One of the hardest things when you move into a new area is to find a venue that's suitable for a party or family occasion.
It seems to be one piece of information that's passed from person, with it taking time to have conversations to find out where friends, family & work colleagues who live locally would recommend.
Take a couple of weeks to draw up a shortlist of places that sound might they might be suitable, don't be afraid to ask around, use social networking tools such as Facebook & Linked In to ask people for tips & suggestions.
So before you get ready to send out those party invitations, here's a few questions that you might want to consider:- Suitability - most venues have facilities for certain types of event.
Whilst it's not impossible to use a seminar room for a small gathering, there will be more work to do to give the right feel to it.
You'll also want to have the right kind of ambience, which can be a very personal choice.
Convenience - for a kids party, you're likely to want something local as no-one wants to drive excited children too far.
However, for a bigger celebration such as a 40th or 50th birthday, your guests might be happy to travel a reasonable distance.
With a one-off occasion, such as retirement, family & friends may be coming from across the country, so there may be more flexibility in location.
Do consider that if the perfect location for your party is miles away, you may have fewer people respond positively to their invitation, the exception to this is for weddings where people seem happier to travel distances.
Size - are you looking for have a quiet evening with friends or wanting to have children running around playing party games.
A large hall will be perfect for children's party games, but for a cozy family celebration a smaller room may be more appropriate.
Parking - for a children's party this is less likely to be an issue, as adults often drop them off.
However, for a party with adults guests, you'll want parking nearby and plenty of it.
Check out how many vehicles you can park on site and whereabouts any additional parking may be available and what it will cost.
Facilities - if you're hoping to cater, even in a modest way, you'll want to have kitchen facilities.
Make sure you ask what each venue has available and what, if any, are the additional costs of use.
Costs - for many this is a key factor.
A party can be an expensive affair, so keeping costs down on the venue can help free up cash to be spent on more "fun" items such as food & party decorations.
Other - if guests are travelling, check out what hotels and accommodation is available nearby.
If you're planning to party at a hotel or city centre location, check to see if it's listed on Trip Advisor and check out the feedback to see what kind of customer service you can expect.
Do make sure that you visit the venue before you finally confirm your booking, just to check out the facilities and get an idea of how it'll all work on the day of your event.
With just a simple checklist like this, you should be able to pick the right venue that suits you and your special occasion perfectly.