Whether you're planning a wedding, a family reunion, or even a work-related function, devoting adequate time to finding a suitable reception hall can help the event go off without a hitch. Visiting a handful of facilities allows you to ensure that their features and overall look will suit the nature of your event. At each of these tours, you'll be working alongside a representative who will be able to answer your questions. You'll likely want to talk about the availability of the hall, its capacity, and the price for renting it, but it's also important to ensure that you cover these three other topics before you make your decision.

Your Responsibilities

You should always talk about what your responsibilities would be versus those of the reception venue staff, particularly where setting up your room is concerned. Regardless of the nature of your event, are you solely responsible for setting up the room? Or will the venue staff set up chairs and tables based on the room layout of your choice? Knowing this information right off the bat -- and also confirming if there's a cost for the staff performing any setup duties -- will help you keep on budget and know how early you'll be able to visit the venue to get things ready.

A/V Equipment Availability

Videos and other presentations are often a part of many different events, so if you plan to go this direction, it's important to ascertain what the reception venue can provide in terms of audio and video equipment. Although it never hurts to ask, you can typically expect that the hall will have a working sound system. However, it's also important to see if there's a video screen, projector and any other necessary components that you'll need for your event's presentation. It's also useful to check these components to make sure they're in working order and that they'll be compatible with the technology you'll be bringing to the event.

Parking Needs

It's customary for reception venues to provide adequate parking for dozens of vehicles, but if you're expecting that your event will have a large attendance, ask about any other alternate parking arrangements. If the lot is full, confirm where else people can park. Some facilities have shuttles that will run between a nearby public parking area and the reception hall to ensure that everyone can get to your event even if they arrive after the main lot is full.

For more information on reception halls, talk to a professional like McHale's Events & Catering.