If you are in charge or responsible for the planning and running of an event, whether it be corporate, private, or charity, there are many things you will have to consider. With seemingly hundreds of decisions you’ll need to make, you’ll certainly want to make smart decisions. So, how do you make important event planning decisions?
All those important decisions you have to make will ultimately end up shaping the event itself. Whether you are running a personal event, an event on behalf of someone else, or even for a client, here are seven tips to help you make and navigate when making those important event planning decisions that you will ultimately face.
Top 7 Tips For Making Important Event Planning Decisions
1. Consider what makes a good event
Before starting to plan your event, you should consider what it is that will make yours a good event. This can vary from event to event depending on the desired goals you hope to reach with the event itself.
As each event will have differences, you need to figure out what it is specifically that will link to yours. For example, if you are running a wedding or a party, then music is a key aspect that makes this type event stand out. Deciding on the type of music to be played during this type of event (and key moments when special songs are to be played) is crucial. One common decision is whether you want to hire a live band or look into local DJs. You could perhaps even hire both as they will help carry the party atmosphere late into the night.
So, take a moment to consider what you consider to be a “good event” even before you start any planning or getting quotes. Knowing what you want to achieve will help to make most decisions to face a lot easier.
2. Conduct the relevant research
Whenever you are faced with decisions in life, having some of knowledge on the subject will be a tremendous help (you want to be a “savvy shopper” after all). To gain this knowledge, it is advisable to do some research on all of the how, why, when, and where’s as early as possible. By doing a little homework beforehand you’ll get an idea of what’s out there (and what to expect).
This means that you might already know the answer to a question that pops up, or be able to see the best choice when faced with a decision. You can research information on how to run your event. Finding info should be fairly simple, including information on what is best to do, and what is to be avoided. Or consider working with an event professional who can provide help with planning the entire event, or just give you pointers and guidance.
3. Make a plan
When you make a plan, even just a basic outline of what you want to achieve with your event, it will help you overcome many of the decisions you are faced with. After all, you’ve got to know what you want before you can plan it.
Without a clear-cut plan, sometimes, even when a decision is right in front of you, it can be easy to lose your way, become overwhelmed, or simply forget the outcome you wish you achieve. With a plan, however, you will have a strong anchor point to refer back to and help keep you on track. The more in-depth you can plan your event before taking action the better, as the clearer the plan, the easier the decisions will be.
In the past planning used to involve a lot of physical work by way of recording information in a physical book, carrying it around, tearing out pages that were no longer relevant, and keeping these notes in one place so you didn’t misplace all your hard work. Nowadays, thanks to technology, you can do a lot of the planning digitally, and there are even apps that can help you plan an entire event if needed.
4. Gather second opinions
Even if you are the one in charge of running, or organizing an event, it doesn’t mean that you need to take on each decision fully. Ultimately it will be your choice, and the responsibility will lie with you, (or with you and your spouse-to-be if you are planning your wedding) but this does not need to stop you from asking others for their opinions, or advice when it comes to making choices.
Other people might have had to make similar decisions in the past, and have valuable information or points of view that you had not previously considered. Therefore, make sure to ask around, especially if you are struggling with making a decision, or are unsure of what the outcome may be if you make the wrong choice.
5. Stick to your budget
A budget is something that should be set early on in the planning and research stage. As one of the most important event planning decisions, a budget will not only will it ensure that you do not put yourself in debt, but it can also help guide your decisions so you have the event you want.
All of your decisions and your budget need to be in alignment. This means that you should have a clear budget, including a break down of how much will be allocated to the different aspects of your event. Also, constantly reviewing your decisions against the budget is important.
You may have to re-adjust your decisions as you go along, whether in adjusting the budget so it aligns with what you wish to plan, or by adjusting the aspect to fit within the budget. Either is perfectly okay, and quite common, as no two events are exactly the same.
6. Be flexible
It is important that when it comes to making decisions about your event, you take on a flexible mindset. This will help you in the decision-making process, especially if you are stuck making difficult decisions, or the only options available are ones that don’t fit your initial plan or budget. Being flexible with decisions can help you make them, as well as reduce stress and anxiety around decisions.
7. Think about your priorities at the event
As with any event, your decisions should be carefully guided by your priorities. What parts of the event are more important and which are least important? Again, this varies from event to event, and these priorities should be based on the needs that you wish to meet for the event. Also be sure to consider the needs of your guests. For example, if you are planning a winter wedding, then a priority would be to find a location that will keep your guests at a comfortable temperature, keep them dry, and is easy to access in all conditions.
Priorities will ensure that the basic standards of the event are met and you and your guests are happy. Create a list of priorities, then when you have to make a decision, you can review your priorities list to make sure there are no conflicts.
There is a lot of pressure on the one who is planning an event, especially when it comes to making big decisions. To help you plan a great event, follow these top decision-making tips.
Are there any other factors you consider to be important event planning decisions? Le me know in the comments below.
Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels
* This is a contributed post
I hope you found this information useful!
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
Author of “Wedding Invitations, RSVPs, and More! Oh My!” and “From ‘I Will’ to ‘I Do’”
For assistance and unique ideas for your wedding call or text me at 937-581-3647, or email me at [email protected]!
