Event planning guides
Count guest cars against the spaces the venue names
A parking plan starts when the operator names how many marked spaces the event may use. Guest cars and a vendor vehicle are separate counts.
Key decisions
- A parking plan starts when the operator names how many marked spaces the event may use.
- Guest cars and a vendor vehicle are separate counts.
- Ask for the space count before you treat a guest list as a parking plan.
Guest cars are comparable to parking only after the operator names how many marked spaces this event may use, and the operator confirms the date. Published spaces are whatever is listed.
Write cars, marked spaces, and the vendor vehicle on three lines
A parking plan starts when the operator names how many marked spaces the event may use. Ask for the space count before you treat a guest list as a parking plan. Guest cars and a vendor vehicle are separate counts. Write each count on its own line.
On the first line, ask how many guests plan to arrive by car, and how many people per car they are actually using. Divide only after both answers are written down. The car count is that result. An invitation list stays a list of people until the guests say who is driving and how they are sharing the car.
On the second line, ask the operator how many marked spaces this event may use, and write that number on its own line. Leave the line blank until the operator gives the number for this event. The operator confirms the date.
On the third line, put any vendor vehicle. Ask the clearance only after a vehicle is named. The clearance line stays blank until a vehicle and an operator height are both written down.
| Line | What you write |
|---|---|
| Guest cars | How many guests plan to arrive by car, and how many people per car they are actually using |
| Marked spaces | How many marked spaces the operator says this event may use |
| Vendor vehicle | The named vehicle, on its own line |
How people travel has its own page. The wedding guest transport plan is how people travel. Keep the marked-space count on this page. Guests who are not in the car count can check a transit trip at WMATA rider tools.
A public street is a different decision. The street-closure day guide covers a public street the city may close, and which door still opens. The marked-space count stays here.
The truck's time window is a different decision. Vendor load-in is the truck's time window. The guest-car count stays on the first line.
Keep the three lines on one comparison worksheet when you ask more than one operator. Each marked-space count stays beside that listing. The operator confirms the date.
Hypothetical: 40 guests, 2 per car, 16 named spaces
Hypothetical. These figures are an example. They count in the example only after the guests confirm the car count and the operator names 16 spaces.
In this hypothetical, 40 guests drive two to a car, and the operator names 16 marked spaces. 40 / 2 = 20 and 20 - 16 = 4. The 4 are unplanned only in this example. Inside the example, those cars still need a plan: the operator names more marked spaces, or those guests leave the car count. A vendor vehicle is not one of the 20 cars.
The clearance line stays blank until a vehicle and an operator height are both written down. This example leaves that line blank. When the guests or the operator replace either input, divide or subtract again. Ask for the space count before you treat a guest list as a parking plan.
Start from the spaces that are listed
Published spaces are whatever is listed. In that sentence, spaces means published listings, the venues you can open. Marked spaces are the separate count the operator names for cars. Browse published spaces and read the listing in front of you. Ask that operator how many marked spaces the event may use, and write the answer on its own line. The operator confirms the date.
DMV venue guides are the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia list. The venue guide is the Richmond and nearby list. After the operator confirms the date, plan the gathering.
A nearby garage joins the plan only after that garage's operator says how many spaces this event may use. A nearby garage is not one of the venue's marked spaces unless the venue operator names it in the count.
Send the three lines in the note. Guest cars hold how many guests plan to arrive by car and how many people per car they are actually using. Marked spaces hold the number the operator names. The vendor vehicle holds the vehicle that is named, or stays blank. Clearance stays blank until a vehicle and an operator height are both written down. Comparison can begin once the operator has named the marked spaces and confirmed the date.
Put it into practice
Track the decisions you’ve made and the questions still to ask.
Saving is off. Your checks last for this page visit.
A little more clarity
Common questions
If 40 guests drive two to a car and the operator names 16 marked spaces, how many cars are still unplanned?
In that hypothetical, 40 divided by 2 is 20 cars, and 20 minus 16 is 4. Four cars still need a plan. Those numbers count only after the guests confirm the car count and the operator names 16 spaces. A vendor vehicle is not one of the 20 cars.
The hotel across the street has a garage. Can the event use it?
Only after that garage's operator says how many spaces this event may use. A nearby garage is not one of the venue's marked spaces unless the venue operator names it in the count.
