Venue Hunts

Find the Perfect Venue

The right venue sets the tone for your entire event, but finding it can be overwhelming.

With so many options, hidden costs, and logistical considerations, it’s easy to get stuck in endless research and back-and-forth with venues. That’s where we come in.

Our Venue Hunt service takes the stress out of the process. We do the research, negotiate details, and present the best options—all so you can make a confident decision without the headache.

Whether you're hosting a corporate gathering, private celebration, or large-scale event, we’ll find a venue that fits your vision, budget, and logistical needs.

Key Features

  • Goal-Setting Session

    We start by understanding your event’s needs, priorities, and budget. Whether you need a high-end ballroom, a unique warehouse space, or a scenic outdoor location, we tailor our search to your requirements.

  • Curated Venue Shortlist

    We research and vet the best options, narrowing them down to the top choices that align with your goals.

  • Detailed Presentation Decks

    We provide side-by-side comparisons with key details like capacity, layout, restrictions, and pricing, so you can easily evaluate your options.

  • Full Cost Breakdowns

    We go beyond base rental fees, factoring in additional costs like catering requirements, AV setup, permits, and hidden charges so there are no surprises later.

  • Expert Recommendations

    Based on years of event planning experience, we provide insights on what works and what doesn’t for your type of event.

  • Site Visits & Video Tours

    We arrange and attend site visits (or provide virtual tours) to help you get a feel for the space before committing.

  • Negotiation Support

    While we don’t act as agents, we flag potential cost-saving opportunities and help you navigate contract terms.

Venue hunt process

  • 1. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

    Before we begin the venue selection process, we require clients to provide their mandatory venue requirements. This ensures we focus on venues that meet your specific needs from the start. 

  • 2. VENUE OUTREACH

    To find the perfect venue for your event, we conduct extensive outreach to 100 potential venues that align with your vision and logistical requirements. Our team meticulously tracks all outreach efforts in our Venue Master List to maintain organization and ensure efficiency.

    Additionally, we leverage our internal venue database to identify high-quality, vetted venue options that best suit your needs.

  • 3. SHORTLIST

    Once our outreach phase is complete, we curate a shortlist of the top 3-5 venue options that meet your event’s requirements. These options are compiled into a detailed and visually engaging presentation deck for your review.

  • 4. SITE VISITS

    Seeing a venue in person is essential. We arrange site visits to ensure the space meets expectations before you commit. Our approach is tailored:

    For high-fee venues, we visit before finalizing a choice.

    For smaller-fee venues, we visit the selected venue to confirm details.

    During these visits, we document everything:

    High-quality photos for reference

    Detailed floor plans for event layout

    Comprehensive videos to assist with vendor coordination and planning

  • 5. CONTRACT

    Once you've chosen a venue, we handle all contract negotiations. 

    We review terms, address any concerns, and ensure everything aligns with your event requirements before signing.

  • 6. DEPOSIT

    With the contract in place, we process the deposit payment to confirm the venue. 

    We also negotiate the terms and fee on your behalf, ensuring you get the best possible arrangement for your event.

Why Shift + Alt Events?

Many people assume venue hunting is as simple as picking a space that looks good, but the wrong venue can cause serious headaches. Availability, vendor restrictions, hidden costs, layout challenges, and logistics all come into play.

We know what to look for beyond the obvious, ensuring you end up with a venue that not only looks great but works seamlessly for your event.

Flat-Fee Pricing: Unlike some planners who take commissions from venues, we offer this as a transparent, one-time service with no hidden fees. Our only priority is finding the right venue for you.

With our experience planning high-level events, we know the best venues, the right questions to ask, and how to make the process as smooth as possible. Instead of spending weeks searching and second-guessing, let us handle the details and deliver you the best options, so you can focus on the rest of your event.

 FAQs

  • No, we conduct venue searches globally. Whether you need a space in a major city or a remote destination, we leverage our network and research skills to find the best options.

  • We source everything from high-end ballrooms and private estates to warehouses, rooftops, outdoor spaces, and unconventional venues. Our search is always customized to your event's needs.

  • From exploratory meeting to contract signed the average is 5 weeks and the shortest we’ve done it in is 3 weeks

    1. Book an exploratory call here

    2. We’ll then send you a quote

    3. Once approved we’ll send you a contract

    4. Once signed we’ll invoice you for the deposit, (which will be 50% of the fee)

    5. Once paid we’ll book the kick off meeting with your venue hunt specialist where we’ll go through your requirements

    6. We’ll reach out to 100 venues

    7. We’ll pick the top 3-5 and put them in a deck

    8. You pick a venue!

    9. We help negotiate the contract

  • Somewhere between $1,000 > $5,000 depending on the level of complexity of the search. For example:

    1. Are we required to do in person site visits?

    2. Do you want us to organize you site visits?

    3. Is there a rush?

    4. How hard is what you’re trying to find?

    5. Do you need an above average level of detail to be able to make a decision?

  • Absolutely! Let’s discuss in an exploratory call, please contact us here

  • Yes, we analyze venue restrictions, including in-house catering and AV requirements, to ensure they align with your needs. If vendor restrictions could impact your budget or logistics, we flag them upfront

  • Yes! We can attend site visits on your behalf, provide detailed reports, and even arrange virtual tours so you can evaluate the space remotely.