The Right Venue Changes Everything

When people ask me what the most important part of planning an event is, they often expect me to say the venue.

The truth is, it’s not.

The most important part is choosing the right venue.

After more than 30 years helping organisations find venues for conferences, meetings, awards dinners, product launches and corporate events, I’ve learned that the venue itself rarely causes problems. It’s choosing a venue that doesn’t properly match the event that’s usually the issue.

Over the years, I’ve seen stunning venues that simply didn’t work and relatively simple venues that delivered exceptional events.

The difference wasn’t the building.

It was the decision-making behind the booking.

Bigger Doesn’t Mean Better

One of the biggest misconceptions is that larger venues automatically create a more impressive event.

In reality, an oversized venue can quickly drain atmosphere.

A conference with 150 delegates can feel flat in a room designed for 500. Likewise, an awards dinner loses impact if guests are spread too widely around the room.

The best venues feel comfortably full rather than impressively empty.

Whenever I’m reviewing venue options with clients, I encourage them to think about how the room will feel once everyone has arrived – not just whether it can physically accommodate the numbers.

Don’t Let Photos Make the Decision

Venue websites are designed to showcase a venue at its absolute best.

Professional photography, perfect lighting and carefully staged layouts can make almost any venue look impressive.

That’s why I always recommend a site visit whenever possible.

During a visit you’ll notice things that never appear in the photographs:

• How delegates move through the space.
• Whether networking areas actually work.
• How much natural daylight there is.
• The atmosphere.
• The quality of the service team.

I’ve lost count of the number of venues that looked average online but were outstanding in person.

The opposite is true as well.

Ask Yourself One Question

Instead of asking:

“Is this a good venue?”

Ask:

“Is this the right venue for my event?”

Those are two very different questions.

A fantastic venue for a product launch might be completely wrong for a training day.

A beautiful historic building might not be suitable if your event relies heavily on technology.

A luxury hotel may offer outstanding service, but if your delegates are travelling from across the country and it’s difficult to reach, attendance could suffer.

The context matters.

Think Like Your Delegates

It’s easy to become focused on logistics.

• Budgets.
• Room layouts.
• AV equipment.
• Timings.

But your delegates experience the event differently.

They notice:

• Was it easy to get there?
• Was registration straightforward?
• Could they hear the speakers?
• Was there enough space to network?
• Was the food good?
• Did the venue feel welcoming?

Those are often the moments they remember long after the presentations have finished.

Whenever I review venues, I mentally walk through the day as though I’m attending the event myself.

It’s a useful exercise that often highlights details that might otherwise be overlooked.

Don’t Chase Trends

Every year there’s a venue trend.

• Industrial warehouses.
• Rooftop bars.
• Blank canvas spaces.
• Immersive venues.
• Festival-style events.

Some trends genuinely improve delegate experience.

Others simply become fashionable.

The venue should support your objectives – not social media.

I’ve seen organisations choose unusual venues because they looked exciting, only to discover they created unnecessary logistical challenges.

Sometimes a straightforward conference venue is exactly what’s needed.

Sometimes a museum or gallery creates the perfect backdrop.

There isn’t a universal answer.

The Venue Team Matters

People often focus entirely on the building.

I focus just as much on the people.

An experienced venue team can solve problems before they become problems.

• They know how long registration takes.
• They understand delegate flow.
• They’ll suggest improvements you hadn’t considered.
• Good venue teams become an extension of your own event team.

That’s incredibly valuable on the day.

Why Independent Advice Matters

One of the reasons I still enjoy venue finding after all these years is that every brief is different.

There isn’t a “best venue”.

There isn’t a “best conference venue.”

There isn’t a perfect venue.

There is only the venue that’s right for your objectives, audience and budget.

That’s why independent advice matters.

When you aren’t tied to promoting one particular venue, you can look objectively at the options and recommend what genuinely fits the brief.

Sometimes the answer is a luxury hotel.

Sometimes it’s a university.

Sometimes it’s a museum.

Sometimes it’s somewhere the client hadn’t even considered.

At Function Fixers, our free venue-finding service recommends venues based on your brief rather than promoting a single property.

My Final Thought

The venue shouldn’t be chosen because it’s fashionable, expensive or impressive.

It should be chosen because it helps your event succeed.

When delegates leave talking about the ideas they shared, the people they met and the experience they had – not the problems they encountered, you know you’ve chosen well.

That’s always the benchmark I work towards.

About the Author

Carrie Larwood is Managing Director of Function Fixers and has over 35 years’ experience helping organisations source conference venues, meeting spaces and corporate event locations throughout London and the UK.