The search for a great venue in London, Glasgow and other UK cities can be exhausting for the most experienced organisers. Once a venue is found, however, the work of an event organiser is not complete. The complex process of completing venue reservations requires more than the names of attendees. Event organizers have to juggle logistical and financial concerns when working on venue reservations with operators. An organiser can use the following hints to turn interest in a venue into complete venue reservations.



The centerpiece of a venue reservation is a firm time and date for the event in question. A conference organiser should be ready with a full timetable of events from registration through final checkout. This timetable will allow the venue operator to block off conference rooms, hotel rooms and other spaces to meet the needs of attendees. Conference organisers have to understand that the hourly value of venue space is invaluable to the venue operator's bottom line, making wasted time and space harmful to the operator in question.

After conference and accommodation spaces are blocked off for the appropriate times, event organisers have to make venue reservations for the right number of people. If an event organiser has an invitation list drawn up, the venue operator can block off seats and rooms in anticipation of 100% attendance. Organising companies and nonprofits should ask additional rooms to account for late registrants. While larger organisations can handle 20 to 25% extra space, the minimum estimate for rooms and chair on top of the invitation list is 10%.

An event organiser should consult with a catering expert at a conference venue to create a menu for the entire event. Venues may offer limited catering for continental breakfasts, appetizers and snacks to keep costs low. If a venue offers a more extensive menu, an organiser with a limited budget should not be afraid to select a handful of meals for the entire event. Event organisers should take the dietary requests of their attendees in mind based on program evaluations and registration forms. If an event has a historic or geographic theme, the organiser should find menu items that fit well with this theme.

Venue reservations are secured through deposits that represent a portion of the overall reservation cost. Businesses, trade groups and schools can often pay the full balance of venue reservations ahead of the event to eliminate financial concerns. Smaller groups should put down their deposits on business credit cards while registration fees are shipped. Once an organisation has demonstrated responsibility in paying for venue reservations, operators will be more flexible with pay arrangements in the future.

Once the deposit has been provided, event organisers and venue operators can worry about smaller details. An event organiser should bolster venue reservations by adding office and technology requests according to the needs of presenters and speakers. The most basic request by an organiser is to hook up a laptop to a projector, which will show presentations, videos and other visual media on a large screen. Policy conferences and political conventions may need to create media centres in venues, requesting broadband connections and phone lines by the dozens. Venue reservations should also address the number of temporary workspaces carved out of conference rooms using cubicle walls.

Venue operators will show various room layouts to conference organisers to determine the tables, chairs and equipment needed for each agenda item. A software convention with a half-dozen breakout sessions each day may require six separate rooms, three rooms split in half or a large conference room split into six meeting areas. Event organisers may want to spread out circular tables evenly to facilitate group work or line up long, rectangular tables to allow individuals to focus on presentations. Whether it is an existing room template or a unique layout for a particular conference, an organiser should look carefully at how each portion of a conference is laid out before registration.

The miscellaneous items of conference organisation may not be encompassed in the initial venue reservation. Busy event organisers may need to assign administrative assistants or interns to meet with venue staff to set up registration tables. An organiser should also speak with front desk staff and registration workers about offering information on taxis, accommodations and nearby restaurants to invitees. Last-second activities like stuffing folders, creating name tags and checking registration lists should be conducted offsite to keep up an organised face to attendees.

Since venue reservations are set in stone, event organisers must approach venue operators with firm details. An organisation should have at least a handful of registrations confirmed for the event before committing any money to a deposit. If there is any doubt about the amenities and resources offered by a conference venue, organisations should not lock themselves into venue reservations. The feeling of confirming venue reservations, laying down a deposit and setting event planning in motion should not mean forgoing due diligence.