Six Ways To Keep Your Corporate Event On Budget!
Warmer temperatures and longer days have arrived, which means event season is upon us. Whether you’re planning an end of year party, fundraiser, product launch or conference, one of the most important aspects of any corporate event is keeping the budget under control. Follow these six tips and you may even find you have money left over!
1. Plan Ahead for Your Event
Being taken by surprise is a sure-fire way to derail any budget. This is why it’s important to be thorough when putting your event running sheet together. You’re more likely to formulate an accurate budget if you’ve covered all bases. If you come up against costings you’re not certain of then do some research and make educated guesses. Or you may be able to take information from similar events that have happened in the past. Then talk to your suppliers in person to ensure that there are no hidden costs. And, finally, once you have formulated your budget, it’s important to take control. For example, be sure you’re the one who makes the final decisions on suppliers and the last person to sign off on any spending. By planning ahead you can also cut down on other costs like shipping. Express shipping can be expensive and you don’t want to have to cover last minute sky high courier fees.
2. Do Your Research
When it comes to getting the right price, research is key. Your best bet is to go with suppliers that are credible, reliable and offer the best quality products possible. This goes for everything from food to table linen and decorations. Experienced vendors like Luna Wedding and Event Supplies have a history of catering to well-known organisations including councils, government clients, trade shows and corporate companies, which means you can be assured they’ll be reliable on the day and leading up to it. It’s also very important that your vendors are easy to contact and offer support over the phone.
3. Find the Perfect Venue
It will be tempting to go with a venue that offers package deals including food and drinks, but you will be surprised at how much money you can save if you BYO. Quite often you’ll find that the big liquor stores are doing the best deals on alcohol. And by supplying your own caterer you will have more flexibility when it comes to creating a food budget. If your venue is a ‘blank canvas’ then you have the option of throwing a cocktail style event, which is cheaper than a formal sit-down dinner. And when it comes to making your venue look amazing don’t be afraid to DIY, this way you can take advantage of wholesale pricing on event linen and decorations from Luna Wedding and Event Supplies.
4. Keep Your Decorations Cheap and Cheerful!
A ‘blank canvas’ venue isn’t just a cheaper option, it’s also a chance for you to show some creative flair! Once you’ve come up with a fabulous theme, it’s time to contact Luna Wedding and Event Supplies, who can provide you with a huge range of event linen at wholesale prices including table cloths, table runners, napkins, chair covers, chair bands and loads more. You’ll have support over the phone so you can get your order right the first time. Plus, given enough lead time, Luna Wedding and Event Supplies can also manufacture certain products in custom colours (imagine table runners or chair bands in your company’s colours!), to give your event a personal touch.
5. Make Your Entertainment Socially Acceptable!
Nowadays the cheapest forms of entertainment are also the ones that will get your event the most kudos on social media. A DIY photo booth is a perfect example. You can set up the booth yourself with these fabulous sparkly backdrops and provide some simple props and decorations. Gif booths are also becoming popular and make it easy for your guests to share motion selfies on their Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. And by coming up with a party hashtag it will be easy to round up all the photos from the night to display in the office.
6. Cut Price Catering
For a long time the word ‘buffet’ has been synonymous with ‘daggy’ but, recently, the old steel bay marie has been given a makeover. Street style food stations and food trucks are hugely popular and can present a cheap option when it comes to feeding en masse. You can also incorporate these into themes, for example Classic Carnival Food (think chargrilled corn, sliders and deep-fried funnel cake – yum!), Mexican Fiesta (tacos, tamales and chips with guac and salsa) and Asian Fusion (rice paper roles, pad thai and curry puffs). Everything you need to dress up your food station tables is available from Luna Wedding and Event Supplies including fitted tablecloths and table skirting, along with dry bar covers that will wrap around cocktail style tables and stands. Remember that by purchasing quality products from Luna Wedding and Event Supplies you’re saving money for events down the track because they will stand the test of time and still look fantastic after being used multiple times!