One of the tougher aspects of corporate event planning for the customer is deciding what to include at the event. Do you want a cocktail party or dinner? Open bar or cash? Seating or no? Even if you are planning on looking at corporate event planning companies in San Jose, CA, for your event, there are still many things you need to decide on in coordination with your corporate event planner. Here are a few of them.
Booze or No, Open or Cash Only
This is a difficult question because virtually everyone knows someone at a corporate event who “had a little too much.” The first question you have to answer is about your corporate culture. Are cocktails expected? Are they expected to be free to employees and a guest? What controls need to be in place to make sure everyone has fun, but not too much fun? All these questions come down to your corporate culture, what your employees expect and what your budget is.
Food – Finger or Dinner or Something in Between
Cocktail events with finger-style food are popular because of price and convenience. They also allow for mingling of guests that a more formal affair does not easily. Your corporate event planners will promote grazing stations because they encourage mingling and almost always are popular with guests. They also allow for different types of cuisine to be served, which his also very popular.
A second option is a formal, seated dinner. This is best reserved for business meetings, conferences and some seminars. Consider the topic of any general addresses and remember that most in attendance will have a guest, who may or may not care about what is being discussed.
A third option is a mix of the two. This allows for the grazing concept and food choice, while also offering those who want it a place to sit and eat. The purpose of most corporate events is to encourage mingling, recognize achievement or to show appreciation for employees. This style of event allows for each of those and is interesting enough to keep virtually everyone interested.
The Event Space
This completely depends on the goal of the event. If you want a “captured” audience, a boat is both interesting and ensures everyone is present for the key parts of the event. A traditional terrace cocktail event allows for free mingling and an escape route when an attendee needs to get going. A formal dinner should almost always be held inside.
Entertainment
This is surprisingly one of the trickiest aspects of corporate event planning. For some events, a light-hearted entertainment and speaking agenda is appropriate. For more serious events a speaker of stature is in order. What you choose should be based on the event type, your corporate culture and the purpose of the event.
When you consider all the little things that go into one event, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Starting with this list, however, will help you along. If you have not done so, seriously looking at corporate event planning companies in San Jose, CA, will make the daunting much less intimidating. Handheld Catering should be your top choice. Get in touch with us today!
