When planning an event, it can be easy to get lost in the details: drinks, catering, entertainment, seating charts, venue. When the day of the event comes, some hosts realize that they did so much behind the scenes preparation, they aren’t ready for actually hosting the event itself. Keeping it simple while planning and hosting an event can protect your sanity and save you from stress, but it can also help you find the deeper meaning behind why you decided to throw the event in the first place. Here are a few tips:
Find the Underlying Purpose & Commit
Committing to a greater purpose for your event will make sure it doesn’t come across as bland or without personality. Before you begin planning, ask yourself, “why are we gathering?” and “why is it important?” Each time you give yourself an answer, reach even deeper by asking yourself “why?” again. This will help you find the true meaning of the event – and it might be deeper and more serious than you realized! Asking these questions will help you stray from throwing the same kind of event over and over again, or letting yourself get lazy by thinking, “this is the way we’ve always done it, and it works.” You have the opportunity to find the true underlying purpose of your event or gathering, and you can continue to remind yourself of it throughout your planning and hosting.
Strategize About the Space
A huge part of what makes an event successful is all of the work done behind the scenes before the event even starts. It might be tempting to find the biggest, most luxurious space for the event, but bigger isn’t always better. If you have more space than guests, the event will feel poorly attended and it won’t be as easy for guests to find each other, mingle, and visit. If your guest list is huge, create smaller, contained areas for different groups to use. That will maintain a sense of community and coziness that might be lost in a cavernous event space.
Use the Invitation to Tell a Story
You might be tempted to use a basic invitation template that simply states who, when, and where, but you have the opportunity to do something bigger and more fun. The invitation is your chance to set the tone for the event and make it feel personal before guests even arrive. Start with a brief, three-to-five-sentence explanation of the true purpose of the event, so that guests can connect to it and will be more encouraged to accept the invitation. If there will be any special entertainment, games, drinks, or menu items, this is a good chance to give some hints about them that will build intrigue and create suspense.
Set the Tone in the First Few Minutes
Guests at an event tend to have the strongest memories of the very beginning and very end of the event. As a host, this creates an opportunity to have a strong opening and closing. Don’t focus on the small details or logistics of the event once guests start arriving. If you get bogged down in last-minute snafus, you won’t be there to greet guests and thank them for coming. People will wander in feeling purposeless. Instead, greet groups of guests at the door or lobby and usher them into the party area personally. Offer them a special drink, make a toast, and thank them for coming. Keep in mind the underlying purpose of the party, and reference it in your welcome speech.
Set Some Ground Rules
As a host, you’re the person who unifies all of the guests. You’re the common denominator and their reason for being in the same space at the same time. That gives you a lot of power, and a lot of responsibility! You need to set some ground rules ahead of time so the party doesn’t turn into a free for all. Don’t leave your guests to themselves all night and hole up in a corner with your closest friend. Go around and chat with everyone, finding small ways to point out what they have in common, or using subtle strategies to start conversation and set the tone. If one person is dominating the conversation, find a subtle way to regain equality. Setting ground rules forces people to be more present and participate in the moment.
Be Decisive in Your Closing
Much like your event’s opening, the closing is going to end up being a memorable moment for guests. Don’t let people trickle out slowly without fanfare until one person is finally left behind feeling awkward. As the evening draws to an end, suggest that all the guests gather together in one room for a last drink, a toast, or a final game. Thank everyone for coming, and give a good-bye speech of sorts (but keep it simple and brief). Walk each group of guests to the door and tell them you hope you’ll see them again soon. As a final, memorable touch, give them a small keepsake or treat as they leave. It can be as simple as a bar of fancy chocolate or a flower.
Hire a Catering Company
Finally, in order to have time to be a good host throughout the event, you need to give up control of some of the elements of event planning. Hiring a catering company will allow you to relax and enjoy your hosting duties without always having your mind elsewhere. A catering company can help you plan the menu, hire waiters and bartenders, and set up tables, chairs, and linens. They will arrange for party rentals, musicians, flowers, and bartending services so that your primary focus can be on creating memorable connections and experiences with your guests.
Call Us at Tucson Creative Catering to Begin Planning Your Next Event
At Tucson Creative Catering, we have a staff of trained, professional event planners in Tucson, AZ whose goal is to help hosts create a memorable event. We can help you with every detail of your event, big and small. We specialize in creating individualized menus, and setting the scene with specialized decor, costumes, entertainment, and party rentals. Our basic event planning includes:
- Menu Selection
- Bartending Services
- Equipment Rentals
- Entertainment
- Games
- Team Building Activities
- Tenting of any size
- Site Selection
- Layout
- Decor
- Props
- Sound
- Lighting
- Floral
Call us today at (520) 690-0146 to set up a free consultation to discuss the details of your event. We work closely with each client to design an event that meets their individual tastes, budget, and needs. You can also fill out our online contact form for a call back regarding a consultation.