In planning your holiday event, there are all kinds of locations that can be used.Check out space at your local museum.They are non-profit, usually the usage fee is minimal and you can often reserve the entire museum during off-hours.They will provide space to serve food and beverages and you can encourage guests to walk around and commune with art.Or look at your local zoo in which your guests can enjoy spending time with nature…
The key thing is to make your event different and memorable.If your event is planned for outdoors, make sure to have a backup plan/location in case the weather is not cooperative.(Many places will let you release the reservations with a 72-hour window if it is weather-related – there may be a small fee.)And don’t forget that you need to provide this alternative location information to your guests ahead of time as well.
If your venue choice is not key to your planning process, then choose a theme that is fun and whimsical. Plan opportunities for fun based around this theme. There are great craft magazines and online resources for ideas to help you carry out your theme. Or stop in at a craft store and just walk around for inspiration.
Next, make a checklist of every task that needs to get done and when. Always pre-screen your vendors. Go on their websites, check out the customer reviews, etc. Then a week prior to your event, confirm with your location, caterer, and all other vendors.
In designing your invitations/evites, make sure to cover the following –
“what” – what is the name of the event to catch the eye when they see the invite
“where” – where is the event taking place – don’t forget to provide a full address with a telephone number
“when” – what is the date and time of your event
“how” – how do you want to leave it to have them respond if they are attending
It’s always wise to create a “day of” schedule to make sure that all runs smoothly.You can plan it down to every fifteen minutes, by the half hour, or by the hour.Plug in every vendor and activity.
This is just an overview of a few key tasks of the planning process.If you really want your event to be fantastic, it’s best to hire an event planner.They can negotiate contracts for you, shop ideas for you, put it all together, and be there for you throughout the event.
Photo: Ula Kuźma on Unsplash