Are you planning an event? If so, pay close attention! You could be making many mistakes preventing your event from being as successful as it could be. According to recent studies, this is important because nearly half of all events are considered failures. That’s right – almost half of all events don’t meet the organizers’ expectations!
If you ignore this, you could waste time and money. But more importantly, you could disappoint your guests and leave them with a negative impression of your organization. So what can you do to ensure your event goes off without a hitch? Keep reading to find out about these fantastic event management tips and secrets!
Choosing the Right Venue
The first and perhaps most crucial step in planning an event is choosing the right venue. The venue will likely be one of the most significant factors determining whether or not your event is a success, so it’s essential to choose wisely. When looking for a venue, keep these tips in mind:
Choose somewhere appropriate for your event
Are you hosting a sophisticated wine tasting? Then you probably want to avoid hosting it in a warehouse or an industrial space! Look for venues that fit your theme and the type of event you are hosting.
For example, look for romantic outdoor spaces like gardens or waterfront areas with sweeping views when planning a wedding reception. Or if you’re having an event for a corporate client, choose a modern hotel or ballroom.
Make sure the space is large enough
If your event expects hundreds of people, you want to avoid hosting it in someone’s living room! Make sure that there will be enough room for your guests and that they won’t feel cramped or overcrowded.
Consider the location
Location is another essential factor to consider when choosing your venue. Look for something centrally located so guests can easily access it from their homes or hotels. You should also think about how convenient it will be for them to get home at the night’s end!
Additionally, think about whether or not parking will be an issue – if your guests have to spend a lot of time trying to find parking, they may not stick around for the duration of your event.
Be realistic about capacity
Choose a venue that is manageable and will only be able to accommodate some of your expected guests! At the same time, don’t choose one too big either – you want to ensure you can fill it up with people! Ensure there are enough tables and chairs, or that catering staff will set them up for you.
And always keep safety in mind when deciding how many people you can fit into a space. Too many people crammed together could result in an accident or injury during your event.
Test out the sound and lighting
It’s essential to ensure that your venue has a good sound quality for speakers and an adequate number of power outlets. You should also test out the lighting in advance to ensure it is appropriate for the event you are hosting. Is there a lot of ambient light? Will you need more lighting during the night? Keep these factors in mind when choosing a venue.
The Importance of a Good Caterer
One of the most critical elements of any event is food! Guests will remember how good their meal was, so choosing a caterer that can provide excellent service and delicious food is essential. When selecting a caterer, keep these tips in mind:
Hire a professional
You want your event to be as memorable as possible, right? Then you need to hire an experienced caterer who knows what they are doing. Many mediocre catering companies cut corners on quality and don’t do things properly. Avoid these at all costs! Choose someone with years of experience and great reviews from past customers.
Be realistic about your budget
Catering is expensive, so you must be realistic about your budget when choosing a caterer. Get estimates for different catering packages and choose the best one that fits what you’re willing to spend on food and beverages.
Look for variety
Make sure that the catering company can provide plenty of options when it comes to food! You don’t want everyone to eat the same thing, or they will get bored quickly.
Variety is essential in any event menu – it offers an assortment of appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks. And if possible, try to accommodate special dietary restrictions like allergies or religious requirements (e.g., serving kosher meals).
Pay attention to the presentation
Your guests are going to appreciate a caterer that takes pride in the presentation of their food. Make sure that your meals are served on nice plates and presented attractively. Your guests will notice if you skimp on this area!
Use reliable vendors
To make things easier, it’s a good idea to let your chosen caterer take care of hiring all the vendors they need for your event. This can save you time, money, and stress! Just be sure that the vendors they choose are reputable and reliable so that you won’t have any issues during or after your event.
Some great examples include a florist for table centerpieces and flower arrangements; a venue contact for linens, tables, chairs, and other set-up items; and a band or DJ for musical entertainment.
Communicate your needs
Make sure to communicate your specific needs when choosing a caterer so things can run smoothly during your event! Be upfront about any special requests, dietary restrictions, and the type of atmosphere you want to create (e.g., formal vs. casual).
