Tour venues like a planner

Photos sell a venue. A tour tells you whether your party works in it. Tour two or three places, no more, and go with the same list of questions every time so you can compare answers side by side instead of from memory.

Tour at your party's hour

A room that glows at noon can feel very different at seven at night. If you can, walk the space at the hour your party starts. Look at the lighting, listen to the street, and notice where people would naturally stand with a drink.

What to look at

• Flow: where guests arrive, where coats and bags go, where the food and the bar sit.
• The toast spot: one place where everyone can see and hear a short speech.
• Restrooms: how many, and how far from the main room.
• Power and sound: outlets near where the DJ or speaker goes, and a screen if you plan slides.
• The cold weather plan: where everyone goes if the yard is not an option.

The ten questions to ask on every walkthrough

1. What exactly does the price include: furniture, setup, cleanup, staff, styling and tax?
2. Is there a minimum spend, and how much is the deposit to hold the date?
3. How many fit seated, and how many standing, in the rooms we would use?
4. Where does everyone go if it rains or turns cold?
5. Who serves alcohol, and who carries the TABC responsibility on the night?
6. Can we bring our own caterer, or is there a required list?
7. When can vendors load in, and when does everything have to be out?
8. What time does music have to stop or move inside?
9. Where do guests park, and how far is the walk to the door?
10. What sound, screen and power are there for toasts, slides or a DJ?

Write the answers down on the spot, ideally on one shared sheet with a column per venue. When you sit down with the person who approves the budget, the sheet makes the decision for you.

How The Gallery answers

• Capacity: 35 seated or up to 100 standing inside, with 12 more on the porch, 25 on the patio and 50 to 60 in the yard.
• Packages: per guest, with a $2,500 minimum, and a 30 percent deposit holds the date.
• Each package covers the house and yard, setup and takedown, our furniture, holiday styling and staff.
• Drinks: private parties can bring their own, poured by a TABC-certified bartender. Events that are not private need a licensed TABC server, which we provide.
• Food: Visage, our partner across the street, builds the menu, and outside licensed catering is welcome.
• Timing: last guest out by 11 PM, and music moves indoors at 10 PM.
• Parking: an on-site gravel lot, plus free street parking.
• Sound and screen: a speaker for your playlist and a TV for slides or awards.

Tip: Bring the decision maker. If one person has the final say, bring them on the tour. Book a tour of The Gallery and walk the rooms and the yard at your party's hour.

Next up: alcohol, the TABC and who is responsible for what.

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About The Gallery on Montana

A curated event space, photo and film location, and vintage gallery at 701 Montana Street on the East Side of San Antonio, one block from the Alamodome. Built around a twenty year collection of vintage furniture and objects, rented by the hour or the day for photo shoots, private dinners, podcasts, workshops and pop-up markets.

Capacity: 35 seated indoors, 12 on the porch, 25 on the patio under the art arch, 50 to 60 in the yard, and up to 100 standing inside.

The Gallery on Montana, 701 Montana St, San Antonio, TX 78203. Events, shoots and meetings book on our booking page. Explore: Home · The space · Private events · Holiday parties · Weddings · Photo and video shoots · Workshops · Planning guides · Book a tour