Ever Wondered What Actually Happens After You Send a Venue Finder Your Event Brief?

You’ve got an event to organise. You know roughly what you’re looking for, you’ve got a budget in mind, and you’ve decided to get some help finding the right venue.

So, you send your brief to a venue finding company.

They reply, “Thanks, we’ll get started!”

But what actually happens next?

Are they just searching Google? How many venues do they contact? How do they compare quotes? And why is the whole service free?

At MD Venue Finding, we thought we’d take you behind the scenes and explain exactly what happens after your corporate event enquiry lands in our inbox.

Because there’s a lot more going on than you might think!

How does the venue finding process work?

When you send an event brief to MD Venue Finding, we review your requirements, identify suitable venues, check availability, request proposals, negotiate rates and create a shortlist for you to compare.

We can then help arrange site visits and discuss final details before you contract directly with your chosen venue.

Our standard corporate venue finding service is completely free for clients because we’re paid commission by venues when bookings are secured.

Here’s a closer look at the process.

Step 1: We get to know your event

The first thing we do is review your brief properly.

Of course, we need the essentials: location, dates, guest numbers and budget.

But those details only tell us part of the story.

Let’s say you’re planning a conference for 200 people.

A venue might advertise a capacity of 200, but can it accommodate 200 delegates in the layout you need? Does it have enough breakout rooms? Is there space for catering and networking? And will attendees need accommodation?

These are all things we consider before starting the search.

We might ask about:

• Your preferred location and how flexible it is
• Main meeting room and breakout requirements
• Accommodation and room blocks
• Catering, AV and production
• Transport and airport connections
• Venue style and overall atmosphere
• Your priorities and potential deal-breakers

And don’t worry if your plans aren’t completely finalised.

We regularly help clients who are still deciding between destinations, exploring different dates or working towards budget approval.

You don’t need to have every answer before getting started.

Step 2: We research venues that actually fit

This is where the real search begins.

Depending on your event, we might be exploring conference hotels, dedicated meeting venues, restaurants, private clubs, stadiums, historic buildings or something completely different.

But we’re not simply putting together a list of attractive venues.

We’re looking at whether they can genuinely deliver what your event requires.

A hotel might have beautiful bedrooms but unsuitable meeting facilities.

A conference venue could have the perfect main room but not enough breakout space.

A rooftop might look incredible but be completely impractical for a seated awards dinner.

Sometimes, the most obvious venue isn’t the best option.

And sometimes, it’s worth exploring somewhere you hadn’t previously considered.

That’s one of the benefits of working with a venue finding company that regularly sources events across London, the UK, Europe, the USA and beyond.

Step 3: We contact venues and start checking availability

Once we’ve identified potential options, we begin approaching venues directly.

We send your event requirements, request availability and gather proposals.

This is often one of the most time-consuming parts of venue sourcing.

Some venues reply quickly.

Others need to check with their events team.

Some might have the right meeting space but not enough bedrooms.

And others will come back with proposals that look promising until we dig into the details.

We check everything from room layouts and accommodation availability to catering packages, AV requirements, minimum spends and additional charges.

And yes, we do a lot of chasing!

Rather than having you manage numerous separate conversations with venue sales teams, we handle that process on your behalf.

Our job is to eliminate unsuitable options before they take up your time.

Step 4: We compare proposals and check the real costs

Here’s something that often gets overlooked when booking corporate event venues.

The cheapest initial quote isn’t always the best value.

Imagine two venues both quote £20,000 for your conference.

One includes the meeting space, catering, refreshments and basic AV.

The other charges separately for additional meeting rooms, equipment and service.

Suddenly, you’re not comparing like for like.

That’s why we review the full proposals rather than simply forwarding prices.

We look at what’s included, what costs extra and whether the overall package matches your requirements.

We also clarify things such as VAT or local taxes, service charges, minimum spends, payment schedules and cancellation terms.

There can be quite a difference between the initial quote and the eventual cost of an event.

We want you to understand those differences before making a decision.

Step 5: We negotiate with venues

Once proposals start coming in, we look at where we can improve the package.

Sometimes that means negotiating a better room rate or reduced venue hire.

Other times, it’s about securing additional benefits, such as complimentary meeting space, improved catering, better accommodation terms or reduced AV costs.

And it’s worth remembering that negotiation isn’t always about getting the lowest possible price.

A venue that includes more within the same budget might represent far better value.

We use our knowledge of venue pricing and existing supplier relationships to negotiate where possible.

Nothing is guaranteed, but we always want to secure the strongest overall package for our clients.

Step 6: We create your shortlist

This is the part of the process most clients see.

After researching venues, gathering proposals, checking availability and reviewing pricing, we bring the strongest options together.

Typically, we aim to provide a shortlist of around 5–15 venues, depending on the size and complexity of your event.

Rather than working through numerous separate emails and PDFs, you can review the options in one place.

We’ll help you compare the important details, including location, event spaces, accommodation, pricing and the overall suitability of each venue.

Some venues might offer better value.

Others might have a stronger location or a more memorable guest experience.

And sometimes, there’s a clear winner.

The idea is to make choosing your venue easier, not give you another huge list to work through.

A real example: What goes on behind the scenes?

