Every four years, Canada embraces cultures from around the world in one massive, month-long World Cup Party.   Because, whether you like soccer or not, there’s something about the World Cup tournament that gets people excited.  Really excited.

It might be because of the country vs. country competition. Or maybe it’s the fact that even the smallest of countries are in the same league with the big ones. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that the world’s biggest sports tournament (a month-long phenomenon) is sweeping across workplaces and homes. 

And why not?  It’s fun. It brings old and young together to celebrate the cultures that raised them. And it gives everyone a chance to join together and cheer on their teams. Everywhere, people are wearing the colours of countries that they’re rooting for, and all in a frenzy of football. For the more than a billion soccer fans worldwide, “the beautiful game” borders on religion.  Cities come alive as people pack into restaurants and bars to watch their teams and celebrate.

But if spending time with dozens or hundreds of strangers isn’t your idea of a laugh riot, don’t be shy about throwing a World Cup party on your own terms – even right in your own home. How? Oh, we were hoping you would ask.

First off, decide what you want out of it. Do you want to use the occasion to visit with friends and families? Bond with co-workers? Impress the boss? Or blow off some steam?  Set your intentions and your budget. If the goal is to spend quality time with your guests, book a caterer ASAP. It’s party season and it will get harder to find a caterer as the month goes on.   

Regardless of whether you hire a caterer or do it all yourself, here are a few ideas to kick around that will let you really embrace the World Cup party spirit. 

- Send out stadium ticket-like invitations.  Make sure your guests know they need the tickets for entrance! Throw some confetti in the envelope for an extra festive touch.

-Ask each of your guests to come as their favourite competing country. Or draw country names out of a hat and assign each person a country to represent at the party. Have fun with it.

-Flags. Lots of ‘em. And from everywhere. You can buy them at various sporting shops or you can go all Martha Stewart and make mini flags for participating countries out of construction paper and popsicle sticks. Because let’s face it. When you think World Cup, it’s hard not to think of Martha Stewart.

-Decorate with soccer ball balloons.  You can put them anywhere and they’ll spice up your party room. Batch them with black and white balloons.

-Hand out the vuvuzela horns. And the ear plugs. You’d better invite the neighbours – and maybe take away the horns as the night wares on.

-Serve drinks that represent the countries whose teams you’re watching. A little research can go a long way. For example, Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail (you can substitutes vodka for cachaça), Limoncello is now considered the national drink of Italy. Both drinks are easy to prepare.

-Use soccer themed tablecloths, piñatas, banners, flags, jerseys, candy, cups, and bowls/serving trays. You may even be able to find some miniature soccer balls to keep your guests or their children entertained.

-Create your own world cup decorations.

-Have foods that people can munch on throughout the event … the most important part is being able to watch the game.

-Use the food to complement your party’s theme. In honour of the colours in a soccer ball, try making desserts – like brownies – out of both dark and white chocolate.

-Have soccer themed door prizes. Inflatable soccer balls, soccer jerseys, soccer ball maracas, are just a few ideas…

-Plan an international potluck.  This is a great opportunity to sample and taste all the spectacular flavours of the world. Frikkadels are like South African meat balls – and they’re delicious!  Or how about trying some Korean fried kimchi rice with beef? Or why not sample some authentic Argentinean chorizo?

-Hire a face painter.  For the football fan that really goes all out to support his or her nation, wearing the flag of their country on his or her face during a world cup match is a fun way to demonstrate their love of their country and the game.  

-What about an “indoor-outdoor” theme? People love being outdoors in the summer. Depending on your set up, you may be able to move your TV out into a shady spot in your yard.

Now that you’ve got all that sorted out, you can sit back and enjoy the game. Because, when all is said and done, isn’t that really the goooooooooooaaaaaaaallllllll!

It’s tough out there, we know. Everyone is trying to do more with less – and no one wants to sacrifice quality. But we at Simply Elegant have some news we think will make your summer easier: Simply Elegant All Inclusive Packages.

Ever tried to price an event and then watched the price sky rocket when you tried to add the most basic of things? Our All Inclusive Packages cover most or all of what you’ll need, offering fabulous value for three of our most popular seasonal events:

Stampede 

Weddings

Cocktail parties

So let’s start with Stampede – because truthfully, it will be here before you know it! And while there may be many things your company can do around Stampede, the one thing you can’t do is ignore it. So embrace it, Calgary, make it your own and turn it into the event you want it to be. And we can help.    

