Event planning can be a tedious task for some of us to handle, especially when it’s your first time planning an event, no matter the scale. I have narrowed it down to what I believe are the 6 main elements, one should consider when planning any event.
Theme /Vision: Personally, this is one of the most important elements because it is the foundation for the entire event. When brainstorming your theme/vision keep in mind the following:
- The specific type of event you’re planning such as a wedding, baby shower, birthday party, bridal shower etc.
- Whether you’re planning this special occasion for yourself or someone else you should consider a few factors for the person/s to be celebrated: fashion sense, Favorable and disliked colors and patterns, and characteristics about the person that is known to be important.
- When finalizing your theme, ask yourself does it truly represent you and the ambience you want your guests to feel?
Scenario: Last year a friend of mine asked me to plan his mother’s surprise 50th Birthday party. Being a guy he had no clue where to start (sorry guys, don’t take it personal) so it was my job to plan every element from start to finish. However, I must give him credit (just in case he reads this) for his assistance when choosing the décor and setting up. Luckily for me I know his mother very well, so brainstorming a theme was fairly easy. She has great pride in her New Orleans background, her favorite color is pink and she loves sparkly things. The theme I decided to go with was Mardi Gras; using pink, black, and silver as the colors.
Budget: Some readers might be wondering why budget wasn’t listed first as the most important. I am a firm believer that just about any theme can be adapted to meet the required budget. Focusing on the budget first can be stressful, eliminating all the joy from the planning process. To create a budget:
- Figure out the total number of funds that is definitely affordable for you to spend.
Ladies and Gents, when I say “definitely affordable” I mean don’t plan for a budget of $6,000, if you only have $4500 and you’re waiting for Grandma Shirley to give you $1500. Unfortunately, promised money doesn’t come sometimes and no one wants to be in a predicament, where you’re scrambling to pay the balance on your cake or flowers.
- Then itemize each expense into categories and sub categories as follows:
- Venue,
- Food
- Alcohol
- Cake
- Entertainment
- Décor
- Floral
- Lighting
Event Décor –
Besides theme this is one of my favorite elements because the possibilities are endless and one can be very creative. Your event décor should go hand in hand with your theme. This is where your guests experience the vision you created for the event. Event
Décor covers a wide range of elements within event planning such as, the furniture, lighting, floral, linens, and print materials (invitations, menus, etc). My only suggestion is to have fun with the décor elements and keep your budget in mind. In the age of technology and DIY there is a cost effective option for every theme.
Venue- Simply, choose a venue that is suitable to your theme and within budget. Be mindful of the following factors: Weather conditions (determines indoor/outdoor venues), amenities included in the rental fee, convenience of the location for your guests, and the space capacity.
Food- Food entails your beverages, menu options, and desserts. Food is the element that allows for an array of options and can be adjusted to satisfy the budget.
Options include the following:
- Passed hor d’oeuvres vs. 3 course meal
- Premium Alcohol vs. Standard Alcohol
- Cake vs. Cupcakes
Depending on your specific type of event, there may be the option to serve food and non -alcoholic beverages. There are many possibilities when deciding on food.
If you’re a foodie like me, you might spend all of your money here, lol.
Entertainment- Entertainment is a must for most events. Unless it’s an intimate dinner party, where guests should be socializing with each other. Even then a little background music wouldn’t hurt. Entertainment options include, DJ, Band, aerialists, performance acts, etc; the choice is completely up to you.
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