Professional Development

How to plan a successful event

Today I hosted a baby shower. As the guests were leaving, many of them gave me a hug and said, “This was really a lovely baby shower; one of the best I’ve ever been to.”

Well, thanks, but it was one of the easiest events I’ve ever planned. That’s not to say it didn’t come with some slight complications (like when I got there and there wasn’t a place to put the gifts). Most events have a complication or two. The important thing is that your guests never know.  

The following guide provides the ingredients for planning a successful event – whether it’s a baby shower, a black-tie gala, or the corporate holiday party!

Find the perfect location

Just like in real estate, location is everything when it comes to events. The kind of event you’re having will really determine the space you need. When considering location options, think about your audience:

•  Who are they?
• Where are they coming from (geographically)?
• What kinds of events are the used to going to?
• What’s their schedule like?

The answers to these questions can have a big impact on the location. For instance, don’t hold your Saturday event downtown if all of your partygoers live in the suburbs.

Once you narrow down your location options, call or visit to find out everything you can about the space:

• What’s the capacity?
• How many tables are available?
• How many people will be able to be seated?
• Is there are coat check?
• Where are the restrooms located?
• What kind of sound system is in place?
• What are the fees?
• What is included in those fees?
• What costs extra?
• What restrictions are on the space?

Think about the kind of event you’re having to determine a list of questions for the catering manager. If you’re hosting an auction, make sure the space can accommodate extra table. If you’re hosting a seated program, check to make sure all your guests can be seated in the same space.

Carefully review the contracts

Like any contract, make sure you understand what you’re signing.

You may need to sign contracts with:

• Venue
• Caterer
• Rental company
• Valet
• Florist
• Bar services
• Entertainment
• Speaker

All of these places (and people) will have different stipulations, and you need to ask the right questions or you could be in for a rude surprise come your event.

Pay particular attention to:

Time: What’s the time of the event? How much time do you have to set up and tear down? How long can rental items stay at the venue? When does the bar open and close?
Dates: When is payment due? When do you need to get a final head count turned in?
Payment: Is a down payment required? Is tip included? What is and is not included in the bid? What kind of payment is accepted?
Restrictions: What can’t be done in the building? What won’t they provide?

Keep copies of all your contracts and have them handy throughout the planning process for reference. You never know when you’ll need to pull one out!

Several years ago I requested a bid online for valet services for an event I was planning. I never heard from that company, and ended up booking with a different valet company through my caterer. The night of the event, both valets showed up!

I was shocked. I’d never heard one word from the unbooked company after I requested the bid. In my discussion with them, I asked if they had a signed contract from me. The lead valet got on the phone with his boss, finding out, no, they didn’t. They had apparently faxed me a contract, which I never received and certainly never signed. After a few tense moments between the valets themselves (one in red jackets, the other in blue), the unsigned guys went home, leaving me with the booked valet. Luckily, the guests never knew the difference.

Negotiate for the best deal

In most cases, it’s okay to negotiate. I got a dollar off each cupcake for the baby shower today by negotiating with the venue. (Every little bit counts!)

If you’re bringing the company a lot of new business or if you’re bringing in people they’re targeting as their customers, you may be in a good position to bargain. Ask for the room fee to be waived or for a percentage off the top. Of course, you’ll need to negotiate before you sign the contract.

The worst that can happen is they’ll say no!

Create an invitation that fits your event

Invitations set the stage for the event. If you’re having a fun, laidback event, you’ll want to have a fun, laidback invitation. A more formal event will call for a formal invitation. Think: heavy stock, design details, lined envelopes.

Of course, these days email invitations are the most common type. Email invitations are quick and easy to send, and quick and easy to respond to. Online email invitation services, such as Evite, are great for small, informal events. For a more personal touch, consider having an e-invitations designed just for your function. This will be a lot classier than Evite, in most cases.

To stand out, though, stick with the printed invitations.

What to include on the invitation:

Introduction
Let your audience know who is hosting the event and what the function is all about:
Example: Please join ABC, Inc. for an exclusive cocktail hour

Explain purpose and audience:
Example: Honoring our best customers

Give the draw, if needed:
Example: With Special Guest Peter Parker

Logistics
Day of the week, Month, Day, Year:
Example: Thursday, January 15, 2009
Tip: Always put the day of the week before the date.

Time:
Example: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Tip: Don’t forget to include a.m. or p.m.!

Location:
Example: ABC, Inc.
#1 Downtown Avenue
City, State, Zip
Tip: Include the complete address, including zip code. Your guests will appreciate that when they’re looking up directions.

RSVP
Example: Please respond to Sarah Connor at (555) 555-5555 by Monday, January 5, 2009.
Tip: Give your audience enough time to respond, while still bearing in mind that you’ll usually need to get a head count to the caterers two weeks in advance.

Dress
Example: Creative cocktail
Tip: You only need include dress if it’s not apparent from the rest of the invitation or it’s something out of the ordinary.

Explanations
Sometimes you might need to explain a few things, such as your company’s mission statement or a history of the event.
Example: Bio of Peter Parker
Tip: Put explanations on the back, an insert, or the side opposite of the logistical information.

