Where we'd spend, where we'd save and the costs to check before you book
"So, how much will it cost?"
It's a fair question. You're planning a conference, awards night or company celebration, and you need a figure before you can get anything signed off.
The tricky bit? A guest count and a date only tell us part of the story. A daytime conference for 100 people with in-house speakers is a very different brief from an evening with a three-course dinner, live entertainment and a stage build.
Our advice is to work out what your event needs to achieve, decide what you can comfortably spend and build the brief around that. Here's how we'd approach it.
Start with what you want people to leave with
Before falling in love with a venue, ask: what do we actually want this event to do?
If you're bringing colleagues together after a year of change, time to connect might deserve more attention than elaborate table centres. If you're launching a product, the reveal and opportunities to try it could be where the money works hardest.
We love a creative detail. We're event planners; of course we do. But it needs a reason to be there.
Give yourself a clear objective and a realistic spending limit. Those two things make the decisions that follow much easier.
WHAT GOES INTO A CORPORATE EVENT BUDGET?
Your venue is one line in a much bigger picture. Depending on the format, you'll also need to consider:
• Food and drink, including refreshments, dietary requirements and how the bar will work.
• Production and AV: sound, microphones, lighting, screens, staging and the people operating them.
• Content and entertainment: speakers, hosts, performers or activities.
• Design and branding: invitations, signage, graphics, menus and any bespoke elements.
• People and logistics: planning, registration, event staff, transport, accommodation and deliveries.
• Contingency: money held back for changes and unexpected requirements.
Not every event needs everything on that list. The point is to price the whole experience before committing too much to one part of it.
A room-hire figure on its own won't tell you what the event will cost to deliver.
WHAT COULD A BUDGET LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?
Let's use a hypothetical £35,000 planning budget for a one-day corporate event.
This is an illustration of how you might divide a budget, rather than a supplier quote or a claim that £30,000 will cover a particular guest count.
Venue and catering: £12,000
Production and AV: £10,000
Content or entertainment: £3,000
Design and branding: £1,500
Planning and event staffing: £4,000
Transport and other logistics: £1,500
Contingency: £3,000
Total: £35,000
For this example, assume every allowance includes any applicable VAT.
Your split could look completely different. Accommodation, international travel, a complex stage build or a high-profile speaker would change the picture considerably.
The useful part of this exercise is seeing what remains for everything else once you've allowed for the venue and food.
WHERE WE WOULD SPEND
Sound that lets everyone hear
If your event centres on people speaking, give the sound proper attention. Check microphone requirements, technical support and whether the equipment suits the room.
Guests might never comment on excellent sound. They'll certainly notice if they can't hear the presentation.
A guest experience that feels easy
Clear joining instructions. A straightforward arrival. Enough time for lunch. Someone who knows the answer when a guest has a question.
These details deserve time and, where necessary, budget. They shape how the day feels just as much as the things people photograph.
The part that delivers your objective
For a conference, that might be a brilliant facilitator or a thoughtfully designed team activity. For an awards evening, it could be a confident host and well-rehearsed transitions.
Pick the element that matters most to your audience and give it the support it needs.
WHERE WE’D LOOK FOR SAVINGS
Start with what's already there
Before hiring furniture, lighting or staging, find out what the venue includes and whether it actually suits your plans. Get the details in writing, including any staffing or operating charges.
Choose fewer creative details and do them well
You don't need to brand every available surface. We'd choose a few places where design makes a real difference and give those proper attention.
Be flexible where you can
Ask about alternative dates, timings and room options before fixing the brief. Compare complete proposals so you can see whether a different option makes a worthwhile saving.
And give yourselves time. An earlier start gives you more opportunity to compare options and make considered decisions.
THE COSTS WE’D CHECK BEFORE SIGNING
This is where we'd get a little nosy with the proposal:
• Does the price include VAT?
• Is there a minimum food or drink spend?
• Are service charges, security or cleaning additional?
• Does your hire period include setup, rehearsals and pack-down?
• What happens if the event or installation runs late?
• Are delivery, collection, crew travel and accommodation included?
• Does the venue charge for using external suppliers?
• When do final numbers become binding, and what are the cancellation terms?
A venue that needs equipment, furniture and extra installation time can work out differently from one offering a more complete package. Compare the cost of delivering your actual brief in each space.
Please tell us your budget
We know sharing a budget can feel a bit like showing your cards.
But a clear spending limit helps us recommend ideas you can actually say yes to. If your brief needs adjusting, we'd much rather have that conversation early.
If you don't have a confirmed figure yet, share a working range and explain what it needs to cover. We can help you explore the options and decide which parts of the brief matter most.
Do you need an event agency?
It depends on the event and the time, resources and experience you have in-house.
If you're considering an agency, ask exactly what its fee covers: planning, supplier coordination, creative work, on-site delivery or a combination. Check which third-party costs sit alongside it, too.
At Above All Events, we can support you from the initial idea through to delivery, bringing together venue sourcing, creative planning, production and the practical details.
Planning something of your own?
Tell us what you've got in mind, who it's for and what you're hoping to achieve. If you've got a budget, bring that along too.
We'd love to help you work out what's possible.
Gemma & Katy
Co-founders, Above All Events