Select a Venue and Caterer
If you are planning to offer dinner or other food at your event, you’ll need close coordination between your venue and your caterer. If you are planning a large event, you will probably discover that most large venues require you to use their catering services. For these reasons, we’ve chosen to discuss the selection of a venue and a caterer together.
 
Selection of your venue should be one of the first tasks you complete, especially if you are having your first large auction, and you are in an area with few venues from which to choose. Large venues (seating for 200+) tend to be booked very far in advance. Also, there are seldom many to choose from in a given area, so there is a great deal of competition for their use. Many venues allow past users to book events a year or more out, further limiting your options. Don’t put off picking your venue!
 
A quick glance at the lists below should convince you that there is a lot to think about when choosing a venue. While this may all seem like over-kill, keep in mind, that the venue and catering will likely be the greatest expenses for your event. Costs can easily exceed $10,000 for a dinner event for 300 people. Even before the event, you will probably have to pay a cash deposit, likely over $1000, to secure such a venue. This would be a lot of money to forfeit if you had to cancel the venue later because of bad planning.
 
It is important to gather as much information as possible from each of your candidate venues before making a selection. Each venue will have slightly different ways of doing things, and different ways of charging for things. For example, some venues charge for electricity used by computers and decorations by measuring the Watt/Hours used. Others consider power usage to be part of the general venue rental fees. Bearing this in mind, as you research your venues, check the procedures and charges for everything.

General

Have they catered to benefit auctions in the past?
 
Are your target dates available?
 
Do they have adequate space? Of course, you need enough room your guests to move around comfortably. In addition, consider space needs for items to be displayed, a stage area for the auctioneer, space for entertainment, dinner seating, registration and checkout, etc.
 
How is insurance handled for the event?
 
Does the venue provide any security services?
 
When is the final head count due? Can more be added after it is submitted? If so, what is the limit?
 
Is there a deposit required by the venue? When is it due? Is it refundable?
 
When will the contract be available for review?
 
When does the contract have to be signed?
 
What is the cancellation policy?

 
Menu selection

What are the menu choices, and what are their costs?
 
Can you offer more than one entrée choice? Is there an extra charge for doing so?
 
Do they offer vegetarian selections? Can they offer alternatives for people with common food allergies? Is there an extra cost for either service?
 
Do they prepare extra meals (over the final head count)? Are these available for late attendee additions?
 
What gratuity is added to the total food bill?
 
Are any facilities charges waived if the food and/or beverage charge exceeds a certain amount?
 
Can salads and desserts be pre-set (already at the tables) to save serving congestion during dinner?

 
Beverage Services

What beverages will be available, and for what costs?
 
Is alcohol service allowed?
 
Are bars and bartenders available?
 
Will there be enough bars to provide service to your crowd without long lines forming?
 
What are the setup and bartending fees for each no-host bar?
 
Are there convenient places where the bars can be setup?
 
If you supply your own wine or beer, is there a corkage fee?
 
Can wine, beer, or other beverages be served at the meal tables?
 
Does this service cost extra?
 
After the event, can you get a report showing beverage sales?

 
Decorations

What decorations are strictly not allowed (i.e., wall hangings, ceiling hangings, helium balloons, etc.)
 
What do they supply (i.e., table linens, skirting, risers, centerpieces, etc.) What are the fees for using any of these?
 
What colors are available for linens?
 
Are there any extra fees for table skirting or other setup services?

 
Volunteers

Is there an area where volunteers can relax when not working?
 
Can snack food or extra meals be ordered or brought in for your volunteers?

 
Guest Parking

Is there adequate parking?
 
Is there a fee for parking?
 
Is valet parking available?
 
Is the event easily found from the parking area? Can signs be posted if necessary?

 
Event Schedule Considerations

When can your group come in to setup?
 
What will be in place at that time (i.e., tables in place, skirted, stage in place, etc.)?
 
Are specific time constraints imposed (i.e., dinner serving time, bar closing time, etc.)?
 
By what time does your group have to be out of the venue (i.e., guests gone, clean up done, etc.)?

 
Truck Parking

Where can the truck(s) and volunteers park when unloading items at setup, and reloading at cleanup?
 
Where can the truck be parked during the event?

 
Silent Auction Setup And Layout Considerations

Is there adequate space for all the tables, display items, entertainment, bars, and other things you may have in your silent auction area?
 
What table sizes are available for the silent auction?
 
Are there enough tables available?
 
Is skirting available, and at what cost?
 
Are display risers available for the tables?

 
Are the facilities adequate for displaying a car or other large item?

 
Dining Area Setup And Layout Considerations

Is there adequate space for all the tables, display items, bars, stage, A/V equipment, and other things that may be in the dining area?
 
What size tables are available (i.e., 60”-8 seat, 72”-10 seat)?
 
Are there enough tables to accommodate your guests?

 
Other Setup And Layout Considerations

Where will the registration tables go? Will there be computers at check in?
 
Where will check out go? Will there be computers at check out? Can it be laid out such that a bottleneck of people won’t form?
 
Where will item pick up be? In the silent auction area after all tables have closed? Is this convenient to the check-out area?

 
Power And Telecommunications

Is power usage charged separately?
 
Are extension cords allowed if needed?
 
Is power conveniently available for powering displays?
 
Is power available for the entertainment (if any)?
 
Is power available to run computers? Is it surge protected, or on a power backed-up circuit?
 
Are any computer networking services available (e.g., in wall wiring between registration and checkout, internet access, etc.)?
 
Are phone connections available for the credit card machines? Can they be made to accommodate both machines that need a 9 to dial out and those that do not?

 
Audio and Visual Services

What lighting options are available for the silent and live auction and dining areas?
 
Are screens available for slide shows? Is there a rental fee?
 
Are projectors available? What costs are associated with these?
 
Are there any constraints on the use of projectors? Can they be “flown” from the ceiling?
 
What is the in-house sound system like? Is it adequate for the auction’s needs? Is there an extra charge for using it? (Keep in mind that your auctioneer may have one available also. Compare the prices and quality of the systems available. Is there an adequate one in your community that could be used for free?)

 
Entertainment

Are there limits as to what types of entertainment are allowed? For example, acoustic or recorded music may be acceptable, but a live band might not be.
 
Can your entertainment be patched into the sound system, if necessary?

 
Miscellaneous

If the venue is at a hotel, are rooms, or blocks of rooms, available at a discount for event guests?
 
The expected number of attendees will vary (and hopefully increase) year to year. Does your venue allow room for growth in future events?

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