Looking to cash in on the growing Wedding business in Northern California? In order to create a special events venue, you must learn a set of fundamentals that are vastly different from general hospitality practices. With growing competition, Event Management requires specific skills in marketing and logistics planning. If you're a restaurant, B&B, or winery, there is a potential niche market if you have open land, large banquet space, or unique facilities that could be used for special events, in particular, weddings.
Beyond the preliminary basics of obtaining county permits and licenses, one key to success is consulting with someone who knows the market nuances to develop marketing, planning, and the best utilization of the event space. Working at times with a dozen 'team players' in the event idiosyncrasies of logistics and time management, along with the benefits of restrictions and preferred vendors, to create parameters for running a successful venue. If you've never taken on this type of project I recommend hiring someone when has, either a current wedding or event planner, or someone who has great logistics management skills. Having great people skills is also a plus.
If you've gotten beyond your local hurdles in the permit process you will need to develop specific plans for various scenarios to create a top-notch wedding/event venue. Consider the following as a sampling of areas to explore:
Marketing- connecting with local planners, non-profits, and event/wedding websites. Providing prospective clients with planning guides, preferred vendors, and logistic support.
Operations—Pricing: deposits are guaranteed. Daily Tasks include scheduling walk-throughs with clients, event set-up procedures, maintenance, vendor calls, and staffing. Contracts include limitations on the use of buildings and grounds.
Equipment/Amenities- purchasing some items for added rental (vintage decor, flowers from your garden) vs. amenities provided in price (i.e. table, chairs, heat lamps)
Vendors—Every event requires the use of many outside vendors, from caterers to lighting and dinnerware rentals. Learn how to establish relationships with vendors who meet your particular needs, i.e., delivery times, pick-up, and other restrictions that dictate operational impact.
Rules / Terms of Contract- what your suppliers can and cannot do, what your event restriction entails from local codes on music volume to following ABC regulations and other rules pertinent to your situation- (i.e. no glassware in certain areas, use of open flames) Rules, and restrictions are critical for keeping public safe and your property in good condition.
Although sometimes perceived as deterrents, restrictions are actually a means to create a working pallet for creative event planners. As to one of those 'hospitality practices' I referred to above, in event planning, the customer is not always right. In fact, they usually don't know what they want nor how to organize an event. They need parameters. If you leave everything up to them, they will do damage to your venue and your reputation.
To begin the long process of turning a space into a working event venue you need to start asking questions of local vendors, research your local codes, and then hire someone who knows the ropes. There is a growing market in special events, and if done right, it can benefit the entire community by bringing in new revenues for hotels, caterers, florists, planners, transportation services, and more.
Consider a Wedding as an example for 100 guests. Using industry averages, (*1)
your venue equals only a 20% portion of the overall cost and the caterer is another 25%. With the dress, groom's attire, and ring purchase most likely near the Bride's home at 12-15%, that leaves your local community businesses directly supplying day-of services with 40% of the revenue you anchor as the event venue. For a typical $15,000 wedding, that means you help bring in around $6,000 per wedding to other businesses in your community, NOT including hotel rooms.
If you are exploring the possibility of converting your open space into an events venue, you might start by exploring your local competition and check in with your local business association or chamber of commerce for feedback. Once you're sure you want to develop your site for events, talk to someone with the experience to cross the many bridges you will encounter.
Not only can this provide your business with new growth potential, but it will also add to other community businesses that provide on-site services such as catering, flowers, and hotels. So, in dealing with the vast paperwork you will encounter to get permits and allies in the community, there is usually a very positive outcome for more than you alone in creating an Events Venue.
Edited May 2024
*1- source: TheKnot.com
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