HOW TO PLAN YOUR SUMMER PARTY

Summer is nearly upon us (despite the relentless rain) – so it’s time to get those summer parties booked (if you haven’t already). If you’ve been given the task of organising and are feeling a bit overwhelmed, here are our tips on planning the work summer party to impress the whole team, without it taking too much time away from your day to day job….

 

SPEAK TO THE BOSS

Before you start planning make sure you have clear idea from the people above how much they want to be involved and if there are any guidelines you need to stick to e.g not too boozy. The last thing you want is to come to them with a plan after lots of hard work to be told it’s not what they want.

 

GET A DATE IN

Getting some potential dates in the diary ASAP is very important so you have as much flexibility as possible. Bear in mind if there are a lot of parents in your team they may be away during the school summer holidays so try to avoid these dates. Clarify timings e.g is the team being given the day/afternoon off or will it be an after work event?

Budget – this is the big one! Have a good idea of budget before you start the planning process, and an insight into how flexible this might be. You’ll also need to clarify what this needs to cover e.g does it need to cover all drinks on the day. Don’t forget extra’s like service charge which won’t be included in the upfront cost for dining/drinks.

 

 

If you don’t already know, find out what the team has done in previous years – you want to keep the plans fresh, and not repetitive. That said, if there is a particular year that stands out to the team where the summer party went really well you could use this for inspiration. Why was that party so successful, and what did everyone like about it?

 

KNOW YOUR TEAM (AND DON’T ALLOW MEDDLERS)

One of the hardest parts of planning a summer party is pleasing everyone. People take their work parties VERY seriously. Look for activities and venues you think the whole team will enjoy without getting bogged down with constant questions and input from the team. Make sure you think about every member of the team e.g if you have a pregnant guest or someone that doesn’t drink and you’ve decided on a cocktail workshop, make sure it’s one where you can also make mocktails (our cocktail workshops are top quality and can create amazing non-alcoholic versions with premium 0% ingredients like Seedlip Gin – they taste delicious and it’s just as much fun without the booze!)

 

 

 

EXPECT BAD WEATHER

YES it’s a summer party and YES you want some outdoor space to enjoy the sunshine BUT don’t forget we live in the UK. Whatever the plans, make sure you have back up for bad weather e.g our canal boat options are perfect as they have retractable roofs. If you are booking a venue with outdoor space make sure the venue has informed you of the plan if it’s raining, and that there is ample space inside for the whole group.

 

BE PREPARED SO YOU CAN RELAX ON THE DAY

You don’t want the day to be full of anxiety and last minute stress after all your hard work, it’s your summer party too! Make sure you have all the info for the activities/venues that you need (phone numbers, addresses, travel time etc) saved in one place on your phone for the day (HOST create detailed itineraries on your behalf so the day is a breeze). Also make sure you have everyones dietary requirements well in advance of the day and this has been passed onto the venue. If the team have pre-ordered food we recommend re-sending their orders round to them the day before and asking them to make a note of what they ordered (guests always forget what they’ve pre-ordered a few weeks before). If there have been any special requests made for specific staff prior to the day quietly point these guests out to staff when you arrive so you know they will be looked after. Make sure you have made a note of any agreed costs on the day, and made whoever is handling this aware (if not you). If there is a bar tab you don’t want to go over, make staff at the venue aware prior to the day (and a gentle reminder when you arrive) to let you discreetly know when this has run out.

 

 

But most importantly – enjoy yourself! Go with the flow on the day as any issues will most likely go unnoticed with the wider team. As long as people have food and drink (and are dry!) they will be guaranteed to have a good time…so relax!

HOST are an event planner with a difference – we create event packages for team of all sizes from 10 – 150+ that include activities, dining and drinks. We do all the research for you, creating off-the-shelf event packages that are sure to be a hit. We also create bespoke packages to fit any brief or budget. No need to send endless email enquiries to multiple venues and suppliers, with HOST it’s one point of contact throughout – keeping your inbox clear and your head in your day-to-day job. We’re not like big shiny event management agencies charging huge fees – we are surprisingly affordable offering packages from as little as £60 ex VAT per person. Speak to our team to day to get planning your summer party info@thisishost.co.uk