What to ask when you tour a banquet hall

A tour is the only way to know if a venue is right for your event. Here’s what to ask while you’re walking through — the answers tell you more than any brochure.

Most banquet-hall tours focus on what the room looks like. That’s the easy part. The harder part — the part that decides whether your event runs smoothly or runs over — is the operational details. Forty-four years on Washington Street has taught us which questions matter most. Bring this list to every hall you visit.

1. What are the guest-count minimums, and how do they vary by day?

Every banquet hall sets minimums. At Maravela’s, our Saturday-evening minimum is 150 guests, Sunday is 100, and weekday or Saturday-morning events are 50. There’s also a $6,500 minimum spend if your guest count doesn’t reach the threshold. Ask each venue you tour for their exact numbers, by day — that single answer often eliminates half a list.

2. What’s actually included in the package, and what’s extra?

Tables and linens for two or three entrance tables, one or two sweets-station tables, and a DJ table should be standard. Confirm it. Then ask about extras: additional tables, chair covers, ceremony setup, photo-booth power, day-before access. At Maravela’s, additional tables are $10 each (linens included), chair covers with bows are $9 per chair, an in-room ceremony with rows is $350, and a separate ceremony room is $700. Get every line item in writing before you sign.

If they can’t tell you exactly what’s included, the price you saw isn’t the price you’ll pay.

3. How long is the event window, and what’s the cleanup policy?

Evening events at Maravela’s run six hours total — including an in-room ceremony if you have one. Morning and afternoon events are four hours. We give one hour of cleanup after the event ends, and that hour includes vendor pack-out. Every event ends by midnight, no exceptions. Ask each venue: what’s the hard cutoff, how long do vendors have, and what does it cost to extend?

4. What’s the alcohol policy?

Most reputable halls don’t allow outside alcohol, for liability and insurance reasons. We don’t. All alcohol service is 21-and-over. If a venue lets you bring your own, ask who carries the liquor liability — and check that the answer is in writing.

5. Is the food made in-house?

This is the question most worth asking. Some banquet halls outsource food to a caterer and mark it up. We never have. As Jennifer puts it: “We never take outside food and market it as ‘ours.’ All of our food is prepped and made in-house by our cooks and chefs.” The only outside food we allow is a cake or sweets station the client brings in. Ask every venue point-blank: who cooks the food?

6. What’s the buffet rule?

By Illinois Department of Public Health regulation, buffet food cannot be reheated or sent home with guests. What’s served gets served fresh, within a 90-minute service window. If you want leftovers, choose plated service — those leftovers can be packed if requested before the window closes. A venue that handwaves this rule is one to skip.

7. What’s the policy on outside cake or desserts?

Most halls allow a cake from an outside bakery. Ask whether cake-cutting is included or billed separately. At Maravela’s, cake cutting is free when the cake serves as dessert. If you want late-night cake service that requires china, it’s $1.50 per person. Small details — but they add up.

8. Can you see the kitchen?

The best venues are happy to show you. If a venue declines, ask why. The kitchen tells you everything about how the food gets made — staffing, equipment, prep space, sanitation. We give kitchen tours on every walk-through.

One more. Whoever shows you around the venue is also the person you’ll spend months working with. Trust your gut on that conversation. A great hall with the wrong coordinator is a long six months. A good hall with the right one is a story your guests talk about for years.

If you’d like to tour Maravela’s, we’d love to host you. Tours take about an hour, they’re free, and there’s no pressure to book. Call 847·587·6100 or send us a note.