 Our All Inclusive Stampede Packages  offer food discounts ranging from 5% to 10%, depending on the number of people you’ll be hosting, starting at 100 people. And events for more than 200 people aren’t a problem. Not only do we make fabulous pancakes, we’ll even bring the griddle.

Also, all of our meals include a huge variety of delicious and reasonably priced add-on selections. So you can start with a value package – and turn it into anything you want!

And we can provide site managers, station cooks, servers, bartenders and anything else you’ll need — even the Barbecue Broiler.

You bring the people, and we’ll bring the party.   

Speaking of party, maybe you were thinking more bridal party than Stampede. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back too. Because when it comes to weddings, there’s just so much to do. More often than not, people forget to factor in the rental costs of well, lots of things. 

But with our All Inclusive Wedding Package, you can keep a lid on your spending because we’ve already included most everything you will absolutely need. And like everything we do, for an additional fee you can customize it exactly how you’d like. Our wedding packages are so good, however, you can even leave the one you like just as is.  

Our wedding buffet includes a wide range of sumptuous foods as well as extensive, and mouth-watering, buffet add-on selections. And our elegant and affordable sit down meals are so special, everyone will think you’ve blown the budget! Only you have to know how little you actually spent.

For not that much more, we can also provide our full service staff, bar service, equipment rentals, and even your décor and floral arrangements.

And finally, there’s our All Inclusive Cocktail Party Package.  There are so many details in pulling together the perfect cocktail party. We know — we’ve been throwing them for years!

Choose from one of our included fabulous cocktail menus, designed for every palette – or talk to us about creating a package just for you.  Either way, you’ll save a bundle on rentals, staffing and other expenses that you’d otherwise have to outsource.

It’s summertime and the living should be easy. If it’s not, you’re using the wrong catering and events company. Whether you’re thinking Stampede, wedding or cocktail party, talk to us about how we can make your event fabulous and affordable with one of our Simply Elegant All Inclusive Packages.

So from all of us to all of you, here’s to the start of a summer filled with great fun, great food, and great events. Salut!

It’s National Barbecue Month. Yes, it’s time to fire up the barbecue and enjoy cooking in the great outdoors. And grilling isn’t just for hotdogs and burgers either. You can use your barbecue to cook vegetables, fish, pizza, corn on the cob and even certain fruits. 

And we here at Simply Elegant have some helpful grilling tips and barbecue event ideas that we’d like to share with you to help you celebrate National Barbecue Month. 

Planning on having a big time barbecue event? A good caterer can handle most of this for you letting you enjoy your barbecue as opposed to spending all your time over the grill.

Here are a few suggestions to help make your barbecue event the best it can possibly be:  

- make sure your guests know what to wear: proper shoes, warmer clothes for evening – you may get four seasons in one hour. Make sure your guests know that, and have back up sweaters, blankets, etc. for those who don’t come prepared.

-have a back up plan in case it rains. You may need to move your party indoors or under some kind of shelter very quickly. Be prepared and have your move rehearsed or at the very least planned.

-only have food out for a maximum of 2 hours – no more no matter what.

-keep food out of the sun.

-keep food platters on top of ice.

-serve clean ice for drinks (don’t have guests scoop ice out of containers cooling cans of coke, beer, etc.).

-don’t serve seafood. It’s an accident waiting to happen.

-don’t serve anything mayo based. Make you potato salad with oil not mayo. It’s safer and much more savoury.

-make sure your bar and bartender are in the shade. It not only makes your ice last longer, but more importantly, your bartender won’t collapse from heatstroke.  

-make sure your guests have shade as well.

-think about your power sources. Outdoor lights don’t require much power, cappuccino machines do. Will you need a generator? There are quiet ones out there. But they rent/sell quickly. So plan ahead.

-can you borrow additional power from a neighbor (again, only for sources that don’t need much power)?

-invite your neighbours regardless of the type of party. They will be more forgiving of noise, etc.

