We’ve all been to thousands of events in our lives. Weddings, work parties, anniversary parties, and family gatherings just to name a few. When attending an event, it’s easy to have a good time without thinking about all the behind-the-scenes happenings that made it possible. But you’ll get a quick understanding of all that goes into an event the moment you decide to put one together. While it can seem like an overwhelming amount of details, there are a few key things to know that will make all the difference. We help break it down here.
Do: Know Your Budget
We will get to the fun parts of event planning soon, but it’s important to always have your budget on the front of your mind. Know your number before you start purchasing items, and stick to it the best you can throughout the process. Costs to consider include food and beverage, event space, decorations, commemorative items, and more. Budgeting guides can easily be found online to help you plan.
Do: Focus on Food
One truth holds true no matter what event you are planning: Good food served in a timely manner makes for happy guests! There are plenty of easy snack options to be made if you want to do it yourself, but Birmingham has professional caterers like Happy Catering who make the dining experience stress-free and guaranteed to be delicious.
Do: Make Communication Key
There will be stresses and trials that are unavoidable while planning your event, but communication can make previously troublesome situations become quick understandings. Make sure you are on the same page as your event planner, DJ, caterer, and key event attendees about times, expectations, and other important details. Working together toward a common goal is the best way to ensure a good time for all.
Do: Have a General Outline
You don’t have to have every minute of your event planned out, but it is important to have a general plan of how you want everything to go. Speeches, special dances, send-offs, and when to serve food are just a few of the things you’ll want to have a time for so that you’re not stressing as much during the actual event. Creating a checklist of these key moments can help reduce your stress as well.
Don’t: Forget Why You Planned It
It can be easy to get lost in the chaos when putting an event together. There are seemingly a thousand things to be done, but you need to place a focus on taking some time to stop and appreciate the moment you created! Since you’ve followed all of our “Do” tips and planned ahead, this will be manageable.
Don’t: Try To Do It All
Picking up a couch by yourself isn’t easy. Pick up that couch with a few friends or moving professionals and your load just got a whole lot lighter. The same logic applies to event planning. You don’t have to do it all yourself. There are people that love certain aspects of planning and hosting, and would be happy to do it for you. Lean into the talents of the community around you.
At the end of the day you are bringing people together to share a moment in time. Whatever happens happens. Plan, organize, and be flexible in the meantime.
Cover image from Pixabay
