What to Know About Hosting the Best Outdoor Events
When it comes to warm weather corporate events, it’s natural to consider holding outdoor events. They can be very memorable—and very challenging. Whether you’re planning a company-wide picnic, client event, or golf outing, outdoor events can make a real lasting impression on your guests. But outdoor events also come with some obstacles and challenges that indoor events don’t have to contend with. Working with a corporate event planning professional can help make the strategy and logistics that come with planning a successful outdoor event go much more smoothly.
Here, we’re sharing some of our favorite—and most effective—tips for outdoor event planning from our years of experience planning and executing them (at some of the best outdoor event venues around). Whether you’re working with Clover Events or another professional event planning firm or you’re attempting to go it alone, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind to help make your event one to remember.
Our Best Tips for Outdoor Events
Always make backup plans
There are so many different ways that weather can throw a wrench in your outdoor event plans. Every successful event should start with making a backup plan or two. Even if the forecast looks ideal, you want to know exactly what you’re going to do if things take a turn. You’ll want to consider:
Rain: You may want to reserve a tent or plan to have an indoor venue on standby in case your plans need to shift at the last moment. Make sure you’ll be able to change plans seamlessly, no matter when you need to make the call.
Prep your vendors: Make sure you work with vendors who know how to handle outdoor events or prep them thoroughly in advance. If your caterer needs to bring their own ice or your AV team needs to plan ahead to bring portable power sources, you need to communicate that in advance—and make a plan for what you’ll do if the vendors don’t have everything they need.
Don’t skip your walk-throughs: It might not seem like a make or break to-do, but a lot of problems can be avoided by walking through your venue with your planning team the day before the event. Make sure you check power sources, confirm the layout and flow of the event, and run through any rain or inclement weather plans so everyone is on the same page.
Pair the event with the right timing and outdoor event venue
You might think that planning an outdoor event is simple, but the timing, location, and activity matter more than you might think. Depending on where you live, a golf outing would be ideal on crisp fall morning, but might be absolutely unbearable on a humid mid-August afternoon. Think through the littlest details as well as the broad strokes of the event you’d like to plan so that you don’t end up making a big—and avoidable—mistake. Plus, the ideal choice for an outdoor wedding may not be the right meeting space.
Prioritize guest comfort and the guest experience
Think about the best events you’ve been to—when you’re comfortable there, you’re happier. When you’re thinking through how to take care of your guests, plan for:
Climate and weather: Make sure you have spots for guests to rest in the shade, offer fans, heaters, blankets, or anything else that can help make guests feel more comfortable with the weather. It all depends on the type of event you're planning.
A welcome station: Think about what your guests might want or need when they arrive and place things like bottled water, sunscreen, bug spray, umbrellas, and the like in an easy-to-access spot that they’re sure to be able to find.
Clear communication: Make sure guests know if they need to wear something specific or if there’s anything about the venue that they need to know about. They’re going to be far more comfortable if they know what to expect.
How to Avoid Common Outdoor Venue Obstacles
Even the best outdoor venues can have a variety of potential challenges. And if you’re not used to planning and hosting outdoor events, avoiding common pitfalls can be even more difficult. Here’s what to watch out for:
Access Problems: It might seem like the perfect setting for private events, but if vendors, delivery trucks, or guests have a difficult time getting there, it’s actually not the perfect location. Look for access roads, parking, and ADA accessibility to make sure that everyone will be able to get to your next event.
Power Issues: It can be easy to forget about power if you’re used to working with indoor event spaces, but outdoor spaces often don’t have as many power sources (or may not have enough power to serve your needs). Make sure you go over anything that’s provided with the venue itself, and think through any extra power sources, generators, and more that you might need to make arrangements for. That’s especially important if you’re bringing in AV equipment, specialized lighting, or catering equipment that requires a power source.
The Bathroom Situation: Bathrooms are one of the most important venue features, so make sure your venue either offers them or plan to bring in (upscale) portable restroom trailers. If you’re bringing in your own restrooms, make sure you have plenty of space for them in your overall layout.
The Terrain: Does your space have lots of grass, spots of uneven ground, or gravel paths that might make things a bit more difficult for guests? Think through how the terrain of your event space could affect how you set up for your event, how guests are able to move around, even potential wardrobe choices. If you need to bring in temporary flooring, walkways, or set up alternative routes to navigate around the venue, make sure you take that into consideration.
