Decisions to settle before consulting venues and providers

In brief

• Defining the objective, guest type, working capacity and formality guides the event requirements.
• A working budget separates essential items, options and a contingency subject to approval.
• Proposals become comparable when price, scope, exclusions, deadlines and conditions are separated.

Practical steps

1. 1

   Set the purpose and format

   Before asking about availability, define the objective, guest type, working capacity and degree of formality. These choices guide the venue, timing, welcome and technical requirements.

   Points that remain open should be marked as such. Providers can then suggest alternatives without interpreting an assumption as a final instruction.

2. 2

   Build a usable budget envelope

   The working budget separates essential items, options and a contingency subject to approval. It also states whether taxes, transport, production and cancellation conditions must appear in comparisons.

   This envelope is not permission to spend. It filters out proposals beyond scope and brings trade-offs forward before any deposit or external commitment.

3. 3

   Decide who approves what

   The brief names the principal approver and an alternate where needed. It sets thresholds for the venue choice, providers, programme changes and additional expenditure.

   Each enquiry carries a realistic decision deadline. If it expires, the consequence is explicit: release an option, research again or return to the client, never assume approval.

4. 4

   Consult on a comparable basis

   Venues and providers receive the same core information: date or window, format, volume, expected services and relevant constraints. Guest information is kept to what is necessary.

   The summary separates price, scope, exclusions, deadlines and conditions. ORION coordinates consultation and approved next steps without promising venue availability or an event free of unforeseen issues.

Information to prepare

• The event objective, guest type, working capacity and degree of formality.
• Essential items, optional items, the approval-dependent contingency and the costs to compare.
• The principal approver, any alternate, approval thresholds and realistic decision deadlines.

Limits to keep in mind

• A working budget is not permission to spend.
• An expired enquiry deadline must never be treated as implicit approval.
• ORION does not promise venue availability or an event free from unforeseen issues.