5 tips for choosing the right catering for your event

Finding a good event venue might be the most important aspect when organizing an event. But how do you choose a suitable event venue and what should you pay attention to during your search? Sylvia Oosterloo is Sales & Marketing Manager at Lumen Hotel & Events. She guides you through the booking process and gives you 5 handy tips for choosing a venue.

What is your budget for the event venue?
Every gathering is different and every guest has different wishes. But at Lumen, we always have the same goal: to advise, think along, and surprise! Therefore, start by making a list of hard requirements and one with your wishes. What is absolutely essential? And what would be a nice addition? You can supplement this list with the following tips.

Of course, your budget also plays a significant role in this. "Let's be honest: good quality and a nice price are important for everyone," says Sylvia. "If you haven't already done so, determining your budget is a good starting point. You can set a total budget or a budget per person. Consider what the venue may cost and what the facilities you want to use will cost. Think of catering and parking facilities."

A higher budget can elevate your event to a higher level. "Think, for example, about how you can fill a meeting dinner. Do you want a standard 3-course dinner or do you choose a 4-course dinner with an extra intermediate course in the form of 'live cooking': a chef at the table? Such extras often come with a price tag, but they also make your event immediately more exclusive. People won't forget these kinds of experiences quickly. It will remain a topic of conversation for a long time!"

Capacity, layout, and services of the party venue
Besides the budget, it is of course handy to know how many people are coming. How much space do you need? Should all guests be seated or are you having a standing reception? Do you want to use one large space or do you need several small spaces for workshops, for example? Do you want to arrange everything yourself or are you looking for a venue that thinks along with you? And what services do you need? Think of technology, staff, and catering. All questions you can take into account.

Sylvia: "When a company has decided to organize a gathering, a lot comes into play. It's convenient if the venue thinks along a bit, right? You might be organizing this gathering for the first time, while the venue facilitates events daily. As a venue, we can relieve you in various ways. Think of a ticket/registration system, technical support, or something as simple as ordering flowers."

Accessibility of the event venue
You want to make the threshold to visit your event as low as possible: guests should not see obstacles to attend the gathering. Therefore, consider the travel distance and accessibility of your venue.

"How far are people willing to travel to attend a gathering? The answer to this question varies and weighs against the content. Is what you offer interesting enough for the target audience to cover a long distance? Then inform your guests how they can easily reach the venue."

Another point to consider is how guests will travel. "Are they coming by car? Then good parking facilities are important. Can people park nearby? Is it free? Are there charging stations available? Does your target audience travel more by public transport? Then choose a venue close to a train station or bus stop."

"Is your target audience young and trendy? Then an old monastery might not fit as well as that newly renovated factory hall or a beautiful party hall."

What atmosphere do you want to create at your event?
"To make the gathering a success, the venue must match the purpose of the gathering. Is your target audience young and trendy? Then an old monastery might not fit as well as that newly renovated factory hall or a beautiful party hall. For a business gathering, you would choose a sleek conference center or a space in a nice hotel. Moreover, you can offer guests the option to stay overnight here."

Also, consider what possibilities an event center should offer. It might look sleek and bare now, but it is possible to dress it up entirely to your liking. Surprise your visitors by baptizing the entire event in a playful theme! Organize, for example, a fun welcome cocktail, a cool performance, or a fun experience.

What are the facilities of an event center? 
A gathering or event is organized to share certain content, that's what it's all about! But the right and good catering choice can influence the whole. As an organization, think carefully about that too. What exactly do you need from the venue and what do you bring yourself?

Facilities can be seen very broadly, think of parking facilities, sufficient toilets, beautiful and comfortable furniture, and the right equipment. But don't forget the small things, like post-its, pens, and notepads.

"Good catering is also very important, when do you want to offer food and drinks and what are we going to serve? A venue has a lot of experience in this and can often make nice suggestions to welcome your company. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a cup of coffee and a slice of cake upon arrival, but a petit four with the logo of your event does add something extra. Feel free to ask about the offer outside the standard assortment. Maybe you want local products or healthy snacks at the reception instead of the bitterball. Sometimes you will be surprised by the creative items that come up!"

"Feel free to ask about the offer outside the standard assortment. Sometimes you will be surprised by the creative items that come up."

The golden tip!

In conclusion, Sylvia shares her golden tip: plan a site visit! "Then you experience the route, parking possibilities, and discover the atmosphere of the venue yourself. Additionally, you get to meet the people personally and can immediately discuss the possibilities and taste a cup of coffee. At our place, the coffee is always ready!"