Corporate Event Planning|Event Management|Event Planner

Regardless of what sort of event you are planning, it is great to plan everything well in advance with the details being clear and the arrangements being organized, that is of course if you are hoping that your event goes off without a hitch. Of course some events may be too big for one individual to effectively pull off and may require the services of an event management team to make it a success.

When seeking the services of someone to plan your event it is important that you choose wisely, whether the event is as simple as a birthday party or some corporate function that is required to promote business or outside relationships with other companies, the individual who will gain the fame is the one who will make the event a success. In most cases that individual will seek a professional who can make it happen.

Weddings are a perfect example for going in search for an event planner as this function must not be allowed to fail at any cost. There are too many things that can possibly go wrong when considering a wedding and no possibility to correct then after the event has been concluded. While many people prefer to plan their own weddings going through all the motions and hopefully avoiding all the possible pitfalls, the ones who end up with a smooth event are the ones who seek outside assistance.

An average birthday party may not require the services of an event manager because of its size on the other hand if you happen to be planning a birthday for someone like your boss or a celebrity and your invitation list resembles the who's who of society it may be a wise idea to look for a reputable event manager to ensure that it is successful, especially if your name is attached to it.

The planning of a business or corporate event is as important an event as they come as this is where a company must shine and put forth to others the example that they are professionals and know what they are doing. An event management team will ensure that your guests are treated to an environment that reflects the fact that you and your company are capable in everything that you touch.

Handling your event by yourself is never a wise thing if you are depending on its success to pull something else off. Don't take the chance of looking bad through a poorly planned event that could cause you to lose face, hire an event manager and ensure that you will shine all the way through.

Starting a party planning business from scratch need not be difficult. If you think about it, there are no technical skills involved, and everything depends on your resourcefulness and common sense. No, you don't need to have a marketing degree or the business acumen of a capitalist. You simply need a vision, the sincerity to help out and the determination to face challenges head on.

What is your vision?

When you think of the "typical" party planner, what comes to mind? Do you see a bubbly, extroverted individual wearing a trendy outfit and amazing potential clients with her dazzling smile and presentation skills? Do you see a phone-wielding guy in a home office with neat folders all around him? Our notion of how a party planner should dress and act reflects the nature of the party planning business we are putting up.

The secret to a successful party planning business is this: Know Your Key to the Industry.

You need to get real with yourself, and determine which part of the whole process you excel in. When you have identified your main strength, you can build your party planning business around it!

You can start your self-analysis by going back to your childhood days. If you're like most people, you probably have lingering memories of putting up your own soda store (or play store) with your friends, manning it and feeling so darned accomplished at the end of the day. Party planning works like your first childhood business venture. You had a concept, you had a product or a service to sell, you had a staff, and you had to split the responsibilities amongst yourselves.

Now, which part of the lemonade business did you excel in? Were you the one smiling in front of the store calling out to people? Were you the one who determined how the lemonade should taste?

If you study the background of the successful party entrepreneurs, you will realize that they started out in a tiny corner of the party planning scene. Those who knew how to cook became food caterers. Those with people skills became the public relations consultants or event hosts. Those who owned spacious backyards became the venue providers. Those who had artistic talent became the vendors of party supplies, the table skirters and the photographers.

The party industry opens its doors to people who are willing to contribute something and continue learning. When you learn the ropes, you will also be able to pinpoint your weaknesses, and the aspects of party planning that you need to spend on. An introverted budget allocation genius may not be the best event host, but he can always hire someone else to do the hosting for him. His strength is in budgeting, which is also an important need in this industry.

When you know exactly what you can contribute to your own party planning community, you are one step closer to being the well-rounded party planner you have always envisioned. Keep your eyes open and observe how people go about their business. Truly successful party entrepreneurs are not shy about their ignorance. They will keep on learning and growing, and having a lot of fun in the process.

