New York Public Library all lit up
By Thomas Serrano Planning any event, whether it is small or large, can be stressful. Our reputation is not something we take lightly. When working with luxury brands, we take painstaking measures to ensure that we come up with a strategy and a theme, to hire entertainment for each fete, and to delight and inspire with the greatest libations on the planet. But the real secret is our starting point – finding that perfect venue. That place, that once you have entered it, just makes you go: “ahhhhhh …” To find that perfect venue for any event requires a lot of thought, and plenty of research. From finding a space that fits a brand’s needs, to ensuring that the venue fits the theme or tone of the evening, venue selection will determine the success of the evening. Below are our top five tips to help you narrow down that search: 1. Do your research We scout constantly. We follow any lead, any Instagram sensation, and the news from our clients’ partners to make sure we always hit the venue that is new or next. It is also worth noting that we scout venues months in advance. With any event it is crucial to leave a lot of planning time, as it is very rare for an event to be a success if has been rushed and left to the last minute. The venue is the first thing your guests will see when they arrive at the event. Therefore, it needs to set the mood and create the perfect atmosphere. Have an arsenal of event spaces in mind, and know how each one of these looks and feels. Yes, this means scouting constantly, taking notes, filing venues. This practice will come in handy when you assign a spot to a special night you have in mind. An important note is to also always be on the look out for empty commercial spaces, because shorter lead or pop-up opportunities do come up, too. Keep at it, and file away the good ones. And here are a few extra tips under “do your research:” • Mind event seasons in each city. After all, you may not want your client’s Miami luxury launch event to coincide with Miami’s music festival • Go beyond hotels, museums and restaurants, and such other known commercial spaces. Warehouse buildings, aircraft hangers, piers – these are the venues that set people’s hearts aflame. To do this, go big: scour real estate listings, check in with film scouting teams, and watch the local convention bureau. You will stay way ahead of the game. • Ask your network to connect you. Leveraging relationships and word of mouth is many times how you hear of the Next Big Thing Our bottom line recommendation here is to keep a live list of special venues, and always be adding to it. And, when you come across anything new, do a site visit. In–person is always very different from online.
Guests mingling at an event hosted at the grand New York Public Library building in midtown Manhattan
Labels lit up: Dom Perignon adds some class
Table setting for an event
Thomas Serrano is president of Havas Luxe