The secret sauce to any event is the planning. If you approach an event with a spirit of enjoyment while you plan and cover all your needed bases, then most likely you’ll get a favorable outcome. Often, a cause for a celebration is a stressful experience for anyone involved. So, we’ve put together a handy dandy guide to help make your event go as smoothly as humanly possible.
One of the best things about planning an event is that you get to express your creative side and watch your meticulous planning unfold. Although admittedly some events tend to be more creative than others, the basic process is all the same. There are common components to planning any kind of event.
Here is a 10-step guide to help you along on your event planning journey.
1. Choose a Venue
This is one of the most important factors that you need to get right. The wrong venue can limit you in terms of comfort and space. But it can also limit you with the facilities and services that it can provide or support. So, before you fall in love or dive into that historic location or luxury hotel, make sure it has all the requirements needed for your event.
It is also highly advisable that you book early. Discuss with the location manager and check off the items that you need for the event to be successful. If you have fallen in love with the venue and you are determined to hold your event there, then you may have to forego some things.
But the important part of this process is communicating when you are within the dealing process with the venue. Be clear with them about your requirements and needs in advance. It may even surprise you with how helpful they can be. A lot of venues have similar events within the year, and they can offer some great advice on what would work for you. Don’t be scared to listen to their recommendations to make the process run more smoothly.
Booking in advance allows you to look into the cost and capacity and even possible preferential rates.
2. Pick Event Decoration and Style
Your immediate space can be embellished in a thousand different ways. It can bring your dreams to life. Your venue can be transformed into a dreamlike space that will reflect the scene you want to see. So, once you’ve chosen the perfect venue for you, it’s time to focus your efforts on making things look the way you want.
Attention to detail can make such a massive difference. Whether it’s a luxury themed event or ensuring the immediate surroundings reflect the theme of the event.
Deciding on a theme can put a lot of focus on the event and prevent it from looking flat. You can check Pinterest as a huge source of inspiration for your event theme. It has an endless amount of ideas for you to choose from. We also recommend tying together different components of the event planning. For example, the catering company can also decorate the tables, or the florist can also provide breathtaking displays. Cut the cost by using the same businesses to achieve the same result.
Consider that in themed events, consistency in style would be key. Consistent colors, music, and costumes all play a part in setting the environment for the event.
3. Look for Entertainment
Set the perfect stage for your event with the right event entertainment. And entertainment isn’t limited to just an event DJ or event music. It can be static sets, actors, dancers and so much more. It’s your event and you need to choose the right act for it.
Because of this, there is absolutely no reason for you to limit your event to only one act. You can do an entire program with a variety of different acts to spice things up and make your event unique and different. You can have dancers, crowd entertainers, magicians, and other types of performers to help make the transition much more fun and unforgettable.
When choosing an act make sure that they can accommodate your requirements or needs and that they can perform in your venue on the day of your event. Agree on a price before the actual day and be clear on what their role is or how the program flow will look like. A veteran entertainer can also help you plan for your day and they can even offer a multitude of suggestions which you may never have thought of yourself. So, don’t be anxious or scared to talk to them about the event and the schedules in detail. Be transparent and open with all the concerned parties for you to have a successful day.
4. Create an Event Budget
No one wants to be negatively surprised. So, make sure you’ve covered everything and that all the different components of your event are paid upfront or at least the agreed-upon amount before the day of the event.
You can try to offset some of the costs in some other areas such as travel or food if you are pushing the boundaries of your budget to keep things from escalating any further. But this will only depend on your actual budget. So, take note of all the costs and check your numbers regularly before the event. To make managing the costs a tad bit easier you can break the event down into different stages with their corresponding budgets. But we advise you to keep some in reserve for any unforeseen circumstances that may happen that can disturb the event.
5. Hire Musical Entertainment
Musical entertainment is essential to get the party going. Before you book either an event DJ or a band you should consider your audience and guests. For example, if the crowd will be on the older side then it might be better for you to book a jazz band or a seasoned DJ familiar with classic genres. But if your guests are mostly younger, then a DJ might be the perfect fit for you. Since most events have a variety of ages, a DJ can be versatile and play many different types and decades of music.
This is a matter of taste and depends heavily on the event itself but what’s important is communication. Whether you decide to go for a live band or an event DJ they must be readily available and responsive so that they give their expertise to help you erase any fears or doubts.
You’ll also want to work with performers that are known to arrive on time and act professionally. And ideally, a performer who will go above and beyond simply turning up the event music or event entertainment. But how would you know if they are reliable? Fortunately for us, we live in the digital age where you can find online reviews. Entertainment companies have featured reviews for their acts and or performers so, you can check there and you can also check reviews on Facebook and Google.
At the bare minimum though, they should provide you with a contract that will tie the performer to your event for that day or a specific time.
6. Hire Event Photographers and/ or Photo Booths
Hiring a photographer may be something that you would want to be included in your list. This will allow you to have high-quality documentation of your event. They can capture the perfect moment that you can later use to share with your audience. You can also keep them as keepsakes or mementos for those who attended and can be offered as part of your after-event package for your attendees.
Photo booths are more of a way to entertain your guests than capture significant moments at an event. However, it doesn’t mean they don’t capture great memories. While photo booths can be quirky and fun for any party, they’re also a great personal party favor they can take home and cherish for years.
7. Guests Considerations
It is also important to consider the guests who will be attending your event. You want everyone to enjoy themselves and have an awesome time. You’d want them to possibly talk about your event for weeks or even months. Consider making a survey or at the very least keep an ear out for what your attendees have to say.
8. Send Invites & Giveaways
This is easy to overlook for any event planning process, but it can make all the difference for the anticipation of your guests. Invites are the first things that will go out, but they are commonly the last item to be designed. You would want them to create the feel of the event and build up some intrigue for what is to come.
Send your invites early and think about how you would want to send them. Sending them by mail is still a great way for a lot of people to receive party invitations because they won’t get lost as easily compared to digital messages that can easily be buried underneath other messages. As a modern alternative, you can also create a Facebook group or event website for guests to rsvp and share details about the event.
People love getting party favors. Create fun mementos that people can bring home and use as a reminder of your event. These items can be journals, stationery, kitchen timers, the sky’s the limit. But make sure that it represents the event well.
9. Incite Participation
Interactive event entertainment is becoming super popular. Rather than just being a bystander in the event you can opt to have more engagement with your attendees that will make the event that much more unforgettable. It will also keep them more active and they’ll have a lot more fun.
10. Provide Plenty of Food and Drink
Instead of going for the standard plated meal or buffet, you can opt to include a few creative choices such as a dessert bar, or cotton candy station to finish the night. A make-your-own-taco table is always hit because everyone loves tacos. Think outside of the box and make the display aesthetically pleasing. This can also be a form of event entertainment for your guests. So, make this exciting and different.
Be Entertained Events Provides Comprehensive Event Entertainment
When you have undertaken and completed all the steps needed to make the event a success, try and designate another person to overlook the event for any minor speed bumps to add an extra buffer so that everything will run perfectly. This will also give you a chance to experience all the event has to offer just as much as your guests.
At Be Entertained Events, we offer comprehensive music entertainment planning and preparation. We provide great music, lighting, A/V, livestream, professional equipment, photo booths, style, and professionalism. With one less item on your plate to worry about, you can focus on enjoying the party you worked so hard to plan. Visit our website today to learn more about all the event entertainment services we provide to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.