Tips to find the best corporate function venue

Finding the perfect venue for a corporate function can be a challenge. There are many factors to take into consideration, and with the number of functions postponed over the past two years thanks to COVID-19, venues are booking up quickly.

So where do you start?

Do your research

When picking out a corporate function venue, the best thing to do is to start with a simple Google search. You could try search terms like “venue hire”, “Christmas party venues”, “private function rooms”, or “business function rooms”. Whether you’re looking at online reviews or asking a colleague for their recommendation, other people’s experiences are a good way to judge if a venue might be suitable for your event.

Start looking as early as you can

Venues have certain times of the year when they get busy and can book out quickly. For instance, if you’re looking for a venue to host a work Christmas party, you should start looking as early as you can – around September or October. You can never really be too early to book a venue in advance, but you can definitely be too late!

Consider the type of function

Picking the venue based on the guests and the type of function is very important as well. If you’re organizing a black-tie fundraiser, hosting it in a bowling alley’s function room probably wouldn’t suit, but a hotel’s ballroom might be perfect. You should look widely and consider all options, as you might find the perfect space in an unexpected place.

Make sure you visit

Pictures can be helpful, but nothing is going to be more helpful than visiting the venue in person. When entering the venue for the first time, spend some time visualising what the guests would look like in it. This will help you decide whether or not it’s the right venue for the type of function.

What’s the layout?

Depending on your function, the layout of the venue can be important. If you’re organising a whole-team planning day, hosting it in a small pub function room might not be the right option. If you need an audio-visual setup, or a PA system for a presentation or entertainment, find out if the venue has it available or if you need to supply it. Do you need a dancefloor? Or breakout space for small group activites? These are all things to consider when selecting your function venue.

What’s the outlay?

A five-star hotel’s function room would no doubt be an amazing function space, however what good is the space if you don’t have the budget for food, drinks, or entertainment? During the early stages of planning, you should create a budget and try to stick to it. However it’s also important to have a little leeway built in, so that if you find the perfect venue but it’s a bit out of your price range, you might be able to stretch the budget to make it work.

Location! Location! Location!

There’s a reason that real estate agents always repeat this phrase – because it’s true. If you’re hosting a function to highlight how entrenched your business is in the local community, hosting it outside the local area wouldn’t make sense. Similarly, if all your guests come from a certain area, finding a suitable venue nearby could encourage more people to attend. Also take into consideration parking and transport options.

Think outside the square

Increasingly, your choice of venue can make or break your function, so don’t be afraid to look outside of the usual suspects. Warehouses, shops, and even cemeteries can offer wonderful, unique experiences that will make your function memorable for years to come!

Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial Park both have a range of well-equipped function centres to suit a variety of needs. Contact our friendly team to discuss your next corporate function today.