5 Tips To Streamline Your Holiday Party Planning

Happy Monday, friends!

The holiday season is quickly approaching and we want to share 5 tips for streamlining your holiday party planning. Whether you’re planning a corporate holiday party or an intimate dinner at your home these tips will be useful and guide you in the right direction to create an unforgettable experience.

1. Start Planning Early – Venues book a year (or more) in advance for holiday parties so if you have your mind set on a particular venue or restaurant – reach out to them asap. You’ll want to solidify your venue so you can get all of the other pieces in place. If you weren’t able to get a head start on planning, don’t worry, get a game plan in place and start researching local venues where you can host your event.

2. Stay Organized – Ensure that every i is dotted and t is crossed. As soon as you secure your venue you will want to start the process of securing your creative team, including event planner, designer (many companies offer both planning & design services so you’re able to get the most bang for your buck), catering, photography, rentals, entertainment, etc. There are a host of ways to stay organized, from online project management systems that streamline the process, to your event planner. Planner tip: use the no-cost project management tool, Trello to stay organized and on task during the planning process. You can collaborate with your planning committee so that everyone stays in the loop.

3. Create an Experience – I always tell client’s your event is more than a party, you’re creating an experience for every guest in attedace. You want your event to tell a story and for guests to walk away having had an amazing time. When we work with client’s on their holiday parties we want to ensure that the experience begins with the first piece of information they receive for the event, oftentimes a formal invitation or for some of our corporate clients a branded e-invitation or e-blast. If you’re hosting a holiday party for your clients or donors include little details that are important to them.

4. Remember the purpose of the event – Whether you’re hosting an intimate event at your home or a corporate gathering for your staff, it’s important to remember the “why” behind the event. You want to create an experience for your guests in celebration of the holidays or the year end. For our corporate clients we recommend focusing on employee recognition and showing gratitude for your staff and colleagues. Keep the event fun and celebratory so that staff look forward to the event year after year.

5. Have Fun! After all of your hard work be sure that you create an atmosphere of fun for your guests. Allow them to enjoy delectable food,  refreshing beverages and amazing entertainment while celebrating the holidays.

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We truly hope these 5 tips assist you as you break out the china in your home and prepare to receive guests or as you coordinate the employee recognition awards you will present to your hard working staff at the office holiday party.  Cheers to streamlining (and enjoying) the planning process.

Photo Credit: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com