Venue Hire Calculator

Venue rental ranges from $1,000 for a basic community hall to $5,000-15,000 for a hotel or dedicated event space. Costs depend on capacity, location, day of week (weekends are 30-50% more), and what is included. Some venues include tables, chairs, and basic AV equipment.

Check capacity, parking, accessibility, catering options (in-house vs external), AV equipment, WiFi, corkage fees, noise restrictions, and setup/breakdown time included. Ask about hidden costs like cleaning fees, overtime charges, and minimum spend requirements.

Yes. Weekday venue rental is typically 30-50% cheaper than weekends. Sunday events are often cheaper than Saturdays. Off-peak months (November-February, excluding December) also offer significant discounts. Many venues offer last-minute deals for dates within 4-6 weeks.

Small venue rental for up to 50 guests costs $1,000-4,000. Medium venues for 50-150 guests cost $3,000-10,000. Large venues for 200+ guests cost $6,000-25,000+. Per-guest venue cost typically drops as you scale, a 50-guest event averages $40-80/guest in venue rental, while a 200-guest event averages $30-60/guest. Major metro venues cost 2-3x regional equivalents.

Four key factors: location (major metro vs regional), day of week (Saturdays are most expensive), season (summer and December command premium rates), and what is included. A $6,000 venue including catering and AV may be better value than a $2,000 dry rental plus $6,000 in separate vendor costs.

Three steps: define your must-haves (capacity, location, parking, AV), visit 3-5 venues in person (photos can be misleading), and compare total costs including all extras. Ask about noise restrictions, curfew times, access for setup, and whether you can use your own vendors. Hidden venue extras like corkage fees can add 20-30% to costs.

All-inclusive venues are simpler and often better value for first-time event planners. Dry rental gives more flexibility on vendors and style but requires more coordination. For weddings and large corporate events with specific requirements, dry rental with carefully selected vendors often delivers a better result.

Book 6-12 months ahead for Saturday events in popular venues. Last-minute bookings (2-4 weeks ahead) can yield 20-40% discounts on dates the venue has not filled. January is the best time to book for the year ahead, many venues offer early-bird discounts and you get first pick of dates.

Event costs vary widely: a simple 50-person gathering costs $3,000-6,000, a 100-person corporate event costs $10,000-30,000, and a 200+ person conference costs $30,000-100,000+.

Buffet catering costs $40-75 per person, sit-down meals $75-150 per person, and canape receptions $30-60 per person.

The average US wedding costs $33,000-38,000.

Compare revenue or leads to event costs...

10 areas: date, venue, catering, entertainment, invitations, budget, vendor contracts, timeline, contingency plan, and day-of coordination.