While there are thousands of different kinds of functions that you could be planning, one thing always remains true – your audience is the most important part of your event. In addition to addressing your attendees’ needs, there are a few other key factors that will guide you to a successful event. 

Invitations

Invitations are one of the most important components of any event. Just like a “save the date” wedding invitation, these should be kept short and sweet to allow your attendees to focus on the information at hand. It’s okay to include more detailed information along with the invitation, but oftentimes this can lead to an overload of information, and can cause your attendees to overlook the main points: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Making Your Menu

Making menu selections is usually any event planner’s favorite part! However, it’s easy to get carried away and forget to take certain aspects into account when making your menu. Don’t forget to always consider how the food will be served and how much time your attendees will have to enjoy their meal.  If you find yourself planning a formal dinner, you might want to shy away from self-serve buffets and messy finger foods, but if you’re throwing a casual birthday party, this could be your ideal setup. Have any vegetarians in your crowd? Chefs don’t always have alternative dishes prepared, so be sure to communicate any special requests with your caterers. 

Rehearsals

We’ve all been there, whether it’s in the audience or as the presenter – the slideshow won’t start, the microphones aren’t working, there aren’t enough tables, or maybe it’s something else. The best solution to these problems? Always hold a rehearsal when it’s possible. This is beneficial not only to you as the event planner, but also to some of your presenters, fellow team members and other vendors who benefit from the time to rehearse in an official setting beforehand. Of course, a full rehearsal isn’t always possible, but at the very least any equipment should be tested beforehand. 

The End

It might be over, but it’s not really over until you’ve had your post-event meeting. It’s important to meet with your team and discuss some key questions, such as: What would everyone have done differently? What went well? What didn’t go well? The answers to these questions will be fresh on everyone’s mind shortly after the event, but the longer this is put off, the less likely your team will be to share details.