Planning a Winter Holiday Party
‘Tis the season for winter holiday festivities and what better way to celebrate than with a party. There are endless winter holiday party ideas, so to make your job a little easier and whole lot less stressful, we wanted to give you some holiday party planning tips for winter.
Party Planning Checklist
1. Set a Budget
The very first thing you will want to do when planning a winter holiday party, or planning new year’s eve is set your budget. We always recommend having an overall budget you would like to stay under, but then breaking that budget into smaller categories such as venues for party, event management team, décor, furniture, food and drinks, entertainment and so forth, so that it makes it easier on you to track and manage your expenses. This can also be a great tool and resource to use in the future for more party planning.
2. Search Winter Party Venues
Once you set your budget, you will want to start looking at holiday party venues. The venue is so important because it quite literally brings your event to life, so you want to make sure it’s exactly as you envisioned it. You will want to start by searching & choosing right event venue rentals near me, and before you start to tour, make sure you have a list of needs and wants, as well as a list of questions to ask the representative while you do a walk-through. This will help you stay organized and in the end, you will then have a consistent method to make your decision off of after completing all the tours.
3. Pick a Theme
Next, you will want to pick a theme. There are endless options to choose from when it comes to the holidays, so choosing a theme you can get into and execute well on is important. The theme should touch your entire event from the décor and furniture to the food and the dress code. This will make for a super fun event for your guests and create a seamless experience that attendees will not forget. When there is a theme that pulls an event together, this can also make for great content and future selling points.
4. Send Out Invitations
Now that you know where you will be hosting the event and what the theme is, you will want to choose the date so you can send out invitations. You will want to make sure the venue has the dates you’re looking at available. We always recommend sending the invitations out at least 6 weeks in advance for the holiday season. This time of year, people’s calendars tend to fill up fast and you want to make sure you have as many guests attend as possible.
5. Plan the Food and Drink Menus
Next, you will want to plan the food and drink menu. For a party type setting, having different buffets laid out for different courses can be a great way to visually represent the food. You can tie the theme in this way and have fun ways to display the food and drinks for guests. You can also hire wait staff to walk around and people can grab food as they please. This is another popular way to serve guests so they can eat whenever they feel like it.
6. Decide on Entertainment
Finally, you will want to decide on the entertainment for your party. Do you want to have a live band or a DJ? Will you have a photobooth or photo opportunities throughout the night so guests have something to remember the party by? Will you have games or holiday gift giveaways? You want to make sure the entertainment is fun and lively, so guests stay at your party as long as possible.
If you’re looking for venues in Los Angeles, give us a call at Ovation Square. We have one of the best holiday party venues located in the heart of downtown Long Beach and would love to help you plan your next event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you have an event planning team that can assist me with my event?
A: Hiring event planner is important to have a good event. We have a team of experts by our side to help you through any phase of the party planning process.
Q: What if I can’t send out invitations 6 weeks in advance?
A: That’s okay but it may impact the number of guests that attend your event. We suggest getting them out ASAP so you have the best turnout possible.
Q: What is a good budget for a venue?
A: That completely depends on the size of party you want to have, the style of venue, how popular the venue is and so forth. Once you tour, you will start to get an idea or you can always call ahead.