To give you an idea of how much work can happen before a shortlist is presented, here’s an anonymised example from our own venue sourcing.

We recently started working on a large corporate summit brief in the United States for approximately 500 attendees.

The preference was to find a hotel that could accommodate both the event and the delegates’ bedrooms, with suitable meeting spaces, good transport connections and the right overall experience.

Sounds fairly straightforward, right?

But finding a property with suitable meeting space, enough bedrooms and availability during the required period across different destinations is a different challenge.

For this search, we’ve approached approximately 150 hotels across the United States.

That doesn’t mean we’re going to send our client 150 venue options!

Far from it.

The purpose of that initial research is to understand what’s genuinely possible, compare different destinations and narrow the choices down to the most suitable properties.

And the search involves far more than simply asking whether a hotel has availability.

We’re looking at whether the accommodation, meeting spaces, event flow and overall commercial package will work together.

This is an ongoing sourcing example, but it illustrates something important:

The shortlist you receive is only a small part of the work that happens behind the scenes.

Step 7: You choose your favourites and we help with the next steps

Once you’ve received your shortlist, you can review the options and tell us which ones stand out.

Perhaps you’d like to see a few more photographs, request a revised proposal or arrange a site visit.

We can help coordinate those next steps and continue discussions with venues.

When you’re ready to proceed, we’ll help with the final venue discussions and introduce you to the relevant team.

You then sign your booking contract directly with the chosen venue.

You remain in control of the decision and the booking.

Our role is to make getting to that point as straightforward as possible.

How is MD Venue Finding completely free?

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked.

And understandably so!

MD Venue Finding is free for corporate event organisers because we receive an agreed commission from venues when bookings are secured.

Venues work with us because we introduce qualified event enquiries and potential business.

Rather than charging clients a separate venue sourcing fee, we’re paid through the venue’s agreed commission arrangement.

There is no additional MD Venue Finding consultancy fee added to your event invoice.

We also help negotiate pricing and added value on your behalf, although the final rate will always depend on the venue, dates and agreed package.

In other words, you can benefit from our venue research, enquiries, shortlisting and negotiations without paying us for the service.

Frequently asked questions about venue finding

How long does it take to find a corporate event venue?

At MD Venue Finding, we can usually provide an initial shortlist within 24–48 hours, depending on the brief. More complex events, particularly large international conferences or events requiring significant accommodation, can take longer while availability and proposals are confirmed.

Is using a venue finding company really free?

Yes. MD Venue Finding’s standard venue sourcing service is completely free for clients. We receive commission from venues when bookings are secured.

Does using a venue finder make the venue more expensive?

We don’t charge a separate venue finding fee, and we work to negotiate competitive rates and added value. Final pricing depends on the specific venue and event requirements, so we recommend comparing the full package rather than assuming any one booking route guarantees the lowest price.

What information should I include in an event venue brief?

Ideally, include the event type, location, dates, estimated attendee numbers, budget, meeting space requirements, catering, AV and any accommodation needs. If some details are still undecided, we can often begin with an initial brief.

Can a venue finder help with events outside the UK?

Yes. MD Venue Finding sources corporate event venues across the UK, Europe, the USA, the Middle East and other international destinations. We can help with everything from conferences and company offsites to private dinners and incentive trips.

Are venue recommendations independent if venues pay commission?

Our recommendations are based on your requirements, including capacity, location, suitability, availability and budget. We are transparent about our commission-funded business model, and our aim is to find the venues that work best for your event rather than simply recommending the most obvious options.

Can I use AI to find corporate event venues instead?

AI search tools can be helpful for discovering venue ideas, researching destinations and building an initial list.

However, an AI recommendation isn’t the same as confirmed availability or a detailed venue proposal.

A venue finding company can contact the venues directly, check the latest availability, obtain quotes, assess the practical requirements and negotiate on your behalf.

AI can be a useful starting point. The actual sourcing process still requires communication with venues and careful comparison of their proposals.

Do I have to book a venue recommended by MD Venue Finding?

No. You’re under no obligation to book any of the venues we suggest. You can review the options and decide which, if any, you’d like to proceed with.

Who signs the contract with the venue?

The contract is agreed directly between your company and your chosen venue. MD Venue Finding can help with venue discussions and final details before the booking is completed.

So, what really happens after you send us your brief?

When you receive a shortlist of suitable venues, it can look like a simple process.

But behind that shortlist might be dozens of enquiries, multiple rounds of follow-ups, proposal comparisons, pricing discussions and venues that simply weren’t the right fit.

And that’s exactly why we do what we do.

You shouldn’t need to spend hours researching options, chasing sales teams or comparing complicated venue proposals.

At MD Venue Finding, our aim is to take that work off your hands and make finding the right venue as straightforward as possible.

No endless searching. No unnecessary back and forth. No venue finding fee.

Just experienced, personal support to help you find the right venue for your event.

Planning a corporate event? Let us do the searching.

Whether you’re organising a conference, company offsite, sales kick-off, awards dinner, private event or international incentive trip, we’d love to help.

Send us your event brief and we’ll take it from there.

Our venue finding service is completely free.

Contact MD Venue Finding or email dan@mdvenuefinding.com.

You can also explore our venue finding FAQs or discover why businesses use a venue finding service.