QC EVENT SCHOOL

EVENT VENUES
AND CATERING
 EVENT VENUES
A N D C AT E R I N G

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All rights reserved.

No parts of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from 7904215 Canada Inc.

QC Quality of Course Inc. has used its best efforts in collecting and preparing material for inclusion in this book.

It does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any loss or damages caused by errors or

omissions in the book, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

II
table of contents
1. Event Venues and Catering

2. Choosing a Venue

8. Types of Venues

13. Outdoor Venues

28. Space Layout

38. Choosing a Caterer

47. Menu Planning

50. Closing Thoughts

Event Venues
and Catering
Where you hold your event and what you feed your guests are critical components and often two of

the biggest event expenses. The venue has a major impact on everything from guest experience and

attendance to decor costs. An event’s food—good or bad—makes a striking impression on guests and

is often one of the occasion’s most memorable features.

In this book, you’ll learn how to evaluate potential venues for your event, and how to communicate

your needs to venue managers. You’ll also learn how to request catering services and how to work with

a caterer to build a menu. You’ll learn how to navigate the challenges of serving alcohol at your event

and how to make drink service problem-free. You’ll also learn tips for navigating contracts and for

negotiating savings when closing a deal.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 1

 Choosing a Venue
When choosing a venue for your event, first speak with your client to establish

your budget, planning timeframe, and the preferred dates for the event. You

also need to establish the specific needs of the event. What is the purpose of the

event? Will it involve mingling and socializing? Will it require a dance floor and

space for a DJ? Will it involve showing a film or watching an aerialist perform?

Will caterers have to prepare and serve an elaborate meal? All of these event

elements can affect your venue requirements.

2
Event Goals
Some social events and parties celebrate annually occurring occasions such as birthdays, but many

more are once-in-a-lifetime celebrations. Many social events have generations of tradition behind

them that clients may want to follow closely or adapt creatively. While events for companies and

corporate entities aim at returning investment, clients for social events are often looking for “return on

experience.” Social clients often don’t care about making their money back as long as the event goes

off perfectly.

When selecting venues, always consider if the venue will contribute in a meaningful way to the return

on experience of the event. Will the venue be able to accommodate all the event elements your client

wants? If not, will there be workarounds available that will keep your client happy? Will the venue

enhance the event’s theme or contrast with it in an interesting way? You should have answers to these

questions before you proceed with venue selection.

Location, Capacity and Accessibility

Consider your venue’s location for ease and convenience of transportation. A few questions to

consider include:

• Is your venue in a high-traffic area where congestion might delay the arrival of vendors or guests?

• Is the venue near public transit?

• Is parking available onsite or nearby? If yes, how many spaces are available and how much does

parking cost?

• If attendees will be coming from out of town, is the venue close to hotels and easily accessible

from airports and stations?

• Will there be major road closures, construction or major public events going on around your

venue during your client’s preferred dates?

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 3

 Consider how many guests you are planning to

accommodate at your event. You’ll need information

about the maximum capacity of the venue, with and

without chairs and tables. Venues often give room

and/or building occupancy limits depending on

whether guests will be seated at tables or standing

and mingling. Remember that your vendors and the

venue staff count towards that maximum capacity.

Venues sometimes overstate their capacities on

websites or site maps. Always confirm capacity with

the venue manager during your site visit. He or she

may be able to give you insights or recommendations.

Ask your client if he or she plans to invite guests

with accessibility needs. When planning events that

include these guests, think about how easy it will be

for them to attend and navigate your event. Are there

wheelchair ramps available for every step or staircase

in the venue? Do the doors have “push button”

opening systems? If the venue is across the street from

parking or transit, does the intersection have audible

pedestrian signals for visually impaired guests? Does

the venue have wheelchair-accessible restrooms? If a

potential venue lacks any one of these, you don’t need

to cross it off your list right away, but you will need to

come up with safe and satisfactory workarounds. For

example, some venues have “convertible” staircases

that staff can put ramps over. You can work with the

venue to find appropriate solutions.

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Vendor Needs
Consider the needs of your vendors when you evaluate a venue. This can be tricky because you will

typically book the venue before booking vendors. You may want to consult with vendors in advance

to communicate your event concept and ask for a general sense of their needs. Questions relating to

vendor needs might include:

• Will the venue’s power supply be sufficient to support audiovisual (AV), lighting, heating and air

conditioning if these are needed? Will you need to rent generators? Does the venue have sufficient

internet capacity for the event?

• Are you planning to serve food at your event? If so, does your potential venue have a kitchen where

catering staff can prepare food onsite? Without a suitable onsite kitchen, caterers will have to bring

a mobile kitchen, which can drive costs up. They may also cook food offsite and transport it to the

venue, which isn’t ideal for complex meals.

• Does the venue have any restrictions on open flames, hanging decor from the walls, etc.? These

may affect how your decorator plans and executes the event’s design.

Don’t forget to consider performer needs. Musicians, speakers and other performers often need

stages. If the venue doesn’t have a built-in stage you’ll need to find someone to build a temporary

stage—and you’ll need to determine that the venue has space for a temporary stage without violating

any building codes. Specialty performers often have additional needs. Magicians and acrobats may

need the space to accommodate large pieces of equipment safely. Aerialists need ceilings of sufficient

height. Many aerialists use setups that attach to the venue’s ceiling, so the venue will need appropriate

ceiling anchors that can bear the right amount of weight.

Some venues for social events and parties, such as certain houses of worship, museums and historic sites,

won’t always have onsite kitchens or sufficient AV capabilities for your event. If the onsite capabilities of

the venue don’t meet your event needs, you’ll need to make sure your vendors have a suitable space

to load in the extra equipment required. Some equipment and decor pieces are very large. If the venue

or room doesn’t have doors large enough to accommodate their load-in, these pieces will need to be

disassembled and built onsite, costing you time and money.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 5

 Accommodation and Hotels
If you will be hosting out-of-town guests at your event, your client may want to

arrange hotel accommodations for them. If you contact a hotel with an estimate

of how many guests you need to accommodate, they may be able to supply you

with a room block, which is a group of hotel rooms put on hold for your guests

at a discounted rate. We’ll discuss room blocks in greater detail later in the text.

Be sure to consider the distance from hotels when assessing a venue. Walking

distance is ideal, but avoid venues that are more than a 20-minute drive away

from hotels. Your guests won’t appreciate a long commute both ways just to get

to your event. If hotel-to-venue travel is a problem, you can always arrange for

a shuttle between the hotel and the venue, but you should still aim to keep the

shuttle distance relatively short. Some out-of-town guests may look at your event

as an excuse for a vacation and a chance to spend a few extra days catching up

with friends and family, so hotels in tourist-friendly areas are often a good choice.