-make sure you know your neighbourhood rules and laws when it comes to noise, lights and cutoff times etc. 11pm is often the cutoff time – but not for everywhere.

-think ahead to any transportation needs, particularly if hosting it somewhere remote or if you are serving alcohol.

-offer taxi chits as necessary or have a plan to reunite those who wish to over indulge with their cars the next day (and/or a place for them to stay).

-make sure you also serve lots of fun non alcoholic drinks.

-have a bartender who knows how to appropriately deal with problem drinkers (there is always at least one).

-for alcohol, theme it and do something fun and momentous. Have a martini luge or something through an ice sculpture. It is decorous, practical and fun.

-bugs. Fact of life. Hardware stores offer eco friendly, non or little-smelling tiki torches to ward off mosquitoes.

-do a test of your planned site to check for wasps. Have a little picnic and see how many bees and wasps you attract. It may just be a fact of life.

-know who has allergies to nuts, bees, etc. and avoid allergens where you can. Ask guests who you’ve identified as allergic to bring whatever medications they may need to deal with an allergy exposure. And know how to work an Epipen.

Now that you’ve taken care of that, it’s time to celebrate National Barbecue Month. So let’s get grilling!

Careers can literally be made or broken by working lunch etiquette. So many do’s and don’ts, we could literally write a book. Maybe we will. But until then, here are a few additional tips to help you polish your all important working lunch etiquette.

• Once you’ve confirmed for an event, don’t cancel. And certainly don’t cancel at the last minute. Only an extreme emergency should keep you away.
• Don’t be late. It’s rude, plain and simple.
• Remember to keep the topic of conversation clean, appropriate and tasteful no matter who else is doing or saying what. In a room filled with people with poor working lunch etiquette, you will stand out – and in a good way.
• Do not text or talk on the phone in the event room or dining table. If you must remain connected to the outside world, excuse yourself at an appropriate time to step away and check messages, etc.
• If there is table side wine service, have the host order and/or pour the wine.  He or she likely has determined roughly how much they’d like to serve over the course of the event.
• The water goblet and/or drinking glass to the right are yours.
• The bread plate to the left is yours. Use the butter knife to put a butter pat on your bread plate and then use your own knife to butter the bread.
• Even if the event is casual, remember it is still a working lunch. Always be professional. Never say anything you wouldn’t want getting back to anyone else, especially your boss.
• Try to re-use your cocktail napkin and glass to some degree to help your guest have a more green event, and also to help your host ensure they do not run out of clean glassware
• Be polite to the servers. Remember: If you are rude to the service staff, your hosts and other guests will think you are rude to your clients and colleagues. Rude behavior to serving staff over a working lunch with a prospective employer have cost more than one job candidate a promising opportunity.
• Be up to speed on current events. Read the paper or surf the internet beforehand to have current events topics in mind for small talk. But try not to get too political or passionate about any contentious subject.
• Once you have decided what to order, close your menu. It’s a signal to the wait staff that you’re ready to order.
• Wait until everyone is served before beginning to eat – even if there are delays in bringing out some of the food.
• Keep it simple when ordering. Don’t try to show off by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. Business lunches are not the best place to try something exotic, new or messy.
• Take small bites so you can converse easily without a full mouth. Relax, but remember you’re still in a business setting.
• If you ordered it, eat it.
• Bring any problem with the food discreetly to the attention of the wait staff.
• For the men – ladies first! Not everyone will agree in this day and age but it is a courtesy that many still appreciate and it is a sign of good upbringing.
• For the men – offer to seat the lady and always open the door for her.
• For the women – let the man open the door for you. It is a sign of respect, not belittlement.
• Always offer the last hors d’ oeuvre or glass of wine to the people at your table. If no one wants it, then, and only then, you can take it.
• Even if you are single, never flirt with someone in the room who is married or obviously in a relationship.
• Never flirt or fool around with your boss. Those who cross boundaries with their boss can do untold damage both with the person with whom they flirt and also with colleagues and clients who will assume they did not get their job based on merit.

Working lunch etiquette is a must in today’s competitive business world. Its proper use will not only garner you the respect of your co-workers and bosses, it will also help build your self confidence. And a confident you is bound to knock the socks off of anyone you meet in a professional setting.