Noise: You might not normally spend much time thinking about potential noise, sound challenges, or environmental distractions, but that’s definitely something you’ll want to plan for when planning an outdoor event. Wind, traffic, and more can be loud and affect your guests’ ability to hear any music, speeches, or programming, so make sure that your sound system is set up for outdoor use and don’t start your event without a soundcheck.
Venue Rules: Some outdoor spaces have strict rules about tents, noise, open flames, and more. Make sure you read your contracts very carefully so that you know you understand what is and isn’t allowed. Ask questions when you visit the site, especially if anything feels unclear. You don't want your guest list to go over the maximum capacity because you weren't paying attention.
Weather Issues: Did it rain earlier, leaving the ground super soggy? Are you dealing with glaring sun in the evening? Build extra time into your setup schedule and make sure you can move things around in the space if you need to accommodate any weather-related obstacles. Natural light is great, but blazing sun can make outdoor activities a little more difficult.
How to Pick the Best Outdoor Event Venues
Finding the ideal location for your big event is so important. We help clients find the exact right place all the time. Here’s what we always suggest looking for:
Has the venue held corporate events before? Just because your potential location is the right spot for a birthday party, wedding, rehearsal dinner, cocktail party, engagement party, baby shower, or other special occasion doesn’t necessarily mean it’s well-suited for corporate events. The planning process will go more smoothly if you pick a venue that’s familiar with branding needs and requirements, corporate timelines, and more. Business meetings need different things than wedding ceremonies. Not only that, but it's possible they'll have inclusive packages with outdoor activities, accommodations, private spaces you can use, and more, or have recommendations for local vendors you can use if you're traveling for the event.
Backup locations: Does the venue you have in mind offer backup locations in case of inclement weather? Maybe they have indoor space you could use or the option for tents. Flexible spaces are a big plus! If you know that you’ll be able to host your event at the venue, you won’t have to spend time stressing over another location.
Amenities: Think about what you’ll need for the best guest experience. Make sure you have easy access to restrooms, electricity, parking, catering options, and the like. If you’re hosting a golf outing or something similarly specialized, think about club rentals, event coordination, and more.
A good view and plenty of natural beauty: Sure, this might not be the most important consideration on the list, but a gorgeous setting can make decor and styling that much easier. You won’t have to do as much if the venue itself is already pretty. You will want to make sure any scenery goes with your event, however. Hosting a retreat? Maybe lush gardens or green spaces would be the perfect backdrop. Breathtaking views can really upgrade a venue.
The space itself: Does the venue’s layout fit well with guest transitions, vendor setup, emergency access (if needed), and the like? If not, it might not be the right location for you. Make sure you and your team do a walk-through in advance so that you can be prepped for any potential hiccups.
FAQs
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Keep your weather app close at hand, monitor any forecasts and conditions closely, and make sure you can quickly and easily implement your rain plan if you need to make a change. Knowing how you’ll handle the weather—and that you can be flexible—can be all the difference.
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Corporate events, especially those you want to hold at popular outdoor event venues during peak periods, need to be planned and booked early. Aim for 6-12 months in advance if possible to make sure that you can get the dates you prefer and get everything else buttoned up.
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It really does help. Vendors who have worked on outdoor events in the past understand the potential hiccups that can arise and extra tools and equipment they may need. They’re ready to prepare for the unexpected, which is what you want from those you’re working with when it comes to outdoor events, which can have complicated logistics. Plus, venues who've hosted corporate events before understand the specific needs that corporate clients often need, so experience can make the process go a lot more smoothly.
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Obviously, you'll want to host this event somewhere with a great golf course, but that could mean a private club, resort, or other location. Make sure that you'll have access to professional staff who can help with club rentals or anything else needed and, if possible, look for options for all skill levels. A golf event can be intimidating if it's your first time golfing, so making your guests as comfortable as possible is one way to make for a memorable experience.
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Absolutely! No matter the kind of corporate event you’re envisioning, Clover Events can help make sure that every aspect—from big to small—is exactly right. We specialize in thoughtful, seamless corporate event execution, regardless of venue.
Ready to Plan Your Next Corporate Event?
Whether you're dreaming up the perfect golf outing, brainstorming creative outdoor events, or planning an elegant indoor celebration, Clover Events is here to help bring your vision to life. Our experienced team knows how to anticipate challenges, execute flawlessly, and create moments your guests will never forget.