Why outdoor venue events are your best choice in 2021
Outdoor Venues Are Here to Stay
The new normal is here, and as we continue to adapt to new ways of living, outdoor event venues are positioned as the best alternative to riskier indoor events. With the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, everyone is ready to gather together again, and many feel safer and more relaxed outdoors.
Due to the pandemic, the popularity of outdoor events has increased. Yes, outdoor venues have allowed us to enjoy each other’s company in a safer environment, but they have also helped us see the uniqueness and fun of outdoor events, even if COVID wasn’t a thing.
According to Marketing Insider Group, over 90% of event planners agree that non-traditional venues are trending compared to five years ago. Venues may include places such as warehouses, gardens, and co-working spaces.
Outdoor events bring many advantages that we want you to discover if you are planning on hosting one soon.
They are practical and more sustainable
Outdoor events do not require a large amount of artificial light and equipment, saving energy and reducing your costs. Sustainable events are trending. Eventbrite recently reported that just 6% of survey respondents felt environmental responsibility significantly impacted their events in 2019, compared to 59% in 2020. As you plan, set a goal to host a memorable event that also meets sustainability standards.
Whether you are thinking about a business meeting or a wedding celebration, take advantage of the natural scenery. Depending on your outdoor event venue, you can offer your guests a pleasant atmosphere where they have direct contact with nature.
The outdoors has its advantages. According to Mayo Clinic, being outside boosts your mood and can help you feel less tense, stressed, or even depressed.
Instead of the typical, long virtual conference, imagine having a team status meeting outdoors, breathing fresh air. After months of being cooped up inside, transitioning to the outdoors will likely increase your productivity and boost your creative side.
We encourage you to learn more about how spending time in nature enhances your work productivity and improves your mood and attention span.
Now back to social events. For example, natural lightning is ideal for capturing those perfect moments in wedding photos. Of course, you should keep things in mind like the season and weather forecast, but you can make the best of your Big Day photo session with the proper guidance.
You will get some extra space
Outdoor event venues are broader and typically quite flexible, providing your guests with more space to move around without being confined in one, small area. And let’s be honest, we all need a little extra space these days. With room to roam, you can make sure all of your attendees can respect social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols.
With an open space, you can also play with the distribution and areas where your guests will interact. You may find you have the space to create multiple experiences for your guests. One idea is to create a welcome lounge without interfering with the main meeting area.
You can make it unique
Are you looking for that perfect space where you can bring your vision to life? If the answer is yes, having a setting in mind will save you a lot of time before you actually start looking for venues.
Related: Want a Unique Event? Start with a Unique Event Space
With outdoor event venues, you have creative freedom to work and customize every detail by adding your personal touch. Indoor venues are usually more limited and have specific rules for managing the space and decorations.
As you make your way through the location identification process that aligns with your vision, consider a few essential elements:
Location
Location is one of the main things to evaluate from a logistics perspective. Make sure that the venue location is accessible to all attendees, that they have the required permits to operate, and that they provide you with a plan that details elements such as parking and handicapped access if needed.
Amenities
No matter how lovely and festive your event, your mission is to keep your guests comfortable and to provide what they need throughout the soiree. So, if you are hosting a business meeting, for example, providing a strong Wi-Fi connection is a must. Plenty of bathrooms, outdoor lighting, and audio-visual capacity may also be required.
Of course, outdoor events bring the risk of bad weather. You should always be extra prepared with a Plan B to ensure your guests enjoy the experience if Mother Nature isn’t cooperating. Talk with the venue manager to see if they have indoor or covered patio options should the weather become an issue. If they don’t, you may want to look elsewhere. Many outdoor event venues do not reimburse 100% of your payment if you have to cancel due to weather.
Budget
It’s easy to get carried away with decorations, food and beverages, and other features you bring into the event. Prioritize what matters most to you, and be careful with unnecessary expenses. If budget is an issue and you want to splurge, you need to find areas to cut back.
As we previously mentioned, outdoor events are more practical and eco-friendlier. They can help you avoid extra costs, but you still need to be aware of budget creep - when you start inching closer and closer to and then beyond your max budget, and there are still unpaid items. Staying true to your budget is crucial for successful event planning and management.
Create an experience
The key to a great start when planning an event is to set the right expectations by establishing a theme, building up a little hype, and conveying a mood for your event. Whether your event purpose is business or social, your guests should have a sense of what to expect before they get to your event and why the event is happening at all.
Related: Get creative with event venues in Austin, TX
Think for a moment if you were to attend your own event as a guest. What does the invitation or other advertising you use convey about the event? What details would you fix your attention on? Does your chosen venue provide an enjoyable environment that fits your desired ambiance? Would you like to attend this particular event compared with others? Seems like a simple exercise, right?
But once you mark the main items on your list with a nice little check, others that you may not have considered will eventually emerge.
According to the Event Manager blog, there is a before, during, and after when planning live events in a pandemic. They refer to this process as the future of in-person events. Tailor your event strategy and define a feasible timeline to avoid last-minute decisions that may compromise aspects such as attendance and budget.
It is the perfect time to review your planning, evaluate your progress, and identify opportunities for improvement. From considering the event size to decorations, and even the weather forecast, every detail matters.
Now that we shared the advantages, tips, and basics to host an outdoor venue event, we invite you to explore your options. Find your vision and enjoy the process of transforming a post-lockdown event into a great experience your attendees will remember and be thankful for.
