Planning a successful event doesn’t have to mean enduring sleepless nights and frazzled nerves. With the right steps, event planning can actually be pretty fun! The trick is to stay organized.
When you prepare as much as you can in the early stages of event planning, you have more free time to relax and enjoy the fantastic get-together you arranged. More often than not, stressed-out hosts and coordinators continue their worrying throughout the event itself!
We want to help you stay organized, so we developed a checklist of essential event planning tips that will guide you from the first day to the event itself:
Getting Started With Event Planning
- Decide on how casual or formal the event would be
- If applicable, choose a theme for the event
- Settle on a date and time
- Come up with an estimate of how many guests will be invited
- Decide on where you want to host the event — will you celebrate it at home or a nearby venue?
- Before deciding on an outside venue, inquire about any needed deposits
- Will you be sending invitations? If so, decide on either sending them through the post or via email. Decide on when you would like invitees to RSVP.
Planning Your Party’s Budget
Make sure you account for the following items when you draft your budget for the event:
- Venue rental
- Event vendors and other rentals
- Entertainment
- Equipment rentals
- Food and drinks
- Invitations (if sent through the post office)
- Decorations and other supplies
- Miscellaneous costs
The Little Details Of Your Event
- Will you have the event catered?
- What type of food do you want to have? Will you be serving just snacks or a full meal?
- If you plan on offering alcoholic drinks, consider hiring a bartender.
- What type of entertainment will you be having? There are endless choices available, from DJs to live bands and more.
- Other party rentals such as limousines, photo booths, or large tents should be considered depending on your venue and occasion. (Photo booths are great for birthdays of all kinds!)
Getting Closer To The Event Date
- Design and develop the invitations before sending them out
- Establish contracts with all the needed service providers, from catering to equipment
- Finalize your food and drink menu
- If you hired a live band or a DJ, choose the type of music appropriate for the event and confirm the event timeline
- Buy all needed decorations and supplies
What To Do On The Day Of Your Event
- Check in with your venue to make sure all final preparations are complete
- Check in with your service providers and vendors regarding the event timeline and other details
- Organize supplies and finalize decorations
- Relax, have fun, and be proud of your hard work!
