Determine your reasons for having the function

• Annual Event
• Business Anniversary
• Celebration: a new facility or a new product or service
• Ground breaking / ribbon cutting
• Publicity
• Sale
• Thank you for customers

Determine your budget

• How much are you willing to spend on the overall event?

Where and When?

• One day, weekend, week
• During / after office hours
• Time of the year
• Indoors/outdoors
• In your facility or office/canopy or tent, off premises

When you select the location, logistics must be considered. How many people can the venue accommodate? Where will your guests park?

5 Months Ahead

• Form a committee of people within your organization to work on this event. Assign specific tasks and deadlines.
• Research any possible permits/licenses that may be required. What is needed to apply? How long does it take to process? 

4 Months Ahead

• Put together a preliminary guest list. Who to invite?
• Account customers
• Regular customers
• Prospective customers
• Local dignitaries
• Press
• Competitors
• Friends/Neighbours
• Vendors
• Seek proposals from all suppliers involved - caterers, rental dealers, entertainment, florists, and invitations.
• Are you creating a theme for this event? If yes, you should also get a proposal from a decor/prop company
• Inform your advertising agency so they can prepare some special promos.

3 Months Ahead

• Book a rental company and caterer
• Determine type of reception: cocktail-stand up, lunch, dinner
• Determine types of beverages served: wine, beer, soft drinks, punch and coffee
• Check availability of entertainment
• Finalize guest list and order invitations.
• What type of invitations to use?  Formal?  Flyer?  Theme related?

Tips: The type of invitation should dictate the type of event. Keep invitations concise, and print extra. The RSVP date should always be clearly noted and specify the occasion. 

2 Months Ahead

• Meet with advertising agency
• Book your florist, decor company
• Book entertainment
• Inform staff and neighbours of the time and place of the event
• Conduct site inspection with rental company and caterer to design layout and flow
• Consider your electrical power requirements. Do you have sufficient power for entertainment, food and beverage, and audio visual equipment?
• Invitations as a statement stuffer, send first mailing now

6 Weeks Ahead

• Apply for necessary licenses and permits
• Plan demonstrations
• Arrange giveaways/door prizes

4 Weeks Ahead

• Mail invitations (if using regular mail)
• Invitations as a statement stuffer - send second mailing now
• Review task assignments within your company. Who is responsible for what?
• Receiving RSVP's. You must get the correct name and spelling of all guests attending
• Prepare location
• Set up
• Hosts/hostesses
• Tour guides
• Demonstrations
• Traffic flow design
• Food serving/refilling/clean up
• Security
• Clean up

3 Weeks Ahead

• Priority mail or hand delivery of invitations
• Media releases should begin

2 Weeks Ahead

• All RSVP's due. This still allows time to follow up invitations by phone
• Prepare a production schedule so all suppliers for the event know when and where they should be arriving at your facility

1 Week Ahead

• Confirm final numbers with caterers and rental company
• Prepare name tags if using. Confirm spelling of any first and last names that you are uncertain of. Do not guess!

Day Of The Reception

• Have the entrance to your event well marked. (i.e. a tented walkway, rope end stanchions, balloons etc!)
• Have your reception table in a convenient spot. Be prepared with extra name tags for last minute attendees.
• Review with staff members all last minute details and jobs to be completed
• Before guests arrive, conduct one last walk through of your facility and restrooms to make sure everything is in place
• Have a plan for any guests that may arrive early

Can we help you with your event?   

Contact us at:  info@a-bpartyrental.com