Planning a Corporate Holiday Party
By: Hilary Hart, Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse
If you’ re reading this and you haven’ t scheduled your corporate holiday party yet, DON’ T PANIC! Yes, you are a little behind, but that’ s okay. There are plenty of options available for you to host a successful holiday party!
At this point, reserving a private room at a restaurant is the simplest solution. They have the food, spirits, tables, chairs, linens, staff, and a lot of the time, holiday decorations. You only have to pick a date, provide a guest count, select a menu and show up for a stress free night of fun! If you want to customize your room or add decor, most restaurants will allow this with a few restrictions such as no glitter or confetti.
Another option are event venues where food and drinks are catered in. This is a little more involved because you will need to ask what the venue provides. The less the venue offers, the more vendors you will have to work with and expenses may add up. Do they provide tables, chairs, linens and decorations? Is there a kitchen for the caterer to use? They may also have preferred vendors that you will be required to use. This may be great if the caterer serves the kind of food you like but, if not, ask if you may have your own caterer bring food and don’ t forget to ask if there’ s an additional charge for this. While an event venue gives you more customizable options, the costs can add up and so can the time it takes to plan and execute your event!
If an office party suits your needs, you may only need catering and a few decorations. Make sure you ask whether your caterer includes dinnerware, utensils, chafing dishes, beverages, dessert and additional tables, chairs and linens that you may need. Many of your favorite restaurants can provide catering or you may go for a potluck meal with guests bringing their favorite dishes.
To find the best restaurant / venue consider the following: Location: Is it central to guests or close to your business? Is parking easy and free or is a valet service available?
Date: The most desireable dates are the first two Fridays and Saturdays in December. To save money, consider a mid November date before rates increase for the busy holiday season.
Time: Evening is usually the most desirable but consider a lunch party. This can offer more available days and fit your budget better plus your employees do not need to use their personal time if scheduled on a weekday.
Food: You want the tastiest, highest quality food offered and plenty of it! All you can eat options eliminate the stress of possibly running out of food. Many restaurants and caterers offer tastings so you can make sure your guests will enjoy.
Space: Make sure you have enough space! Let the venue know if you plan to have casino tables, gift exchange, dance floor and DJ or a photo booth. You will also need to coordinate set ups and deliveries.
Bar Options: Most restaurants provide flexible drink options. The most popular being drink tickets. This helps minimize your company’ s liability. Ask if you can get personalized drink tickets with your company logo!
Choose the best option for your guests, budget and situation. Just remember everyone is there to have a good time and enjoy themselves! And, after all your hard work, you deserve to enjoy yourself too!!
MOMENTUM / October 2016 15