Planning a big event can be stressful, especially when you’re trying to coordinate dozens of details at once. Here’s our checklist for planning a marquee event – and ensuring you’ve covered all the bases before the big day.
Choose a Venue
You should choose a venue based on what’s right for you and your guests. There are many venue types, from open fields to hotels. Think about access to the location and parking options for guests. We have many sizes and types of marquees. Involve us at an early stage of the planning so we can visit your chosen site and advise what’s possible.
Plan, plan, plan!
Think about what you really want from your event. This will ensure that you stay focused on the things that matter most to you. Make a list of what needs to happen now, before the event, during the event and after the event. List everything! Planning an event can take a lot of work and it’s easy to miss something, or forget something important. Make a list, check it daily, and keep revising it.
Catering
The food and drink can make or break your event. If you need to hire a caterer, choose one with good reviews and ask friends who’ve attended similar events for recommendations.
You will need to make sure that there is enough food and drink available at your event. This includes both alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages. If you plan to serve alcohol, you will need to ensure that you have enough liquor, wine, beer, and mixed drinks available.
Non-alcoholic beverages such as water, juice, coffee and tea, must also be provided. We recommend a ‘grown up’ alcohol free alternative too such as sparkling elderflower cordial.
One of our favourites is Luscombe Sparkling Elderflower.
Entertainment
There are plenty of ways to entertain guests at your party. You can play games, dance, sing, tell jokes, or do any other activity that would keep people entertained.
Decorations
You should also consider what kind of decorations you want to use. Choose decorations that match your theme and style. Do you want to go with traditional decor, such as flowers, candles, and tablecloths? Or do you prefer something more modern, like balloons, streamers, and LED lights? We hire lots of internal decor items including drapes and lighting, as well as tables, chairs and table linen. In fact everything you need for your event!
Prepare Guests
Make sure you communicate with your guests. Remember, they only know what you tell them! It’s a good idea to send a ‘save the date’ unless you’ve plenty of time before the day. That gives you some time to firm up all the arrangements.
In plenty of time before the event make sure they know the start and finish time, what type of food they’re to expect, whether there is a bar and if it’s cash/card, where to park, how to dress, and what to bring. Check whether they have any dietary restrictions or access requirements.
So we hope you have enjoyed our handy checklist for planning a marquee event but if you want some help, don’t forget we’ve heaps of experience in event management. Give us a call on 01398 351 210 or contact us to start your journey.
