Planning events and special occasions is never easy. All to often do we find ourselves dreaming of the event of the century for which we are so proud and excited for but find it falls flat on its face as we haven’t been able to execute all the details.

If you want to hold a party, even if it just to celebrate the little things in life, we need to establish a good foundation before we can mould, create and build an occasion to remember for years to come. In our busier than ever lives we often over look the importance of these details and are left scratching our heads as to WHY we have been unable to really hit the nail on the head.

Have a look a these little tips and tricks that will not only provide you with a clear cut direction of where you may or may not be going wrong, but will also getting you thinking of how you can make these steps as easy as possible for you.

1. Guest list – first thing is first, lets hone down on the guest list and ensure you know who is coming and who isn’t as this will help determine what venue size you will be searching for. This will also give you a good idea on how much you may need to budget for.

This relatively ‘easy’ task is more often than not a crazy, long-winded and sometimes dangerous task to complete. The guest list not only shows who may be closest to you and your inner circle, but more importantly, it can highlight who isn’t. Don’t take your guest list lightly, as even though it may seem simple to you it may not be so simple to that one person that wasn’t included.

2. Venue – this is always a little tricky as you need to not only choose an amazing venue for the special event itself but in most cases choose a venue that is going to meet the wants, needs and expectations of your guest. Things to consider; Size, Cost, Décor, Location, Access, View to say the least.

If all of your guest list lives nice and close to one another that may significantly help with this process but if your guest are coming from all over the country, or even from all over the world, the chosing a venue to be a little more daunting.

Top Tip: shop around and do your research. Create a checklist of what aspect your venue needs and how important they may be. If you find a place that ticks them all then you are done, sorted and booked but that is also asking a lot. Be strict where you need, such as with budget, but allow a little more flexibility for areas like decor.

3. Inclusions – When hosting a special event you have lots of little tasks appearing from left right and centre to ensure you make this event nothing but spectacular so finding a venue or package that will help bunch lots of these task together is definitely a go to deal, without a doubt.

Inclusions to look out for are definitely places that provide, tables and chairs, catering, decorations (even if just plain white table cloths), sound system and the all important alcohol. The most obvious option here would definitely be looking into restuarants. All will already have tables, chairs and catering services however be mindful that not all have a liquor licence. If this isn’t going to be a problem then great, you may have just saved yourself a few big bucks, but if beer and wine is needed at your event then check out BYO options or you may need to look at a new venue all together.

4. Food – this is often one of the most memorable pieces of any occasion for most guests whilst also being one of the most stressful aspects for the planner. Choosing a venue that provides catering either inhouse or from a selected catering services is definitely a plus but getting one that is outstanding and makes your guest gasp for more is even better.

When looking at what food options are out there you may be inundated with a chaotic bundle of who knows what, so its important to have a rough idea of what you are after first.

Start thinking about a cuisine that you may like but also what your guest will like, wheather it be asian inspired, greek, BBQ, sharing feast or even non-stop dessert, it is up to you and what type of event you are after.

5. Kid Friendly – this is often overlooked, especially by those of us whom don’t have any little rugrats ourselves. This step is definitely one to take on board and consider long and hard as it will not only make your job easier but it will make all your mum’s and dad’s attending breathe a sigh of relief and also take that extra weight off of everyone’s shoulders on the night. They may be small but that create a big impact.

Believe it or not, not all places are still overly kid friendly, with some even refusing entry, so beware and if you require a place where kids can be free to enter and party along with the adults then check what facilities they provide.

Top Tip: Make sure you check and see if the venue has high chairs. There is nothing worse than headed to an evening of fun filled moments to have to carry your little one around all night and have them sit on your lap whilst you try and eat just a few small mouthfuls.

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