How to choose a marquee or banquet hall in Lahore

Hall, marquee, farmhouse or lawn?

Banquet halls are enclosed, air-conditioned and usually come with in-house catering. They are predictable and work in any season, which matters in June heat or December fog.

Marquees are large tented structures, often on a permanent site. They tend to offer more space for the price and more freedom with decor, and many have their own lawns for photos.

Farmhouses and lawns, common around Bedian Road, Raiwind Road and the edges of DHA, give you open space and privacy. They suit Mehndi and smaller functions well, but you will usually arrange tent, lighting, generator and catering yourself, so the total can climb.

You can browse venues and marquees on Bandobast and filter by area, for example DHA or Johar Town.

How many guests can it really hold?

The capacity a venue quotes is often for standing or tightly packed seating. Ask how many guests it seats comfortably at round tables, with space for the stage, buffet counters and walkways. If you need separate seating for men and women, ask how they divide the hall and whether that changes the count.

Visit when the venue is set up for another event if you can. An empty hall looks bigger than it is.

Is the location easy for your guests?

Think about where most of your guests live. A venue on the far side of the city can add an hour each way on a busy evening, and elderly relatives notice that. Check the approach road: some popular stretches jam badly on shaadi nights.

Parking matters more than most families expect. Ask how many cars fit, whether there is valet or a parking attendant, and where overflow parking goes. Guests circling for twenty minutes arrive in a bad mood.

What about power, heat and weather?

Ask what generator backup the venue has, whether it covers air-conditioning or only lights, and whether fuel is included. Load-shedding during a function is the kind of thing guests remember.

For marquees and lawns, ask what happens if it rains or if winter fog rolls in. Is there a covered fallback? Are heaters available in December and January, and at what cost?

What are the rules on timing and food?

Punjab has rules on wedding functions, including a closing time for venues and limits on how many dishes can be served. Enforcement has varied over the years, so ask each venue directly what time they wind up and how they handle the menu rules. Build your run sheet around that closing time, not the time you wish you had.

Ask whether outside caterers are allowed. Many halls insist on their own kitchen, and some charge a fee if you bring your own. If you have a caterer you trust, this can decide the venue for you. Our guide to questions to ask a caterer helps you compare in-house and outside options.

What charges are not in the headline price?

Ask for a written breakdown. Items that often come up later:

• Stage and basic decor, or a fee if you bring your own decorator.
• Generator fuel, extra hours, and setup time the day before.
• Sound system and lighting.
• Taxes, service charges and a security deposit.
• Bridal room access and parking staff.

Once you have two or three venues on paper, the cheapest headline is often not the cheapest total. If you post a venue request on Bandobast, vendors send offers with what is included, which makes this comparison easier.

What else should I check on the site visit?

Walk the venue the way a guest would. Start at the gate, find the entrance, then the washrooms, the bridal room and the route to the stage. Small things tell you a lot about how the venue is run:

• Washrooms: clean, enough of them, and separate for men and women.
• The bridal room: private, with a mirror, good light, a fan or air-conditioning and a lock.
• Access for elders: ramps or ground-floor seating for anyone who cannot manage stairs.
• The kitchen, if catering is in-house: ask to see it.
• Who your contact is on the night, and their phone number.

Before you pay the advance, make sure the date, timing, capacity, menu and every charge are written down and signed. Then add the booking to your event planner so the whole family can see where things stand.