Event and Meeting Details Make the Difference
Special Events Resource Directory
Invitations +Service Rentals
Invitation Pointers
Whether an invitation is delivered by e-mail, snail mail, or a personal messenger, it conveys the image and spirit of your event.
- Use invitations that get noticed. Make them stand out. Invitations need to be inviting and attractive as well as reflect the tone and image you want to convey—which should be warm, gracious, and exciting—right from the start.
- Be informative and specific. Guests need to know the purpose of the party, time, date, place, how to get there and how to dress. Also include if dinner will be served, best entrances to use, transportation information, etc.
- Proofread the invitations. Make sure everything that needs to be there is there and that there are no errors.
- Allow plenty of time for designing the invitations, printing, and mailing. Three months in advance is not to soon to start. Mail them at least a month before the event and follow up with telephone calls.
- Follow up. A gracious note after the party, on stationery that reflects the color scheme of the invitations or gift bags is also a gesture that makes your event memorable. It’s also an opportunity to provide additional information.
Guidelines for Service Rentals
Rentals can encompass anything from dinnerware and tabletop linens to chocolate fountains, A/V equipment or machines that produce fog for special effects. Production companies will generally arrange for what they need by using their own equipment or contracting with outside suppliers. Caterers and designers generally know where to go for their rentals too, since they tend to use these products frequently. The planning team will need to coordinate their efforts to make sure the image and theme of the event is upheld in every aspect of the occasion.
Often it’s advisable to let the caterers take care of the meal-related rentals—whatever is needed for the smooth functioning of the food and beverage part of the event. However, if you are dealing directly with the supplier on this, you will need to bear a few points in mind.
- overlook the rentals in structuring your party budget, or leave the looking and choosing to the last minute. Today rentals often make up a full third of the total expense of the event.
- Take the time to look at the range of possibilities and prices available. A plate, for instance, can cost as little as 60 cents, or as much as ten dollars to rent. Figure out what your priorities are in setting the table—perhaps more moderately priced stemware will serve your purposes just as well as expensive crystal.
- Figure out exactly what you need. There are many extras you might not think of that are used by the kitchen and waitstaffs. Be sure you consult the food and beverage providers to determine specifically what’s needed.
- Determine a head count and order accordingly. Have extra table settings available, though, just in case additional guests arrive or china and glassware are broken.
- Deal with a reputable supplier who can meet your needs. Look at the portfolio of merchandise available, make sure you are getting quality merchandise, select what you need, and make sure it’s available in the quantities you need at the time of your event.
- Order early and arrange for early delivery. You have a better chance of getting what you want if you order well in advance, especially during heavy party periods. Have the merchandise delivered a day or two in advance, if possible, to check for chips, cracks, and proper functioning of all equipment, from electric coffee urns to A/V units.
- Arrange for set-up and break-down. Some companies will do the setting up and cleaning up for you. Inquire. Be sure to specify when you want the merchandise removed if break-down isn’t included.
- Get a contract and read the fine print. Know exactly what merchandise you have ordered, the quantities you’re paying for and what services are provided. Be specific about charges, for renting the merchandise as well as breakage fees, and be clear about payment schedules. Standard procedure with party rentals requires sizable deposits.
Photographers +Tents +Transportation
Tips on Working With Photographers
How to make the photographs count.
- Don’t skip the photographs in the interest of saving money. They may be very useful for publicity purposes at a later date, or for annual reports, newsletters and releases, etc.
- Think about what photographs you need in advance. For many events, especially corporate functions, it is possible to hire a photographer for an hour or two to get the shots you need. It's often not necessary for the photographer to stay for the whole event. Or maybe several photographers for one hour would be the most cost-effective solution.
- Keep in mind that a photographer can be present at an event for an hour or so and deliver photographs that make it look as if he were there the whole time. Not so with video.
- Be very specific about what shots you need and in what format (digital, prints, etc.) you need them. If you want the decor and table settings photographed in advance, make sure you tell the photographer and have him show up before the party. If it's head shots of executives or just the awards presentations you need, be specific about it up front. It saves time and money.
- Photos can double as gifts. Even instant snapshots of guests arriving or posing with a celebrity can be quickly framed and given out as keepsakes at the end of the function. Or they can be mailed in a follow-up press kit or thank-you letter to bring back the fond memories of the event.
Guidelines For Using a Tent
Tents can be tailored to accommodate almost any size group, for any occasion, but tented events have a very special set of unique challenges and detailed requirements that need to be addressed. Advance time for permits and approvals must be factored in, and safety considerations are paramount.
- Consult a professional tent supplier to determine the kind of tent that best fits your needs: pole styles, frame styles, clearsided or opaque, in various colors. Some even have French doors and patios.
- Know an approximate head count to make sure the structure will be large enough to accommodate the expected crowd.
