◦access for staff and equipment drop-off prior to guest arrival
◦easy and clear access for guests
◦a shaded area and shelter for guests, if outside
◦plenty of bench space and refrigerator shelf space in the kitchen
◦bar/drink space with sink handy
◦accessible parking
◦electrical circuits that will handle cooking, music, lights, etc
◦adequate outdoor lighting, if evening event
◦designated places for cigarette butts – ashtrays or sand pails
◦clear and obvious access to bathrooms
◦a designated place for coats, bags
◦appliances (oven, bbq, refrigerator) that are in working order
◦tables for guests to set drinks and food down
◦chairs for older guests, those with children or guests who would like to sit and chat
◦special decorations, flowers, candles, lighting, music
◦plenty of gas for the BBQ
◦an alternative venue in case of wet weather, if outside venue
◦a clean and well-stocked bathroom
◦a designated present table, cake table, guest book table, etc as needed
◦trash cans
◦knowledge of any other local events that might effect your guests’ ability to get parking, navigate traffic, book accommodation, etc
◦a noise curfew or restrictions on event timing
◦a clear understanding of the terms of your venue hire contract, if applicable
◦been introduced to your hired staff and given a ‘point of contact’ person who will address any issues
◦mentioned special event themes, fancy dress, if applicable
◦let them know if it’s a surprise party, keep them quiet and unseen!
◦asked them if equipment and/or staff are available for longer if needed - What’s the rate
◦clearly communicated what you expect from hired staff
◦double-checked times, dates, locations, price and payment requirements with all suppliers
◦compile a master list of contact names and numbers for all key suppliers
◦advised hired staff of the timing of speeches, cake presentation, food service start/end, as needed
◦been told of any ‘tricks’ to using the venue appliances, equipment, door locks, smoke alarms, etc
◦alerted staff to any special food or drink needs among guests (children, vegetarians, people with mobility impairments)
◦shown staff the layout of the venue and the all areas where guests are likely to congregate
◦Enough food for the event’s time of day and the length of the function - your caterer should give you help with this
◦Food choices for any vegetarians, gluten free dieters, etc
◦A cake, if needed
◦Tablecloths, cocktail napkins, cutlery, crockery if not supplied by caterer
◦Kids food at adult parties and adult food at kids parties – you never know who will turn up!
◦A good mix of food types – seafood, vegetables, meat, sweets
◦Party-friendly food that’s easy to eat while mingling
◦An idea of the order in which food will be presented - will you have food set out when guests arrive?
◦Considered the photographer, the band, the dj and/or the marriage celebrant in your guest count for food
◦Considered non-alcohol drinkers - plenty of water, soft drink and juice on hand
◦Purchased a range of alcoholic beverages – white wine, red wine, low alcohol beer, regular beer, champagne, liquor
◦Made sure you have enough glasses for all beverages – budget for about 25% more glasses than number of guests
◦Asked your catering staff to clear empty glasses often – they can wash glasses if you run low.
◦Dedicated a good amount of space to a bar set-up, if needed
◦Decided where you will store drinks so that they will be cold but accessible - Do you need bins with ice?
◦Bought plenty of ice for chilling beverages and for making mixed drinks
◦Decided where BYO coolers and eskies will be left by guests
◦Provided BYO cooler tags and wine charms to make it easy for guests to keep track of their drinks
◦Asked your caterer if cocktail napkins will be supplied or if you need to purchase them
◦Considered placing an antipasto or cheese platter near the drinks to encourage drinking guests to eat
◦Designated a spot for recycling bottles and cans
◦Got extra bottle openers and bar accessories handy
◦Planned for spills and accidents, made your furniture and carpet stain resistant, cleaning supplies handy
◦Let your bartender know of any special guest drink preferences and have supplies on hand
◦Watched your guests to make sure they don’t drive if they shouldn’t be on the road
◦Got on hand the number of a taxi company if needed
◦Thought of drink accessories and garnishes – cocktail umbrellas, drinking straws, limes, olives, etc
◦Purchased mosquito repellent
◦Told your neighbours to expect a bit of noise and traffic (or invited them along!)
◦Created a safe play area for kids and an open, cushioned space for toddlers and babies
◦Got cash on hand in case you need to make a quick dash to the corner store
◦Purchased birthday candles, if needed
◦Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!