By Taylor Crimford
As the Christmas/ New Years holiday event season approaches (yes, I know its only October but that means the season is less than a month away!) if you are planning on having a holiday party, family get-together, etc, now is the time to really put your plans to ink.
Probably the most important thing to remember is to get help! Don’t try to do everything by yourself, if it’s an office party, have co-workers help with invitations, decorating, etc. If you are hosting an event at home for family and friends, make sure that your significant other pitches in!
You have to decide what works the best for you in regard to the type of event you are planning. What kind of party will it be? Are you considering a cocktail party with light or heavy hors d'oeuvres, a formal sit-down dinner, a buffet-style setting, or something different? Making this decision will then determine how you will approach the execution of the event. Other things to consider include the number of people attending, will there be alcohol, is it a daytime or evening event, etc.
When planning your event, you have three basic options: (1) Have your event at a restaurant/catering facility, (2) Have the event at location that you rent but does not provide food, or 3) have the event at a location that you provide such as your office or home. No matter which of the three options you choose, you will be responsible for determining the date and time, sending out invitations, setting a budget, type of decorations, etc.
The first option is to have your event at a restaurant/catering facility. This is definitely the easiest way to go because most facilities can provide almost everything for the party itself. You simply pick out the size of room you need, menu options, decide if you will have alcohol and if so, will it be an open bar or cash bar and the facility takes care of the rest. If decorations aren’t central to your theme, most facilities already have holiday decorations and can provide centerpieces for tables.
Renting an off site location that does not offer catering services provides the opportunity to have added atmosphere to your event. Popular locations include the American Rose Center where your guests can also enjoy Christmas in Roseland and the Ark-La-Tex Antique & Classic Vehicle Museum which offers holiday decorations in addition to the automotive displays. When renting an off-site location that doesn’t provide food, you have the option of providing food yourself or having it catered. This provides the opportunity to offer any number of food combinations from restaurants and caters. If providing alcohol, you will want to use a licensed company to provide bartenders and beverages; they have the insurance for liability purposes and the personnel to help ensure guests don’t over imbibe.
The third option is to have your event at your office or home. My personal opinion is that this is the least desirable of the three options. Take the office, how much fun is it to stay around the office or come back for a party? For an event that is intended to allow employees to relax, let their hair down, and enjoy each others company, the office is probably not the best place to do so. A better choice than the office is to host a party at a home, however this has pitfalls of its on, one being that most homes aren’t set up for people to mingle in one place together. However, if your choice is the home of office, then the options are similar to renting an off site location mentioned above in terms of food and alcohol. In addition, you will need to provide decorations, music, etc. Plus, you need to plan on clean up detail, however at the office that is often taken care of.
There are many event planning lists on-line, I suggest you search for one that you like the best and use that as a guide. Good luck and have a great event!
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