- Allow plenty of time to work out the details, including climate control, electrical set-ups, parking, rest-room facilities, dance floor if necessary, and insurance.
- Make sure all permits are secured in advance, i.e. fire and building permits.
- Make sure all decorators and production people comply with fire and safety regulations.
- Dress it up: a liner consisting of delicate folds of billowing taffeta that line the inside “ceiling” of a tent can create a dramatic effect. Lighting can also be used to striking effect.
- Get a floor for the tent. If heavy rains occur before or during the event, you’ll be glad you did.
- Full-service tent companies today may also supply tables, chairs, lights, dance floors, stages, leg drapes, climate control, power sources and other necessary supplies. Take their advice, and get everything you need up front.
Transportation Arrangements
An event starts as soon as the guests are on their way. Here are a few tips to help make their journey as smooth as possible.
- Give explicit directions. Know where your guests are coming from, by air, car, etc. Make it as easy as possible for them to arrive at their destinations.
- Minimize confusion. Have people pointing guests in the right direction along the way, whether they’re in an airport or hotel. Signs also help.
- Use your imagination. Alternative means of transportation—boats, carriages, trolleys—can add to the fun. You can even have some sort of entertainment on board, as well as food and beverage service, to start the event off on a celebratory note.
- Consider the logistics. Sometimes it makes more sense to use a bus, rather than private limos.
- How will guests return? Think about transportation after the event as well as to the site.
- Deal with reputable providers. Also, be sure to give them an accurate guest count, so no one is left behind.
- Negotiate pricing up front. Get it in writing.
Team-Building +Awards, Incentives & Corporate Gifts
Easy Team-Building Strategies
THE PRELIMINARIES:
- Know the history of group and their corporate culture. Have they participated in any teambuilding activities before? Are the participants generally aggressive or more laid back?
- Understand the objective of team exercise and choose an appropriate activity.
- Do you want the group to move around? Is a scavenger hunt, for example, appropriate?
- Have indoor back-up space available—even golf clinics can be indoors.
IDEAS FOR EVENTS:
- For events, have guests design their own table centerpieces by using a bag of materials they find on their table.
- For an instant ice-breaker, leave envelopes at place settings directing guests to tell a joke, tell a story, or describe something (even themselves).
- Have dance instructors at an event to teach guests how to dance. Be creative—do square dancing.
- At resorts with water, what about a regatta?
- Golf can be played in the snow, using brightly colored balls. Ditto croquet.
AT DINNERS:
- Divide guests into teams by having them sit according to their astrological signs, indicated on each table. (Advance research necessary!)
- Seat guests by hair color.
- Decorate tables in different colors and mix up the group as they enter by telling them to sit at the color they receive.
- Have Karaoke competitions with different tables creating their own lyrics to specified songs.
Awards, Incentives, and Corporate Gifts
While choosing an appropriate gift does require some thought, research and planning, following the few commonsense guidelines listed below will help you select an item that will communicate the desired intent and even allow you to have a little fun in the process.
- What kind of person are you choosing a gift for? Observe his or her habits, tastes, hobbies, etc., when considering what to buy. Also keep in mind your business relationship with the recipient and what message you wish to convey.
- What is the recipient’s comfort level? Too inexpensive or too lavish a gift is inappropriate and may actually have the opposite effect of what you intend.
- How can you make the gift personal but still professional? Personalizing an item by engraving, etching, stamping, etc., shows that extra thought, care and time went into the selection.
- What is your budget? Set a budget for yourself early and think ahead. Especially for items ordered in bulk or ones that need to be personalized and individually packaged and shipped, time is of the essence. Also there is more of a selection if you choose early.
- Did you include an enclosure card for a personalized greeting? Never send a gift without one. Also, never send one that is not properly wrapped.
- How will the gift will be delivered or how will it be presented? Often stores specializing in corporate gifts can handle many of the packaging, gift-wrapping and shipping details for you at minimal extra charge. Be sure to work out details in advance, though—the specifics of timing, mode of delivery, packaging, enclosure card and payment. It’s also a good idea to have a few extra gifts on hand—ones that would be generally suitable for most people on your list—so you won’t be caught short at the last moment if you need to add someone to your roster.
- Know your gift recipient’s company policy on gifts. Some corporations will not allow employees to accept gifts at all. Check before you send one.
- Customs (cultural) and customs (trade): If you are giving gifts to clients from other countries and cultures or shipping across international borders be sure to consider cultural implications and customs fees or policies. A letter opener, for instance, would not be welcomed by a person from Latin America or Japan, because it too closely resembles a knife. Leather goods may be taboo for Arab peoples. It’s illegal to ship silver to Mexico, or items made from endangered species to several countries. Even certain kinds of colors and flowers can have specific connotations. Know before you buy.
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