Written by Dianna Candido
Photo Credits: Fun and Confetti
Your guide to planning private parties and small corporate events
Whether it’s a birthday party or a corporate mixer, you’ve got some planning to do.
So when should you start?
Well, now might be a good time. According to experts in the industry, “earlier” is always better. Party planning takes time, effort, energy, and (you guessed it) money. Getting started might feel overwhelming, but once you start, you’ll find it’s easier to deal with each stage as it happens, instead of trying too hard to anticipate what every little piece of the puzzle will entail.
We’re here to guide you through the entire party planning process, so you don’t have to worry about what to do and when.
Months 12-18 for Bigger Parties (Months 5-9 for Smaller Parties)
Ideation + Book your party planner
This is the time to figure out exactly what your event is, what its purpose is, and what you want your guests to experience. Is it a celebration? A corporate team-building event? Do you want to do a specific theme? Figure out the big picture before you worry about the details.
But you need to do it sooner rather than later.
This first step has a large window because once you get this done, you’ll know whether you need to book a venue.
PSA: If you’re not doing your event at a private residence, you need a venue. The earlier you book the better, which means you should get your ideation out of the way pronto so you can move on to that next step asap.
A party planner is also crucial to the start of your planning journey because they’ll have the expertise to guide you on each of the following steps, so now’s the time to partner up.
Choose date and time + Book your venue
The date and time of your event might be flexible, and they might not. If you’re dead set on a certain date, that might affect the venue you choose. If you’re set on a certain venue, your date and time might adjust based on availability. Once you do the research and settle on this trifecta, go ahead and officially book your venue.
If you don’t need a venue because you’re using a private residence and planning a smaller party, you don’t need to start as soon. (Hence the wide timeline range at the top of this list, and why getting support from a party planner helps you nail down that planning timeline.)
Myri Dujovne, founder and CEO of Fun and Confetti, a full-service event planning and balloon service company, says “For a private event at someone’s home, we’ll start in August or September for an early December event.”
On the other hand, if you’re planning a corporate event, “Lots of venues get booked really far in advance, and caterers get full early on too,” so book that venue asap.
Book your other vendors
Now it’s time to put deposits down and get your name on the books. Once your venue is booked it’s time to lock down your other vendors:
Photographer
DJ
Guest Speakers
Caterer
Event rental
By now you’ll need to know how many people you're inviting, and how many you expect to actually attend.
Months 6-10 Larger Events (3-6 Smaller Events)
Nail down details
This includes the menu, decor, extra entertainment, etc.
Figure out any gaps that haven’t been filled (did you actually book that limo driver? Or maybe you actually do want a balloon twister at your son’s birthday party…).
If you’re organizing the party on your own, use this time to finalize the details and ensure everything is in place, including decor and the setup/takedown arrangements. While some decor or event rentals might not be purchased or rented until closer to the event, now is the time to decide what you can source locally in the days leading up to the party and what needs to be arranged in advance. Normally vendors like balloon artists, marquee letters, and backdrops have limited inventory or can take up to a certain amount of events per day, so the earlier you reach out the better.
If you’re using a party planner, they’ll be the ones taking care of these details, while getting your input and staying in touch with you. For full party planners like Fun and Confetti, they do this part for you, including providing all decor.
Weeks 6-12
Weeks 8-12 is when you’ll send your invites. This is usually the sweet spot, although your party planner will confirm when to send them for your specific party or event. If you send invitations too early, your invitees may forget about the event, so make sure you don’t send it too far in advance. Waiting too late is even worse, as guests need ample time to mark their calendars and make arrangements for childcare and travel.
Weeks 5-8 is when you should confirm details with vendors. Vendors will communicate with you when they need final numbers from you, so make sure to mark their requests on your calendar. This is typically when we see vendors need that final guest count and final go-ahead from you or your party planner.
Weeks 3-4 Whew! At this point you’re probably getting pretty excited — and so are your vendors. This is when a final detailed walkthrough is done with decor providers and setup support, and confirming any other last-minute details including who will be your point person for day-of coordination.
1 Month Post Event
Don’t forget the follow up!
Send a photo and a thank you for attending the event, pen your thank you’s to gift bearers, send a thank you to your team, etc. Now is the time for a little reminder of the event, and to show your appreciation for guests who attended. If you had vendors that went above and beyond, a thank you is, of course, always appreciated.
Get the support you need to make your event a success
Clearly, there are a lot of details when it comes to planning your event, but don’t get overwhelmed. Instead, use this list to take your event planning head-on.
The one thing you can do to ensure your event is a success? Book a party planner. (Bonus points if they’re a full-service party planner like Fun and Confetti!)
Without a doubt, the best decision you can make to ensure your party gets planned and goes off without a hitch is partnering with a party planner.
Party planners will give you expert advice, insights, and if they’re a full service party planning company like Fun and Confetti, they’ll take care of everything for you. Reach out to Fun and Confetti, and see what magic you can make happen together.
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