What is a Date Hold?
A date hold (also called a provisional booking or option) is a free, provisional reservation of a date at a venue, kept for an agreed period while the client decides, and released unless they confirm with a contract or deposit. Date holds are standard for venue hire, from conferences and weddings to concerts.
How a date hold works
Most venues follow the same pattern:
- Enquiry: a client asks about a date, and the venue checks its availability.
- Hold placed: the venue marks the date as held for that client, with an expiry date, often one to two weeks away.
- Other enquiries: the venue can still take enquiries for the date, but only as a second option behind the first hold.
- Decision: before expiry, the client confirms with a signed contract or deposit, asks for an extension, or releases the date.
- Release: if the hold expires, the date goes back on sale or passes to the next client in line.
Expiry dates are easy to miss when a venue has dozens of holds, which is why many venues track holds in a shared booking calendar in Crescat.
Date hold vs hold in concert booking
In venue hire, a date hold is usually one provisional booking with an expiry date. In concert booking, holds are ranked first, second and so on across several promoters, with no fixed expiry, and are released through a challenge. Both mean the date is not yet confirmed.
What to record for every date hold
- Client name and contact
- Date, room and event type
- Date the hold was placed and when it expires
- Position in line, if there are other enquiries
- What confirms it: signed contract, deposit or both
Frequently asked questions
How long does a date hold last?
It depends on the venue. One to two weeks is common for venue hire, and popular dates may get shorter holds. Many venues agree one extension if the client is still waiting on a decision.
What is first refusal on a date hold?
If a second client wants a held date, the venue contacts the first client and gives them a short time to confirm. If they don't, the date goes to the second client. This is called offering first refusal.
Is a date hold a confirmed booking?
No. A date hold is provisional and usually free, so either side can walk away. The booking is only confirmed once the contract is signed or the deposit paid, depending on the venue's terms.
Related terms
- Holds: ranked holds in concert booking
- Pencils: another word for a provisional booking
- TBC: dates not yet confirmed
- Venue for Hire: where date holds are most common
- Avails: the open dates that can be held