10 Tips to Help You Plan a Large Party or Event

Are you going to plan a party or event in the near future?

Wondering how to keep track of ideas, guests, decorations, materials, and other details?  

Event planning is full of details and requires a lot of thought and concentration.

The good news is that it is fully doable.

You just need time to do your work, as well as a way to keep your notes organized.

In this post, you’ll find ten pointers to help you plan a large party or event.

Want even more help planning your party or event?

My eBook, How to Plan a Great Event in 60 Days, can help you plan, from to start to finish.

Choose a note-taking method.

Do you work better taking notes with pen and paper, or are you more of a tablet or laptop person?

There’s really no right or wrong way to take notes.

What really matters is that you can access and make changes to information in as comfortable a manner as possible.

Whether you use a spiral-bound notebook or a text editor on your tablet, be sure to date and update your notes on a regular basis so you have access to all the information you need.

Brainstorm ideas as soon as possible.

Time is at a premium whenever you’re organizing a large event.

The sooner you begin brainstorming ideas for your party, the better.

Jot down any ideas you may have regarding the theme, decorations, invitations, food/beverage options, music, etc.

Don’t worry about organizing this information right now, the goal is to just get everything down on paper.

You can always edit, add-on, or delete items later.

Organize your thoughts.

By now you should have come up with several ideas for your event. Now it’s time to organize everything.

Which ideas or thoughts naturally go together?

Once you’ve organized your thoughts, you can start creating lists to help you keep track of items to purchase, or tasks to complete.

For example, if you were planning an outdoor barbecue, you’d probably want to make lists of food to buy, cooking supplies, and decorations. 

Create a timeline.

When are all the different activities going to take place at your party or event?

It’s a bit challenging presenting awards to guests if they’re waiting on the buffet line for dinner!

Draw a timeline for your event, and be sure to plot out all the different activities.

Do you have enough preparation time between each of your event’s activities?     

Don’t store details in your Mind.

There’s only so much information you can store in your mind at any given time.

Instead of wasting your time and energy trying to remember something, just jot it down in your notes.

The same thing applies to any details you need to check on, or concerns or questions you need answered.

When in doubt, write it out.

Create a reference document.

Consider putting together a master reference document with important details and lists related to your event.

This may include the event location, time and date, guest and invitation information, as well as important phone numbers, email addresses and the like.

Make a centralized storage location for items.

Prepare a space in your home to store all items related to your event.

It’s much easier to keep tabs materials if they are stored in the same location.

You can store anything and everything in this area, from decorations and supplies to signage, favors, brochures, and flyers.

Assign specific tasks to your party or event helpers.

Chances are, you’ll have several different people helping you at your event.

Make the most of the help available to you by identifying specific roles and tasks for your helpers.

Who will be responsible for certain tasks and activities?

For example, who will be in charge of setting up decorations, preparing and plating food, or marketing the event? 

Organize your communications.

What’s that you say? Effective communication is key when hosting a large function.

Speak clearly, and simply about your needs and concerns.

Give explicit instructions, or better yet, write them down ahead of time so your helpers will have a guide to follow.

Likewise, you may want to consider whom people should turn to if they have a question or a concern. 

Have a backup plan.

It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan, just in case things don’t go as planned.

You may want to devise a contingency timeline in case of delays, or pack up extra supplies in case you need them. 

How about you? Which large party or event will you be planning this year? What event planning items concern you the most? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!

Want help planning your party or event? My eBook, How to Plan a Great Event in 60 Days, can help you plan, from to start to finish.

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About the Author

Rashelle

Rashelle Isip is a New York City-based productivity consultant who helps successful entrepreneurs and business owners manage their time and energy so they can reduce stress, work less, and make more money in their businesses. She has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, and The Atlantic. Get her free guide, 5 Unexpected Things You Need to Organize a Work Notebook, by clicking here.

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