The Wild World of Venue Finding: What Could Go Wrong & Why an Event Agency is your Best Friend
Posted on 2nd April 2025 at 10:02
Finding the perfect venue for your event should be exciting right? The thrill of discovering a stunning space, imagining the décor, picturing your guests having the time of their lives… but lets be real, venue hunting can quickly turn into a stressful nightmare. Hidden fees, unresponsive managers, or realising too late that the ‘stunning rooftop’ is actually a glorified balcony with a view of a parking lot.
Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered. Let’s talk about what could go horribly wrong when venue finding (so you can avoid it), and why having an event agency in your corner makes the whole process a breeze.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (Spoiler: A Lot)
1. The looks can be deceiving trap:
That gorgeous venue you saw online? Turns out, those photos were taken ten years ago and heavily edited. Now, the once luxurious ballroom is looking more like a forgotten storage unit.
How we help: we personally vet venues and know which ones actually live up to the hype.
2. The mystery costs that magically appear:
You found a venue within budget, but wait... what’s this? Extra charges for using their chairs? A compulsory catering fee? Service charges that weren’t mentioned before? Before you know it you’ve blown your budget on things that should’ve been included in the first place.
How we help: we negotiate rates and uncover hidden fees before you sign anything.
3. Double-booked disaster:
You’ve sent out the invites, and everything is set only to find out that the venue has somehow also booked a wedding at the same time as your conference.
How we help: we handle the paperwork and confirmations, so there is no risk of double-booking drama.
4. Strange venue rules:
You find out too late that the venue bans candles, won’t allow food trucks, or has a strict 9pm music cut-off.
How we help: we check all of the fine print so there are no unwelcome surprises.
Why you need an event agency, and why it’s free to use us!
You might be thinking do I really need an agency to find a venue? Can’t I just google it? Sure, you could – but here’s why having an agency like ours makes life so much easier.
- We save you time and stress – no more endless venue tours or chasing down venue managers
- We get you the best deals – we have strong relationships with venues and can often negotiate better rates than you’d get on your own
- We handle the details – contracts, logistics, layouts, audio visual – we sort it all
- And best of all? It’s free! – We don’t charge you a venue-finding fee because we get commission from the venues.
I asked some of the team at Dancing Squirrel what their favourite venues are whether it was for an event, a venue they have always wanted to work at or just admire!
Marc West, Client Relations Director:
Silverstone
Emma Talbot, Business Support & Office Manager:
Crazy Bear Stadhampton
Amy Robinson, Business Development Manager:
Andaz Amsterdam
Connie Purcell, Event Project Manager:
Natural History Museum London
Kris Driscoll, Project Manager:
The Ritz
Ready to find the perfect venue?
If you want a stress free venue finding experience, we’d love to help. Get in touch, tell us what you need and we’ll find you the perfect spot. No stress, no hidden costs, just great venues and an event agency that’s got your back!
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