Planning an event and organising a social gathering is an incredibly exciting thing. Life is nothing without the people in it and getting together as groups whether it be for personal or professional reasons, is massively important for a number of different reasons.
As guests we arrive at an event with everything laid out, things are clean-cut and everyone is ready to go. All we see is what has been done for us, but it’s probably not that often we stop to think about all the time and effort that goes into actually organising it.
Unless it’s like a gathering at home, most events require a real level of attention, care and planning in order to really get things right. Especially if an event is more meaningful, like a birthday or wedding, it needs to be done right and remembered for being great. The way to do this is to understand each area of the event and what you might need for each one.
So What Do I Need To Know About Planning Events?
Understanding Who It Is For
Firstly, knowing who the event is for and what the overall aim is will help you ascertain the meaning behind the event so you can add your own little personalised touches to it and bring about the best experience for all the people attending the party.For instance, you can incorporate popular trends and designs into your venue if you’re organising an event for a young audience. Without knowing who it’s for, you can’t order supplies or begin to design the theme or layout. This will put you on the path to planning a successful event as now you’re heading in the right direction.
If you’re holding an event for a specific person, you can always ask them about their preferences and interests. A great example is if you’re organizing a wedding, you should know beforehand about the couple’s preferences with regards to the food, theme, color motif, music, and venue. All of these factors are vital to know to prevent any disaster during the event, you don’t want to ruin the couple’s special day just because you didn’t do your part.
What Equipment Or Gear You Will Need
All events are different and each one will require different things in order for it to be a success. Is it an event where people will want to dance? Will the attendees need to sit down for long periods of time? How long is the event for and will people need to eat? If you want to become an event planner, asking yourself these sorts of questions will put you on the road to determining what you need to order, which suppliers you might need to draft into the mix and the gear you will need for the duration of the whole event. Make a full list of everything you might need and ask someone in your team to double check it and provide a bit of a sanity check for what you will require.
In some cases, you’d need to outsource your equipment from various vendors for an event you’re organising. After all, not all companies offer all the services or supplies you need. Fortunately, there are ways you can get everything you need for an event without hassle. For instance, you can look for platforms online like The Vendry which has an extensive list of event vendors you can contact. You won’t need to spend time searching for a reliable partner every item you need it for an event, making you work more efficiently.
The Food You May Need To Supply
We all need to eat, and food can be a real turning point with your event. So often we go to an event and it’s based around the food table where everyone lines their stomachs before having a drink or dance later on. These days there are so many requirements and different needs for people when it comes to food. You need to be aware of allergies and types of food that people can’t eat, and whether the guests can eat meat. If you are planning a larger event ahead of time, you need to speak with your client and ascertain what their guests need to eat. You’ll then need to liaise with your caterer and inform them of these special requirements, and make it clear to the actual guests which food is theirs. The last thing you want is an issue with food, having someone eat something they aren’t supposed to which could taint the overall experience and feedback you get for the party.
Furthermore, you need to consider how you’ll serve the food during the event. For instance, adding finger foods may be a great choice if your event is a casual party where people mingle and walk around the venue. Guests may not have time to sit down and eat a full meal, so giving them bite-sized snacks will allow them to enjoy the event. On the other hand, if your guests needs a full meal, you need to decide whether you’ll go for an a la carte or set up a buffet.
The Music Is Massively Important
If it turns out that your event requires music then the preparation of this is extremely important. By now you will have found out what the event is, what guests will be coming and the overall aim of the event. The music needs to reflect the mood of your event and can be a dealbreaker for the success of your event. Take a wedding or birthday party for example, at the beginning of the day there is going to a lot of socialising, people catching up and seeing loved ones they might not have seen for a while. Once everyone gets comfortable and has a few drinks, they’re going to want to dance. You either need a DJ ready or have the client supply you with a full playlist that can be plagued throughout the day. One thing to be mindful of is the type of music you might need for the different parts of the day. At the start things might be a bit more chilled but as the day goes on and the guests start potentially drinking, you want the music to reflect the energetic atmosphere and give people the opportunity to hit the dance floor if they wish to. Once it’s time to wrap up the event, you can play something mellow to signal the guests that the party is about to finish.
Plan Everything Ahead Of Time
Organisation is absolutely key when it comes to successfully planning events. Unless you have been given an assignment which is super last-minute, getting everything aligned with your client ahead of time will pay dividends down the line. As you will already be aware there are many variables and factors that go into planning an event and because it is so heavily reliant on people, things can and will go wrong. Creating a contingency plan will be your best friend here and doing some little things like lining up a replacement supplier food, music, venue etc will give both you and your client some reassurances that you have things under control and are ensuring this event is going to be a success. If you are an event planner already or are looking to start your own business, then client feedback and recommendations are going to be crucial for growth. One bad event could lead to a bad reputation, which will affect your overall project.
So now you might be a bit more equipped in terms of the knowledge you will need to plan great events and provide an amazing service to the people you meet. Everyone loves a good event and it helps us build our people skills, become more socially confident and in general more well-rounded as individuals.