TRANSPORTING GUESTS OF HONOR

Some clients will ask you to arrange transportation for the guest or guests of

honor from a hotel or home to the party. You might also book transportation

for travel between venues if the event involves more than one site. Rental

companies that provide services such as limousines or party buses can provide

unique transportation options that add to the celebratory atmosphere of the

event. Make sure to include a chaperone or family member in the car when

transporting minors.

Most rental companies charge by the hour and require a minimum booking time,

which is usually three hours. Consider booking the rental car for an extra hour on

either end to accommodate any delays from traffic or other problems. As with

the venue, be sure to get an in-person look at the rental car, or at least a very

similar model in the fleet, before making a final decision.

6
Activities and Ambience
Keep your event concept in mind when looking at venues. Usually, either your venue should fit your

event concept perfectly, or it should contrast with it in an interesting way. Will you need extra decor

to bring the event concept to life? Will the venue staff allow you to attach decorations to the walls or

ceiling? Will the venue’s structure be able to accommodate hanging chandeliers? Is the ceiling high

enough to accommodate the stage you want for the live band? Most venues will be able to provide you

with floor plans or blueprints, which you should share with your decorator and AV provider.

Assess the venue’s lighting to determine if it achieves the ideal ambience for the event. Lighting will

also affect videography and photography at the event. Your AV vendors will usually bring their own

lighting gear to facilitate photography, filming and performances, as well as to enhance the ambience

of the space. Some events use lighting and laser projections almost exclusively to transform a space.

Other Concerns
If you plan to serve alcohol at an event but the venue you have in mind is not a licensed establishment,

many regions will require that you apply for a special event liquor license. Consider this in your planning

timeframe. Depending on the circumstances and the region, it may be several months before your

permit clears.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 7

 Types of Venues
Once you’ve defined an event’s venue requirements, you can begin looking

for one that fits your needs. Many venues have rooms of different sizes

available or can divide rooms based on client needs and event size.

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Hotels
A hotel is a common choice of venue for social events. Even if none of your guests are staying at a

hotel, you can generally rent out space at one. Hotels are easy to find and are used to hosting social

gatherings and parties. They usually have the resources to meet your requirements and may be willing

to provide discounts on the room block, AV rentals, catering or any of the other resources they offer.

They may also provide you with event space free of charge if you’ve committed to a guest room block

and other services.

Community Centers
Many municipalities offer city spaces such as community centers, pools, sports and recreation centers,

and skating rinks for events. These spaces are available at low prices and often include package deals.

These qualities make these spaces good choices for events such as birthday parties, where clients may

want guests to partake in activities aside from the main attraction.

Some community centers have event resources such as AV capabilities and kitchens for caterers,

but be aware that many may not. Be sure to inquire ahead of time about resources before signing

any contracts.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 9

 Houses of Worship
Many celebrations take place in houses of worship. Churches, synagogues, mosques and gurdwaras

are among the houses of worship that may host your event. They are often equipped with many event

needs such as AV capabilities and kitchens. Many houses of worship have rooms for events to take

place beyond their main halls.

Some houses of worship, such as Unitarian churches, are comfortable hosting secular celebrations in

addition to religious celebrations. When hosting secular celebrations, houses of worship function in

a similar fashion to community centers. Their booking rates for your event may be discounted or tax-

deductible. Houses of worship often won’t charge for hosting relevant religious celebrations. Instead,

they may require a donation. If your client is a regular member of the congregation, his or her house

of worship may waive the donation with the expectation that the client is already donating regularly.

Note that houses of worship that are necessary venues for certain religious celebrations may have

significant backlogs. Bat and bar mitzvahs, for example, are sometimes booked up to three years in

advance at popular synagogues. Some houses of worship deal with demand by assigning dates for

ceremonies or by asking celebrants to share ceremonies.

10
Cultural Institutions
Venues of cultural significance such as heritage buildings, museums, art galleries and gardens are

unique, attractive event spaces. Many of these institutions are open to the public but are also available

to rent. You can make the best use of these spaces by organizing tours or activities that highlight the

function of the building, or by theming the event around the institute. For instance, you might draw

inspiration for an event’s color scheme and decor from a visiting exhibit at the art gallery hosting your

client’s event.

Some cultural institutions, especially heritage buildings, have restrictions on event elements to prevent

damage to the infrastructure. The use of elements such as glitter or open flames may be restricted or

prohibited. This attitude may extend to the vendors that the venue allows in the space. Some venues

will only work with their preferred vendors whom they have vetted in the past.

Repurposed Venues
Many social venues are repurposed spaces owned by companies and rented out for social and

corporate events. These venues may include lofts, repurposed churches, converted warehouses and

terraces. These venues may have some in-house services such as kitchens, AV services, photographers

or decoration rentals, and likely have established partnerships with local vendors who can provide

the same.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 11

 Social Venues
Membership-only spaces such as country clubs and privately owned wineries

and restaurants are exciting spaces for gatherings and parties. Like repurposed

venues, these venues are used to hosting events and may have in-house services

or vendor partnerships. Many of these venues – restaurants especially – may

waive the venue rental fee if you’re buying enough food and drink.

Private Homes and Yards

The most informal spaces for social gatherings and parties are the homes and

properties of your client or of the family or friends of your client. Your client

won’t have to pay venue fees for these spaces, although he or she may wish

to compensate a friend or family member who offers up his or her home. Be

aware of the issues involved with hosting a party at a private residence. Guests or

vendors can damage personal property, guests may steal from the host or noise

bylaws may bring police to the door. Hosting at home often appeals to clients

because it seems so cost-effective, but it can also introduce unexpected costs

and cause major headaches if the space isn’t really suitable for the event. When

you evaluate the space, consider questions such as:

• Can the home accommodate all the guests?

• Are there enough restrooms?

• Is the kitchen big enough?

• Is sufficient parking available?

• Does the available furniture provide enough seating and table space?

If a client’s home doesn’t meet all of these criteria, you may still be able to use

it for the event. However, you’ll need to anticipate additional costs and setup

requirements needed to prepare the home.

