Each year, it seems like another twelve months went by quicker than ever, and before you know it, it’s about time to organize another end-of-year party. However, things can get pretty hectic when the holidays, all the family gatherings, and work responsibilities start to pile up.
Luckily, there’s no need to panic, even if this year, it’s your responsibility to make sure all the people in your company have a great time. With just a few simple tips up your sleeve, you can easily throw a successful party they will remember for years to come.
First of all, you may want to start with a budget. It should be flexible and cover the costs of the whole event. Then, if you plan to organize it outside of the office, you may need to book a venue as well as service providers, such as bartenders and caterers and a DJ.
Read the article below for more details, and get ready to start planning!
Page Contents:
Set a Budget
The first thing you need to do when planning an end-of-year party is determine your budget. This will be the foundation of your party, and it should be flexible enough to cover the costs of the whole event, including venue rental, decorations, catering, entertainment, and other fees.
Bear in mind that the party should match the means of your organization. Spending too much money on such an event would be quite unwise, but you also should try to save as much as possible. To make things easier for yourself, you can set a certain budget for each person and then define the “main” budget based on these numbers.
If you plan something unique that may require special items, such as Aussie chargers that make it possible to prepare whipped cream on the spot, include such things in the budget, too.
Choose a Venue
Once you’ve set your budget, it’s time to start looking for a venue. There are many different types of venues you can choose from, such as hotels, restaurants, bars, or even outdoor spaces. Bear in mind that during the holiday season, most places get booked very quickly, so finding a place that is available for your date of choice can be quite challenging. In general, the earlier you start looking, the better.
The venue should be appropriate for the kind of party you plan to organize and the atmosphere you want to create. You can make the searching process easier by listing some must-haves and nice-to-haves. This way, you will have an easier time sifting through the abundance of options.
Find Service Providers
The next step for you to take is to find service providers, such as bartenders and caterers. Sometimes they are included in the price of your venue, but you also may find yourself in a situation where you’ll need to hire each service provider on your own. Remember that they should be tailored to the style of the event, whether it’s a cocktail party or a simple dinner.
By hiring experienced people who will handle these challenging parts of the party, you won’t have to worry about putting together a menu or your guests having nothing to drink. If you’re unsure where to look for them, ask your friends, family members, or coworkers who have been in charge of organizing end-of-year parties before.
Provide Entertainment
One of the most important things you can do to make your event a success is to provide entertainment. The best way to do this is to book a DJ or a band, but you can also make use of your employees’ talents in order to have a few entertaining performances.
Organizing a few games and activities is one of the best ways to keep your guests busy and ensure they enjoy the party. For example, you can set up a karaoke contest or organize a trivia with questions related to the industry you work in and some general, pop-culture ones.
Send Invitations
Once everything is ready, it’s time to send out invitations. After all, the guests are the most important element of your party! Start by announcing the event on the social pages. Then, send early email invitations using a template, so the whole thing won’t take you too long.
It’s also a good idea to send out reminders a week or two prior to the party. This will help ensure that everyone who is supposed to come will be able to do so.
In Conclusion
End-of-year parties are always fun and memorable, but only if they are organized in a professional manner! If you forget about the little details while organizing and don’t set a budget from the very beginning, you may end up spending much more money than you anticipated.
Make sure that you start with a budget and then move on to checking out the venue and hiring service providers. You should also make sure that your guests won’t get bored in the middle of the party, so think about some entertainment options. As soon as you do that, the rest of the party planning process will go smoothly.