Kids love animals and therefore, a barnyard birthday party can be one of the funniest ways to celebrate your son's birthday. To plan an unforgettable farm party, you must arrange everything according to your theme including the animal themed games and barn themed food. Here are a few tips to help you in planning for your little one's big day.

Location

A petting zoo or a local farm can be the best place to host your party. The kids would love to play with the animals. However, if you want to host the party at your home, make sure you give special attention to the decorations to create the perfect barnyard birthday party environment.

Invitations

You can make your own invitations using white cardstock and stickers of animals. Cut the cardstock in 12 x 8 inch sizes and fold them in the middle to form cards. On its upper side, put some stickers of animals such as pigs, cows, ducks, ponies, etc. and write your invitation message such as '(your kid's name) is turning two, let's celebrate it'. On the inner side of the card, write the party details.

If you are hard-pressed for time, you can buy the prepackaged invitations that are available with the online or physical party supplies store.

Decorations:

Buy the barnyard party supplies and use them creatively to celebrate the perfect farm-style birthday at home. Apart from the regular supplies such as farm-themed paper plates, cups, hats, etc. you can use innovative ideas to impress your guests.

• Buy hay bales and place them around the party area and transform it into a barnyard! You can put your child's stuffed animal toys on them.


• Put some scarecrows across the party area. You can get them from craft stores.

Activities

• For small kids, buy farm themed coloring books and ask them to color their favorite animal.


• Pin the tail on the pig: Draw a pig on the poster board. Give each child a curling ribbon tail, blindfold them, and ask them to pin the tail at the correct spot.


• Hide some plastic animals around the party area and ask the kids to find them.

Party favors

• The farm animal coloring book can be used for activities as well as a party favor. Wrap these barnyard party supplies with cowboy printed papers.


• Buy favor bags in animal shapes and fill them with lots of candies, small animal shaped toys, etc.


• A pair of sunglasses to wear out on farms can also be a good option.

Play some barnyard music in the background, have some farm food such as raw vegetables, fruits, lemonade, etc., and let the kids enjoy their fullest. Plan your barnyard birthday party properly to make it a super hit among the kids.

There are quite a lot of things to consider for organizing an event. The event may be a very simple affair or it could be some high profile event, but it still requires careful planning & preparation. Nobody would want an event to be disastrous. The details have to be carefully worked upon in order to ensure its success.

New York is one of the most sophisticated, glamorous, exciting and vibrant cities in the world. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world with thousand of tourist visiting the place every year. It is a must see in the itinerary of every traveler who happens to visit the area. It is also the most important center for world commerce and trade. There is so much to see and do in New York. Social events, corporate gatherings, functions and other type of gatherings are the regular part of the New York City Culture and social scene.

Planning an event is of utmost importance. Without good planning, even if the purpose of the event is in place, it would have very little possibility of success. Proper planning is important for the success of any event, be it a corporate event, wedding party, trade show, and annual office picnic or may be a sales meeting. Vigilant planning and coordination is required to make the event a success.

Publicity itself doesn't guarantee the success of an event. Even events that got good publicity have been known to fall on its face due to the lack of planning and preparation. Events should be planned at an early stage and the preparation should start as soon as the final decision to host the event has been made. It is better to much too much time on hand rather than panic at the later stages. Event an event is not a simple thing and requires work on event minute of details.

The task of planning an event may lie on the hands of someone involved with the event or there are many Event Planning Company that provide the services of experts at event planning to handle the sole responsibility of organizing a successful event within the desired budget. They take care of all the areas of event planning including the best venue for the event, entertainment, catering, publicity, seating among others. By hiring a professional to take care of the event, you give way all the problems, frustration and tension associated with an event. They also have the expertise to considerately resolve issues of late deliveries, bothersome 3rd parties and legal documentation.

Planning an event is not as simple as it may look. Even the minute details has to be taken care of, else it would result in a disastrous. Hiring a event planning professional is the best way to ensure that the event leaves a mark on the social calendar of the city.

