Scouting for venues can be enormous fun if you are planning a party. It is not until you start looking that you realise that just about any place can be hired, from a theme park to private pub. Sure it all depends on the amount you are willing to spend, but set yourself a budget, and you\'ll be surprised what you can find. Here are some top tips for finding the perfect party place.

Firstly, set yourself a budget. Having a limit on your spending is essential because as with any type of shopping it is way too easy to bump up what you are willing to pay when you get swept off your feet by something truly irresistible. To formulate a budget, take the maximum you are willing to spend in total and divide it between what should go on dressing a venue, catering, entertainment and transport.

Some venues offer complete packages, which can make sticking to a budget that bit easier. If this is the case, you should find out the cost per head and work out how many of the people on your guest list might be able to get in for the price. It is all well and good hiring out a swanky banqueting suite, but if the budget only stretches as far as three people, the party atmosphere might not quite get there!

When liaising with venues, make sure you find out what licenses they hold. Being able to play music and dance is not a right, a special license is required. The same goes for the consumption of alcohol. Some places allow you to provide your own beverages and add a corkage charge per head, and sometimes per bottle to the bill. It is little things like this that can break the budget boundaries, so be sure to ask.

There are many venues that will provide catering staff and event coordinators for your party, usually this incurs a charge for commission which will be added to the total bill. If your budget allows, hiring the services of an event coordinator can result in getting venues to reduce their usual rate for room hire and catering services. Try asking about a complete event package, it may well include transport for you and your guests to and from the venue.

The golden rule when scouting for venues is to ask for the moon on a stick; you are more likely to get a better deal if you approach them with a well thought out list of requests and a budget that will encourage them to haggle.