Group booking tips: picking a date, collecting money, changing numbers and who books

With a big group, choosing the venue is the easy part. The hard parts are agreeing a date, collecting money and coping with changing numbers. The smoothest approach: pick the date with a date poll, have one organiser book and pay, then use the cost splitter to collect each share. Agree before booking what happens if someone drops out late, and you avoid awkward conversations later.

Step 1: How do we agree a date?

Asking "when is everyone free?" in a group chat can go on for days. A date poll is much faster:

1. List three to five possible dates and times
2. Share the link in the group
3. Set a deadline, such as two or three days
4. Book the date most people can make

Tip: Friday to Sunday, public holidays and the day before a public holiday are at the weekend rate, and popular slots go faster. If people are free on weekdays, include Monday-to-Thursday options. Venue calendars open 90 days ahead, so dates further out cannot be booked yet.

Step 2: Who books?

One organiser should book, because:

• The full amount is paid online at booking
• Confirmations, entry details and host messages go to the booker
• At self check-in venues, details such as a door code are sent to the booker by email and WhatsApp before the start

Choose someone who will arrive on time and can pay up front. If they are running late, they should forward the entry details to someone else in advance.

Step 3: Choose the venue

Choose by your expected headcount range, for example party rooms for 20 people or for 30 people. For bigger groups, look at event spaces.

Compare totals using your real headcount. At per-room venues, the more people, the lower each share; at per-person venues, watch the minimum headcount. For the details, see the party room cost guide.

If you want certainty quickly, choose an instant-book venue, which confirms as soon as payment succeeds. At host-confirms venues the host has 24 hours to accept; the slot is held meanwhile and nothing is charged if they decline.

Step 4: How do we collect the money?

Approach	Advantage	Watch out for
Collect everything before booking	Organiser pays nothing up front	Takes time to gather
Organiser pays, collects later	Fast to book	Chasing people for money
Collect a part first, the rest later	Fewer late drop-outs	Keeping track of who paid

Enter the room, food and decoration costs in the cost splitter to get each share. Decide early whether children or non-drinkers pay less.

Step 5: What if numbers change?

More people

Check the venue's maximum and do not exceed it. At per-person venues the total rises with each extra guest; message the host if you need to confirm anything.

Fewer people

At per-person venues with a minimum headcount, you are charged for the minimum even if fewer come. At per-room venues the total stays the same, so each person's share rises.

Agree the rules up front

Before booking, agree whether someone who confirms and then drops out still pays their share. It is the fairest approach and means the organiser does not lose out.

Step 6: Cancelling and rescheduling

Each venue uses a Flexible, Standard or Strict cancellation policy; the earlier you cancel, the more you get back. See the cancellation policy. If the date or numbers are not settled, a venue with a more flexible policy is safer.

After the full-refund deadline, you get 50% back if you cancel 6 to 24 hours before the start under Flexible, 24 to 48 hours before under Standard, or 72 hours to 7 days before under Strict. Later than that there is no refund. A security deposit is always returned in full on cancellation.

If Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above or a Black Rainstorm Warning is in force at any time from three hours before the start until the start, you can cancel for a full refund or move the booking within 30 days.

Common mistakes

• No deadline on the poll: a week later nothing is decided and the popular slots are gone.
• The organiser pays a large sum and only then starts collecting: set a payment deadline, or collect before booking.
• No drop-out rule: the organiser ends up covering the gap, which strains friendships.
• Choosing a Strict venue with uncertain numbers: you need to cancel 7 days ahead for a full refund.
• Only one person has the entry details: the organiser is late and everyone waits at the door.

Other options for large groups

• Concierge: for large or corporate events, use the concierge form
• Name your price: post your date, group size and budget, and hosts reply with offers
• Referrals: when a friend you refer completes their first booking, you both receive credit; see rewards

Finally, use the party checklist to share out food, decorations and clean-up, so each person has one job and the organiser is not doing everything.