Planning a Stellar Event

Growing up, my family’s house was always the one with people over – friends, family, neighbors – all were welcome to stop by on a Friday night to hang out, grab food and just enjoy one another’s company. I LOVE a good party! I love planning them, hosting them (and, don’t tell anyone, but I even sort of enjoy the cleanup 😊). For me, any reason is a reason to celebrate the beauty of life.

As an adult, my home is just like my home as a child – full of friends celebrating whatever the occasion is. A random Sunday afternoon barbecue – check. A birthday happy hour – check. Hosting my husband’s friends after a round of golf – check. All of these things happen in my home on a regular basis. But I fully recognize, not everyone is like that. So I’m going to let you in on a few tips to make your next event at home a success.

Begin with the end in mind
Simple advice – I know, but it comes in handy to think about what the overall experience is that you want your guests to have. Do you want them to walk away learning something? Having a particular experience together?

Create a checklist
I am a fervent believer that you can never have too many lists.

Here’s a quick checklist to get you started on your planning that you can tweak based on your event needs:
One to Two Months Before (Conceptualize)
o What food is needed?
o What entertainment is ideal?
o Are there vendors that need to be contacted/hired?
o Where will the event be held?

Three Weeks Before (Plan)
o Secure venue and plan décor
o Create your invite list whether you send them via email, snail mail, phone call, etc.
o Plan menu if serving food or beverages
o Confirm vendors as needed (i.e. photographer, caterer, entertainment, novelties)

Two Weeks Before (Plan)
o Purchase décor
o Secure additional vendors as needed
o Schedule & attend initial walk through
o Acquire additional volunteers

Week of event (Finalize)
o Conduct final walk through of space
o Purchase last minute items
o Create contingency plans in case issues arise

Day Before Event (Execute)
o Decorate space
o Ensure all needed items have arrived

Day of Event (Execute)
o Have contingency plans as appropriate
o Enjoy your time!!

Assess the Results
After the event is a success, take a few moments to reflect on everything. What went well with your event? What could have been improved? Do you plan to host the event in the future again? Taking some time to meet with your team and figure out next steps for any future events.

Happy planning! Leave a comment and let me know how your next event goes 😄