Have you been tasked with planning the annual company holiday party this year? Don’t panic! We have a few simple tips that can help you plan a memorable event that will help boost employee morale, giving your co-workers an experience they will remember.
The most important items to consider are: what theme you’d like the party to have, where it should take place (hint, hint! We’ve got a GREAT suggestion for you!), the date that will work for most the people invited, how many people will be coming, and what food and drinks you would like to have served during the party.
The easiest time to host your company holiday party might be during the lunch hour. Employees are already going to be all together, and most venues will lower room rental rates for weekday daytime events. This is also a great time to host your event because it isn’t cutting into anyone time off, like a weekend event will.
If you are unable to host a weekday event, you might want to consider a Monday evening party, where people can go straight from work to the event.
Now for the fun part – choosing the food for your party! You have two main choices – plated meals or a buffet. Your menu should reflect the theme of your event, and it is fun to also choose food items that match your company’s colors or reflect the brand in some way. While buffets are simple and allow for people to mingle while they stand in line, plated meals are often more cost effective, and look a bit more elegant.
Our event planners are always willing to work with you on finding décor that fits both your budget and your brand. We also offer centerpieces with all our packages with floating flowers and candles in your choice of colors, adding a bit more flair to each table.
If you are hosting a lunchtime event, you might choose to make all the beverages non-alcoholic, but if it’s held in the evening or on a weekend, you will need to decide how you are going to limit the amount of alcohol offered at your party. We suggest creating a few signature cocktails to reduce costs of offering a full bar. You also might want to think about how much time you serve alcoholic options. Perhaps the bar is only open during the meal or perhaps you close it early. This not only helps control costs, but also limits the amount employees are drinking while at the event.
With a bit of planning, you can easily create a budget friendly event that your organization will have a great time at, and we’d love to help!