Have you been tasked with organising the all-important Christmas party but don’t know where to start? We know how overwhelming this can be. However, here are Story’s seven top tips to successfully finding and planning your perfect event.
1. Date
Have you decided on the most suitable date for your Christmas party? If you have, that’s great! Having a fixed date for your Christmas party can be really useful to narrow down venues based on whether or not they have availability. However, as we approach the latter part of the year, to allow you a greater choice of venues having flexibility on the date and day of the week could work out in your favour. You might even get better offers in price if you go for an off-peak day. For example, earlier in the week are almost guaranteed to be less expensive than a Wednesday or a Thursday.
2. Budget
Working out your budget is a big priority when looking to book a Christmas party, as it helps to determine the types of venues, catering, entertainment, production and décor that you are able to consider for your Christmas party. Most of our clients will prioritise budgeting for catering and the venue over anything else, however, you may find that allocating more of your budget to theming and entertainment is a higher priority for you. Here at Story, we completely understand that every client’s needs are different and that especially in this current climate our clients are looking to get the most for their money. Our expertise is knowing where best to focus the budget and also working in partnership with our clients in coming up with creative solutions to ensure you get the very most from your budget, with support in effective negotiation. So please let us know if you are looking for help with this!
3. Location
Location is a very important consideration to any successful event. The venue being located near to your offices, or easily accessible from main line stations is key to ensure maximum attendance. When deciding on the location that will work best for you, it is very important to ensure you do not feel overwhelmed with the venue search. At Story, we are up to date with the latest venues, and will be able to assist and find a great venue for your party in your desired location or be able to recommend a more suitable venue within close proximity.
4. Theme
When looking to book a Christmas party, having a theme in mind can be really helpful to narrow down the best venue. It may be that you are looking for a completely blank canvas space to dress entirely to your design, or you may be looking for a venue that comes pre-themed, so you do not need to worry about the hassle! We find creating mood boards to be beneficial when trying to decide your theme, this is something that Story can produce for you to help think of new and creative themes for your party. We absolutely love working with our clients to create a look and feel for their Christmas events that help to create a truly bespoke event.
5. Format
The format you would like to host your party will set the scene for the whole event. If you choose a standing reception, people will be moving about and mingling for the duration of the evening. If you choose a seated meal, guests will be able to mingle during the reception, and then move to a more permanent position for the rest of the evening, a perfect way to get to know your colleagues a bit better! Dance floor, or no dance floor? All of these things will need to be taken into consideration when choosing your venue and layout as this could be a deciding factor on whether the venue has enough space to cater for the round tables and dance floor at the same time, or if there will need to be a time later in the evening where some of the tables are removed to create enough space for the dance floor.
6. Numbers
Deciding on the number of guests you intend to have at your Christmas party is one of the most important requirements, as it impacts all of the above. The number of guests will impact the layout you are able to have at a chosen venue, as they may only have capacity for a standing reception rather than a seated 3-course Christmas meal. It is very important that you choose a venue that is the right size, to ensure that you are not paying for space that you just don’t need, although it is important to ensure there is space for numbers to increase should you have new starters joining the company. The more guests you have, the more the budget will need to expand.
7. When to use an event management agency
Story Events will become an extension of your team and will be on hand at all times throughout the planning process through to the execution of your Christmas party. We only manage corporate events therefore we are specialists in this field. We have an in-house Production Manager which means that we are able to supply you with CAD plans, floor plans, graphics, content creation and specialist advice throughout the planning process. Having our in-house Production Manager also allows us to protect our clients in terms of ensuring we get the best price as well as the best equipment for each of our events that we plan. In addition, Story has strong connections to Venue Search London, as we all work in the same office. This means we can use their ‘back office’ and industry venue knowledge to aid our venue searches when matching our clients with the perfect venue!
Do you need help planning your perfect Christmas celebration? Contact us here!
