Event attendees deserve a comfortable seating arrangement that helps conversation flow and encourages focus and attention. Choosing a successful layout for your next event depends on your event purpose, activities, venue, and guests!
What’s the purpose of your event?
Hosting a networking conference or a company retreat requires different layouts from hosting a new employee orientation or higher-level board meeting. The type of event you need to conduct instructs you on which layout you need for success.
Classroom-style layouts that include rows of tables with chairs pointed towards a central presentation area would allow new employees to take notes, while a cocktail style layout with high tables placed around the room provides networking conference attendees a chance to mingle.
Take into account your guests
The number of event attendees also encourages one layout over another. Remember that some layouts require extra space while others waste space and thus prove impractical for large groups.
Banquet layouts allow you to place tables efficiently and use them at maximum capacity with seating around the entire table. Similarly, cabaret layouts include round tables, but they only make use of half of the tables so no one has their backs to the central presentation area. Such a setup may not work with larger groups.
Consider your venue
Event venue already booked? Consider the space offered by the venue before choosing your layout. Take note of any heavy furniture or other items that venues may not be willing to move and factor these things into your event spacing.
Does the venue offer multiple rooms for different events throughout the day? How much furniture is available to you? If you need a stage for presentations, does the venue include one? Visualize your event occurring in the venue and plot out the uses for specific areas in your layout.
Did you leave room for activities?
Another factor to keep in mind when designing your layout is the event’s activities. Consider where guests will be most comfortable and successful during the activities you’ve prepared. If a day full of presentations is in store, a theater style layout offers rows of chairs facing a central point. Boardroom layouts prove perfect for breakout sessions, where everyone sits around one large table and faces inwards.
Thinking through your event activities will help you land on a successful layout. Time and manpower permitting, consider switching up the layout throughout the day during longer events to match activities.
Need some help picking the perfect layout? Let Total Entertainment make your next event memorable and stress-free; we offer full-service event planning along with a large array of event rentals to choose from. Give us a call at 978-777-2050 today!