The big day is a few months away! Whether it's a Kids birthday, Baby Shower or Gender reveal, it all sounds like a great time BUT its needs to be planned properly. It may feel like there's so much to do with little prep time. Having a "TO DO" list will help keep you stay on the right track. Events can be stressful although they don't have to be. We always recommend not taking on more than you can handle. Finding the right help goes a long way.
Budget:Â Seeing what you can afford should always play a crucial role in planning any event. What I mean by that is if your having certain amount of guest you'll need enough food, drinks, cake, sweets, party favors etc. If you want some fun vendors/ activities like party entertainment, photographer, Dj and a party venue then you'll need a budget. For example if your budget is $2,500.00 that doesn't mean you'll choose a venue that's $2,300. Having a realistic budget will set you up for success. Start by getting quotes as soon as possible and creating your comfortable party budget. A simple list will go a long way. Its easy to go above & beyond, however everyone's budget is different. Not only will this be an important factor but it will determine what your time goes into. It seems like many clients want to become a party planners until they see how much work really goes into it. Sometimes it's worth it if you hire someone to do the "big stuff". I can't tell you how many times clients attempt to do DIY. Example: Samantha wants a very detailed balloon garland. She tries to save $375 and it comes out absolutely horrid. She arrives 2 hours early to her own event. The bad quality balloons are popping everywhere, she's starting to sweat- the panic sets in, this wasn't the greatest idea. Now her event is in 30 mins, time is passing by and she's still not done. Her Amazon balloons are acting up. My best advice, hire a professional! Saving money sometimes isn't worth it. There are some areas where you can save money, but other areas where it pays to get a professional. Next up your guest list. This will most likely determine your budget in some cases. If you have 100 people on your guest list but only have the budget of 75 something needs to change to allow you to have the party you envision. For example Sophia is inviting 85 guest to her daughters first birthday. She doesn't do catering but cooks her own food saving money. The venue offers her a sound system, tables, chairs, and linens. Sophia makes her own playlist to cut the DJ cost. Her cake and sweets are from a local bakery. The party entertainment that's hired has a package deal of face painting, balloon twisting, Magic show, Cotton candy & Character which is Elmo. Her party favors are goody boxes off of amazon with candy inside.
Venue $1,200.00
Balloon Garland $375.00
Food & Drinks $300.00
Party Entertainment $400.00
Party Favors $125.00
Photographer $500.00
Cake & Sweets $325.00
Miscellaneous $150.00 *Cups, Plates, Candles etc.
GRAND TOTAL: $3,375.00
Guest List: Let's start at the drawing board. The good ol' guest list. Your Guest list will come a long way to see how much you'll need to prep for your event. How big of a space you'll need, how much food, drinks, party favors, etc. All of that good stuff can be planned after writing out guest list. Let's say you're have about 75 guest on your list, usually the turn out is less (not always but often). I do recommend on planning for the full amount then as you start getting RSVP's it will probably lessen. Also take in account of some cancellations you'll have. Many clients come to me the week of their event telling me how many guest cancelled on them. Who got sick, emergencies, no shows etc. I have heard it all. The most important people will attend your event, I wouldn't worry too much about things you can't control.
Venue: As soon as you have your rough draft of your guest list now you can pick a party place! So your guest list of 75 is ready to go! Do you want a house party, venue, park etc? Well, if you can fit 50-75 guest inside your home, amazing. If not this is where a venue comes into play. "Where should I have my event?" Restaurant, Catering Hall, Private Party Room (Like our space)? All are good options. If you don't want to pay per person than a hall rental would be great. You also have to be open to bringing in a lot of your own stuff. Our venue we offer many options to make it stress free. If we don't offer what you need then we will recommend someone who does. One stop shops like ours are what I like to call a "Clients Dream". See what each place offers and always go with your gut. For example our venue has options for clients who want the works, like decorating, styling, kids entertainment, photographer & more. You can always transform any venue depending on what your budget is.