Planning Support

Once your date is booked, this is a good place to start.

Welcome to The Archive 101

We’ve gathered the things that are actually helpful to know while you plan — floor plans, how the different parts of the building work, where things are located, equipment available to you, and a few tips we’ve picked up from watching a lot of events happen here.

You certainly do not need to know all of this today. Come back whenever you need it.

COME SEE THE SPACE AGAIN

You are always welcome to come back while you’re planning.

Sometimes seeing the room again is much easier than trying to remember whether a table, backdrop, buffet, DJ setup, or other idea is actually going to fit.

You are also welcome to bring along the people helping you plan — your caterer, decorator, DJ, family, coordinator, or anyone else who would benefit from seeing the space.

SCHEDULE A PLANNING VISIT

START WITH THE FLOOR PLAN

We have two versions of the floor plan depending on what you are trying to do.

Space Planning Guide

This version includes room dimensions along with a 5-foot round and 8-foot banquet table shown to scale. It is meant to give you a better idea of how large furniture actually feels within the rooms.

SPACE PLANNING GUIDE

PLANNING GUIDE WITH TABLES

Blank Floor Plan

This is the one to print, draw on, send to your vendors, or completely cover in notes.

Use it to sketch tables, catering, your ceremony, a dance floor, photo booth, dessert table — whatever makes sense for your event.

BLANK PLANNING GUIDE

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE SPACE

There is no required layout at The Archive.

The rooms are intentionally flexible, and people use them differently depending on the event.

The Red Brick Room, for example, is often a convenient place for catering or food service, but it does not have to be. It has also been used for additional seating, cocktail space, photo booths, gifts, kids’ areas, and plenty of other things.

The same goes for the Chandelier Room and Banquet Room. Your layout does not need to look like someone else’s event.

Use the floor plans as a starting point and build around what you actually need.

GETTING IN + YOUR VENUE KEYS

When you arrive, you’ll find a small white box with venue keys at the front desk.

Those keys give you a little more control over the building during your rental and can simply be returned to the box when you are finished.

There are keys for things including:

The elevator. You can turn lower-level elevator access on or off during your event.

This can be especially useful during a wedding. For example, if someone is getting ready downstairs and you do not want guests coming down yet, elevator access can remain off until you are ready.

The door at the top of the stairs. This can also be locked when you need a little privacy downstairs — for example, while a bride is coming down the stairs or before guests are supposed to enter the space.

Keys for restroom access, if needed.

The claw machine. If you want to refill the claw machine or access it during your event, the key is there for you.

Please keep the key box somewhere safe during your event and return everything before you leave.

BUILDING ENTRY DURING YOUR EVENT

The exterior building doors automatically lock later in the day.

You do not need to prop every set of doors open.

The easiest setup is to prop open the second set of doors leading into the lobby. The first exterior door remains accessible, which allows guests to enter the building and then continue into the lobby.

Keeping one set of doors closed also helps keep outside heat, weather, and bugs from coming into the building.

Once guests are downstairs, keeping the actual venue door closed whenever possible also makes a noticeable difference in keeping the space comfortable.

WI-FI

Network: Park Place

Password: Fahey101

Feel free to share this with your vendors.

MUSIC + SPEAKERS

There are a couple of different options for sound depending on where you need it.

Built-In Speaker System

The venue’s built-in system can be used for music in the areas it serves.

The Bluetooth connection for that system is:

ClearClick VT33

Make sure both units are turned on using the button in the corner of each unit, and use the knob to select BT for Bluetooth.

If it has been sitting idle and refuses to reconnect, turning the system off and back on usually solves it.

JBL Speaker

There is also a JBL speaker available.

This is especially useful in the Banquet Room, where the built-in speaker system does not extend in the same way.

If you are planning music, announcements, or a microphone in that portion of the venue, the JBL may be the better option.

MICROPHONES

Where you plan to use the microphone matters.

The microphone that works with the installed speaker system is useful in the areas served by those speakers.

For the back Banquet Room, where that speaker system is not installed, the JBL setup is the option to use instead.

If speeches, announcements, a ceremony, or anything else involving a microphone is important to your event, please test the exact setup before guests arrive.

That is one of those five-minute checks that can save a lot of frustration later.

LIGHTING

There are several lighting options throughout the venue, and you absolutely do not have to have everything turned on at once.

Chandelier Room Lights

The round wall lights/sconces in the Chandelier Room look beautiful during an event, but they also put off a surprising amount of warmth.

During decorating and setup, we recommend leaving them off and turning them on closer to guest arrival.