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Outdoor Venues
The appeal of a party on a warm, sunny day is clear. Well-planned outdoor

events leave guests happy and smiling. When you put together an outdoor

event, you will often effectively have to build your event space from

scratch. You’ll work with your decorator or rental professional to design and

place shelter, flooring and amenities. Your client’s budget, the style of the

event and the layout and features of the site itself will all influence the

event’s design.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 13

 Some events take place outdoors on private property, such as country clubs, wineries or private

backyards. You might decide to host your event in a public space, but be aware that you may need to

apply for a permit from the local municipality well ahead of time. The application process will vary by

region, but it will usually begin with a proposal or request form. You may need to provide the municipality

with a certificate of insurance for a given amount and name the municipality as an “additional insured.”

Some municipalities will require an additional form addressed to the health board if you are serving

food at your event. Application fees for the permit may also be required. Some municipalities are very

demanding and may require a presentation to the municipal recreational department before issuing

a permit. In addition, note that proposals involving tents trigger a high level of municipal scrutiny

because of the safety issues involved.

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Tenting
To protect your guests from inclement weather and to provide shade, you

will need to rent a tent. The size of the tent will depend on the activities

planned. Aim for 10 square feet per person to allow enough room for seating

and tabling. For standard six-foot tables such as buffet tables, you may need

up to 100 square feet per table to accommodate the area of the table and

space for guests to sit comfortably. Standing room only requires about 3

to 5 square feet per person. You may need additional tents for caterers

depending upon the site.

Tenting requires careful site evaluation. Some tents need to be staked into

the ground and thus require a site where stakes can be hammered in and

remain securely anchored. Most tents also require relatively flat ground.

If the ground underneath your tent is sandy, muddy or wet, or if guests

will be dancing after dinner, you can rent flooring. This is typically made

of interlocking plastic or plywood pieces. Rental companies rent it by the

square foot. You’ll probably be able to rent tents and flooring from the

same company.

Traditional tents like those used in circuses have poles erected inside the

structure to support the canopy. Clear-span tents are a more recent option

and are made of self-supporting trusses with no support poles breaking

up the area under the canvas. The trusses of clear-span tents are ideal for

attaching decor and AV fixtures. The structure keeps the canvas tight to the

skeleton, making these tents more efficient for air conditioning and heating

units than pole tents. As a downside, they are usually more expensive to

rent. Pay close attention to the weight capacity of any tent you rent if you will

be hanging any decorations such as chandeliers from its ceiling.

Be sure to reserve any tent rentals early in your planning timeframe. Tent

rental companies become very busy during warm seasons. Without proper

notice, they may not be able to provide an adequate rental.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 15

 Power
If your outdoor event has any power needs, you may need to rent a generator. Many reputable generator

rental companies will provide a specialist to set up the generator onsite for your event and will offer

24/7 technician service in the event of power failure. The company renting the generator should always

be responsible for transporting it to and from the event site. Some regions have laws restricting the

transportation of generators.

Rent a ventilated portable shed to cover the generator in case of inclement weather. Generators

produce exhaust and are not for indoor use under any circumstances. Have a clear, dedicated cable

path for all equipment plugged into your generator. You can cover all cables with cable ramps to

reduce the risk of tripping.

Power needs will vary greatly between events. They depend on the individual pieces of equipment

requiring electricity. A consultation with the generator rental company is the best way to determine

your power requirements.

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Heating and Cooling
Your guests’ comfort is a priority for a successful event. For some outdoor events, you may need external

heating or cooling. Electric heaters or evaporative coolers with fans are small, clean and efficient

solutions for uninsulated tents. Be aware that electric heaters have a significant power requirement. For

extreme temperatures or large events, you can opt for an insulated tent rental. Portable air conditioners

and indirect fired heaters are large-scale units that connect to ducts you can run into your insulated

tent, piping in hot or cold air as needed.

Most companies define sufficient cooling as 1 ton of refrigeration per 100-150 square feet of venue

space. Note that a ton of refrigeration is a unit of energy and not weight! A consultation with the

heating and cooling rental company will help determine your event’s needs.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 17

 FIRES AND OUTDOOR FIREPLACES

Some celebrations call for a fire. When building an outdoor fire for an event, always make sure to

control it with a fire pit. A fire pit is a base of sand or earth surrounded by rocks that create a boundary

containing the open flame inside. You can also purchase premade concrete fire pits at hardware stores.

In addition to premade fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, which are essentially self-contained fire pits with

chimneys, are also popular. You may be able to rent these from an event rental company.

If your client wants to build a fire for the event, designate one responsible adult who can volunteer to

be the fire warden. This person must:

• Have fire awareness training or experience.

• Stay completely sober throughout the event.

• Be the only person allowed to add fuel to the fire.

Note that some municipalities do not permit fires and outdoor fireplaces at all in urban areas. Others

require that you have a fire permit before you can have an outdoor fire. Many areas with extensive

forests or scrub monitor levels of fire risk and issue warnings as appropriate. Even if fires are allowed in

your area, you might not be able to burn anything during hot, dry periods when authorities consider

the risk of wildfires to be high. Be sure to research and comply with local laws before deciding to have

a fire at your event.

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Cooking Facilities
If your outdoor venue isn’t close to an indoor kitchen on the venue grounds, you have a few options

for food service. Some caterers have mobile kitchens in trailers. Catering staff drive the mobile kitchen

to your event and prepare food as normal. Otherwise, caterers can prepare meals in their own kitchens

and transport the prepared food in a van to your event. Talk to your caterer about your food needs and

see what he or she suggests. If your planned meals need to be served hot, or if they need attention

right up until the point of service, a mobile kitchen is best.

Nowadays, many food trucks offer catering services for private events. Food trucks are self-contained

restaurants that do all of their preparation and sales from a vehicle. They’re excellent for any situation

where you might need a mobile kitchen although their capacities and rates of service may be limited.

Restrooms
Some outdoor venues have clean, accessible restrooms available to your guests onsite. If not, you’ll

need to budget for portable restroom rentals. These can range from standard chemical toilets all the

way up to deluxe models with self-contained plumbing for flushing and hot water.

A good ratio to follow when considering the number of restrooms is 1 per 50 guests. If any of your

guests have mobility issues, your restroom rentals will need to include at least one wheelchair-friendly

facility or more according to need.

Restroom placement is important. Be sure to place your portable restrooms an adequate distance from

where you plan to serve food, but not so far away that it inconveniences guests, especially those with

limited mobility.

