The company holiday parties are either the events that the entire staff looks forward to every year or the events they dread the most. The main difference between the two reactions is the event planning committee’s ability to prepare. Even the most skilled and experienced event and party planners can’t pull off a successful company holiday party last minute.
If you are in charge of this year’s holiday parties, here are a few important factors to keep in mind to ensure you’re ready before the day of the events:
It’s Never Too Early
Successful event planners tend to plan ahead. In fact, there are some who start planning for the next event as soon as the last one is over. Planning doesn’t necessarily mean booking the corporate caterers and venue right away, this can just involve thinking of possible themes and the budget.
Set A Date On The Company Calendar
Already choose the dates for all of the events and plot them on the company calendar as soon as they are confirmed. Next, send an alter to all staff and employees so that they are aware of when the events are happening. Sending the alters as early as possible and having the dates booked on the calendar ensures that no one forgets about the event or make up excuses for being ill-prepared.
Don’t forget to send reminders as the date nears as well. A reminder will refresh people’s memory and possibly get them excited for the big day.
Sending Out Invites / RSVPs
The time to send out the RSVPs for the event depends on how large the party will be. Small scale parties with under 50 people are easy enough to manage that the invitations and RSVPs can be due a month before the event. However, large scale parties that have 100 or more guests should require an answer to the invitation at least 3 months before the day of the event.
This will give you more than enough time to book the vendors, corporate caterers, venue, and more.
Booking Event Vendors
Vendors such as catering companies, talent, flowers, and service staff are more likely to offer an early bird discount if you book their services in advance. Allowing enough time for changes such as accommodating more or less people for the event will make it less of a hassle on the vendor’s part.
Also, check the contract for each vendor. There are some that require a non-refundable down payment for reserving their services. To avoid this, don’t book their services until you have a confirmed date and budget.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Starting as soon as possible is the best way to avoid any last-minute complications. The sooner you can start planning for the event, the better the chances are of a successful and memorable event. Most vendors will not accept last minute bookings, especially for large events. If they do, expect a higher price for their services to compensate for the rush.
Event planning requires a lot of patience, time, and effort. Make sure you start planning right away to avoid any costly and disastrous complications.
Saint Germain Catering is on top of the list of corporate caterers that local business and Fortune 500 companies hire for their events. We have years of experience and know what works to make our customer smile.
