Essential Steps to DIY Event Planning
Event planning is a hectic profession, but when done right it can be extremely rewarding. Venturing into professional event planning is not an easy feat. Many successful planners took years to hone their craft, and it takes sweat, dedication, and tears to put together a successful event. But this article is not for professionals; instead, this is a guide for DIY planners who want to save money and at the same time put together a party that they can be proud of. But to some who are not really skilled and don’t have enough time for DIY planning, look for Dallas event planners and let them do the planning for you.
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Step 1: Coming up with a theme or vision
A vision for the event is what makes it cohesive, and it involves all the aspects down to the smallest detail. Many Conference Venues Auckland always say that details are critical because it is often what guests and clients notice first. In coming up with a theme or vision, ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of event are you planning?
- What is the goal of the event?
- How many guests are expected?
Focus on the atmosphere you want to evoke during the event. If the event is personal, like a wedding, work closely with the couple to determine what they want, and read more to know what is exactly needed and be careful in saying yes to all their requests. Tone down the details, and keep the best ideas to incorporate in your final vision.
Step 2: Setting a budget
Finances can be the most challenging aspect of planning an event. You need to thoroughly determine how much you can allocate for key elements of the event. The biggest chunk of the expense goes to the following:
- Event venues can be expensive especially if the location is popular. To save money, you can look for an affordable event venue like a bungalow event space rental or a waterfront wedding venue that already has complete amenities such as lights and sound, chair rentals, and parking. If you are planning to have a garden wedding, you may consult with a garden wedding hire coordinator for garden wedding packages. If it’s an outdoor event, you may also need to include the cost of special event restrooms to your budget.
- A big chunk of the budget will be allocated to catering—food, beverages and table settings.
- Decorations are more expensive if you are planning a themed event. If you want to use fresh flowers, buy from a reputable florist like a florist fort and choose local blooms which are cheaper.
For organised budget planning, you can use an app or a spreadsheet to keep track of expenses or even call https://miamibeachweddingplanners.com/ who can help plan your wedding on a budget .
Step 3: Choosing a date and venue
After locking down the budget, the next step is to select a date and book a place. To choose the perfect wedding venue for the event you are planning, consider the following:
- How much parking do you need?
- Is weather an issue for an outdoor event?
- Will you be needing restroom trailers for rent if you choose an outdoor venue?
- How much space do you need?
- How much time do you need to book the venue?
- What are the terms for paying a deposit, cancelling, and refunding?
- Do you need a banquet room or will an open space work?
- Are the amenities complete? Will you need to find an acoustic solutions company to setup an A/V system?
These are only some of the factors to take into account when searching for a location for the event. Remember that a large portion of the budget goes on this component, which is why you need to be wise in setting your priorities before booking a place.
If you’re planning a wedding, the venue must be very special. There are wedding ballrooms you can book to make the event memorable for everyone, especially the newlyweds.
Step 4: Finding vendors and suppliers
Third-party vendors will take some of the work off your hands when you are planning for an event. But certain suppliers, especially the full service catering services that will provide the wedding catering, need to be carefully selected. Sample as many tasting menus as you can and check the catering service’s availability. Be sure that you are not competing with another event on the same date.