Accessibility
Consider how to make your outdoor event accessible. Put the outdoor flooring that your tent rental

company offers on sandy or grassy areas to make a pathway to restrooms and other facilities for guests

with limited mobility. You can set up tents to act as weather shelters and rest areas as well.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 19

 First Aid
Although private events usually don’t have official

“medical tents,” advise your client to keep

some basic first aid supplies on hand in case of

accidents. If the forecast calls for lots of sun and

hot weather, supplies should include plenty of

materials for preventing and addressing heat

exhaustion. This is especially important if your

guests will include groups at high risk of heat

exhaustion or heat stroke such as seniors.

Minimum Spend
Some venues, such as hotels, have minimum

spend policies. Minimum spend details the

smallest contract a venue is willing to take. A

venue may not do business with you if their

minimum food and beverage spend is $5,000

and you are not willing to pay that much for your

party. Venues, as well as vendors, use minimum

spend policies to avoid contracts that are too

small to be worth their time.

Sometimes minimum spend may work in your

favor. For instance, if your guests spend a certain

amount of money on dining, accommodations or

alcohol, your venue or vendors may waive other

fees. Small venues may waive the fee for the

space if your client is buying other venue services

such as catering or AV.

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Touring the Venue
Whenever feasible, go see the venue and tour the space before deciding to book it. Be sure to take

pictures of the venue throughout the tour. You’ll refer back to these pictures throughout the planning

process and you may share them with your client if he or she wasn’t able to attend the venue tour with

you. If all goes well, you may fine-tune and sign a contract at the end of the tour. Be sure to get clear

answers to questions about:

• LOCATION: Is parking available? How far is the venue from the nearest airport and from public

transit? Is a cab or shuttle service available? What kind of amenities are nearby? If you can, research

the neighborhood or walk around on foot. Don’t be afraid to ask locals.

• SPACE SPECIFICATIONS: Does the venue’s capacity fit your attendance numbers? Is the venue

wheelchair accessible? Are there any security concerns, such as doors that don’t lock? How easy will

load-in and load-out be for your vendors? Does the venue have a loading dock, or will vendors have

to climb stairs? Which spaces and facilities will you have access to? Are any spaces or amenities

off-limits?

• LOGISTICS: Do the technical capabilities of the venue fit your event’s requirements? Does the

venue have an onsite kitchen if you are planning onsite cooking with your caterer? Will the power

capabilities of the venue suit your kitchen, entertainment and AV needs? Does the venue have

central heating and/or air conditioning?

• AVAILABILITY: Will you be sharing the venue with other events? If so, are those other events

compatible with yours, or will their event aims, needs or sound concerns conflict with your event?

• ONSITE STAFF: Does the venue employ its own security staff, caterers, AV technicians, coat check

staff, etc.? If so, will you still be able to hire external vendors and staff, or will the venue require

you to use theirs? Is there a staffed event coordinator who will be able to liaise with you, and what

services will he or she provide?

• FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT RENTALS: How many chairs, tables, staging/risers, dishes, plates,

linens, glasses, etc. are included in the rental fee? If you need more, are they available onsite? Be

sure to examine the quality of included furniture and equipment.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 21

 • PAYMENT TERMS: How much is the deposit

and under what circumstances are you eligible

for a refund?

• CONTINGENCY AND LIABILITY: What are the

cancellation or rescheduling policies? What

sort of liability insurance does the venue have?

Ask for proof of insurance and for certificates of

health and cleanliness.

• AMBIENCE: Do you feel that the venue suits the

concept and theme of your event? Will it require

a lot of decorating to suit the event concept?

Does the venue have any restrictions on decor,

such as prohibiting open flames, confetti or

wall-hung draperies/decorations? Does the size

of the hall and foyer suit the event? Will the

anticipated number of guests comfortably flow

through each space?

• PREFERRED VENDORS: If the venue lacks in-

house services such as catering and AV, does it

have a list of preferred vendors? Will the venue

offer any special rates or services for working with

preferred vendors and vice versa?

Even if your client hopes to use his or her private

home, or that of a friend or relative, tour the space

and ask yourself some of the questions above. If the

space isn’t a good fit, you may need to work with your

client to adjust the event concept or find an alternate

venue. You don’t want to discover halfway through

the planning process that your client’s home isn’t

going to cut it.

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Red Flags
Red flags are different from simple downsides. A venue with an unreliable air conditioner or a broken

stove in its kitchen has flaws, but that venue may still be suitable. Red flags are clear signs that you

should take your business elsewhere. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

• LACK OF FLEXIBILITY: If a venue is unable to deliver on one of your event’s needs, the staff should

work with you to find a reasonable workaround. However, if the venue is unwilling to budge to

accommodate your event, this signals a lack of commitment to the success of your event. Simply

put, if you can’t have the event the way you want it, look elsewhere.

• HIDDEN COSTS: Some venues have a low quoted price, but the contract can be full of hidden

costs and charges. If it looks too good to be true, it just might be – walk away.

• POOR ATTENTION TO SAFETY: If the space is not up to safety codes, if you can identify visible

hazards during the tour, or if the venue lack necessary permits, licenses or insurance, the venue

obviously does not take safety seriously. You can’t expect the staff to take your guests’ safety or

yours seriously, either.

• LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY: If the venue doesn’t have clear,

satisfactory answers to all of your questions, if staff members are late to meet you for the tour or

are unresponsive to emails, or if the contract they ask you to sign seems to have unreasonable

hidden or extra fees, the venue is not showing you trust or respect. How likely is it that the staff

will take your business seriously?

When you evaluate a venue, look at the whole picture. Venue staff members should be responsive to

your needs and interested in solving the problems you bring up. They should always provide quality

customer service. Venue rental cost is just one aspect of your event. If you save money booking an

unappealing and unsuitable venue, are you really putting on the best event possible? It may be

worthwhile to spend extra money on a beautiful, well-situated venue that gives you the flexibility to

bring your concept to life the way you and your client envisioned it.

Remember, the venue is representing you and your client. You are putting your reputation as an event

planner in the venue’s hands. If you have any good reason to believe a venue will not meet your

standards and your client’s standards, you should not do business with it. Always trust your instincts

when assessing red flags.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 23

 Booking Room Blocks
If you’re planning a multi-day gathering with guests from out of town, you can book a room block

with a local hotel. A room block is a collection of rooms that a hotel places on hold for your group at

a negotiated, discounted rate. Most hotels allow you to book room blocks. In the hotel industry, the

term “room night” is common; this refers to the number of rooms requested, multiplied by the

number of nights for which you need the accomodations. For example, 80 rooms for one night each is

80 room nights; 40 rooms for two nights each is also 80 room nights (40 rooms x 2 nights per room =

80 room nights).