More and more, catered company lunches are replacing dinners, and catered in-office events are replacing hotel bashes. While the location and time may be different, it’s important to always use your best working lunch etiquette.

One false step could possibly tarnish your reputation and damage your career. Remember: Even though this is a catered affair, it’s also a business event. Following appropriate working lunch etiquette can help you make a great impression.

A few things to keep in mind when it comes to working lunch etiquette:

-Have fun, but be sure to do it in moderation.

-Dress appropriately for the occasion.

-Don’t be pushy or overly aggressive. Remember people are here to have fun too. You can talk business when you’ve finished eating.

-Order food that’s easy to eat and avoid finger foods. Good choices are always a simple baked or grilled chicken dish or mixed salads that you can eat without needing to cut them up too much.

-Use your cutlery from outside in.  Utensils placed horizontally across the top of the place setting are for dessert.

-Pass bread, butter, cream, sugar, salad dressings and salt and pepper to the right. Always pass the salt and pepper together.

-Once a piece of cutlery has touched food, it does not touch the table again, so keep it on the edge of your plate or balance it on another piece of cutlery if you need it for a future course.

-If drinking wine, drink white wine as opposed to red in order to avoid red wine stains on your lips and teeth. 

-It’s okay to put documents or your laptop on the table but never your briefcase. Cell phones and beepers should be turned to silent mode or off during lunch.

Other working lunch etiquette tips include:

-If the catered lunch is a buffet, don’t heap your plate with food.  

-Pay attention to the two drink limit.

-Don’t eat too fast or too slow.

-To signal the server that you are finished, place your utensils in the 4:20 position on your plate. Never push the plates back or stack them.

-When you are ready to leave, place your loosely folded napkin on the table.

-Make a good final impression and thank the party coordinators.

Good working lunch etiquette isn’t that hard to achieve. It just comes down to following these basic do’s and don’ts of dining politeness. Learn them once, remember them forever. In a world of declining politeness, you’ll stand out. And for all the right reasons.

While they’re not for everyone, a divorce party can turn an unhappy occasion into a positive event. It can be a celebration of a new beginning, a fresh start to the new phase in your life.

A good divorce party should be fun and cathartic; it must be done tastefully and it must come from a healthy and positive place. If it doesn’t, it will make your guests feel uncomfortable. And the only thing worse than a bad party? A bad divorce party. Seriously stinky.

Planning a good divorce party is much harder than in sounds. In fact, not everyone can do it for themselves; many can’t. And that’s where an expert party planner can help. A divorce party gone off the rails can have the exact opposite effect of what you’re looking to achieve. If your emotions might get the better of you, you are infinitely better off hiring someone to plan it for you.

If you are absolutely sure you can do it without weeping, cursing, badmouthing, drinking, or any kind of bitterness, then absolutely, you are the perfect candidate to plan your own divorce party.

Some people put as much planning into the divorce party as they do their wedding. And where the divorce is amicable, some divorcing couples choose to hold joint parties. That’s definitely not for everyone, but fine for some. 

The point is, it’s really about how you handle it. Whatever type of celebration you ultimately choose, if the event is handled with grace and one eye always planted on the goal, it can help launch you and those you love into closure about what otherwise might be a very painful time.

Here are a few of the many things to keep in mind for your divorce party:

- Be realistic about your emotions. A divorce party isn’t for everyone. If it’s something you’d like to do, really think through what you are hoping to get out of it as well as what you want your guests to get out of it before you do anything else.

- Determine if a divorce party is something you can plan for yourself or if you’d like to have it professionally organized. You’re going through a lot of stress. Will the work of a party be a welcome distraction? or would it be better turned over to a trusted professional during this busy time?

- Think of a theme. It’s important to have a sense of what you want your party to say early in the planning. Otherwise, it can be very jarring.

- Plan for games and activities. No one wants to sit around mulling about broken marriages. The party should be about new beginnings.

- Give your guests the opportunity to be thoughtful. You may have a guest book that people can sign, leaving you hopeful messages or a keepsake box with pictures they bring. These may be important to you on tough days and will make them feel like they are doing something constructive and helpful.

- Be careful whom you invite. No kids, please. Your former mother-in-law might also not appreciate an invitation.