It helps the room stay much cooler.

Neon / Rainbow Lighting

The lower switches behind the fireplace control the colorful neon/rainbow lighting.

You are welcome to use it or leave it off depending on the look you want.

Fireplace

The fireplace remote is stored in the closet area behind the fireplace.

KEEPING THE SPACE COOL

The air conditioning works well, but event setup can create a lot of heat quickly.

The two biggest things that help are simple:

Keep the venue door to the lobby closed whenever possible, and leave unnecessary lights off while you decorate.

The lobby/common area is maintained separately, so leaving the venue door propped open for long periods allows warmer air into the space.

And yes — those Chandelier Room lights really do make a difference.

REFRIGERATION + COLD STORAGE

You have refrigeration available within the venue for food, drinks, desserts, and other event needs.

Some of our refrigeration units can be set for use as either a refrigerator or freezer, giving you a little more flexibility depending on what you are bringing in.

If you are using them, make sure they are set to the temperature you need before loading them.

Need More Cold Storage?

The building also has a walk-in cooler that may be added to your rental.

This can be especially helpful for larger events, catering, beverages, desserts, or anything else that needs significantly more refrigerated storage.

ASK ABOUT ADDING THE WALK-IN COOLER

ARCADE

The arcade is available during your event.

Most of the games have their own individual power switches, so they can be turned on or off as needed.

And yes — you can access the claw machine.

The claw machine key is in the venue key box, so if you would like to add your own prizes or refill it for your event, you can.

If you have something specific planned for the arcade, just let us know.

TABLES + CHAIRS

Tables and chairs are included with your rental.

You are welcome to arrange them in the way that works for your event rather than trying to copy one of our example layouts.

The planning guide gives you a better visual reference for the size of our 5-foot round tables and 8-foot banquet tables within the actual rooms.

If you want to physically walk through your layout before the event, schedule another visit. Sometimes standing in the room makes the answer obvious.

LINENS

If linens are part of your rental, they will be provided for your event.

If you notice an issue with a linen while you are setting up, please let us know rather than trying to work around it. We may have another one available.

CATERING + FOOD

You are welcome to work with the caterer or food provider that makes sense for your event.

We do not require catering to be set up in one specific room.

The Red Brick Room is frequently used for food service because it can keep the main event areas more open, but that is simply an option — not a requirement.

If your caterer has never been here, send them the floor plan or bring them along for a planning visit.

BACK OF HOUSE

The Back of House area is the practical part of the venue that you may need during your event.

You’ll find things including:

Extra trash bags
Cleaning supplies
An emergency kit

If a garbage can becomes full during the event, you do not need to let it overflow.

Bag it and take it to the dumpsters outside. The Archive uses the smallest of the three dumpsters.

DECORATING THE SPACE

Decorate. Move things around. Make it feel like your event.

We just ask that you protect the building while you do it.

Please use the existing hooks rather than nails, and do not use tape on the walls or finishes.

Glitter, fog machines, and confetti are not allowed.

For larger installations, arches, suspended décor, or anything you are unsure about, send us a photo or ask before the event. It is much easier to answer ahead of time than while everyone is setting up.

NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP?

There are a few things you can add if you would rather have more help or more time.

Early Setup

If you need access earlier than your contracted rental time, additional setup time may be available depending on the calendar.

Walk-Away Cleaning

At the end of a long event, you may decide that the last thing you want to do is deal with cleanup.

Our Walk-Away option allows you to leave the end-of-event cleanup to us.

Day-of Support

If you want someone helping keep the day moving — communicating with vendors, watching the timeline, helping with ceremony flow, guest questions, décor, and the little things that come up — Day-of Support can also be added.

ASK ABOUT EVENT ADD-ONS

BEFORE THE EVENT

A few days before your rental, it is worth making sure the people who actually need this information have it too.

Send the Wi-Fi information to your DJ.

Make sure your caterer knows where they are setting up.

Know which speaker and microphone setup you are using.

Decide whether you want the elevator open to guests immediately.

And if you are planning to use refrigeration, make sure you know what needs to be cold and what needs to be frozen.

Those little decisions are much easier to make ahead of time than while guests are walking through the door.

QUESTIONS?

If you are staring at the floor plan wondering, “Can we do this?” — ask.

If you need another look at the room, schedule a visit.

If you are not sure how one of the systems works, we would much rather show you beforehand.

Kelly: 818-401-3130

Manny: 747-206-7467

We’re excited to have you at The Archive.

The Archive 101

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse