1. If your intention is to have an evening celebration, host your event on a weeknight or Sunday instead of a Friday or Saturday. You’ll be able to negotiate a better rate with all of your potential vendors, from your caterer to florist and band, and the venue will be more negotiable.
2. Hire a DJ instead of a band. Be sure to ask your DJ to bring appropriate background music for dining and not just dance music for the party. Any well seasoned DJ will know exactly what you need and in most cases will provide you with a timeline of what is to be played and when.
3. For weddings, host a daytime wedding instead of an evening reception. Consider a luncheon or brunch, with a late night dance party that same evening or a few weeks later when you return from your honeymoon.
(A b. The Boss Events Favorite)
4. Offer a signature cocktail instead of an open bar. You’ll be surprised how often you’ll hear your friends say "I’d love one of those, it’s been ages since I’ve had X, Y or Z!" With a Signature cocktail you can come up with fun names to incorporate the theme of your event or even create a cocktail in your event colors.
5. No need to serve costly champagne. Try a sparkling wine cocktail, such as a Kir Royale or Bellini. If you’re a purist and champagne cocktail isn’t your thing, save the chilled champagne for special toasts.
6. Don’t try to be fancy with your meal; opt for a delicious, juicy and succulent chicken dish versus a more expensive veal, beef or lamb. Trust me, no one will be offended, and in fact, most of your guests will be just as delighted in eating a delicious chicken with crispy potatoes prepared right and served beautifully.
7. A traditional sit down dinner event with a three course meal can get costly. Instead, host a chic and elegant black tie cocktail party. Great drinks, delicious tray-passed foods will delight your friends just the same. Hire a DJ if you love to dance and have a great party.
8. Instead of working with an expensive invitation company, print your own invitations at home. Take some extra time to personalize each one; add an embellishment such as a colored semi-precious stone or store bought crystal. After choosing the theme of your event finde a detail that you would like to highlight or incorporate in your invitation. For example, if you are having a garden party incorporate a sprig of lavender inside the invitation. It will look beautiful,smell devine, and is a simple way to dress up and otherwise plain invitation.
9. There are no rules when it comes to the type of celebration you host. Instead of a seated dinner, consider hosting a Sunday brunch with Champagne Bellini’s. Delicious omelets made to order, fresh fruit and chilled white wine would certainly do the trick. One thing to be careful of: don’t serve alcohol before the meal or you’ll have everyone smashed before food is served. And be extra careful if it’s a hot day and you’re outdoors. It’s amazing how a little alcohol goes right to the head on an empty stomach.
