but also the time needed for preparations, and in some cases, cleaning.
- Where (on Earth) the venue should be on the map; in Stockholm city center, Knivsta, Tampere, or anywhere in the country near a railway station, or on board the Baltic Sea?
- How many people will participate?
- How will Your guests be invited / registered, and will they pay (partially) themselves, or is everything covered?
- What are the requirements for the venue? Should it be a conference, a theatre play, a concert, a gala dinner, a cocktail event… in other words: chairs, tables, meeting technology, online meeting solutions, equipment for playing music and atmospheric lighting, a stage, an auditorium, or a sports field?
- Is there already more information about the program for the event, and how should the contact with stage artists be with the audience?
- Will You serve food & drinks; coffee or a three-course dinner, restaurant or on-site catering, alcohol sales, or should guests bring their own drinks?
- Will the guests stay overnight in the same building or nearby?
- Is parking needed, or good public transportation to reach the venue? Shall we organise transportation as well?
With these eleven questions, we have come quite a long way in the beginning stages of event planning and organising. Once we have laid the cornerstone, we can search for and find the perfect meeting place or event venue. Then it’s easy to continue with the details.
Let me know if this “checklist for how to start event organising” helped you to begin. Zeny AB and Your event organiser Jenni Ahlstedt are happy to assist you further and until we have completed a successful event.