Be bold and suggest how the food should be presented, such as in small platters instead of large bowls, if you want people to choose what they like easily. Also, discuss timing with the catering company ahead of time – will they start serving right away or wait until a specific time? Will there be multiple courses? These are all essential details to consider!
Event Planning Timeline
Now that you’ve chosen a venue and caterer, it’s time to start planning the rest of your event! The first step is to create an event planning timeline – this will help you stay organized so you can get everything done on time and not feel overwhelmed. There are many event management platforms like eventtia.com available that are helpful for event organizers as they help to easily maintain the most important timeline objectives. Also, here are some essential steps to include in your timeline:
Choose a date
Start by choosing when your event will take place, as this will determine what else you have to do (e.g., send out save-the-dates or promote ticket sales). Look for a date that works well for everyone involved, especially if guests come from different locations.
Send out save-the-dates
Once you’ve decided on a date, it’s time to send out save-the-dates. These will give your guests plenty of advance notice so they can mark their calendars and make travel plans.
The key is to keep these as simple as possible rather than elaborate or ornate – this way, your guests won’t be overwhelmed or have any issues understanding them.
Set the theme
Think about what type of atmosphere you want at your event. Some good ideas include Chinese New Year parties, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, etc., depending on the time of year you choose for your event. This will help determine many other aspects of your event planning (e.g., food choices, decorations, music).
Send out invitations
Once you’ve set a date and decided on your theme, it’s time to create some beautiful invitations for your guests! A simple way to do this is to use a website like Evite or Paperless Post to send e-vites directly from your computer.
If you prefer something more traditional, there are plenty of gorgeous physical invitations available online (e.g., at Etsy). Ensure your design goes along with your event’s overall theme and aesthetic!
Plan the menu
Next up is the food! The key here is to give people plenty of options to cater to their tastes – this can be accomplished by having a buffet-style meal or offering several courses. Be sure to work with your caterer to determine the final menu.
Send out RSVPs
After you have your guests’ attention, it’s time to send them an RSVP! This is important not only, so you have an accurate headcount but also because it includes all the relevant details they’ll need (e.g., address, parking information).
If some of your guests are coming from far away and require travel plans, give them a deadline for RSVPing so they know when to book flights and make hotel reservations in advance. Make sure to send an addendum if the number of guests grows or shrinks after you’ve sent out your initial invitations.
Plan the decor
Once you’ve got your big-picture details in place, it’s time to turn your attention to the more visual aspects of your event planning! Look at what colors, flowers, and textures might be appropriate for your theme, and decide how you want everything to look when people arrive.
This is also an excellent opportunity to consider things like lighting (e.g., whether string lights or candles are needed) and any special areas that need further decorating (e.g., a photo booth area). If you want to get more tips for planning an event, you can always look for inspiration on Pinterest!
Prepare any necessary materials
Before your event officially begins, there may be some things that you need to prepare in advance. For example, if you’re having a ticketed event, you’ll likely have entry tickets or check-in lists that will need printing ahead of time.
You might also want to put together name tags or other small welcome gifts for guests to take home so they feel appreciated and valued. Whatever the case, ensure everything is ready to go at least 24 hours before the event starts, so there are no last-minute mishaps!
Plan thank-you notes
Once your event has ended, it’s natural to feel a sense of relief – but it’s also important to remember to thank your guests for coming! You can do this in many ways; some prefer handwritten notes, while others opt for a special email or text.
Whatever the case, make sure you take care of this as soon after your event as possible so people don’t forget about it and remember just how much you appreciate them!
Evaluate what went well
Last up is perhaps the most critical aspect: assess what went wrong and didn’t go well during your event planning process! You can then use these insights to improve on future events that you host, whether they be personal (e.g., birthdays), professional (e.g., business conferences), or something else entirely.
The key is to keep an open mind, learn from your mistakes, and take everything you’ve learned into the next event planning endeavor!
As you can see, many steps are involved in pulling off a flawless event – but if you just follow these tips and tricks, you should have no problem making it happen. Good luck!
