What to Consider When Planning Big Events
Take charge of your big event - we can help!
Turn Any Occasion into a Special Event with These Planning Tips
We know one of the most stressful things in life can be planning a large event like a wedding or family get-together. To avoid any kinks in the day, here’s some of the most common mistakes people make in the planning process and how to avoid them – courtesy of your friends at Area Lakes Party Rental.
Minimize Stress with these 8 Event Planning Tips
Make your special event run smoothly by starting the planning early.
1. Start Planning Early
The most important aspect of an event lies in the details, so making a plan is essential for success.
Start by making an early draft of what you want your event to look like and how you want it to play out. From there, start making a list of potential vendors, venues, decoration ideas, etc.
2. Make a Realistic Budget
Another vital piece of planning an event is making a budget and sticking to it. Don’t forget that how you allocate funds for a venue, catering, entertainment, and other pieces of your party includes being prepared for incidentals!
Make adequate room for unexpected or additional costs to avoid going past your original estimate.
3. Choose the Perfect Place
When planning an event, consider the overall theme and the guests you plan to invite. For example, family reunions, workplace get-togethers, and a wedding all have different audiences that have different needs in terms of an environment.
Keep in mind who will be coming to your event and choose a place where everyone – including yourself – will feel comfortable. If your venue may be difficult to get to for certain important guests, consider offering a means of transportation like a shuttle so everyone can attend.
For event planning, timing is everything.
4. Establish a Timeline
Making a timeline of the preferred way you’d like your event to go is a great way to start considering the specifics like when vendors need to arrive, the time food needs to be ready, and points of contact (POC). If your event has a lot of moving pieces, a minute-by-minute schedule is perfect for ironing out any overlooked details and troubleshooting potential problems before they can occur.
A common cliché of event planners includes a singular person running the show with a checklist on a clipboard. As funny as this trope may be, checklists help stick to a schedule and ensure that your event runs seamlessly and smoothly from beginning to end. Consider making a singular document that can be easily accessed by all parties (i.e. GoogleDocs or other shared doc).
5. Communication is Key
Maintaining communication between all decision makers and vendors is key when planning any large event. Make sure that everyone involved knows their roles and what responsibilities they are in charge of.
Don’t be afraid to communicate! While nobody wants to be controlling, it’s better to have more communication than a lack-there-of.
Save the Dates serve as a helpful reminder for your guests.
6. Send Out Your Invitations with Plenty of Time to Spare
What’s the fun of hosting an event without guests to attend? The best thing you can do to avoid running into scheduling concerns is to send out invitations with plenty of time for guests to plan and respond accordingly.
Help your guests out by sending out reminders and/or ‘Save the Dates’! These are great tools for keeping your special occasion from being forgotten.
7. Don’t Forget the Finishing Touches
An event doesn’t start and finish when guests arrive or depart. One of the biggest oversights when planning an event is forgetting to account for setup, strike, and other details like trash removal.
Some venues include trash removal and other take-down services. Make sure you ask ahead of time so you can plan accordingly!
8. Be Prepared with Alternative Plans
No event is perfect, so making alternative plans like back-up catering, weather-permitting venues, and extra supplies can make even the biggest problem more manageable.
Having additional vendors to contact in case of last-minute cancellations will take the stress off your big day so you can enjoy the party!
Remember to enjoy the togetherness you’ve created!
The Most Important Thing to Remember
At the end of the day, nothing is more important than enjoying your event or special occasion alongside the rest of your guests. We hope that you’ll include us at Area Lakes Party Rental on your vendor list, and that we can help you make the kind of memories that last a lifetime!