All of our planners spend a lot of time considering options when designing the layout for a wedding, gala, fundraiser, or bash. The purpose of the event helps to guide the process and, of course, the venue configuration has a significant role as well.
From there the specific needs of the event - be it a dance floor, stage or platform for a speaker or performer, the bar, seating and tables, and any transitions (i.e. fabric draping) - inform the plans for the space.
In the article, Kelly Murphy of Pompano Beach, FL-based Panache said: “Walking the space with the client is also very helpful,” she says. “People do not always see things that can be obvious obstacles, like trees, ground covering in terms of selecting the proper tent option for staking or construction, and guest accessibility. It is the foundation from which to build, so the initial phase of understanding the layout and being able to visualize it is vitally important.”
If you're planning your own event, try to visualize how people will enter and move around the space. Think about the pieces of the event and how it will progress. Of course, if you're hiring an event planner, he or she will be able to take all factors into consideration when laying out your event and will have contingency plans or be able to think quickly on their feet if something isn't quite right.