- Champagne is a nice touch and completely appropriate. But be careful of alcohol intake. Boozy affairs can sometimes turn into maudlin ones. Make sure to keep things light and serve plenty of food to go with the alcohol.

- Consider having a professional serving staff and bartender to ensure you and your guests are well taken care of. You likely took good care of your guests at your wedding. A beautifully executed party lets everyone know you’re moving on and will be just fine. A bartender can also help you deal with any problem drinkers or anyone whose emotions might lead to over indulgence.   

With about half of marriages ending in divorce (yes, that stat is right), a divorce party isn’t the novelty it once was. It’s becoming the accepted norm and it helps many people regain control over their lives in what feels like an out of control time. Just remember to keep your divorce party less about endings and more about beginnings.

Do it right, and it will launch you into a new and exciting stage in your life. And that’s worth celebrating, don’t you think?

Acai Bellini
Acai Vodka, Raspberry Puree, Champagne (or sparkling wine)
- garnished with Acai Berries

Pear Garden
Pear Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Creme de Casis
- garnished with Fresh Pear

Raspberry Truffle
Raspberry Vodka, Raspberry Liqueur, White Chocolate Liqueur
- garnished with Fresh Raspberries

Classic Gin & Tonic

Moet Chandon Champagne

Bowmore Single Malt Scotch

The popular adage “Location! Location! Location!” holds just as true for events as it does for real estate. Carrying on in our ongoing efforts to help you plan your events, today we’ll look at Anderson Ranch.  For those looking to book an event outside of the city, its rustic location comes with nature’s very own majestic backdrop.

Anderson Farm/Rocky Mountain Show Jumping
Phone: (403) 256-7150 
http://www.rmshowjumping.com

Map to Anderson Farm

It is, quite literally, a little piece of heaven.

Located just minutes south of Spruce Meadows and right next to Sirocco Golf Course, Anderson Farm is an idyllic equestrian facility with a beautiful and scenic prairie view.

With its marvelous grounds and stunning view, Anderson Farm is perfect for weddings, family events and children’s parties.

Adding to its allure is the fabulous price: The tent rental is $3000 + GST (may change for next year).  This more than reasonable rental price also has you covered when it comes to extras.

For example, Included in the 40×120 tent is:

• flooring and carpet (rain will not come into the tent this way)
• stage and dance floor
• chivari chairs (this year. may change to folding next year)
• 6’ and 8’ long tables and 5’ round tables (seating eight)
• tent heaters and tent lighting (modern chandeliers)
• power is included unless there’s a large amount needed (a band or event lighting for example)
• ceremony and picture spots available
• lots of free parking
• permanent washrooms – hopefully hooked up by May
• podium for speeches

On the flip side, it’s a bit of a hike to the washrooms which feels a little further in poorer weather, but effective tenting can generally solve the problem.  And wheelchair accessibility to washrooms is not available until the permanent facilities are set up. Make sure you check your dates before booking because the facility provides Show Jumping events and so these days are already booked.

Its proximity to Calgary is ideal for those wanting a get away within a one hour drive of the city – but not perfect for those wanting a more urban experience.

For those who want their event to marry Alberta’s wild with comfort and style, Anderson Ranch has all the ingredients to create a beautifuland unforgettable day, and at a very reasonable price.

Why say cheese Canada? Because cheese is an aphrodisiac, or so says Pizza Pizza who last Valentine’s Day tried to position their product as a sort of “love pie.” They claim that cheese “contains phenylethylamine, or PEA, a natural amphetamine that the brain manufactures in response to the feelings of love…In fact, cheese contains 10 times the levels of PEA normally found in chocolate.”  Perhaps it’s true. After all, pizza can be an excellent source of love handles…

Pizza marketing aside, there is something traditionally romantic about cheese. Canada, loves the stuff, so much so, there is even a Facebook page for Canadian cheese-lovers. And why not? Cheese is sophisticated and earthy all at the same time, international, yet homey, making it perfect for a private party or a big event.

To appeal to every palette, you’re best to serve a variety of cheeses. White mould cheeses like brie and camembert always move quickly, so you may well want some extra on hand.

