Ok, now what?
Well, let’s be honest here, the first questions we all ask when faced with the enormous task of planning an event is where do I start? What do I need? How much is this going to cost me?
As all these questions swarm your brain, it can become quite overwhelming, but don’t freak out. Let's start with the first step, how much do you want to spend? Once you know what you want to spend then you can move onto the next step. But you may ask, it’s not always a matter of knowing what I want to spend… I want to spend 50c but that’s obviously not going to get me a 200-person wedding held at the intercontinental in Hawaii. Ok, fair call. So, if that question can’t be answered just yet, go to the next step which is the VENUE.
When deciding on a venue, you need to consider how many guests you will have. So, let’s say you want to invite 100 people to a private 21st Birthday. Now do you want to have a sit-down dinner or a stand-up cocktail event? Once you know what kind of event you want and how many people you are catering for, you can reach out to the appropriate venues to start getting prices together. Now, the venue with food and drinks is generally going to take up the biggest portion of your budget. A little tip from us is a lot of venues will offer some inclusions to make your package look more favourable, this could be centrepieces, drink package upgrades, accommodation options etc. so try to get as much included in your venue quote as possible to save on some $$$.
Not only is it important to pick your venue first so you can see how your budget fits into everything, you will now have a rough idea on what additional event vendors you will need to take your event to the next level. By this we mean, backdrops, table decorations, florals, entertainment etc.
So now that you know what the most expensive part of your event is going to cost, along with all the other vendors you will need in order to bring it all together, you can reassess how much it will all cost and if it will fit into a realistic budget for yourself. If not, you can start to fine tune things. You can do things such as
- Shop around for different prices (keep in mind though that you generally get what you pay for)
- Look at DIY options. Do you really need to buy those pre-packaged sugar almonds or can you purchase the items in bulk and put them together yourself?
- Can you cut back on one thing so you can spend more on something that’s more important to you? For example, if you want orchid flowers to be your feature, can you cut back on things such as the more expensive drinks package or a more affordable invitation option to allow for some room in the budget?
Planning an event, big or small may feel daunting to say the least and that’s ok, but what we suggest is to make a to do list. It can be so overwhelming, so use a list as a guide to help you throughout the process. Trust us, just make the list…
Or use our list here ⬇
And don't forget to check out our Venue Directory to help you find the perfect space for your next event!
All our love, Every Event Australia Admin xx