Find a venue that fits your guests, date and style
Venue hunting means dozens of tabs, vague capacity numbers and "contact us for pricing". Give your todo.is agent the event, the guest count and what you need, and it builds a shortlist of real venues with capacity, layout, catering rules and access, then writes one inquiry email you can send to all of them.
The prompt
- Find a venue for [TYPE OF EVENT] in [CITY OR AREA] on [DATE OR DATE RANGE] for [NUMBER OF GUESTS] guests. Budget: [BUDGET]. Must-haves: [MUST-HAVES]. Find 8 to 10 venues using venue websites, listing sites and reviews. For each give the name, link, area, capacity for my layout (seated or standing), whether outside catering is allowed, AV and accessibility notes, public transport and parking, price info if shown, and what reviews say. Rank the best 5. Write one inquiry email asking about availability, total cost, deposit, cancellation policy and what's included. Excel file. Don't contact or book anything.
What to change
- [TYPE OF EVENT]: e.g. "a 40th birthday dinner", "a one-day team workshop" or "a small wedding reception".
- [CITY OR AREA]: e.g. "central Manchester" or "within 1 hour of Lyon".
- [DATE OR DATE RANGE]: e.g. "Saturday June 13" or "any Thursday in May".
- [NUMBER OF GUESTS]: e.g. "60".
- [BUDGET]: Total or per person, e.g. "£3,000 including food".
- [MUST-HAVES]: e.g. "seated dinner, step-free access, a projector, outdoor space, near a tram stop".
Example result
- Venue shortlist · 40th birthday dinner
- Central Manchester, Saturday June 13, 60 guests seated. Budget £3,000 including food. Must-haves: step-free, near a tram stop, space for a short speech.
- Best 5 (fictional examples)
- 1. The Loom Room · Ancoats
- • Seats 70 at long tables, private room
- • In-house menu only. Sample menus on the website.
- • Step-free with lift. 6 minutes' walk from a tram stop.
- • Reviews: great food, staff handle speeches and cakes well. Can get loud.
- 2. Gallery Twelve · Northern Quarter
- • Seats 60 exactly, so a tight fit
- • Outside caterers allowed with a kitchen fee
- • Built-in projector and mic
- • Reviews: beautiful space, strict end time
- 3. Canal House Upstairs · Castlefield
- • Seats 80, terrace for drinks
- • Minimum spend on Saturdays, details on request
- • Step-free via a side entrance
- 4. Brick & Barrel · Deansgate
- • Seats 64, set menus, good for groups
- • Reviews mention slow service when full
- 5. Mill Studio · Ancoats
- • Empty space: bring your own caterer, tables and staff
- • Most flexible, more work
- Inquiry email
- Subject: Private dinner for 60 · Saturday June 13
- Hello, I'm planning a 40th birthday dinner for 60 guests on Saturday June 13, from about 7 pm to midnight. We need a seated dinner, step-free access and a microphone for a short speech. Could you tell me:
- • whether the date is available
- • the total cost for 60, including food, service and any room hire or minimum spend
- • the deposit and when it's due
- • your cancellation policy
- • what's included (tables, linen, AV, staff) and your end time
- Thanks, Priya
- Before you book
- Visit your top 2 in person, ask for everything in writing, and check the cancellation terms before paying a deposit.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the event, area, date, guest count, budget and must-haves.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Your agent builds a ranked venue shortlist in Excel and writes your inquiry email.
- Send the email yourself, then attach the replies and ask your agent to compare total costs.
Tips for a better result
- Ask for capacity in your layout. A room for 100 standing may seat only 50 at dinner.
- Ask about minimum spend, service charge and end time early. They change the real price most.
- Check outside catering rules before falling in love with a cheap room hire.
- Popular Saturdays book up months ahead. Ask your agent to include a weekday or Sunday option.
find a venue: FAQ
- How far in advance should I book a venue? For weddings and big parties, many people book 6 to 12 months ahead, especially for Saturdays. Small dinners or workshops can often be booked a few weeks out.
- What should I ask a venue before booking? Ask about the total cost, deposit, cancellation policy, capacity for your layout, catering rules, end time, what's included and accessibility.
- Does todo.is book the venue? No. Your agent finds and compares venues and drafts emails. You contact the venue, sign and pay yourself.
- Can it find venues with no listed prices? Yes. Many venues only quote on request, so your agent notes that and the inquiry email asks for a full price.
JavaScript is required to use the todo.is app.