How To Plan A Fantastic Corporate Party

If you’ve ever planned a party of any kind before, you know the energy, time, creativity, and patience it requires. However, planning a corporate party is loaded up with even more pressure, since it involves the people you work with.

If you’ve been delegated to organize and plan a corporate party—whether it’s a charity gala, an awards dinner, or a simple company gathering—here are some time-tested tips to help you during the planning process.

Start With A List

The very first thing you should do before anything else is to make a list and keep a folder to help you stay organized. Include everything you’ll need to arrange on the list, including finding an event venue, figuring out how everyone will be invited, entertainment, food, dress code—everything! Make notes of venues and caterers you like, write down numbers, and keep receipts all in the same folder.

Make Sure The Schedule Works

Be sure to check your calendar. Don’t set the event for a date when a lot of people may not be able to come, such as a holiday, or around a big event like the Super Bowl or even the Oscars. And double-check that there are no other company events going on around the same date. You don’t want people to get burned out on work parties that are held to close together.

Find A Perfect Venue

The event venue you decide on is very important. You don’t want to hold the event in a dull office “party room”, a stuffy hotel, or an everyday restaurant. Instead, treat the guests to a luxurious venue that feels great. Get them out of their regular surroundings for awhile. Choose a sophisticated and glamorous space that compliments the event well.

Determine An Alcohol Policy

Open bars (or alcohol at all) at corporate parties can be delicate, simply because some people tend to have too many and embarrass themselves in front of their colleagues, partners, or managers. For this reason, many companies forgo drinks altogether—however, this may be an extreme measure. If you want to offer guests alcohol, but you want to keep things under control, consider having a cash bar or issuing drink tickets.

Figure Out Invitations

Corporate party invitations can be tricky. How fancy should you go? Will an e-vite work, or a company email blast? The answer to this will depend on how formal the event is, and the type of event. For example, if the event is a black-tie fundraiser, obviously nice paper invites should be ordered. If the event is a more laid-back affair to celebrate a particularly good quarter, e-vites will probably do the job.

Serve Delicious Food

One thing that is always a hit at parties is great food. Make sure to put the right amount of detail and selection into the catering service you decide on when planning a corporate party. Choose catering that is delicious, presented well, fresh, and comes with options for guests who have food restrictions (allergies, kosher, vegans, etc.). Many good event venues offer their own catering company in-house, so be sure to ask at the venue you select about this.

At Platinum Banquet Hall, we host many successful and memorable corporate parties and events. If you’re currently planning a corporate party and you’re looking for the perfect Los Angeles event venue, please contact us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.