What You Need to Know
It seems straightforward enough.
You want to host a party or another event, and, as such, you need to hire a venue to do so. You find the perfect venue and then sign on the dotted line to book the space. Simple!
You have a vision of how the event will go; it’s perfect. Of course, you don’t want to think about anything going wrong with the venue, but what if it does? How does the insurance work? Or what if there is damage caused by one of your guests?
Each venue is different, but there are some key facts to consider when renting a party venue, whether it’s a hall or a ballroom. Here, you will be walked through the legal side of renting a party space.
Event Liability Insurance
It’s pretty much what it sounds like, but when it comes to planning a private party event, such as a wedding reception or an anniversary party at a rented venue, you may be asked to provide event liability insurance.
This will typically cover damages, alcohol-related incidents, and injuries that may occur during the party or event. Some venues provide this as part of the rental agreement, but it is often the case that those who are renting the venue have to get it and provide proof of it.
Security Deposits and Damages
It is standard practice to put down a security deposit when you are renting a building that you are going to be hosting an event in. As you may have gathered, if you forfeit or break any part of the rental agreement, you will lose the deposit.
So, when renting a space, make sure you understand every part of the contract, as, simply put, some venues charge a lot of money for renting a space and you don’t want to lose your deposit. If you cause damages when you are renting a space, you may even face legal repercussions, so be crystal clear on requirements going forward.
Liquor Licensing
When you are hiring a venue for a wedding reception, a party, or an anniversary dinner, chances are that you will be looking for an open bar. It seems safe to assume that any venue that has a bar will have a liquor license, but as odd as it may sound, this is not always the case, and if you hire a venue that is illegally serving alcohol, you could face criminal charges, even if you aren’t serving the drinks!
Entertainment Permits
It is also likely that, depending on the event, you may want to have live entertainment. Again, this seems simple enough; you can just book the show, and then they turn up, right? Wrong! You need to check that the building you are renting has entertainment permits, and if they don’t, as the person who is hosting and planning the event, you need to apply for and hold a temporary entertainment permit. This usually covers public speaking, bands, live singing, comedy performances, and dancers. If you want to sing or dance at the event, then the entertainment permit is unlikely to be needed, but check to be sure.
