PLANNING A MEMORABLE EVENT IN SOUTHERN UTAH
YOUR HOW-TO GUIDE
If you want your party to go well, you need to plan well. There are three critical phases to consider while outlining your soiree. These include pre-occasion ideas, during-the-party organization and post-event follow-up. To be an excellent host, all you need is an organized party plan.
Following is a how-to guide on planning a memorable occasion. Ten clear and easy to follow steps to get you organized! It will help you address the main considerations like the reason for the occasion, the size of the event, the interests of the invitees and much more.
Let’s get started!
Set A Date: The Anticipation Begins
When organizing an occasion, the first decision you should make is setting the date. For a reoccurring event, the time may already be pre-set. However, if the occasion is new, you should consider the following to avoid conflicts or help increase attendance:
- Religious and other statutory holidays
- Periods for school holidays
- Far enough in the future for you to plan the event and for attendees to have free time on their calendar.
- Before finalizing, check dates are okay with the key participants such as presenters, speakers, and VIP guests.
It’s crucial you get the site for the event set because the timeline, flow, décor and setup depend on the available space. Having the occasion at home eliminates the cost of renting space. You can still employ experts to help with the preparations. Also, it is sure to provide a warm and familiar atmosphere.
If you need help preparing your home, we have some quick and easy tips on cleaning to get ready for your guests.
However, there are various advantages of conducting the ceremony away from home. There is no house cleaning, no post-event cleanup, and no lengthy inconvenience during at-home preparations. You can just walk away when the ceremony is over. Attending to visitors and event planning becomes much easier because all the work is done by a venue host.
Click here for tips on choosing a stunning location for your event.
For the service to stand out, you need to have a timely and compelling theme that can set you apart from your competition. What you need to do is to come up with an original dynamic theme. You can do this by using decorative items that may be included with the rentals.
You should also spend some time to come up with an attention getting name because it will help generate excitement and anticipation around the party.
Things you can do to brand your occasion include:
- Brainstorming names: You need to think about two things while brainstorming the name of the occasion. First, how is the occasion different from the others in your sector? Secondly, what you ought to convey on this occasion.
- Creating a Tagline: You can try to craft a short and memorable branding theme that describes the occasion once you have set the name.
- Designing of a Logo: Even if it is just using a simple but clever image or emotional photograph people will remember it.
Explore how you can begin to set the stage for your next event.
Be sure to leave a good portion of your budget for food. There is nothing like a delicious meal or treat to create a memorable experience for your guests. Perhaps you enjoy cooking. Or maybe you have a treasured family recipe that you want to make for the guests. But if you don’t want to do all the work, the best idea is to hire great caterers. This will help you to cut down on prep time enabling you to enjoy the occasion. You can interview caterers or ask for a recommendation from other hosts. However, the type of menus you plan on having should first consider the honorees of the event.
Refreshments should incorporate elements of surprise and personalization. Foods supplies can vary according to the taste and age of guests. Younger guests may prefer interactive food stations involving a lot of decisions like choosing their toppings while older guests may respond to a traditional mode of servings.Having the right kind of food and considering everyone needs can make the day a successful one.
Partnerships & Sponsors: Get People Involved
Depending on your event, there may be organizations, or even friends and family, that you can call on for sponsorship or other help. It never hurts to call and ask. Sponsors can increase potential participation as well as defraying the costs. Involving other people in your occasion will help you spread the word and make the occasion more successful. You may want to consider:
- Asking friends or family to handle one or more duties: decorations, food, invitations, etc.
- If appropriate, partnering with an organization might help you locate the venue for the luncheon. In addition, they may be able to assist you with staffing services.
- For business events, look for corporate sponsors to help fund a portion of the occasion. It may include a local business that is willing to provide services for gift bag items and flowers for the tables.
Look for entertainment that matches your occasion and the theme. The type of music should go hand-in- hand with the festive occasion. For example, you can hire a Cajun-zydeco band for a 50th birthday luncheon for a man. For a cocktail luncheon, you can blend it with a jazz trio. You can hire a dance band playing popular covers for younger individuals. Your theme and reason for the party should motivate your choice of music and entertainment. You want entertainment that will enhance your occasion and not to compete with it.
You need to create a budget that includes all of the key items that you have identified on your occasion master plan. Make sure you include any accommodation or travel costs for presenters, speakers and VIP guest, as well as equipment rentals, food and promotional materials. This will likely be your biggest challenge. Most people underestimate the budget. But planning early and using conservative estimates will help keep you on track. And don’t forget to add a line item with a little money for Miscellaneous expenses, just in case. A good budget will keep you on track and help you not spend more than you have planned for.
Administration: Boring, But Invaluable
This should include well-kept records of your registration, guest and speakers lists. Some occasions can be planned and organized online using an online management system. You should determine how best to track and organize all your party information and expenses. If you have no clue (or interest) in keeping records, you should contact a professional planner for assistance. Not only will this help you confirm that your vendors provided the right services at the right price, you’ll have great information to help you plan your next big event.
If your occasion is to be held in areas that require security, hire experts to help you handle the situation. Check with your city, you may be able to hire an off-duty police officer. For festive pool occasions, it is a good idea to hire a lifeguard. Accidents happen so you want to be prepared. You may even want to hire a nanny to watch the younger children so the adults can have a break and enjoy themselves.
If you decide to hold an event, it is best to plan early and stick to your plans. Make sure that you schedule to complete most of the things before the day of your occasion. It’s not going to be easy. However, with persistence and commitment you can make it happen. Make sure your plan incorporates all the aspects of your occasion in southern Utah.
These include:
- The venue, catering management and logistics.
- Speakers
- Entertainment
- Publicity like online promotions, festive occasion calendars, printed programs and media relations
- Registration
- Sponsor and partnership managements
- Volunteer managements
For your event to be successful, focus on the basics here and everything else will fall into place. And all that will be left to do is for you to enjoy the unforgettable occasion you have created! If you are still looking for inspiration, take a look at our ideas page.