So, you’ve been tasked with organising a
banquet. This can seem a bit daunting, particularly if you’ve never done it
before. Yet keeping everything on track is much easier than expected,
particularly when you have an awesome venue and caterers to back you up.
Things to Decide First
First things first, and it’s always best to
start at the beginning. Once you have these big three ticked off your list,
your event will be half organised already.
Theme
Are you going for black tie? Or maybe going
for a more unusual theme? When it comes to a banquet, anything goes. From an
Alice in Wonderland tea party to a masquerade, there are no end of themes that
still work well with a sit-down dinner. If your event is for charity, having a
theme like this can really add some fun to the day, and get everyone even more
excited to attend.
Venue
Your venue needs to be one of the first
things that you consider when organising the perfect banquet. It needs to fit
in with the theme that you have chosen, be big enough for the number of guests
that you’re expecting and be in a good location. There are a whole host of
banquet halls for hire in London, but you need to be careful when choosing in
order to get the right one for you. Many venues provide packages that include
food, staff on the night, and a whole host of extras so if you’ve never done
this before, it’s a great choice to consider.
Budget
While it’s tempting to go all-out on food
and décor, you need to know what you can afford. Feeding a roomful of people
doesn’t come cheap, so knowing how much this part is going to cost will let you
know how much you have left to spend on entertainment and other goodies. If you
do need to reign things in a bit, don’t be ashamed of doing so. It’s important
that you don’t overstretch the budget and having a more relaxed theme for your
banquet can help you with this. If you go black tie, guests will expect luxury,
so don’t do it unless the budget allows for it.
What Comes Next?
So, the date is set, the venue is booked,
and you have your Pirates of the Caribbean costume ordered. Now that that’s
sorted, it’s time to think of a few other things.
The Food
If you’re organising a banquet, then people
are coming for the food, no question about it. That’s why it has to be
delicious. No dry chicken or wilted salad, good grub is the only acceptable
choice. Make sure that you get a menu tasting from the venue or catering company
and ensure that they can deal with any dietary restrictions. If fancy food isn’t
in your budget, then don’t go fancy. So long as it tastes good, your guests won’t
care if they are eating sliders or lobster. Keeping the event to time is also
very important for the food. The chefs can’t be blamed if they are trying to
keep food warm while the MC is still talking.
Dress Code
The dress code will be decided by the theme
of the event, but make sure that everyone knows what this is in advance. It won’t
be fancy dress unless you let your guests are told in plenty of time to
organise their outfits.
Seating Arrangement
Have a seating arrangement laid out beforehand.
Yes, there will be some no-shows, and possibly even some guests who just turn
up on the night, but for the most part, a seating arrangement will help the
night go smoothly. It prevents a lot of milling around as large groups try and
find a way to sit together, and you can organise tables to all be filled, instead
of having some that are half empty. Couples won’t be split up if they arrive
late, and the whole night will be easier to organise.
Things to Remember
It’s happening now, and you’ve got almost
everything ticked off of your list. Here’s a few other items that you shouldn’t
forget about.
Entertainment
Entertainment of some description is a must
for a banquet, and there are loads of options that you can choose from. If you
are having a lot of speeches throughout the night, the MC might be enough to
keep the crowd entertained. However, you could also have an inspirational
speaker, a comedian, or even a magician that goes around the tables between courses.
Having a table quiz with prizes is another fun, inexpensive idea that will get
everyone involved, relaxed, and laughing.
Transport
Consider how your guests are going to get
to and from the banquet. While having a good location is essential, many people
might want to have a glass of wine with their meal, so arranging transport home
will be much appreciated by everyone. Whether that means a bus to a more
central location, or pre-booked taxis, getting everyone home safe at the end of
the night is something that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Photographer
You’re sure to have an amazing time at the
banquet, but memories can fade fast, so having a photographer present is not
only something that your guests will love, you will also be able to use the
photographs to promote the event afterwards. If your photographer is only
staying a short time, consider hiring a photobooth so that the guests can take
a favour from their night home with them – having props relevant to your theme
is a plus!
A banquet is a big night out for anyone,
but with so many beautiful venues to choose from in London, the event just
organises itself! Remember to take time out to relax and enjoy the evening yourself.
After all of this, you’ll deserve it.
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