The end of the year is approaching fast. It is a great time to celebrate with friends, co-workers and loved ones and reminisce over the past year. Organising an End-of-Year or New-Year’s Eve party requires a few key steps to deliver the best possible experience on this special night.
Are you thinking about organising a party, a dinner with friends or an office party? Discover the 5 key steps to organize your event:
The key steps to organise your party: The steps you should follow to plan your Party or New Year’s Eve are the same as those of any party – whether it be a gathering with friends, an office party, or any big event with a large audience.
Summary
1. The budget
Any event requires a budget. It can be flexible but it will be a good way to set a limit between what you want and what can realistically be achieved. It is important to plan an End-of-Year Party that matches your means. Spending too much or too little will put pressure on some aspects of the project. You can set a budget per head and ask guests for a contribution to cover the costs of your event. Whether you choose to charge your guests or not, you should use an online ticketing service to manage registration.
2. The planning
Organisation is a matter of planning! The size and scope of your event will determine how early you need to start planning as well as the number of tasks you’ll need to accomplish. You should really take the time to list all the steps, their status and plan each step carefully for a clear view of your milestones and whether or not you should delegate some tasks. Start from the date of your party to establish what should be done 1 month before, 2 weeks before, 1 week before and the day before.
3. The perfect venue
This should be sorted well ahead of the big day. Finding the perfect venue can be tricky. There are many parties during the holiday season and the most unique and interesting places will be booked quickly. Start your research by sorting your criteria between the must-haves, the important and the nice-to-have. Define those in relation to the number of expected guests, your budget, the equipment you need, the atmosphere you wish to create for your party, etc.
4. The service providers
Your party normally requires food and drink for your attendees. Sometimes these are included in the rental of the venue but you can also opt for a “dry hire” and look for external providers: caterers and bartenders tailored to the style of Party you’re planning – whether it is a dinner, a cocktail or a party. The search for a supplier can be painful, but read our previous post about this topic.
Once your guests have food and drink choices, you may want to look into entertainment. You’ll need to ensure there is music if it’s not included in the venue hire. Choose the option that best suits you: a playlist, a DJ, etc. Ask around, friends and relatives can be a great help in these situations.
Turn your party into an unforgettable evening! If you wish to give your guests a memorable evening don’t hesitate to provide a unique experience such as a token to bring home: a photo booth, a small gift, a challenge, a friendly game, karaoke or a quiz. Any idea that will provide entertainment and impress your guests is a good one! Some venues will offer entertainment, don’t hesitate to look into this.
5. The guests
Your guests are the most important part! Don’t take communication lightly if you want to reach a wider audience than the people you know directly.
Speak about your event on all your social channels. Send out early invitations and keep in touch with them so that your guests keep the date and the key information in mind and more importantly that they don’t forget about your Party or accept another invitation.
When you send out your invites why not take that opportunity to ask a few questions using a form. Some information may be useful to collect include: food allergies, convenient dates, if people want to bring a +1, etc. This is also the moment to survey guests, a theme may be appreciated which will give you a guideline for your decoration, entertainment and gifts.
If you would like to organise a professional event or a party with friends, some aspects will be different and should be taken into account.
An office party will need to meet some specific criteria that fits with the company culture: for instance, you may need to include an assessment of the year, a presentation of company results or the great projects for the year to come. Some of these elements will require equipment. Your co-workers should be told the date ahead of time so that they can make sure they are available. Hosting the party after a workday midweek may be easier for all to attend.
A party with friends requires less planning, but you should keep the steps listed above in mind to organise a great event. Perhaps you would like everyone to contribute financially to the party. If so, you can create a registration platform where guests can contribute what they want or pay a fixed price. Setting up a form can be the most convenient way to organise different elements. You may also want to keep the party private. Set up your event so that it is private and only accessible with a password that you can communicate directly to your friends.
Ready to organise your New-Year’s Eve party?
