It can be very tempting to want to just do things as they come up or let things go until they get too overwhelming when planning a special event. This is one of the worst things that you can do for yourself and for your guests. Getting an event together at the last minute is very stressful. Even if you simply hate planning things out in great detail, there are certain things that you must remember to do in order to make the special event memorable and enjoyable.
Remember to plan something out for the food. Even if you do not have a lot of money or cannot provide for everyone you’ve invited, you still need to make sure there is enough good food to go around. Plan a potluck event in which all of your guests bring a dish. You will likely get a good variety of food and you will not have to hire a caterer or spend too much money providing your own food.
If you do choose to hire a caterer, make sure you hire one that offers a little bit of variety for everyone on your guest list. For example, the menu should not just be all seafood and there should be vegetarian options. You want none of your guests to feel left out by not having an alternative to the main course.
Give guests plenty of time to RSVP. Send out your invitations well in advance so your guests can plan to save that particular date for your get-together. If they do not know until the last minute that you want them to arrive, most of your guests simply will not have enough time to show up. They will likely have planned something else. At the least, your guests should have about a month’s notice in advance.
Make sure there will be enough room and bathrooms for everyone. This is especially true if you have to rent a hall or other place to hold your celebration or event. If there is not enough seating for everyone or there is only one bathroom, your guests will become uncomfortable and may even leave early. Make sure everyone has a place to sit, room to mingle and move around, and that there will be enough bathrooms so that people do not have to wait in a long line to use them.
If transportation is needed, then reserve it as soon as you can. You may decide that you want to provide some type of luxury or party bus transportation for your guests. This can be great fun for everyone and very safe and convenient, too. Everyone will look forward to being driven around, so make sure that you reserve your driver and transportation in advance. It may be hard to reserve a vehicle if it is during a busy time of the year.
Ensure there will be appropriate entertainment. People like to be able to listen to music, dance, or enjoy other entertainment. Your special occasion will be much more memorable if you provide some type of good entertainment. Think about the atmosphere that you want to create at your gathering and then decide on a type of entertainment that will create that type of atmosphere.
Make sure everyone is safe. No one should get too intoxicated at your event and drive off. Children should be supervised at all times. Everyone should have as good of a time as possible without being in danger of hurting themselves or other people. It is your responsibility as a host to ensure that everyone enjoys the get-together, gets home safely, and the whole event was without incident.
