It's not too late to plan your festive party

As of today it’s officially Christmas, well as far as I’m concerned, and I’m in the festive spirit. Which has got me thinking about all the parties and fun stuff going on this time of year. If you’re cutting it a bit fine and haven’t sorted your festive party yet, here are a few tips to help you get things off the ground....

FIRST THING FIRST - WHAT SORT OF PARTY?

What can you realistically achieve in the time you have? How much money have you got to spend and how many people are helping? Start off by thinking about whether it should be formal or informal or how big? Set some goals for what you want to achieve.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GOT TO SPEND?

It’s easier than you think to overspend when organising an event. Be specific about how much you want to spend. Create a budget and allocate a certain amount of money to each element. Expect the unexpected – think about everything that you might have to spend money on, from entertainment, to staff to insurance.

WHO DO YOU WANT TO INVITE?

Depending on the type of event you’re organising, think about who you want to target to come to your party. If the event is public, have you got a list of people you want to send an invite to? Have you thought about how you’re going to promote your event? Think about your options.

WHERE IS THE EVENT GOING TO TAKE PLACE?

Before you book the venue, take into account who will be coming, how easy will it be to get there? How accessible is the venue by public transport? What is the parking like? This will not only increase the number of attendees coming, but will add to the experience on the night.

RESEARCH THE VENUE FIRST

Okay, you've found a perfect location but make sure the venue ticks all the boxes for your event. Is it big enough? Are there noise restrictions? What time does it stay open until? Do they require you to bring anything? Have they got everything you need?

HOW DO YOU WANT TO CATER YOUR EVENT?

Food and drink can make or break a party. What sort of food and drink would go down well at your party? What style of food will suit your guests? Buffet, canapés, food stalls, sit down meal? Will you need to have cocktails or champagne at the reception? Do you need to hire waiters?

HOW ABOUT HAVING A THEME?

Everyone are always in the mood to let their hair down over the festive season. A theme might just give your party a fun boost. It doesn’t have to be a Christmas theme, it could be anything from James Bond, to Movie Stars to just a simple black tie event. Compliment the theme by decorating the room, having live entertainment and table decorations.

WHAT SORT OF ENTERTAINMENT?

Good entertainment is the key to a good party. If you’re going to include performers, make sure you do your research. Ask for testimonials and make sure they or the company you use is reliable and reputable. Have they got a show reel you can see? Think about who is coming to your party and what entertainment they would react well to. There are lots of agencies that can help with this sort of entertainment.

MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT A PLAN

There is so much to remember when organising a party. Too much information to keep in your head. Get organised. Create a detailed itinerary for the night. Include contact telephone numbers and exactly what time who and what arrives.

GETTING YOUR INVITATIONS RIGHT

The invitation you create is the guest’s first impression of what your event will be like, so make it a good one. Most importantly make sure you include all important information. Dress code, date, time it starts and finishes, is there food and drink available, the address, who to RSVP to, how much it costs.

HOW WILL YOU SELL TICKETS FOR YOUR EVENT?

Are you charging for a ticket to your event? Have you thought about how to take the bookings easily and efficiently? Taking secure payments on-line couldn’t be easier. If you use EventElephant you can take secure payments, send email invites, upload your event to facebook, see whose coming and who isn’t, send follow up emails and create a stylish event website.