Whether you are a professional party planner or a private individual hosting a party for friends you need to keep an eye on the money you are spending. To do this properly you need to create a budget. A budget is a written document, normally prepared using an excel spread sheet that forecasts the potential costs and in some cases income for the event. A well created budget that is updated regularly is an essential tool that will help you check your spending under control. It will serve as your money guide throughout the planning process.

A budget is important for many reasons, otherwise it would just be a waste of time. At the beginning of the process when quotes are been prepared it will help you decide whether or not to take on the job. Corporations, charities and individuals are all becoming very aware of costs and you need to be sure that the party can be organised within the proposed price point. Then once you decide to go ahead with the event the budget will facilitate the decision making process from start to finish. It is a critical toll in helping you to spend money wisely.

Any budget will have two main heading, revenue and expenses. You must not only know the source and date on which money will be received but also when you will be expected to pay for items. In other words cash flow forecasting, but don't worry you can use the budget template for both.If you are an experienced party planner chances are you are well aware of how to set up a budget but you will also need some "hard figures". That is where experience comes in very handy. By referring to past events you can be more certain about the cost of the various elements. For those new to the business it will take longer. Do not take short cuts when it comes to populating the budget template. You may have to make a large volume of calls or spend hours trawling the net for accurate prices but it will be well worth the effort.

The individual line on a budget should reflect the overall vision for the event. General heading such as Venue, Wine, Entertainment, etc will remain the same but once you get further into the detail the line items will change. For example the budget lines for a top end corporate event are likely to be very different to the detail for a 10K sponsored run. In the context of business events a budget is also a very effective form of internal communication. If you are an employee who has been placed in charge of the event you can use the budget to keep your line manager informed throughout the planning process and of any problems as preparations for the event get under way.

If you expect to receive money for the event then the budget detail should clearly show the sources of that revenue. Generally there are a number of revenue sources, own reserves, ticket sales, sponsorship or a combination of all three. The important point to note is that the revenue may not be received until after expenses have been incurred so it is essential that you confirm your suppliers terms of trade. If you have reserves built up from previous events then it may not be such a big issue. This point highlights the important of running an adequately funded business.

Tent rentals tend to go wrong if there are too many people more than what it can lodge. When planning an event, it is not just the number of guests you have to take into consideration. It also includes the number of tables and chairs, size of the stage and the length of the buffet table. Looking for the right tent rentals may require a little math then.

Standing or sitting. There are two ways to enjoy dinner parties: a sit-down dinner or a cocktail event. Obviously, you will need more area for a sit-down dinner than a standing cocktail event-around 15 to 16 square feet per person. For cocktails, you only need half as much, since there is no need for chairs and huge tables. However, dinner and cocktail parties differ in terms of the kind of food served so consider this tidbit.

Number of guests.Sometimes, it pays for your party, especially a formal one, to be marked as by-invitation only. This way, you can have a better figure at the number of guests attending the event. One major advantage of tent rentals is that the workers can adjust the frame of the tent to accommodate different volumes of people. They can use a larger fabric for more metal frames to create a larger party space.

Setting the stage.A stage is essential if you plan to have a band to perform for your party-and it considers both the band members and their instruments. For example, the drummer needs at least 50 to 75 square feet of space; the pianist around 50 square feet; and the guitarist and lead vocalist a mere four square feet. Supposedly, the band has this number of members, the stage overall needs to be more than 130 square feet big.

Buffets and bars.Coordinate with the catering service on how much space the waiters will need to set up their stations. If you have at least 100 guests attending, consider having two buffet and bar stations so that food distribution will be easier. Another option is to have one very long table but serves two sets of the same menu on either side. One long table will accommodate more people in queue.

Dance floor. Surely, you want your guests to dance the night away after the party proper. The ideal measurement for the dance area when you opt for tent rentals is at least five square feet per person. But make it 10 feet just in case people want to dance by pairs, just like in a ballroom.

