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With great event planning comes great responsibility, and to pull off an event that will have all the tongues wagging (in a good way), you need to plan like a pro.

An event floor plans is the blueprints to your event’s success. To make sure participants are able to move freely among all the activities and amenities you need to consider crowd dynamics, space, and capacity. Tackling this sticky wicket first will make the rest of your event planning go a lot more smoothly. Here are the headaches you’ll avoid when you put the floor plan first.

1. Not Enough Room



Not only do you need to accommodate all the attendees you expect, but you need to make sure there’s plenty of room for eating, socializing, networking, speaking, dancing, and any other activity that will be part of your event. Mapping out your desired event floor plan in advance will save you from a nasty surprise when you start setting up and realize there’s nowhere for the DJ to stand.

2. No Access to Power


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Most modern-day events require some kind of technology. Whether it’s a sound system, a video presentation, or something interactive, nearly everything we use needs power. When you determine the floor plan early you can make sure to keep access to outlets and other power sources free and clear.

3. Crazy Aunt Marge Seated Next to Angry Uncle Harry



Seating charts are the key to a happy, harmonious gathering. Whether it’s a wedding or a corporate training it’s important to seat the right people together and keep those with active grudges far apart. Include a detailed seating chart as part of your event floor plan to make it easy to avoid awkward silences and angry confrontations.

4. Poor Lighting



If you wait until the last minute to decide where the stage will be you can end up with a speaker who has to regale the audience from a black hole. Lighting is crucial for ambiance and highlighting the right things. When you know exactly where everything should go you’ll be able to plan lighting accordingly and won’t have to worry about leaving anyone in the dark.

5. Traffic Jams



You’ll be hosting a lot of people, and the last thing you want is everyone clogged up outside the bathrooms or in front of the registration table. Be mindful of the flow of foot traffic when designing your floor plan and make sure everyone is able to easily get from one area to another without getting hung up or trampled.

6. Fish Instead of Beef


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Nothing’s worse than ordering the beef and being served the fish instead (or vice versa). Protect your event participants from these kinds of mix-ups by including meal choices in your seating chart and floor plan. This is a simple way to keep everyone happy and make life easy for the catering and serving staff.

7. Uncomfortable Mix-ups



Make sure your attendees, presenters, staff and volunteers don’t accidentally show up in the wrong place at the wrong time. A clear, well-planned event floor plan gives you the time to make sure every detail of your event has a home, making it easy to communicate what is happening where to everyone involved. You’ll avoid a pileup of unnecessary confusion by making the floor plan your first priority.

8. Lack of Accessibility



You need to make sure all attendees have access to every part of your event. Planning things in advance gives you the chance to address special needs for elderly participants, children, and those with disabilities. Your floor plan should include alternatives to stairs, wide enough rows to accommodate wheelchairs or crutches, and things like handrails for those who need some extra stability as well as keeping dangerous items out of little hands. The only way to make sure everything’s covered is to plan in advance.

When it comes to creating an event that people will remember, it’s great to consider the food and how to stock the bar, but the foundation to any successful gathering is an impeccable floor plan. A little extra time up-front will pay huge dividends when your event goes off without a hitch.

When planning the event of your dreams, things can add up quickly. It’s easy to forget about the small (yet essential) stuff in favor of the far more exciting decisions and overlook the cost of upgrade after upgrade.

We aren’t here to put out your fire, we just want to give you some guidance. That’s why we’ve compiled these important event budget guidelines every event organizer should live by.

Maybe these were already on the forefront of your mind, or maybe they hadn’t even crossed it. Either way, these are the budget decisions that shouldn’t be trifled with.

IMG_39151. Remember Lighting

This is probably the biggest budget expense that goes overlooked. It’s hard to imagine that beautiful, sunny venue you reserved looking dark and scary, but that’s what happens when the sun goes down and your event doesn’t have proper lighting.

Make sure you consider the time of day your event will be taking place and plan lighting accordingly. It’s probably the least fun accessory you need to plan, but it’s also one of the most important. The lighting of a venue can completely determine the mood.

Instead of dreading this cost, get excited about it. Imagine how to give your event that perfect glow or fun aesthetic and plan your lighting accordingly.

2. Plan Extra Services

Are you going to offer valet parking? How about a full bar? Who does your clean up crew consist of?

It’s easy to forget about these knitty gritty details, but it’s the small things that count when throwing an unforgettable event. Figure out what services your event needs to offer in order to make the guest experience the best it can be.

Once you figure out what services you need, it’s time to look at manpower. Do a cost-benefit analysis on extra services like valet and coat check and see where you can cut costs. Maybe you can find a creative way to let people hang their coats themselves or hire neighborhood kids to help with clean up instead of a professional crew.

Sundance Party Dining Room3. Be Realistic With Catering

We know how awesome it would be to have a four course dinner catered, or to offer three different kinds of cake, or to make sure all of your food is organic, but those special somethings can add up quick.

Have a straightforward discussion with your caterer about what the extras are going to run you and then figure out your priorities. Maybe you drop a course to make sure everything is organic, or you skip on an elaborate dessert for a simple fondue fountain. These little compromises will keep your budget in check.

Besides the food, you have a few other catering decisions to make. Will you serve guest individually or buffet-style? What will your plating and linens look like? It’s worth asking yourself these questions and coming to the caterer with some ideas in mind, then you can have an effective budget discussion when the time comes.

4. Know Your Audience

If you plan an event for 200 people, but only 40 show up, you’ve spent a lot more money than you needed to. You should have metrics in place that will help you get a realistic idea of how many people are going to attend your event.

The converse can also be an issue. If you plan for a few hundred guests and a few thousand show up, you’ll burn cash trying to accommodate the extra attendees.

To accurately hit your budget, you need to accurately estimate your attendance. Have guests RSVP or register before the event (well before if you can help it) and make sure to remind guests to do so as the event approaches through emails, save the dates, and other marketing materials.

IMG_34125. Prepare Promotional Materials

You could design the greatest event that’s ever happened, but it won’t matter unless people show up.

It might seem like a no-brainer to budget for promotional materials, but they can have a larger price tag that you may realize.

Just sending invitations isn’t too costly, but designing them, making a logo, creating a landing page, sending follow up invitations, and so on, can definitely cost you a pretty penny. Make sure you have a game plan going into your event planning of what and how many marketing materials you need. That isn’t something you want to do last minute.

Conclusion

These event budget guidelines come from years of organizing events all across the country. If you feel a bit overwhelmed and need some extra guidance planning your event and hitting your budget, feel free to contact us. We are happy to break it down for you.

What other event expenses are you unsure or nervous about? Is there an expense you feel that we missed?

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