For most social events, your client will only require accommodations for a small number of guests, so

you can ask a hotel to offer a courtesy room block. A courtesy block is a room block offered to your

group at a competitive rate with no additional risk or cost to you. The block typically consists of 20

room nights or fewer. For example, you could ask for a courtesy block of 10 guest rooms over a two-

night period.

If the group of guests requiring overnight accommodations is large, then the hotel may attach

attrition to your room block. Attrition protects the hotel from the risk of losing revenue by attaching a

minimum revenue requirement to your room block. If guests don’t book the rooms in your room block

and the hotel doesn’t make its minimum revenue, you’ll be responsible for paying the balance of the

minimum revenue.

Often, hotels will attach a “book by” date to room blocks, after which the special rates no longer hold

and rooms are released. Although large room blocks are common for corporate events, the financial

risk associated with large blocks makes them less popular for social events. After all, your client is

already spending the time and money on a special celebration for his or her guests. If your client does

anticipate many out of town guests, your client may ask you to coordinate a group booking after guests

have already RSVP’d to invitations instead. You’ll know exactly how many guests need accommodations

so the financial risk of attrition won’t be very high.

If you have a hotel room block attached to your event, the hotel should be able to send you a unique

website link specifying your discounted hotel room rate. You can provide this link directly to your client’s

guests so they can book their hotel rooms at the discounted rate instead of going through the hotel’s

main website or calling the hotel.

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EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 25
 Negotiation
Generally, the more business you bring a venue by using their in-house services, the more room you

have for negotiating discounts and concessions. Concessions are certain services the venue agrees

to provide on a complimentary basis in exchange for your business. When negotiating the contract,

you can ask for things such as WiFi or parking passes as concessions. You can also ask for discounts

on the catering or AV services. Some venues will charge you room rental and labor fees up to a certain

minimum number of attendees. If your event exceeds this minimum, the venue will waive these fees.

To cover your bases, consider asking the venue to include a cancellation or rebook clause. In case you

need to cancel or reschedule the event, your client will only be on the hook to pay a portion of the

minimum. Alternatively, the fees paid for canceling the event can count as credit towards rebooking

with the venue within the same calendar year.

When negotiating with the hotel, you can ask for a room rebate, which is a small cash credit to you

based on every guest room booked for your event. You could also ask for things such as complimentary

amenities or room upgrades.

26
Union Cities and Facilities
Many cities in the United States, especially those in New York and New England, the Great Lakes, the

Pacific Northwest and California, have strong union histories and presences. Many of the tradespeople

in these areas belong to a union.

Working with unionized staff can significantly raise costs. In most areas, hotel and catering services

aren’t often unionized, but vendors such as AV service providers very often belong to unions. In “union

cities,” i.e. those with high rates of union membership, hotel and catering services may be unionized.

You should research potential costs and union conditions before signing any agreements. If the venue

facilities are unionized, they may not allow you to bring in outside vendors. For these reasons, some

event planners avoid working in cities with high rates of union membership.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 27

 Space Layout
Site layout has an enormous impact on your event’s atmosphere.

Building an appropriate floorplan for event activities is crucial

for making your client’s guests feel comfortable and engaged.

Venue size, venue fixtures, safety codes, guest count, catering

style, AV requirements and planned activities will all have an

impact on the floorplan you choose.

28
As the planner, you should always have input into

the floorplan but you may not be responsible for

designing it yourself. Event decor specialists and

AV technicians usually have staff trained in using

computer-aided design (CAD) programs to create

floor plans. If an event has particularly complex

decor or AV requirements, you may outsource the

floorplan design to one of these professionals. If

you work for an event planning company, you

may have in-house specialists trained in using

CAD programs to create floor plans. If you are

responsible for creating a floorplan yourself,

you have a variety of user-friendly online tools

available, such as Social Tables.

Always designate one professional as the

“owner” of the floorplan. Everyone whose work

relates to the floorplan should provide input

on the plan to the owner and ask for revisions

if necessary. If you’re planning an event with a

complex AV setup, your AV technician might be

responsible for creating and owning the master

plan. You and your decor specialist would meet

with the technician to provide input on seating,

decor placement and other relevant information.

Some CAD programs allow the designer to

create realistic 3D renderings of the event site.

This useful feature gives you a virtual walkthrough

before the installation of any AV or rental pieces.

You’ll be able to identify any potential problems

early on.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 29

 Visibility
Many seating plans will have a focal point, such as a stage or a high table where a guest of honor is

seated. For many events, the guest of honor will sit at the high table with his or her family, some of

whom may be making speeches during the event. Make sure your seating plan gives all guests a clear

line of sight to the focal point. Be sure to avoid seating guests in blind spots, such as behind signage

or support columns that obstruct their views.

Ideally, guests shouldn’t have to crane their necks or turn around in their seats to look at the focal point,

especially if they will be listening to lots of speeches or watching a long performance. This might mean

leaving one side of each table free of seating. Many events that are filmed or photographed designate

specific areas for photographers or videographers that have clean sight lines to the focal point.

Make sure your event space has sufficient, balanced lighting throughout, and that no table is in a

position that receives too much or too little light. Your AV technician can work with you to create a

lighting plan that won’t shine any lights directly into the eyes of guests or performers. Poor or excessive

lighting will harm a guest’s view of the focal point and hinder the overall experience.

30
Movement
Your guests won’t remain seated throughout the entire event. Most social events involve mingling

and many involve dancing, games or activities. Your guests may only be seated for the meal and any

speeches or performances. Even during portions of the event for which guests are seated, some

people may get up, walk around and leave to use the restroom. In many cases, catering staff also need

to be able to move comfortably throughout the space without risking spilling food and drink. The AV

technicians may need to move around to adjust or operate equipment. This means leaving appropriate

distances between chairs, tables and other items in the dining area. When designing a seating plan

or space plan, research the recommended distances between chairs, tables, buffets, doors, stages, AV

equipment and other room features. These vary depending on the number of guests you’re expecting

and the style of seating.

If you have guests with mobility issues, you’ll need to increase the amount of space between tables to

ensure all of your guests have enough room to move comfortably and safely throughout your event

space. A good rule of thumb is to use 50% more space for those with mobility issues than you would

use for a group of guests with no mobility issues. For instance, typically you should leave at least 5

feet between tables with seating on all sides. To accommodate guests with limited mobility you would

increase that distance to 7.5 feet between tables.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 31

 SAFETY

Make sure your floorplan doesn’t impede the paths to fire exits and that your headcount doesn’t exceed

the seating or standing capacity of the venue. Recall that venue staff, vendors and entertainers count

toward your headcount, not just your guests. The floorplan should also avoid cramping the room with

too much furniture, decor or equipment, which can make the space difficult to navigate and can create

tripping hazards. Expensive, delicate AV equipment should be placed out of the way and set up so that

wires aren’t trailing across high-traffic paths.

