Hotels, wedding venues and corporate spaces have a duty to keep their guests safe, so they're careful about which suppliers they let through the door. Having the right paperwork ready - before anyone asks - is one of the easiest ways to look professional and get onto a venue's recommended supplier list.
This is a general checklist of what venues commonly request. Requirements vary, so always check with each venue, and take professional advice for your own business.
1. Public liability insurance
The most common request. Venues want to know that if a guest is injured by your equipment, you're covered. Many venues ask for a minimum level of cover - £5 million is a common requirement, and some corporate venues ask for more. Keep a PDF of your certificate ready to send.
2. A risk assessment
A short document showing you've thought about the hazards of your setup and how you control them. For a flower wall, that typically covers:
- Stability of the stand, and how it's weighted or secured.
- Trip hazards from stand feet and cables.
- Manual handling during setup and collection.
- Positioning away from fire exits, walkways and heat sources.
- Outdoor and wind risks - see using a flower wall outdoors.
Write one template and adapt it for each venue.
3. Electrical safety for neon and lighting
If you supply neon signs, light-up letters or lighting, venues will often ask for evidence that portable electrical equipment has been tested, such as PAT test records. Keep cables tidy and taped down, and never run electrics where they could get wet.
4. Fire safety information
Some venues - particularly hotels, conference centres and listed buildings - ask about the fire performance of decor brought in by suppliers. Know what your products are made of, keep any product information your supplier provides, and never position decor near candles, heaters or open flames.
5. Method statement and timings
Larger venues may want a simple outline of what you'll bring, how you'll set it up and how long it will take. Include:
- Arrival and departure times.
- Vehicle size and where you need to unload.
- The space your setup needs, including the stand footprint.
- Number of staff on site.
6. Load-in and load-out rules
Many venues have strict access windows, service lifts and loading bays. Ask in advance, and never arrive early or leave late without agreeing it. Late collections are a common source of friction - and a common reason suppliers get dropped.
7. Protecting the venue
- Use a free-standing flower wall with stand - most venues won't let you fix anything to their walls.
- Put felt pads or a mat under stand feet on delicate floors.
- Leave the space exactly as you found it, and take all your packaging away.
Build a supplier pack
Put everything in one PDF you can send in seconds:
- Insurance certificate
- Template risk assessment
- Electrical testing records (if you supply electrics)
- Product information for your walls
- A short method statement
- Photos of previous setups and contact details
Venues that can see you're organised are far more likely to recommend you. More on that in how to market a flower wall hire business.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need public liability insurance for flower wall hire?
Most venues will ask for it, and many set a minimum level of cover. It's essential for any event hire business.
Do venues need a risk assessment for a flower wall?
Many do, especially hotels and corporate venues. A short template covering stability, trip hazards, manual handling and positioning is usually enough to adapt for each event.
Can I fix a flower wall to a venue's wall?
Usually not. Most venues don't allow fixings, so a free-standing wall with a stand is the standard choice for hire businesses.
Stock built for venues
Read freestanding or fixed: how to choose, and browse our flower wall packages.