We all know that working in event planning comes with pressure, and that’s why we put contingencies in place for all eventualities. But what about the challenges event planners don’t always see coming?
We’ve put together a list of considerations that you need to add to your agenda if you’re planning a function for between 200 and 300 delegates.
For planners in London, the challenge is rarely booking a room that can hold 300 people. It is booking a venue that can welcome 300 people smoothly, protect the guest experience and support every moving part behind the scenes.
Security
While having someone on the door or at reception to great delegates is not uncommon or unusual, the topic of security should come up much sooner in the planning process.
For example, risk assessments.
In order to meet with legislation (Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025), organisers must produce documentation to evidence risk, access control, and incident procedures.
What’s more, vehicle security barriers and any additional requirements – should you have media or high-profile personnel – should also be included within this process.
This matters even more for business-critical events such as AGMs, leadership briefings, investor meetings and regulated sector gatherings, where confidence in the environment is part of the overall credibility of the event itself.
Staggered arrival times
When you invite more than 200 people to a venue, you need to consider what would happen if they were all to arrive at the same time. Would the venue you have chosen have in place the facilities and resource needed to efficiently process this many people all at once?
The last thing you want is for your delegates to have a poor experience before the day even begins!
In order to avoid this problem, having a staggered arrival time could be a solution. It would give you the time to welcome people properly, make them feel comfortable and start the event as you mean to go on.
Arrival management also affects the mood in the room. When registration feels calm and well-paced, delegates are more likely to feel that the day is organised, considered and worth their time.
Digital demand
Most event planners will have WIFI access as a priority. However, what about the sustainability of a network when you have delegates arriving with multiple devices.
No longer are you dealing with 200 people, but potentially 400+ connections. It is essential that event planners check that the venue has a network capable of simultaneous connectivity at any given time.
Not only will this ensure that the delegates experience remains positive but also that any digital requirements are supported such as presentations or virtual speakers that need a secure and consistent connection to the network.
Impact
For some years now, sustainability has risen on the list of priorities for event planners. This should not be underestimated. After all, the impact of an event may need to be reported as part of a company’s Scope 3 data.
This refers to the emissions that are not directly controlled by an organisation but occur as a result of its activities.
As such, being aware of the measures a venue has in place when it comes to environmental impact and reducing emissions is a question that event planners are advised to add to the list.
Venues that take sustainability seriously may also be able to provide a business with opportunities to reduce the environmental impact that it has, which could add further value to the evaluation and success of a function.
This has become more important as businesses face greater scrutiny around reporting, procurement and supplier choice. A venue that can explain its sourcing, waste management and energy approach gives event planners something far more valuable than a generic sustainability claim, it provides them with evidence.
Comfort
As event planners, we often focus on the literal as opposed to the practical. So, as an example, we will find a venue that has capacity for 300 but we won’t look at the chairs or how the format of the room could be styled to increase the comfort of all involved.
As delegates, particularly those that are attending full-day sessions, being in a space that has been carefully considered makes all the difference. It can be almost impossible to retain any information while you are on seating that is too hard or too soft.
What’s more, when your view of the stage is obscured, it’s hard to hold interest and to gain the inference and body language from a speaker that is taking their time to share insight with you.
Summary
In summary, the most successful events are often defined by the details delegates never have to think about. That is why experienced event planners and venue teams look beyond the obvious, identifying pressure points early so that the event feels effortless on the day.
We hope that this blog provides you with some thoughts that can be used to ensure that your next event is the very best that it can be. And, if you would like to speak with our team about how we address the challenges above, supporting event planners at every stage of the process, please do give the team a call.