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Seating Arrangements
The number of guests each table can seat depends on the sizes of the table and chairs. Novelty chairs

such as armchairs will make for a unique event seating experience but will obviously require more room

than a standard banquet chair. The company in charge of the furniture can provide advice on how many

guests each of their tables can seat. This may be the venue or the decor or rental company.

Some events have assigned seating, which requires you to create a seating plan. At parties or

celebrations, guests are usually seated with their partners or plus-ones. Clients often use assigned

seating as an opportunity to encourage mingling amongst their friends and relatives by seating guests

they think will get along well together. This can help break the ice between groups of guests who

haven’t met before.

Other kinds of social events and parties have open seating, meaning guests can sit in any open seat.

This works well for informal events but makes it difficult for catering staff to serve plated meals if guests

have specific meal preferences. Assigned seating allows you to indicate guest meal preferences to

servers in advance so they know exactly which dishes to bring to each table.

SEATING FOR CEREMONIES

Organizing seating for ceremonies that include a guest of honor, such as a bar or bat mitzvah where

the celebrated boy or girl reads from the Torah, requires special consideration. These events are almost

always held at houses of worship, so the space is usually already laid out for regular services and

won’t need too many adjustments. Guests should have a clear line of sight to the guest of honor and

clear movement through the aisles as necessary. This will require coordination with the religious figure

leading the ceremony. If the event will have a photographer or videographer, you will also need to

coordinate with the ceremony leader to determine where the camera operator will be able to stand

and what they will capture.

PRIORITY SEATING

Assign seats to guests of honor, elderly guests and guests with special needs first. It’ll be easier to work

around these people than to squeeze them in at the end. Seat elderly guests away from the band or DJ

and make sure guests with limited mobility can easily access their seats.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 33

 Seating Styles
Event planners use a variety of seating styles, each of which offers pros and cons. The seating style

you select should depend on the main activities involved in your event as well as the guest experience

you want to promote. Will guests be viewing a presentation? Do you want to encourage small group

discussion, or promote mingling? Consider how seating style can facilitate event activities and help you

achieve the event’s goals.

THEATER

In a theater floorplan, rows of seats face a stage or other focal point, as in a church or theater. Many

religious ceremonies call for a theater-style floorplan. If you’re holding the ceremony in a place of

worship, it’s likely to be set up appropriately already with pews or the equivalent. Typically, a theater

floorplan has at least three noticeable aisles – one down the middle of the room and one at either side

of the room. These aisles let guests move comfortably to find and leave their seats. Having more than

three aisles obviously makes guest movement easier. Keep in mind that people in wheelchairs will need

to be positioned next to a row of seats. To make your event wheelchair-accessible, leave enough space

to make this possible. Most religious institutions will probably have accessible seating in place already.

STAGE/FRONT OF ROOM

34
FAMILY-STYLE

“Family-style” seating is another variation on the reception floorplan. It involves long rectangular tables

with seating along both sides, similar to a cafeteria or dining hall. In certain room layouts, rectangular

tables can provide more space for people to walk around, but be aware that guests are often limited

to talking to their table neighbors. Family-style seating is generally considered less formal than a

traditional reception floorplan, making it an appropriate choice for parties and family gatherings. It can

be a refreshing change for guests used to circular tables.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 35

 HEAD TABLE/AREA OF FOCUS

DANCE FLOOR

RECEPTION

The reception floorplan allows for a focal point, seating area and dance floor. Typically, tables seat 8-10

people comfortably and are spread out evenly across an area of the event space designated for dining.

A reception floorplan is useful for events at which guests are expected to mingle and converse with

those at their tables. The room may feature a focal point, but any presentations or performances should

be relatively brief so that guests seated with their backs to the focal point won’t have to twist around or

crane their necks. A variation on the reception floorplan does allow guests to concentrate on the front

of the room for long periods. As previously mentioned, the plan has essentially the same layout but

guests are only seated along one half of the table so that no one sits facing away from the focal point.

The reception floorplan works well when a full meal will be served.

36
COCKTAIL RECEPTION

The cocktail reception floorplan is similar to the traditional reception floorplan but has fewer chairs or

no chairs at all. Tables are usually “standing tables” raised to bar height and may feature tall stools

or chairs as seating. In general, the number of guests is far greater than the number of seats so that

people have to stand and mingle. Seating is, therefore, not assigned.

As the name suggests, this seating style works well for cocktail receptions as well as parties. The

cocktail reception isn’t ideal for long presentations or performances since guests will usually want to sit

if they’re watching something. Guests can stand around tables or take seats as they please. A cocktail

floorplan is great for events that feature drinks and hors d’oeuvres but no formal meal.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 37

 Choosing a Caterer
A typical catering company will bring a team to your client’s event that includes:

• The CATERING MANAGER or SALES MANAGER. Sometimes called the EVENT MANAGER,

he or she will be your catering point of contact throughout the planning process and on the day

of your event.

• The CHEF, who is in charge of the KITCHEN STAFF at your event and of all food preparation

during the event.

• The SERVING STAFF, or WAIT STAFF, as well as the BARTENDERS, who may have a HEAD

SERVER or HEAD BARTENDER as a team leader. They are in charge of attending to your guests’

food and drink needs and are responsible for following the serving style for your event.

38
Once you have a venue in mind, decide if you will use the venue’s

in-house caterer or an external caterer. Using the venue’s caterer

can save you a lot of organizational hassle. The caterer will be

used to serving at the venue and will be prepared to deal with

any of its quirks regarding load-in, serving time, etc. However,

if the venue does not have an in-house caterer, or if you decide

that the venue’s caterer is not suitable for the scope or theme of

your event, you will want to contact an alternate.

If you decide to go with an external caterer, ask the venue for

a list of preferred caterers. The venue will have a good working

history and relationship with these caterers. They can be trusted

to know the schedule, layout and particulars of serving at the

venue. Using one of them may also qualify you for special rates or

discounts with the venue or caterer. Some venues may only allow

you to work with caterers from their lists of preferred partners.

