Location, logistics and WOW
When it comes to event planning, understanding the key criteria for choosing the right venue is as vital as the content or guest list. In fact, it is the foundation that can either support your vision or sink it. Get the venue right, and everything else flows. Get it wrong, and you’re fighting uphill battles with catering, tech, acoustics and even bathrooms.
Choosing the right venue: Size, capacity and comfort
How many people do you expect, and how do you want them to feel in the space? Too small, and guests are elbow-to-elbow at the coffee station. Too big, and even the most riveting speaker looks like they’re performing in an echo chamber.
In fact, one 2023 industry study reveals that capacity is still the number one criterion when planners choose venues – beating out reputation, food quality and accessibility – even in this age of experiential design.
But capacity is also about habitability. According to event professionals surveyed, 35% say that selecting the right venue is especially challenging for hybrid events, where physical layout must serve both in-person and virtual attendees at once.
So capacity affects how you adapt that space for breakout zones, lounge areas, flow design and even ventilation.
Choosing the right venue: Natural flow and comfort
Think of capacity as seating guests inside the experience, not just the room. Practical layout dictates foot traffic, mingling and visual focal points. As one planner put it, if your chairs squeak louder than your keynote speaker, the discomfort becomes the headline of the event.
Hybrid event trends reinforce this: 32.9% of organisers report connectivity issues at hybrid venues, but only 12% plan for backup internet support. That tells us two things:
- Choosing a venue based on capacity alone isn’t enough. You need flow, infrastructure and technology in sync.
- Comfort includes connectivity. If people can’t interact smoothly – physically or virtually – their attention drifts.
Selecting the right venue isn’t just a numbers game. It’s also about choreography. You’re orchestrating a physical experience where every metre of space matters, from the stage to the coffee urn to the virtual livestream feed.
Choosing the right venue: Location, accessibility and parking
The perfect venue hidden down an unmarked dirt road isn’t perfect. Neither is the one where 200 delegates are circling Sandton for 45 minutes hunting for parking. Location is convenience, visibility, and accessibility rolled into one.
Ask yourself:
- Is it close to airports, highways or public transport routes?
- Will guests feel safe arriving and leaving?
- Is there enough secure parking, or at least a reliable valet service?
For larger international events, proximity to accommodation is crucial. Nobody wants to trek across the city after a gala dinner in heels or a tux.
Choosing the right venue: Technology that works (not just exists)
Every venue claims to have “state-of-the-art” AV – translation: a projector that last saw action when flip phones were hot. In reality, your venue’s tech infrastructure is either going to elevate your event or send it crashing into awkward silence.
Look for:
- Strong, stable Wi-Fi (yes, the kind that can actually handle 500 devices at once)
- Plug-and-play AV with backup support
- Proper acoustics (the key should resonate, not echo)
- Hybrid event capability, because livestreaming is now a default
Choosing the right venue: Visible and invisible costs
Venue costs are like iceberg tips: you see the base fee, but a lot is lurking under the surface. Things like catering exclusivity, corkage fees, mandatory décor suppliers or steep overtime charges can tank your budget if you don’t read the fine print.
A professional production partner knows how to negotiate, package and forecast these hidden costs. Remember: a slightly pricier venue that includes essentials (lighting, staging, catering flexibility) often ends up being cheaper than a budget hall with endless add-ons.
Choosing the right venue: Ambience and adaptability
The “feel” of a venue matters more than you think. A five-star hotel ballroom can scream prestige, while an art gallery whispers creative freedom. But what if your event needs both?
Adaptability is the unsung hero here. You want a venue that can transform from a keynote theatre to a networking lounge to a gala dinner – without guests watching the stagehands sweat it out.
Think of your venue like a pair of jeans: if they only work with one outfit, they’re not versatile enough. But the pair that looks great with sneakers, heels or boots? That’s your winner.
Choosing the right venue: Sustainability and social responsibility
Eco-credentials used to be a nice-to-have. Now they’re a booking criterion. Event attendees, especially younger ones, want to know their experience isn’t leaving a carbon crater behind.
Venues that prioritise renewable energy, waste management, water efficiency and local sourcing don’t just tick ESG boxes but align your event with global expectations. Choosing them sends a message about your brand values.
And here’s a clever twist: sustainability doesn’t have to feel preachy. Imagine serving artisanal coffee sourced within 20 km, brewed on-site with solar-powered machines. Sure, guests will talk about the flavour before they talk about the footprint, but the footprint still counts.
Choosing the right venue: Logistics – the silent MVP
Behind every glamorous or seamless conference lies the unglamorous machinery of logistics. Where do suppliers load in? How high are the ceilings for staging? Can the kitchen handle simultaneous plated service for 300 guests?
These details rarely make it into the brochure. But they make or break event flow.
Professional production teams interrogate these questions early, so you don’t discover mid-event that your 4-metre LED wall doesn’t fit through the service entrance.
Choosing the right venue: Don’t ignore the bathrooms
Yes, bathrooms. People don’t often rave about them when they’re good, but when they’re bad, they dominate the post-event chatter. Ever heard a delegate say, “Fantastic keynote, but those toilets ruined it for me”? Exactly.
It’s almost like a HelloPeter rating in disguise. Clean, plentiful and accessible bathrooms keep the event experience smooth. Overlook them, and you risk flushing attendee goodwill.
Choosing the right venue is about strategy
From size and ambience to sustainability and logistics, every criterion intertwines with the bigger picture of audience experience.
At 360 Degrees Production House, venue selection is an art form. Our team blends creative vision with practical scrutiny to ensure your choice doesn’t just host your event but amplifies it. By applying the key criteria for choosing the right venue, you secure the stage for everything your event needs to achieve.
