When it comes to organizing a social event for your business, you will want to make sure you have a well thought out plan so that execution goes accordingly. You may be asking yourself what is a social event? A social event is an event involving a public or intimate performance, where entertainment of some sort is provided. We wanted to make your life a little easier by giving you a how-to guide when it comes to organizing a social event for your business.

How to Organize a Social Event?

1. Create a Plan

The first step in action should be creating a plan and timeline for your event. This should include pre-party prep, party details, and post-party cleanup. This will help you stay organized throughout the entire process and gives you something to refer back to whenever necessary.

2. Set a Budget

You will want to set a budget for your social gathering event. We always recommend dividing your budget into buckets to make it a little easier to manage. For example, you could set a certain amount aside for the social event venue, catering, décor, furniture, entertainment, and so forth.

3. Choose a Venue

Once your budget is set, you will want to focus on renting event venues. The venue for social events should reflect the kind of party you are trying to host. You will also want to make sure the type of venue for the event can accommodate your needs from a guest list perspective and any other additional needs you may have when it comes to décor and entertainment.

4. Send Out Invitations

Now you will send out invitations. You will want to make sure you have all details of your event listed on the invite including details about parking, dress code, catering options, and of course, the date and time. These should be sent out in a timely manner so people can add them to their calendars.

5. Fine Tune the Details

Now you will want to focus on the bread and butter of your event. Are you going to have a theme for your party? What kind of entertainment will you have? Do you need to rent certain furniture? Will there be a valet or coat check? These are all important details to consider so you can start planning accordingly.

6. Greet Your Guests

When it comes to the day of your event, be front and center to greet your guests. It’s always good to be the welcoming face when it comes to a social event for your business, like corporate events or even a brand launch event, and guests will appreciate the kind gesture.

7. Catering

You will also want to decide what type of catering option you will have. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres? Buffet style? Individual serving? We recommend a social event keeping it more casual to encourage guests to mingle and focus on the entertainment.

8. Bid Your Guests Farewell

Finally, you will want to make sure you say goodbye to your guests as they leave. This will leave a lasting impression and you can hear what guests have to say about your event on the way out.

Benefits of Social Events

Social events are a great way to increase reach for your business. It’s an intimate setting where people have the opportunity to interact with you face-to-face. They also leave a lasting impression for people because it was a more personal connection. Social events can also be a great way to capture content and use it for marketing and promotional purposes. 

At Ovation Square, we are a great event venue in Los Angeles County, located in the heart of downtown Long Beach. We are always happy to help our clients plan various events based on their needs. We hope this guide helps as you begin planning your next social event. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How far in advance do you think I should send out invites?

A: We recommend 4-6 weeks. Not too far in advance where guests forget, but not too close to the event where people can’t make it due to prior engagements.

Q: Does Ovation have different spaces that can accommodate different guest counts?

A: Yes! We have many different spaces within Ovation, which makes it easy to tailor the event to the guest size you would like.

Q: What would you say a realistic budget is?

A: It completely depends on your goals and objectives, guest count, how elaborate décor and entertainment are, and so forth. We can always set out a budget for you once we discuss it further in detail.