Questions to ask on a banquet hall tour

Most people come out of a venue tour remembering the chandeliers and having forgotten to ask about the final-count deadline. Bring a list. A good venue will be glad of it, and the answers will tell you as much about how the team works as about the room.

Tour in the evening if you can, with the lights set as they would be for an event — a hall under daytime or cleaning lights looks quite different from the same hall at eight at night. Bring the person who will make the final decision, and someone who notices practical things. They are rarely the same person.

Before you go

The more a venue knows before you arrive, the more specific its answers can be. Have these ready, even roughly.

• Your date, or a range of dates, and how flexible you are
• A guest range, with roughly how many children and elders
• The type of event, and any other events in the same week
• Dietary needs you already know about — halal, vegetarian, Jain, allergies
• A rough budget for the hall and catering together
• A few photos of decor you like, if you have them

The room

• How would you lay out the room for my guest count and type of event? Can I see a floor plan?
• Where do the stage, dance floor, buffet and bar go — and can any of them move?
• Can every table see the stage? Which are the weakest seats?
• How is the room heated and cooled, and how does it feel when it is full?
• How many washrooms are there, and where?
• Is access step-free all the way from the car park to the tables?
• Where do guests leave coats in winter?
• Where can the couple, performers or speakers wait and change?

Food and drink

• Is the kitchen on-site, and who cooks for my event?
• Are menus fixed packages, or built around my guest list?
• When is the tasting, and how many people can come to it?
• How do you handle halal, vegetarian, Jain, gluten-free and allergies — and is it confirmed in writing?
• How many buffet lines for my number, and who manages the release of tables?
• Can you serve late-night food, children's plates or plates for seniors?
• How does the bar work for my event, and who holds the liquor licence?
• Can we bring in a cake or sweets from outside, and is there a charge?

Decor, sound and the stage

• Is decor done in-house? What does it cover — stage, entrance, tables, lighting?
• Can I bring my own decorator, and when can they set up?
• Can the lighting change colour, and can it change during the evening?
• What sound is built into the room, and how many microphones are there?
• Is there a screen for photos, slides or a video?
• Does a DJ connect to the house system or bring their own?
• If the ceremony uses open flame — diyas, candles, a havan — what is permitted?

The day itself

• What time can vendors get in to set up, and when must everything be out?
• Who is my contact on the day, and will I meet them beforehand?
• How many serving staff will there be for my guest count?
• Is security required for my type of event, and who arranges it?
• What happens, and what does it cost, if the event runs late?
• Is parking free, and is there enough of it for my guests?

The contract and payments

• What is the deposit, and when does it become non-refundable?
• When are the remaining payments due?
• When is the final guest count due, and can it change after that?
• What is included in the price, and what is extra — service charges, cake cutting, linens, overtime, cleaning?
• What happens if we need to move the date or cancel?
• Do you need event insurance from us?
• Can I take a copy of the contract home to read before signing?

After the tour

Pay attention to how questions were answered as well as what the answers were. A venue that is vague about the contract on a tour is unlikely to become clearer after the deposit. Write the answers down the same day — after three tours in a week, halls blur together, and you will not remember which one had the narrow entrance or the short buffet wall.

Then ask each venue to put what it told you in writing, so you are comparing documents rather than memories. A short follow-up email is normal, and how quickly it is answered tells you something too. Our guide to choosing a Calgary hall explains why each of these points matters.

• A written quote that says what is included and what is not
• The deposit amount, and the date it becomes non-refundable
• Whether the date can be held while you decide, and for how long
• The menu options discussed, and when the tasting would be

Book a tour at a time that suits you, or read our FAQ first — some of these questions are already answered there. You can also look through the gallery to see the room set for different events.