Site Visit – Site Survey
A site visit is when an event planner and/or client go on a tour of a venue. A site visit is usually planned to:
- Take a comparison of other venues
- Decide whether or not to host the event there
- Plan the décor and entertainment setup
If a particular venue has already been booked by a client or event planner, they might visit the venue again to take measurements and review the layout of the venue to make sure it can accommodate their plans.
A site visit is necessary to make sure that the venue is in line with the needs and theme of your event. If you are having a three hundred person event you will want to make sure that your venue is large enough to accommodate all of your guests comfortably. Your venue representative can misrepresent their venue’s accommodations and you don’t want to risk having an event site unseen and have it be rundown and damaged. Therefore, a site visit is a good idea before you book a date or agree to put down a deposit. You should visit a venue to make sure that it can meet the needs of your event and your guests. Do you have a lot of older guests? Are there a lot of stairs to get to the actual event space? Does the venue smell like mold? Does the venue offer an inside and outside option? How big is the room? Is it easily accessible? All of these questions are examples of what should be considered when going on a site visit.
In the instance that a venue has already been chosen and reserved, the event planner might have to visit the site again (if it is unfamiliar to them) to take measurements and figure out what décor options would work in the space. It is easy to create a vision of how you want an event to look but in order to establish its feasibility you will need to see the site visit once if not more than once. If you are planning a wedding or other event where there will be a lot of speaking- does the place have a horrible echo? If it does, this is something to consider. A site visit should answer all of your questions and probe exciting new ideas. When an event planner goes on a site visit they should be inspired to begin to think about the event’s décor. The site visit should also allow the planner to anticipate any problems- such as a slippery surface or confusing parking. It is always better to be fully aware so the site visit is just another way to make sure that happens.