Blue mould cheeses, which, in case you hadn’t guessed, include blue cheese aren’t for every taste but those who like cheeses of the blue variety tend to be passionate about them. Fair warning. Never stand between a blue cheese aficionado and her Roquefort. For something more than a very intimate gathering, you might want to serve a variety of blues in varying strengths.

Cheddar is always a safe bet but even within the cheddar family, there is a huge variety. Toronto cheese lovers (hey, thanks for stopping by!) will want to check out The Art of Cheese, a fabulous shop run by Bill and Larry, two guys who really know their cheese. When they can get it, they carry scotch infused cheddar nicknamed “hockey pucks of Canada” in honour of those who love cheese, Canada and our nation’s favourite game.

With any of your cheeses, it’s always fun to select from various parts of the world – but don’t forget to include some cheese Canada style. BC and Quebec are particularly known for their cheese and Alberta has its fair share of wonderful cheese artisans. The Alberta Cheese Company is a family run business that makes all of their cheese on site.

Serve your cheese at room temperature which translates roughly to 18 degrees. Your best bet is to take it out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes prior to serving it. It’s a balance, though. You don’t want to take it out of the fridge too early and have it get runny.

Cheese can be paired with many fine things, including, of course wine. Stronger cheeses can pull off a sweeter wine – but don’t go blindly into pairing a wine with your cheeses. Your caterer should have a knowledgeable sommelier on staff to help you with your selections.

Great cheese paired with the perfect wine will impress your guests with your attention to detail and excellent taste. So go ahead and have cheese, Canada, at your next special event. It can be a simple, fast cornucopia of tastes for something informal or the perfect food to serve to those with the most discerning tastes. And speaking of special occasions, here is a baked brie recipe for two, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Successful Event Planning

A successful event starts with strategic planning and is dependent on the ability to anticipate obstacles. Because there are always obstacles.

If you are going to work with an event planning company, you need to interview them first. You want to know they’re going to be a good fit for your corporate culture or personality. And you want to ensure they can get the job done.

So how can you determine whether an event planning company is right for you?

Start with what they’ve done in the past. Ask them for case studies of successful events they have planned and executed. Give them as much information about your event as you can and ask them to identify strategies that they believe will make or break your party.  Be up front about your budget and ask them to give you ideas that will work for the money you have. Look for the most innovative event you can get within your price range.

If your event needs advertising and promotion or media relations, ask the event planner if they can or if they have a supplier who can provide these services and what the cost is.

Once you’ve chosen your event or party planning company, you will need to determine the following:

Attendance

Assess how many people are appropriate for your event and the venue you choose. Present your guest list to the event planning company and make sure to notify them with any changes as soon as possible. Your check-in staff should mark off all of the people that attend so you know who was there. If your event is in a public space, consider having someone with a hand counter at the entrance.

Corporate Events Guest List

Corporate guest lists are one of the most difficult lists to produce. They need careful consideration and you don’t want to miss any suppliers, dealers, partners or affiliates. Ask your event planner if they can help you with the list – and budget a good amount of time. Inevitably, the guest list is worked and re-worked a number of times.  Then make sure you have all the right approvals from anyone with a vested interest in the guest list.

Event Layout & Flow

Make certain that the layout for the venue is easy for guests to move around in. The plan should allow an unobstructed flow throughout the event and the easy move of people. If your event is leading up to something specific, make sure your floor plan supports it. Look for possible bottlenecks and blockages at every turn. You may need to redesign your space several times – but it’s better to do it in advance than in response to a crisis on the day.

Food & Drink

One of the most important aspects of any event is the food and drink.  The menu and food quality are extremely important and should be appropriate for the time of day and type of event.  Ask your planner to present you with two or three menu options to choose from — and be sure to ask them why they’ve chosen them. You want your event planner to have carefully considered the specific needs of your event — and not simply present you with one of the standard menus they present to all clients regardless of the event. A really good planner can make great suggestions you might never have considered. Let them.

Your event planner should be able to provide a taste test for food, wine and cocktails. That will allow you to ensure you are serving your guests exactly what you want. Speaking of cocktails, ask for bartenders who will monitor guests for those who drink too much. Be sure to offer taxi chits, hotel rooms or other types of assistance for those who overindulge. Ask your party planner to provide a menu of exotic non alcoholic drinks and coffees that can be served towards the end of the evening as well.

