Planning an event is a stressful task! Choosing a venue will be no exception, especially if you don’t know where to start. When you hire an event planner they can scour their database, people they worked with before, places they have planned events and even colleague recommendations. Choosing a site doesn’t have to be stressful. If you take a few simple steps to get organized choosing a venue can be fun and one of the easier tasks of planning your event. Here are a few things to help you along the way…

1. Choose as many venues that match your events needs as you feel up to. No need to get into details just yet. All you need to know is *Can they accommodate your party *Is it in the desired location *Seasonal restrictions.

2. Do some research! Sites like Google, Yelp, Facebook Fan Pages, and mashable.com can be some great resources. Don’t forget about friends and family that may have attended an event at the site. What are people saying and is it a concern?

3. Once you are satisfied with your research narrow your search to 3 venues. Call the venues to request the information you need. Most venues have a package for you to review. In the package they will have all kinds of information. Such as: Cost, Food, Linens (whether provided or not), and deposit requirements.

4. Use this form to help you organize your information and make sure you are not leaving anything out. This form is a simple form to get you started. Once you have narrowed your search to 1 or 2 venues you can use a detailed inspection form.

5. Once your form is complete and you have exhausted all the information provided. Make a list of any questions or concerns (big or small) you may have about the site.

6. With questions in hand call the site coordinators to schedule a time to meet so they can answer any questions. Remember: No question is a stupid question! If you missed the information or even if you think the question is silly – ask it! Trust me you will be happy you did…it’s those unanswered questions that keep us up at night!

7. Once you have narrowed your search to 1 or 2 venues, call those in the running for a detailed inspection!

Check back for tips on detailed inspection how to’s and venue reviews.