Another important milestone in your daughter's growing up is when she is finally turning sweet 16. It doesn't happen everyday. She is about to reach her full bloom, something that we as parents fear as she is growing up. The little bud we once had is turning into a lovely delicate flower - and it is happening very soon and right before our very eyes. We sure want to make it worth remembering for our daughters.

Parents would most likely hire an events planner, something worth your every penny. We have to admit that we do need experts in planning something that happens once in a lifetime. A planner would host the event and be responsible for an awesome and electrifying theme for your Sweet 16 and her expected guests. The theme must be equally rousing to the party favors you are about to distribute afterwards. These party favors become symbols reminiscent of the sweetest event in your precious ones' life. Giving out party favors is optional but it is something the guests really look forward tot. Let me cite some sweet 16 party ideas:

• Fairytale Theme- This is the most probable choice of parents and celebrants for a sweet 16 party. Invited young ladies normally would give in extra effort dressing up to be enchantingly lovely. It can be expensive but it need not be. Simple gowns can be turned into really fine, elegant pieces with some additions to the design which any parent can and would definitely love to do. The party favor ideas that would perfectly blend in would be: handmade couture party dress cookies or chocolate, or personalized tins for collection items. Enough to reward the young ladies for dressing up.

• Slumber Party Theme- This is something that young ladies would love to do. It is more spontaneous and they would love the privacy of sharing stories to each other without the need of an adult around. Some party favors that would be perfect for this theme would be: personalized playing cards or lip balms that they would surely love.

• Retro Themed Party- Get the groove back to the 60's. It will definitely be a flashy day for your young lady and her other guests. Perfect colorful outfits would be a surefire hit and would make the sweet 16's album worth browsing every now and then. Top party favors to match this event are: personalized party goodie bags, personalized chocolate bars - all with colorful and big prints to highlight the theme of the party.

• Masquerade Party- Stay mysterious behind the mask while savoring the night. This theme is elegant and fabulous and very enjoyable. Masks may be ordered or fabricated for a more personal touch. These fabricated masks can be the best party favor for this kind of party, paste a tag somewhere unnoticeable to personalize it.

If you are now or have ever planned a wedding, you know that the thousand and one details involved can quickly overwhelm even the most dedicated multi-tasker. As the bride or groom, not only do you have every practical aspect of the wedding on your mind, but also the inevitable emotional upheaval that comes with a major life change, as well as navigating the sometimes complex process of blending two extended families and learning the boundaries of in-law relationships. With all of that going on, it's no wonder that the temptation to shell out some extra cash to take a logistical load off in the run up to the big day can loom large. The question at hand, though, is this: is it worth it?

The long and short of it is that if you are planning a wedding of any size and/or a reception with any degree of complexity, then the return you will see on your investment in an event planner will most likely be worth it, not only in peace of mind and stress reduction, but possibly even in cost reduction over other aspects of your wedding experience. That is not to say that every wedding needs a dedicated planner. Obviously if you are getting married at the courthouse with a couple of witnesses, followed by a small family dinner at a favorite local spot, you don't need an event planner to help you sort out the details. If, however, you fall somewhere else along the wedding spectrum, more toward the big party/theme wedding/ "I've had a vision since I was six years old" end, for example, then an event planner might be just the thing to keep your head from exploding as you get closer to the big day.

From venue choice to flowers to table linens to cake to bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses, an event planner can certainly be there to help make the big decisions that inform how an event takes shape. That, however, is not truly where an event planner shines. An event planner's true worth is behind the scenes. When you are having a meltdown because you've just found out that your soon to be mother in law is being completely irrational and wants to wear a head to toe scarlet dress to your black and white wedding that you've been planning for the past six months, who is going to take the call from the florist when the flower arrangements you chose three months ago are no longer possible because last night's shipment of imported tulips were splattered all over the interstate in a 13 car pile up and an 11th hour substitution has to be made? When you are in hair and makeup and the venue staff misreads the seating chart and puts your groom's mother and father (who have been divorced and haven't spoken in 13 years) sitting next to one another, who steps in and fixes the seating arrangement before world war 3 happens during cocktail hour? The event planner. Without someone in your corner taking care of those details, you have to look your best, handle your own nerves, soothe your insane family, get married, and handle all the last minute practical details of a wedding and reception on your own with little or no backup. You have bigger things to worry about. Leave the details to the professionals.

