What is up my Eaters! I hope you all have had an amazing weekend and start to this week. Now that we have shaken off winter’s hibernation and are looking down the barrel at Spring, we are also at the threshold of what we call in the catering industry “event season”. Right now, many of us are conceptualizing and beginning to plan all sorts of events. Company picnics, birthday and graduation parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and back yard cookouts, and many more. For that reason, I thought it would be great to share with all of you a few simple things to consider as you plan. This list will help you ensure that your event, no matter what it is, will always stand out and be executed with as little stress as possible.
Event planning is something that feels quite natural to me. It is something that has been a part of me my entire life. Over the years, the following 6 six things have become pillars that my events are built on. My hope is that they will do the same for you.
Plan, Plan, Plan – Give yourselves adequate time to create the event you want. The worst thing is waiting until the last minute and having to throw your event together in the last hour. Be intentional with time management.
Budget – Set realistic expectations. Whatever it is, set your budget and stick to it. I always add 5 – 10 percent for overages.
Venue – Make sure to keep your guests comfortable; anticipate their needs. Make sure you consider all aspects that will affect your guest comfortability. There is nothing worse than going to an event and becoming uncomfortable and not having your basic needs met for the duration of the function.
Curate Guest List – People make the experience. Craft who you invite. Always strive for a heterogeneous mix of people.
Food and Drink – Prep and have something for everyone; balance is key. When creating your menus, ensure that there is never too much of any single item. Also, be preemptive and consider what would appeal to most or what is trending.
Entertainment – Create engagement. Conversation, games, music, creative activities, and live performances will always connect your guests to the event in a more meaningful way.
Planning an event can be extremely difficult. They can become very expensive and stressful. This often leads to an event host, at any level, feeling underwhelmed at the experience at best and completely avoidant and resentful of it at worst. However, this does not have to be the case.
Events are about much more than food, drink, and entertainment. They are about creating moments and experiences that stand the test of time with our loved ones. They are about reaching out into your community and making sure that even if just for one moment your guests feel seen and taken care of. They are about creating intimate experiences that have you and your loved ones thinking and talking about them for years to come. Implement the above pillars and I promise you will see your event planning experiences, and subsequent events elevate in ways you could not imagine.
If you would like to watch me go into more detail on these pillars, follow this link to The Eating Chambers Channel on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-1YC8zukB0). Also, remember that you can come to see me or my team at the Peachtree City Farmers Market every Saturday.