When working with an external caterer, determine how the team

will prepare your food. External caterers commonly prepare food

onsite using the kitchen and equipment provided by the venue,

or in a mobile kitchen driven to the venue. Others will instead

prepare food offsite and then deliver it to the venue. Onsite

preparation is the best option for any complicated meal since it

helps ensure the staff serves the food at the proper temperature.

It also allows the staff to display buffets or plate meals in an

appealing way without worrying about transport. If your client’s

event is short and your client only wants to serve your guests

appetizers, hors d’oeuvres or small desserts, delivered catering

may be preferable as it sidesteps the concerns of organizing

the kitchen. Whatever catering method you use, make sure the

venue can provide enough back-of-house space for the catering

team to prepare, stage and serve the food.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 39

 Interviewing Caterers
Once you have identified a suitable caterer, meet and interview

him or her. During this meeting, try to assess:

• RESPONSIVENESS TO YOUR EVENT NEEDS: Does the

caterer seem interested in meeting your event’s specific

requirements? How flexible is the chef about the menu?

• AREA OF EXPERTISE: Does the company’s typical menu

seem to be a good match for the food you and your client

have planned for the event? Does it seem appropriate for

the size and theme of the event and the layout of the venue?

• SUITABILITY FOR THE VENUE: Has the caterer served at

this venue before? Have you identified specific concerns that

the venue has about food, drink or alcohol that the caterer

would need to meet?

• OTHER COMMITMENTS: How busy is the caterer’s

schedule on your client’s event day? Does the catering team

need to load out before the event is over to travel to the

next contract?

You also need specific responses to the particulars of your event.

Ask about the timeline of the company’s load-in, setup, teardown

and load-out. Be clear about how many staff members, including

bartenders, the contract includes. Be clear about the extent of

the service the caterer is providing. Are they supplying dishes

and cutlery? Will they clean up after the meal? If the caterer

needs kitchen facilities that the venue can’t supply, make sure

the catering team can bring appropriate equipment. If the event

will involve alcohol, clarify whether you or the caterer will be

supplying it and how it will be priced.

40
Conduct some research outside of the interview as well. Ask for pictures of the

caterer’s past events. Does the food look good? Do the staff look professional

and appropriately dressed? Contact the caterer’s past client references and see

if what they have to say matches up with your intuition. Make sure the caterer is

licensed appropriately for the region. This important mark of quality shows that

the company is able to meet food safety and preparation standards. If you are

planning to serve alcohol at your event, your caterer must be licensed to serve

it and should have liquor liability insurance. If the caterer is supplying servers,

the company must have servers with the appropriate regional certification and

experience for serving alcohol.

If your event has specific dietary requirements such as the service of kosher or

halal food, your client will want your caterer to carry a license from a relevant

agency. Ensure that your caterer has experience catering to events with these

dietary needs and can observe the proper food preparation and service etiquette

necessary. For kosher food, the caterer and venue will need to be approved by

the “Kashrut” committee of the local Jewish community and supervised by a

representative of the committee. If your caterer will be using an onsite kitchen to

prepare food in accordance with a specific dietary need, they will need to clean

the kitchen thoroughly and prepare it in accordance with relevant religious or

regional laws before any food preparation can take place.

The caterer should be prepared to provide a clear, comprehensive fee breakdown.

This is usually only finalized a week to a few days before the event when you can

provide the final guest count. Caterers may have menu packages priced and

prepared or they may work with you to build a custom menu. Contained within

the fee breakdown is usually a gratuity or service charge. Catering companies

that cover both food and beverage usually add a service charge of around 15-

20% of the total bill, either pre- or post-tax depending on the area.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 41

 Tastings
Ask for tastings from your caterer, including a wine pairing if available. A tasting involves visiting the

caterer’s kitchen and sampling the menu offerings the caterer proposes to serve at the event. Some

caterers offer complimentary tastings but others charge for this service. If the caterer charges an

additional fee for a tasting, consider it an investment in the success of the event. Ideally, your client

should accompany you to the tasting so he or she can provide personal input. Your client will also

understand the tastes and preferences of any guests of honor.

During a tasting, try to evaluate all aspects of each dish. In addition to taste and texture, consider

appearance, plating, presentation, messiness, etc. All of these aspects affect how guests will perceive

and experience your event. Remember that the care the company puts into the sample of its product

is representative of the care its chefs will put into the food your guests will be eating. A critical tasting

is especially necessary if you are using the venue’s caterer. If you are not satisfied with the product and

the venue will not allow offsite catering, you may need to explore other venues.

42
Alcohol
Drinking is common at many social events and parties. Ask your client if he or she plans to serve alcohol

before budgeting and planning for it. Depending on the age of the guests and the nature of the

celebration, your client may feel alcohol isn’t appropriate for the event. If your client does want to serve

alcohol, you have several options for deciding how much of your catering budget should go towards

keeping your guests happy with drinks.

The most cost-effective option is the cash bar, where each guest pays per drink. A significant advantage

of a cash bar is its built-in risk management: guests are less likely to overdrink if they are doing so at

their own expense. Going with the cash bar will also slow the rate of drinking, as lines will grow with

individual transactions. This built-in control helps you keep a handle on guests’ drinking, but can also

frustrate guests. Be aware that cash bars are uncommon at social events, and guests can consider them

inconsiderate. If you decide a cash bar is appropriate for your event, be sure to mention your choice in

the invitation.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 43

 An open bar will make your client’s guests feel more appreciated as they won’t have to pay for their

drinks and service will be fast. However, there is always a risk that some guests will overindulge and

become intoxicated. Open bars can also quickly become very expensive and costs can be difficult to

predict or control.

If you have budgetary or risk concerns but want to provide your guests with bar service, offering a

signature cocktail is a good option. Bartenders can craft signature cocktails one at a time, like margaritas,

or in large batches, like punch or sangria. This allows you to keep costs lower because you’ll only need

to pay for one set of ingredients, which can be purchased in bulk. You can consider incorporating fresh

regional ingredients or spirits as when you plan the menu.

You can also purchase a given amount of alcohol from the bar beforehand and provide drink tickets

to your guests. If guests want to keep drinking after their tickets run out, they buy drinks at their own

expense. Drink tickets can be helpful in ensuring you meet your minimum spend without blowing too

much money on the bar. You might also place a bottle or two of wine on each table, or ask servers to

come around with wine at the start of the meal. Serving wine only can help to keep alcohol costs low.