It's impossible to count the number of times I am asked questions about pricing for an event. How much will that cost? How could it cost so much? What can I cut? Whether you're a seasoned hostess or planning your first event, it doesn't hurt to brush up on the costs involved in having a party.

Proposals:
If you're working with an event planner, that planner may be handling all aspects of your event from concept to completion (that's what TPG does.) This means you'll write only one check and your proposal will be detailed and all inclusive. If you're acting as your own coordinator, make sure to get written proposals from every vendor you're going to use. Assume nothing. Unless it's in writing, you have no guarantee that the dj will really play for four hours or the tarot card reader will be there for two. Proposals are as individually written as the people typing them. However, there are some consistent things you should look for. If all of these points aren't covered in the proposal you receive, get clarification and then get it in writing. Proposals can be written as a bottom line price for any of a number of services based on the total number of guests, type and quantity of food, rentals, beverages, décor, etc. This kind of proposal is dangerous because you really don't know how things are being priced and what costs what. With everything lumped together, it is easy for you to end up paying all kinds of hidden charges or worse yet, not get certain services included that you thought were part of the package.

Per Person Prices:
At The Party Goddess, we write our proposals and price everything out line by line. For example, you would see a per person amount for:

o Food: Pricing is based on the number of guests (the greater the number, the deeper the discount) type of item, time of day, quality and quantity of food.

o Beverages: Pricing is based on the number of guests, variety, duration of the party and quality of the brands served.

o Disposables: The caterer uses a formula to determine how many of each item to bring so that you don't run out.

You Would Then See Separate Line Items For:

o Staff: Look for the job each staff person will be performing, number of staff, the estimated number of hours the staff will be working and their rate per hour.

o Rentals: Look for per item prices, quantities and separate delivery, set up and strike charges. Often some sort of damage waiver will be included to protect the rental company against breakage and shortage.

o Entertainment : Look for the number of hours the price includes and make sure setup and drive time are included in the price or quoted elsewhere.
o Venue: Look for a set venue fee which may or may not be based on the number of guests expected, a refundable security deposit and extra charges for things like security, on site coordinators, set up and clean up.

o Décor: Look for line item prices for centerpieces, buffet décor, overall décor and installation and strike charges.

o Lighting: Often quoted as an overall package price. Ask for a schematic or some kind of specific proposal that details which areas will be lit.

o Service Charge: Most of the time the service charge is a percentage of the total bill. This charge is not a gratuity and generally covers planning time, workers' comp and liability insurance. Make sure all of your vendors carry their own insurance and name you as additional insured.

o Sales Tax: Every state is different, but in California caterers are required to charge sales tax. Expect to see it on your bill.

Payments - What You Should Expect:

As with all aspects of planning a party, paying for an event has a million variables. In general, you should expect to put down a deposit, usually 50%. This deposit confirms that your vendors will be working for you on a particular date. Typically the deposit is nonrefundable, so make sure you're really committed. Depending on the size and scope of the event, you may be asked to make progress payments and then a fi nal payment on delivery or even 7 days prior. It is also likely for caterers and planners to ask for a credit card to guarantee the final balance of an event.

The Bottom Line:
Information is power. Get all of your quotes in writing, sign your contracts and stay on top of your vendors.

