If your guests will drive and parking is limited, far from the door, dark, steep or confusing, yes. Valet takes the slowest part of arriving and leaving off your guests' hands and keeps your driveway or street from turning into a bottleneck.
When does valet make the biggest difference?
Valet earns its cost when parking is the weak point of the venue. Common examples:
- A wedding or party at a private home, ranch or estate where the driveway holds a handful of cars and the rest must go to a field, a neighbor's lot or a side street.
- A venue with a lot that is a long walk from the entrance, unlit at night or on gravel.
- A winter event, when ice, snow and cold make a long walk unpleasant or unsafe.
- Guests in formal wear and heels, older guests, or guests with limited mobility.
- A corporate event where the first and last impression matters to clients.
- A neighborhood where you want to keep cars off lawns and away from neighbors' driveways.
When might you not need valet?
Valet is not always the right tool. If the venue has an open lot steps from the door, the guest count is small, or most guests will arrive by rideshare, self-parking may be fine. If parking is far off site, a shuttle from a remote lot can work better than valet, and some events use both. A good valet company will tell you honestly which setup fits your site.
What does a valet company do on event day?
The work starts before guests arrive. Attendants set up the stand, key control, signage and cones, and the on-site lead confirms where cars will go. During arrivals, valets greet guests, open doors, issue claim tickets, park the cars and log where each key belongs. The middle of the event is usually quiet. The hardest part is the end, when many guests want their cars at once; the plan for that departure rush is what separates a smooth night from a long line.
You can see how VIP runs this in more detail on the event valet in Denver page.
How many valets will you need?
It depends on four things: how many cars you expect, how tightly arrivals and departures bunch together, how far the parking area is from the drop-off point, and how easy that route is to drive and walk. A short, flat walk to a nearby lot needs fewer attendants than a long, uphill run to a remote field. The valet company should work this out on a site visit rather than quote a number over the phone.
What drives the cost?
Most valet quotes come down to staff hours: the number of attendants, the length of the event plus setup and breakdown, and any minimum shift length. Distance to parking, travel to a mountain or rural venue, extra equipment such as lighting or heaters, and late-night or holiday dates can change the total. Ask for a written estimate that spells out every line, including how gratuity is handled.
What should you ask before booking?
- Will someone visit the site and explain the parking plan?
- Will the attendants be your own employees, or subcontractors?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance that names me or my venue? (Here is what that should include.)
- How are keys stored and tracked, and how is existing damage noted at drop-off?
- Who is the on-site lead, and how do I reach them during the event?
VIP staffs every event with its own employees. To get a plan and a written estimate for your date, use the event quote form or read more about our Denver valet company.
Frequently asked questions
As soon as you have a date and venue. Busy weekends and holiday parties book early, and the company needs time for a site visit.
Many guests do. Some hosts prefer to cover gratuity so guests are not asked to tip. Tell the valet company which you prefer when you request a quote.
Yes. Private homes are one of the most common places event valet is used, because driveways and street parking fill quickly.