Special events work in the same way. Before it's time to put together and produce an event, we need to contemplate the five Ws and How. We refer to them as the event elements, and the how—as in "How much is the budget?" It is not just some times; it's always. As you begin to plan your event, the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your event are very essential. They are the foundation for your success.
Before you begin the production process of event planning, there are essential questions to answer to set the stage for brainstorming next steps.
• Who are your guests? How many people are you expecting? Knowing who your guests are plays a part in how you will design your event. From the entertainment to the decor, knowing your audience helps you to choose how your event will look, what kind of entertainment will be appropriate,and in some instances the timing of the event. Knowing the approximate number of guests also will dictate the location, so this is a critical question to get answered right away.
• What is your event? The answer to this great question will give you some insight on how to style the event. Some events, such as a company picnic, call for an outdoor location with a casual atmosphere. Some events, such as a conference, need lots of meeting room, a large ballroom, and a business atmosphere. For every type of event, there is an ideal location and environment.
• When is your event? This is actually a question that may not have an answer right away. Sometimes determining the time or year or specific date is part of the production process.
• Where is your event? Nine times out of ten, our clients come to us looking for help in finding a location for their event. If you don't know the location for your event yet, that's okay. Not knowing for sure where the event will be held is quite normal and usually is part of a normal production timeline.
• Why is this event happening? Having the answer to this question will help you to focus on the purpose of the event, which then gives you direction on how to spend the budget, where to put the emphasis of the party, and when it comes time, where to trim the spending.
• How much money is in the budget? Do you have a budget? For most people who are just starting to plan events, determining a budget can be the hardest part. After all, if you don't know how much things cost, how can you put together a budget? We will talk about this later, but there is one thing you can do: Figure out how much you can spend. Everyone has a bottom line that they cannot cross. Recognising what your maximum spend is can be the best guideline.
Getting a grasp on these preliminary areas will steer you through the process of planning a successful event. As part of the production process, you'll need to make choices for the timing and location of your event, budgeting your event, designing your event and formulating the guest experience, planning the menu and choosing entertainment, and finally, staffing your event.
It's easy in event planning to get caught up in the details of your party. Each element seems to make or break your event, and knowing where to draw the line can be blurry, even for the seasoned professional. However, if you have a firm idea of your five Ws and how, you sometimes can make difficult choices (such as where to cut your budget, whether you should have live entertainment, or how much to spend on giveaways) easier because you'll know who your guests are, why your event is happening, and how much money you really have to spend. Put some real thought into these answers because they can be your map for success. With each of the following questions, you'll get answers that have direct implications on the production of your event.
Who
Who are your guests? This is a loaded question. There are a lot of things to know about your guests, and each factor has direct implications for your event options.
• Age group. When choosing the type of entertainment at your event, you'll want to consider the general age of your guests. For example, a jazz trio won't necessarily work at a teenage birthday party or a company picnic, and on the other hand, a disco cover band won't go over well at a seventy- fifth birthday party or corporate product launch. The same theory works for incidental entertainment as well. One extreme example is a balloon artist or a face painter. These types of incidental entertainers are best with a young crowd. An older version of these things is a henna tattoo artist or a temporary tattoo artist. These are "grown up" versions of the face painter, and adults enjoy them as much as younger kids.
• Couples or singles. Whether your guests come with dates or on their own also will play a big part in the types of entertainment that you have at your event and the timing of your event. If your guests are primarily singles (or people attending on their own), you'll want to avoid a dance band. When we have events where the crowd is primarily single, we like to have lots of interactive entertainment. We find that conversation and fun come easier when there are lots of activities and things to do. If your event is made up of mostly couples, then a dance band is a wonderful idea. When doing the timing for your event, you don't want too much downtime when you have mostly singles. Try food stations to spark conversation rather than a long sit-down dinner. Conversely, a long sit-down dinner is great for couples because it gives them downtime to make conversation.
• Families.
As we discussed earlier in reference to age group, entertainment choices are based greatly on age group. A guest list that includes primarily families should have an entertainment roster that will appeal to the children. Incidental entertainment, creative art stations, interactive talent, upbeat band or DJ are perfect for this type of group. Another event element that is affected by a family guest list is the menu. You can't very well expect kids to enjoy spicy tuna sushi, veal, or even chicken satay. When doing your menu planning, have kid-friendly choices. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off, macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti are all fun alternatives for kids. Also be sure to have plenty. Sometimes the adults like these menu items as well!
Okay let's let you digest this before we go ahead! Thanks for taking your time to read and do leave your comment and questions. They will be answered!
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