Hiring a Party Planner is always a question I get from people just wanting to have a fairly simple party, but, quite frankly, there is nothing ever simple about a Party. Now, I am not talking about the family get-together or for a party that you throw together at a friend's house. But the Events that seem to garner even more attention, from a fundraiser to an elaborate party that celebrates a primary life Events, are the ones that need more intention. So what are the determining factors that you must decide on?

Tip 1: The first concern usually centers around a budget and that is something that, at face value, always seems set in stone, or so it may seem. You see a Party/Event Planner will always try to get to the true value you plan to get from your budget. Most of the time, a person who sets out to throw a Party usually tries to tie the hands of the Party Planner by putting various restrictions on the Planner by determining the amounts spent for each area of the Event. Always allow the Planner to help you determine the best use of the budget as they will always get you better value for your dollars.

Tip 2: The second concern usually centers around the loss of input if allowing a Party Planner to have the event. A good Party Planner knows how to organize an event in such a way that saves time and money. One of the biggest problems I have always noted was the inability for an organization to "Let go." You have to be willing to give it over to the Planner and let them do what they do best. They will want your input and you theirs, but, in the end, if you allow them to do their job, it will free you to concern yourself with the other details of the Party that might slip between the cracks if you were trying to do it all.

Tip 3: Will a Party Planner really save me time? I alluded to it in tip #2, but if you allow the Planner to have the event and given them the means to communicate, you will give yourself an abundance of time that you would not have had previously. This usually means a better marketing system that will garner you far better return on investment.

Deciding on using a Party Planner is always a decision that will impact your Event in the positive. Just give yourself the freedom to let go and let them make your Party a success.

Party favor bags are a great way of thanking the kids for making your child's birthday memorable. These bags are a treat for the recipient and therefore, are an important part of the party celebration. You must fill them with things that entertain the kids during the party time and later, serve as a keepsake by reminding the kids about the great time they had with you. Here are some ideas that can make your little guests excited about the goodie bags.

• Always choose bags that are matching to your party theme. For example, if you are having a princess party, buy the themed birthday princess party purses. The Justin Bieber party bags will make the girls go crazy over them; therefore, buy them if you are organizing a Bieber party. The whole idea is that you must not use just any ordinary paper bag to fill the treats. When you are buying the supplies for your party, ensure that you buy the bags that match the supplies.


• Do not fill the bags with just anything that you got at the dollar store. The treat must be appropriate for the age group, relevant to the gender, and matching your party theme. If you give candies to the 8 year olds, they will not be very happy with the bag. For them, the best options would be sunglasses, toys, makeup kits for girls, wrist watches for boys, piggy banks, books based on the your party theme, etc. If you are having guests in different age groups, customize your favor bag accordingly so that you don't disappoint some of your special guests. Write the name of the guests on their bags so that you don't hand out a wrong bag to them.


• Apart from giving eatable, you must give something that can be used or can be a reminder of the good times. For example, even if you have made some lovely cookies for child's birthday, do not give them alone as party favors. All kids love cookies and they would not take much time to eat them up. Moreover, most mommies don't want their children to eat too many cookies, candies, and other sweetened products. To make your birthday memorable, give something they can keep for a long time, such as a stuffed animal, a photograph of the child with the birthday kid, a keychain, purse, etc.


• Do not give out just one expensive thing. Kids love to have many small things rather than just one. Moreover, they don't bother about the price of the gift. Kids just want things that they can enjoy. Keep one main gift and the rest will be the fillers such as candies, cookies, birthday hats, blowouts, eye masks, candy gold coins, balloons, etc.


• Avoid competing other parents, friends, or neighbors while filling the party bags or else you will end up choosing a wrong thing because you got it at the right price. Stay within your budget.

The party bags don't have to be expensive or elaborate. Even inexpensive bags will delight the guests, provided they are appropriate for them.

You are new to the neighborhood and you still haven't had the opportunity to properly introduce yourself to the neighborhood families. Halloween offers you a great scope to meet those families in a friendly and informal way! So if you have planned to organize a Halloween event, why not arrange for a scary neighborhood Halloween party this time!

