Every event is different, and has its own unique challenges that need to be overcome in order for it to be a success. The first thing you need to accept when planning your own event is that not everything is going to go to plan first time.
Having back-up plans and putting precautions in place for the worst case scenario will ensure that you are never blindsided by anything and always have an answer when the question is asked. No matter how much planning you do, however, it is impossible for any event to be completely perfect, even if your guests think it is, and over-stressing will only reduce your ability to enjoy the day when it comes.
From organising security for an event to finding caterers and formulating a guest list, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by the number of tasks you need to focus on as an event planner. This guide is designed to make things that little bit easier by going through 5 of the most important things to consider when planning an event.
Step 1 – Prioritise
Sort out the biggest tasks first and work your way down to the finer details. It can be easy to fixate on minor things that you want to make sure are perfect on the day but whilst these things may add that extra touch to your event, if you haven’t sorted a venue, date, security and other major factors you won’t have any event to throw in the first place.
Trust us, those tiny things like the colour of the tablecloths that you are so stressed about, aren’t what your guests are going to remember.
Step 2 – Budget
The worst thing that you can do is to burn through all your budget at the start of the project. You will undoubtedly have forgotten one thing or another and it is important to set some cash aside for a rainy day.
Split your budget into categories for important tasks that need to be completed and be realistic. There is no point falling in love with a huge venue if its rent simply isn’t affordable in your price range.
Step 3 – Choose the venue
Venue is everything when it come to event planning. Not only must the venue itself be well suited to the type of event you are hosting but it is also key that it is in a location that your guests can reach easily. The last thing that you want is to carefully plan an event, only for your guests to decide not to attend because it is too far for them to travel.
Step 4 – Remember security
Event security might not be the most glamorous part of event planning but it is of the upmost importance. Any event where a large number of people gather in one place is the subject of a number of extremely serious security threats that must be accounted for. Hiring a professional security firm to handle all of the security at your event is a great idea as it will take a huge amount of the pressure off and ensure that you have the appropriate security measures in place. Just some of the security measures that should be taken at major events include the stationing of security guards around the entrances, the use of CCTV, and identification checks at the entrance to the venue to ensure that only fully authorised attendees are able to gain access.
Security is not something that most event planners focus too much of their time on, with far too many assuming that their event will never be the one where disaster strikes. Maybe it won’t but the consequences of failing to take your security seriously and something going wrong simply aren’t worth thinking about.
Step 5 – Staff coordination
Depending on the size of your event, you could have many different staff members on site during the event to ensure that it runs smoothly. From entertainers and caterers to the security staff mentioned above, it is important that you make sure that all these people are on the same page. If an incident does occur and an evacuation of the building is needed, every staff member knowing the evacuation protocol will make the whole process that bit easier. You may well wish to bring in your own staff, alongside any that the venue themselves have and working together as a single unit is key.
You should always work out your venue first, before beginning to find staff to bring in to help on the day as different venues have different staff members in place and you don’t want to arrange something unnecessarily. Helping the event venue staff wherever possible will also keep you in the good books and ensure you are welcome back in the future if you decide to host a similar event again.