At some parties, you may choose to limit the open hours of the bar during the event, especially if you

are concerned about costs or consumption rates. Decide on “social hours” during the event when

you would like to have the bar open. Closing the bar at least half an hour before the event ends is a

good way of signaling to your guests that they should start thinking about how to get home. Serving

coffee and dessert when the bar closes indicates that the event is closing and moves guests’ focus away

from alcohol.

44
ALCOHOL SAFETY

Be careful when organizing social events that involve both drinking and underage

guests. If your guest list consists mainly of children or teenagers, you probably

shouldn’t serve alcohol. However, it’s not uncommon for alcohol to be served at

events where some minors are present. If this is the case for your client’s event,

you’ll have to develop a strategy to prevent underage drinking.

Asking for ID from every guest at the bar is a common way of deterring underage

drinking, but it may increase your lineups at the bar. If the event has an admission

desk, staff can check guests’ IDs there and provide wristbands or stamps to those

of legal age. If these options are unsatisfactory to your client, you should organize

a discussion with your caterer and your client to find a satisfactory solution that

complies with the local liquor laws.

Intoxication is the other major risk associated with serving alcohol at an event.

By the end of the night, some guests may have had too much to drink. Ask your

catering staff to keep you in the loop if they sense any problems. It will be your

responsibility to have a plan in place to get your intoxicated guests home safely.

You, your client and the venue may be liable for their actions if you don’t.

Consider budgeting for taxi vouchers or rideshare credits as safe ways for your

guests to get home. If your guests know an alternative is not only available but

also free, they will be less likely to get on the roads themselves. Remember, you

are responsible for your guests’ safety during and after the event.

You can also try to find volunteers to act as designated drivers. Some guests

won’t want to drink and may be happy to act as designated drivers for their

relatives, friends or colleagues. This works best at parties where guests know

each other and can arrange to carpool with designated drivers in advance. As an

incentive to volunteer, consider offering free soda or nonalcoholic beer, wine or

cocktails for designated drivers. This is especially effective if you aren’t offering

an open bar to other guests, and if you have the budget for gourmet sodas or

unique mocktails.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 45

 Negotiation
If you are making use of quite a few of the caterer’s services, you may be able to negotiate concessions.

If you meet certain minimums, your caterer may be willing to waive some of the labor fees as outlined

in the contract.

A caterer may charge a corkage fee per wine bottle opened at your event or cake-cutting fees for

serving dessert. Caterers generally charge these fees when you bring in alcohol or dessert from third

parties. The fees allow them to recoup the costs for the lost business and cover the cost of the servers’

labor. Ordering alcohol or dessert directly from the caterer will give you room to have these charges

waived. Your negotiating position on extra charges becomes even stronger if you’ve placed a big food

order with the caterer.

46
Menu Planning
An important part of working with a caterer is deciding what your guests will eat during the event. When

planning the menu, contact your guests and determine their specific dietary restrictions, allergies and

age groups. Many planners include a question on the event registration form asking guests to identify

any allergies or dietary restrictions. Events that will include many attendees under 12 years old often

have a separate children’s menu with simple food and small portions.

Today’s most common dietary restrictions include religious requirements for kosher and halal food as

well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. Common allergies and intolerances include peanuts,

tree nuts, soy, shellfish, eggs, gluten and lactose (found in dairy). Luckily, this usually doesn’t mean

you have to organize ten different meal options to cater to everyone’s preferences, restrictions and

allergies. Many caterers have learned to combine restrictions into a single dish. For instance, your

vegetarian dish might also be kosher and gluten-free.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 47

 You will need to decide on the exact amount of food to order, which will depend on what you are

planning to serve. In general, the more courses or buffet options you offer, the less food per course

or buffet option you will need to serve. Experienced caterers can easily recommend an appropriate

amount of food based on factors such as the number of guests, serving style, time of day, menu options

and type of food.

Several factors will shape the menu. What time of year will you hold the event? If you are planning

an outdoor reception in the summer, for example, consider light meals that encourage moving and

mingling. Where applicable, incorporating regional ingredients such as seasonal produce or seafood

is just the sort of touch your guests will remember. Meals that use local, in-season ingredients will also

reduce costs and cut your event’s environmental footprint.

Serving Styles
Pay close attention to how much time you have in your event schedule for meals and factor in serving

time. The schedule will impact the kind of meals you want to serve and your total catering cost. Several

important factors will influence the type of serving style you decide on. These include:

• Event timeframe

• Floor space and capacity

• Budget

• Seating arrangement

48
A popular and classic option for parties is to serve your guests buffet-style. In

comparison to other food service options such as plated and family-style meals,

buffets require far fewer wait staff and less serving time. However, you’ll need to

order more food than you would for a plated meal, so buffets can sometimes

end up being the more expensive option. Buffets are considered casual and are

suitable for informal events but less so for formal ones. For buffet service, you will

need about one waiter for every twenty-five guests.

Plated meals with several courses are the most time-consuming catering option

and require the most wait staff – you will need one to two waiters for every ten

guests. As the most traditional option, however, a plated meal is your best choice

for a formal event. If the event demands a complex meal or banquet, this is the

best way to provide it.

A good compromise between the convenience of buffet service and the elegance

of plated meals is serving your guests family style, where wait staff brings the

food on serving dishes to each table and guests help themselves. This style is

a good way of keeping things fresh for your guests. Costs and serving time are

similar to those of a plated meal service.

Another benefit of family-style service is its good fit for social events that bring

families together. Certain cultures, cuisines and celebrations call for family-style

service, making it appropriate for many parties. Keep in mind that guests passing

around serving dishes at their own table may make a mess on rented table linens.

Be sure to pay attention to the theme of the venue and event when selecting the

menu. When planning parties and special occasion celebrations, you may want

to plan a specific entrée or suggest a signature cocktail. Even a standard meal

can have a big impact if it has a unique style of plating or presentation. Guests

also often appreciate a balance between the unique and the familiar. This often

means a new twist on a classic dish can be a big hit. If the caterer or venue offers

choices of napkins, plates, or glassware, choose something appropriate to the

venue and event.

EVENT VENUES AND CATERING 49

 Closing
Thoughts
When you book venues and caterers, you are creating business partnerships.

In addition to being two of your biggest event expenses, venues and catering

are two of the most important event components. They can enhance the

guest experience and create a lasting impression. Venue impacts all other

event components and sets the stage for the event. Catering offers a unique

opportunity to engage the senses. Fostering relationships with partners who

share your vision and are confident in their ability to deliver is the best way to

ensure your success.

50
QC EVENT SCHOOL