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Event Planning

This article deals with the basics of marquee event planning with a step by step guide to arrange elements of your forthcoming event in a logical order and prioritising services which may need to be booked first. Event planning takes a degree of dedication and there is no point doing table plans or choosing place settings until much nearer the event.

Event Planning
Quick Check List:
(Some may not apply)

Event Objectives?
Rough Guest List
Preliminary Budget
Check who can come
Book Venue
Book the Marquees
Book Caterer
Arrange Generator
Book Audio Visual
Arrange Toilets
Book Entertainment
Book Photographer
Decide Theme / Decor
Send Invitations
Make Menu Choice
Book Speaker
Arrange Flowers
Book Bar
Arrange Transport
Book Accommodation
Favours (weddings)
Table Plans
Place Settings

1: Firstly you need to decide your aim and objectives of the event you intend to hold. If it's a wedding, then the answer is quite straight forward. A corporate hospitality event needs to have an objective. Determine your objectives and make a list of who you going to invite. Decide on a date and check with important or essential guests that they will be able to attend. If the marquee is not being sited at you home or work, then you will need to source a venue. It is good idea to make a budget at this stage of the planning; although in common with most major projects the final cost of your event will probably be double what you have budgeted for.

2: Arrange the tent, the venue and the caterer at more or less the same time. The marquee company and the outside caterer are the two most important contractors and the tent company will also need to understand the requirements of the caterer (see our wedding caterer or event catering articles for further information). Popular or specialist tent hire companies will take bookings and be planning an event as early as a year in advance for busy weekends.

3: We would recommend booking generators, electrical distribution and mobile toilets next (only because they are crucial elements for larger outdoor events and may otherwise get overlooked or booked up if left to the last moment).

4: Entertainment, audio visual equipment, furniture hire, theme decor and a photographer are all next on your planning hit list. Some wedding photographers can be booked very early, so if you are after one in particular then it may be advisable to move him or her up your list of event planning priorities.

5: Send out the invitations for your event and start planning the final menu choice with your chosen caterer.

6: Next you may wish to arrange a speaker, the flowers, a mobile bar company (if in addition to the event catering), linen hire and arrange favours for weddings (or gifts for corporate clients)

7: Some of your guests may be travelling some distance so well before the event you will need to be thinking about planning for transportation or over night accommodation.

8: Finally, the exciting bit (you probably did it first?) of making up table plans and creating place settings and all the final last minute preparations in your planning process.

Event Planning
Contributed by the Editor

Most larger outdoor event companies use some form of computer aided design software (CAD) to produce plans and elevations for a larger event or a wedding reception. Often this event planning service is included in the overall hire charge and might even form part of their quotation.