The Ultimate Top Ten

1. First and foremost, know your budget 2. Never take anything for granted and make sure all the costs are laid out clearly to you 3. Provide your delegates/guests with comprehensive directions to get to the venue itself ensuring that these are sent out well in advance 4. Look at your diary to make sure you are not clashing with another event such as a sales meeting which will take people away from the office 5. Listen to advice from the venue staff as they have a wealth of experience and contacts to share with you 6. Think about the people who will be at the party and book your entertainment accordingly 7. Don’t be shy about talking to your caterer about devising innovative and unusual menus as they will probably relish creating dishes that are a little special 8. Listen to advice from the catering team as they have a wealth of experience and contacts to share with you from flowers and entertainment to marquee and furniture hire 9. Visit and ‘get to know’ the venue before the event so that you are aware of all the facilities to inform your delegates about, for example, the nearest toilets, cash point, taxi rank and so on 10. Think about creating the right atmosphere for your event by using lighting, music and floral decorations