Totally agree, audio quality is super important. I'm an audio engineer so of course I'm biased, but high quality microphones, amplifiers, speakers and engineers (operators) make such a big difference at any event. Proper lighting is also very important. There's no need for big bright lights. Dim all of the lights down, and add a touch of color with room uplights. Make sure it's not so dark that folks can't see the ground well (tripping hazards) but make sure it's dim enough so that it creates a relaxed atmosphere.