Invite Your Neighbors

Design spooky invitation cards with blood stained hand prints all over or with a monster face drawn on the card cover. You can even invite the neighborhood kids to come with their crayons and water colors and do some drawing and coloring on the invitation cards.

Party Theme

If you decide to turn your locality into a cemetery, then use fake tombstones to decorate the whole area. Involve the kids and their parents to decorate the streets and the lawns with skeletons erected on sturdy sticks. You can also add flying bats on each tree and use dim lights to create a spooky ambiance. Additionally, place different sized pumpkin paper cutouts in front of the doorways.

Costume to Wear

You can tell the kids to dress like Dracula, a witch, Frankenstein, monsters, and so on to make your party a fun-filled affair. It will be lovely to see kids and adults looking like horrific devils and blood sucking vampires. You can keep small gifts ready to be given to the best dressed kid and adult. Don't forget to take pictures of the guests entering your home in such bizarre costumes.

Food of the Day

Take suggestions from your neighbors on what they want to prepare for the scariest event of 2012. Will you make white cakes with edible skeletons on it or chocolate cakes with edible giant spiders? Donuts and cookies can also be prepared in the shape of caterpillars, worms, broomsticks, etc. Remember to make or buy packets of jellybeans, candies, caramels, and lollypops to enjoy during the event. Serve red, white or yellow colored juices to the guests.

Entertainment

Arrange for some creepy music and sound effects (that of howling cats, barking dogs, wings flapping sound of bats, strong winds blowing, etc.) to set the mood of the party. Let all the guests have a blast dancing to the music. You can buy CDs from a nearby grocery store or borrow some from your friends.

Games for Both Kids and Adults

While entertaining the guests with some scary music, you can also introduce games to add more fun and excitement to your event. For your neighborhood Halloween party, you can ask the guests to make a "Jack-o-Lantern" using a cardboard, crayons, and a candle. You can also have the 'candy corn game' for kids where the contestants will have to guess the exact number of candy corns in a jar. The person with the closest guess will get the full jar.

Are you new at negotiating banquet prices or do you know how hotels think about negotiating banquet food? What can and can not be negotiated during the planning process? So, what has been your experience as a meeting and event planner been when this issue comes up?

Are banquet menus prices set in stone? Some are and some are not.

Remember that hotels make most of their money from room rates. The profit margin is higher. On banquet food there is a smaller profit margin, so there is less to work with and hotels normally will not offer discounts unless there are specific requests and they really have a reason to negotiate.

Banquet food pricing consists of three items, food cost, staff labor and profit. Since the food cost and staffing takes up so much of the banquet price, it is very hard to ask your Catering Manager to just lower the price.

However, even though the hotel is reluctant to reduce prices, you still might have some options. Ask your Catering Manager to get with the Chef and come up with a menu that has a lower food cost so the hotel can still maintain their profit margin, yet allow them to lower the price of the banquet item.

I have worked with many Chefs and they always have a couple of menu items in their hip pocket that would work for both their cost and your budget.

An example of this is a banquet for a teenage YMCA group. Banquet menus may run $20 - $30++ for normal beef, chicken or fish items. However, teenagers just want to be fed and would be happier with spaghetti, meat sauce, a small tossed salad, plain rolls and a simple dessert (Chef's choice). The food cost for this menu is much lower and therefore the hotel can still make a profit and the group can fit the price into their budget.

Another way would be to ask your Catering or Convention Service Manager to get with the Chef and ask for a simple buffet with Chef's choice of entree, starch and dessert. This would not work for a high powered corporate event, but might work for lunch if you are just trying to feed the group. Again, the Chef can keep his food cost in line and you can fit something into your meeting budget that will work.

So, are banquet menu prices set in stone? Some are and some are not. Sometimes it is necessary to negotiate special food items and pricing in order to "make it work" for the group and the hotel.