Staffing

Be sure to talk about staffing requirements.  Will you need security?  Valet parking? Of course, adequate and appropriate catering staff is essential.  If gift bags are a component of your event, who will distribute them?  Is there an auction component to your event?  If so, you’ll need an auctioneer.  Greeting staff should be capable of collecting/distributing tickets and be provided with a seating plan to ensure all your guests know exactly where they’re going. You planner will help you determine your staffing needs. Nothing kills an event like under or inappropriate staffing.

Venue

Think about location and ambiance. Ask your event planner to recommend several venue options and visit them to assess for yourself if they will be suitable for your event.  Assess the space for logistics but also see how pleasant the venue staff is to deal with. You want to ensure your guests will be well taken care of by everyone, and that includes those who work at the location of your event.

Guest Experience

If your event is to highlight a product or brand, your guests need to be able to interact with the product and connect with the brand.  In fact, this may be the most important thing you must think through when organizing a product launch. How and when your guests have a chance to interact with the product will determine if and how a lasting and positive impression is created. A great planner can be invaluable in helping  you work this out.

Budget

When planning, be specific and stick to your budget– but do consider additional options based on your planner’s experience.  You’re better to add every line item you can think of and then trim the based on thoughtful consideration rather than having to suddenly add budget items in at the last moment. After your event, take an accounting.  Did you come under budget or go over budget — and what were the reasons for why you did or didn’t?

Overall Production

Consider production.  Are you having speakers or entertainment? Events need a production plan so that all flows smoothly.  The event planning company you are working with should have a preferred vendors list for any services and supplies they don’t handle in house. Their own production team should be clear on expectations and deliverables.

Press Coverage

Are you looking for press coverage for your event? Your events company may well have a great pr firm that can help you achieve your objectives. Certainly we do. Media advisories, social media campaigns, and art (b-roll, video and photos) are just some of what a good PR firm can help you create or source.  If getting media attention is important, you will want to involve the pr agency as quickly as possible. They may have insight into days and times of day that will be preferable for your event over others.

Photos and Video

You may wish to hire a photographer (and possibly a videographer) to document the event.  Photographs are a useful tool enabling you to review the event and evaluate its success. Also, they are powerful storytelling tools on websites and in newsletters, etc. Great photographs or video sent from an event to a media outlet can get pick up even if the outlet has not sent a reporter.

Keep in mind:

Nobody is perfect. Things happen. Your event planning company’s job is to control what they can – but sometimes, there are simply things beyond their control. Talk to your even planner about their contingency plans. Ask them the types of on the day emergencies they might expect to encounter and how they would handle them.  Chances are they have seen it all before!

Ask to be provided with a timeline.  This document creates a process for the planning of your event and will minimize the possibility of things going wrong. This will ensure that the event planner you are working with has systems in place to minimize errors.

There are thousands of details that will go into the planning of your event. Depending on what it is, it could take dozens, hundreds or even thousands of hours of event planning to bring it all together perfectly. The right event planning company will make all the difference in the world.

Some Post Event Benchmarks For Success:

1. Capacity of space versus projected attendance and flow.
2. Targeted guest list of opinion leaders, tastemakers.  Did you invite too many people or not enough? How was the turnout?
3. Successful celebrity wrangling.
4. Great post event press coverage.
5. Were the proper permits obtained for rearranging the furniture if being held in a public space and was all in accordance with fire codes.
6. Was the number of staff sufficient for your gathering? If security was planned, did they do their job?
7. Was the catering planned for the perfect amount of food and drink?
8. Did your guests compliment you on the choice of food and drinks?
9. Were guests interacting with activations and displays for your branding event?  If you had giveaways were guests excited about receiving these?
10. Did the entrance work well with a well organized red carpet area if that was required and were VIPs escorted for photo opportunities?
11. Check in area:  was it well staffed and order maintained? No gate crashers?
12. Did you need to extend the event and was your event planner able to do so and still work within your budget?

Ultimately with any event you want your guests to come away with an a great experience that leaves them feeling .  Events should come together with the appearance of ease of process—in other words all the hard work should be invisible.  Great events planning and planners will keep all the drama behind the scene.