The right venue for an event is not always available in a traditional sense.
The event might have too many guests for any available venue, the celebration might be personal in nature and require a less generic setting than a hotel ballroom, the budget might not stretch to afford a premium venue, or the desired atmosphere cannot be created in a venue that has four walls and a floor plan.
When an event venue cannot be found in the traditional sense, creative solutions can still produce celebrations that feel special.
When Standard Venues Create Problems Instead of Solutions
Event venues offer a standard solution to finding the right space in which to host an event. People often assume that they will have access to a versatile space that can easily accommodate whatever setup or atmosphere they envision. The reality, however, is that most traditional venues come with limits that their clients are often not even aware of when they book a tour.
Venues come with strict time constraints; they only provide a limited time frame during which setups, events, and breakdowns are permitted. They come with mandatory lists of approved vendors; self-catering becomes impossible, and ancillary services like bars or coordinator services suddenly increase the overall event cost by thousands of dollars. They provide inflexible floor plans; any reconfiguration that might be needed to use the space efficiently after guests arrive can be a logistical nightmare. And they impose minimum spending amounts; clients are pushed to spend more than they wanted or intended to.
These limitations work well enough for many events. But they can create nightmares when the celebration in question might need any of the following: A solid guest list of 200 people that no available banquet venue can accommodate A reception for wedding celebrations that might need to last longer than traditional venues are willing to allow Corporate events that require very specific tech setups that few preferred vendors are ready to accommodate.
The Blank Canvas Solution
Building an event venue from scratch may sound like an intimidating thought. But it can also provide everything that traditional venues lack; control over every aspect of the celebration that will take place in the space.
Underused outdoor areas, expansive backyards, rural properties, and even public parks become potential event spaces when temporary setups provide shelter, electricity, plumbing, lighting, and whatever else is needed to transform them into proper venues.
Companies like Spuds Marquee Hire marquees in Perth allow open spaces to be used as functional venues. The marquees provide shelter and protection from inclement weather but also a framework within which hosts and planners can create the required atmosphere by organizing decorations and infrastructure however they like.
This so-called blank canvas approach creates endless possibilities where traditional venues have only obstacles to overcome.
The open space means much more than flexibility regarding physical layout. The timing of celebrations is suddenly not an issue. The choice of vendors becomes limitless. The atmosphere that is created does not need to conform to anything other than creative requirements. The controlled event becomes a unique experience instead of yet another instance of an event that follows a standard formula.
Making Outdoor Venues Work Whatever the Weather
Concerns about the feasibility of using non-traditional venues usually focus on their outdoor nature. Weather can ruin any outdoor experience if the relevant factors are not considered and planned for beforehand. But climate control in temporary setups has evolved considerably from basic tents. Heating systems ensure warmth in winter; cooling systems tackle excess heat in summer, and proper flooring prevents mud and uneven surfaces from ruining events.
Planning for conditions instead of hoping for perfect weather allows hosts and planners to create an enjoyable experience when equipped spaces still provide the open-air vibe that makes outdoor events feel special in the first place. It is also a much better option than waiting on mother nature or relying on a poorly thought-out backup plan that nobody wants to be stuck using.
Actual Budget vs Projected Budget
As far as expenses are concerned, this is where things really get interesting. The traditional venue experience often also comes with huge costs that attach themselves to features that these spaces include arbitrarily rather than by consideration of individual client requirements. Staff costs, operational costs, maintenance costs, cleaning costs, insurance costs, renovation costs, and profit margin costs often attach themselves to clients whether they like it or not.
Separate setups for celebrations outside of traditional venues break these costs down into separate categories. Space rental (if any), equipment rental (if any), equipment purchase (if necessary), service provision (and payment for those services), these costs become items on an easily-readable invoice rather than being added haphazardly to one expensive package. This process creates budgeting options that many people did not know were possible.
The extent of possible savings will depend on the situation, but this alternative approach usually presents the possibility of saving actual money instead of just assuming that so-called all-inclusive packages saved all the money that needed saving.
The Setup and Logistics Challenge
Building a venue from scratch does require more logistical input compared to obtaining access to a ready-to-use venue; power sources need to be arranged, lighting needs setup, bathrooms need to be arranged as required (and possibly even rented), tables, chairs, seats, and equipment all need to be arranged rather than being available on-demand.
This might sound daunting but professional marquee hire companies are skilled at preparing empty spaces for use as venues, know what setups are required in those spaces and how to organize them properly. The planning process just takes a little more skill than filling out a contract form.
Creating Atmosphere Through Intentional Design
Certain feelings come automatically when entering traditional venues. Hotel ballrooms feel like hotel ballrooms regardless of how the organizers decorate them. Historical buildings ooze nostalgia but impose their own feelings on celebrations that take place inside them. Newer event centers look pristine but feel sterile as attendees prepare to arrive at yet another standardized occasion.
Building something from nothing allows hosts and event planners to use creativity when designing this experience completely. Lighting can be designed around the required atmosphere. Draping can be added according to requirements rather than needing to be worked around existing features. Seating arrangements can create intimacy or distance according to requirements.
These experiences factor into what makes alternative spaces feel special. Guests notice when they attend an event designed just for them rather than attending yet another occasion/template in a space that hosts dozens of similar events every year.