Other tips:

• Mail invitations at least six weeks prior to the event.
• If your guests aren’t familiar with the location, consider adding a map or driving directions.

Secure accommodations for special guests

If your guests or your speaker is from out of town, you have a little more work to do than the average event planner. Make accommodations for your guests as early as possible. Keep in mind the location of the hotel versus the location of the event.

You may also need to arrange:

• Air travel
• Travel to and from the airport
• Transportation to and from the event
• Meals before and after the event

 Other special touches:

• If your budget allows, send a fruit or gift basket to the room of your guest.
• Arrange a dinner with interesting people from your organization or local community for the speaker the evening before the event.
• Provide a small thank you gift to your guests who traveled from afar.

Order an excellent menu

Sit down dinner? Passed appetizers? Desserts? Vegetarians? Most events revolve around food, so getting it right is even more important.

Dietary needs
You won’t be able to accommodate every person’s individual dietary restrictions, but you can do your best to cater to some common food needs:

• Have at least one vegetarian option. You may also want to consider a vegan option, depending on your audience.
• Consider having a sugar-free dessert options, especially if having a dessert buffet.
• Review religious restrictions during the event time frame. For example: You may want a fish dish if hosting a luncheon on a Friday during Lent.

Appetizers

If you’re only having appetizers at the event, follow these guidelines:

•  Have 5-8 different kinds of appetizers for most events. The more people you have, the more appetizer options you should have.
• Order enough appetizers so that each guest can have a total of 6-8 for an evening reception, or 12-14 per person if you’re replacing a meal.
• Cheese and veggie plates are usually a great investment — they tend to go a long way.
• Order a mixture of hot and cold appetizers.
• Have about half of the appetizers passed to control how quickly they go.

Sample appetizer menu for 120 guests for evening reception:
Cheese plate – stationary
Skewered shrimp (210) – passed
Stuffed mushrooms (170) – stationary
Mini chicken sandwiches (200) – stationary
Ahi tuna tartare (160) – passed
Chocolate covered strawberries (150) – passed

That’s 890 appetizers or approximately 7 appetizers per person, not including the cheese plate.

When in doubt, talk to your caterer. He or she should have a good handle on how far their particular appetizers will go per person.

Drinks

The easiest way to deal with drinks is to give your bar service the head count and let them take care of the rest. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible. Sometimes you’ll have to purchase the right amount drinks for your crowd. That could be mean heavy on the wine for one group, and heavy on the soda for a different group. While you have to really consider the demographics of your attendees when making these decisions, here are some guidelines:

Wine

• Consider having one white and one red option. This will cut down on confusion and make it a lot easier for serving.
• Order by the case.
• For a sit down dinner, assume each person will consume half of one bottle of wine.
• For an evening reception, assume each person will consume two glasses of wine for the first hour and one glass for every hour after that, with a maximum of four glasses.
• The average bottle of wine has about five glasses.

Beer

• If not a heavy beer-drinking crowd, assume half of the attendees will have two beers for the first hour and one beer for every hour after that, with a maximum of four beers.
• Depending on the kind of event, consider serving beer in bottles.

Hard Liquor

• Consider having a signature cocktail for the event. That way you’ll only need one kind of liquor for the event.
• If you have a signature cocktail, assume each person will have a total of two cocktails.
• If having a full open bar, your bar tender will be able to provide all the alcohol needed.

Soda and Water

• Don’t forget soda and water!
• Buy both diet and regular soda.
• Have at least one dark cola and at least one white cola.
• Have enough soda and water for each person to have two of each.

Again, I can’t stress the need to understand your audience enough when ordering drinks. You may need to adjust the above guidelines a little (or a lot) to fit your event’s individual needs.

Plan every detail

The devil is the details when it comes to events. Your guests will notice your little touches.

Here are a few details you may need to consider:

• Music
• Other entertainment
• Centerpieces
• Attendance gifts
• Decorations
• Programs

Make it happen

It’s finally here! The musicians are booked, the food is ordered, and the tablecloths match the carpeting perfectly. But, it’s no time for resting.

On the day of the event, you should:

• Arrive early. Remember what happened at my baby shower? There wasn’t anywhere to put the gifts! I had to quickly solve that problem before my guests arrived.
• Introduce yourself to the staff who will be working with you on your event.
• Have all contracts with you. Keep a binder with all of your signed contracts for reference during the event, just in case.
• Prepare for payment according to the terms of your contract.
• Have a Plan B. Know what you’ll do if the musicians don’t show up or if you’re running low on wine.
• Review the event as if you were a guest. Pretend your a guest and go through all the actions, from walking in the door to using the coat check.
• Deal with the stress.

Ah, stress. I briefly considered naming this article, “A guide to planning a stress-free and successful event,” but I don’t think there’s such a thing as “stress-free” when it comes to events. There’s always going to be a certain edge to planning and executing events. That said, proper planning and preparation can significantly cut down on the amount of stress you feel. Remember: Some things (like the weather!) are simply out of your control. Shake those off, and keep moving.

The important thing is that your guests have a good time. They’ll be less relaxed if they see you running around trying to fix things at the last minute.

Relax, and enjoy your hard work!

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Please share your own event planning tips and stories in the comments below.

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