T: 07929 092 190

E: guy@ffwd-food.co.uk Outside Food Catering Service

Event Planning

Helpful check list – Planning an event

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1.       Plan early, what type of event do you want – particularly important if you haven’t done this before. Make an event timetable, who, what, when, where, and probably why.

2.       What is the event for – aims, goals, objectives, outcomes, budget.

3.       Decide and agree who is in overall charge of the event.

4.       Who will come? Set party size – get a good idea of how many people will realistically turn up.

5.       Set the date and time of day. Can you be flexible?

6.       Choose a venue – hotel, village hall, marquee, and check that they will accept outside caterers and your other ideas and needs. Discuss it with them in detail. {link to venues}

a.   Check – car parking, public transport, taxi services, local accommodation. Access to venue time for caterers, organisers performers, event start time, end time, clear up – who is responsible.

b.   Who will run the bar or provide the drinks, check the licence, who will staff the bar or act as waiting staff.

c.    Meet & greet arrangements

7.       Shortlist 3 caterers. Start with a bigger list, look at them on the internet, talk to previous customers, and discuss your proposals and ideas with the last 3 (Listen to their ideas. Have they done similar events before?) Discuss – Menu, timing – start and end, local food, fresh food, from frozen, where will they cook and how far is the kitchen from the tables. Have the caterers worked at this event before?

8.       Wait staff, self-service, buffet, family style (dishes at the centre of each table), what will staff wear? {Link to Event Organisers and Suppliers}

9.       Who will provide – venue, tables & chairs, table décor, flowers, glasses, room décor, lighting, waiting staff, bar staff, drinks, M.C, projection and sound equipment. Are all the costs included? {Link to Event Organisers and Suppliers}

10.   Music, entertainers, performers, – what space will they need, staging, performers facilities, changing room, power supplies, noise levels acceptable by the venue and neighbours, access times for sound check and clear up.

11.   Photographer, who will do photographs, when will they be available after the event. Has the photographer done this kind of event before – check references and previous work. {link to photographers}

12.   Does somebody need to be responsible for press coverage and PR.

13.   Check references and experience of all involved. Previous customers are usually pleased to give you a few minutes of their time whether they were happy or not! Are venue, caterers, and other suppliers happy to work together as a team?

14.   Get a quote with the details written down. Deposit, cancellation arrangements, when is the balance due, is VAT included in the price.

15.   Invitations, publicity, place names, table menu and/or agenda/timetable. {Link to Event Organisers and Suppliers}

16.   Enjoy