I have been regretting something for months now, I admit. The excitement I felt in last year’s 2nd year birthday celebration of my dear Hunter has obviously faded, but a little flaw from the event preparation remained unforgettable in my mind. I cannot let it just pass without sharing to the world how it went. See DIY Candy Buffet to appreciate more. This post, however, is not about that particular Birthday party, but will kinda revolve around a part of it…
Why? Because, for a normally forgetful person like I am, it is unlikely that up until now, I still remember what went wrong, or what I thought was most annoying in my daughter’s party set-up last year.
See these pictures and tell me what was missing.
It would have made a lot of difference if there was table cloth at the front table. (Photo was taken at one of my friends’kid birthday party)
Whether we are holding a family event, or are being tasked to oversee a corporate event, a trade show, a conference, or anything that has to do with our career (in my case being a career mommy), it is crucial to be able to pull-off a good one right out of our sleeves. The key, perhaps, is to identify all the nitty-gritty and put ‘em all together in one ‘master’ plan. Easier said than done, I know. That’s why I came up with this list.
The photos below show how organized and elegant any event looks with a wi bit of details not forgotten… How dainty those linens are? Right?
Set your Goals. Map the event. Make a realistic timeline. Determine your date and time. Set your logistics. While you won’t need a full run through of the event, it is important that everyone working the event know ahead of time their respective responsibilities, as well as the over-all flow of the event.
Never Assume. In setting your event goals, do not think things will just fall into place without you exerting an effort to. Learn to follow up and follow through. Take it from someone who learned the hard way, I assumed that the staff would automatically provide these small details, since it’s part of all the functions the store offers, but unfortunately, I was wrong.
Align your Budget. Every event need to have a list of the expenses of everything required to make the event a success. Make sure to also leave a little extra in your budget for unforeseen costs.
Do the Legwork. Designate if you have to but make sure you are in control of everything about the event. If you need to do so in advance, don’t hesitate. Start coordinating with your suppliers and contact persons. Purchase the necessary supplies, this is where you are going to need a detailed list of the must buy items, from booths, lighting, stage, backdrops, chairs, tables, premier table linens trade show table covers. You can either buy or rent these things that I just mentioned. If you are having catering or entertainment, you may consider talking to your suppliers about what more they would possibly need.
Give More Attention to Details. Again let me put emphasis at this one. The most important thing in any event, is making sure even the smallest details are flawless. It is important that the event runs smoothly and on time as well.
Don’t Procrastinate. It may be tempting to always leave things for tomorrow, but I tell you, if you are not good at handling piles of backlogs, and could not work well under pressure, then better do things according to its pace. Doing the otherwise, will only result to missing on things (like what happened at my daughter’s event).
Always Have a Back-up Plan. Regardless of your effort, organizing an event can be a bit stressful to people involved since it is about pulling a number of tasks and elements together.
Don’t be hard on yourself (note to self). Expect that sometimes you may be let down as you can’t help but be reliant on others, so hope for the best but always prepare for the worst, and when the unforeseen happens, just revert to your back-up plan.
