Event Planning

The Meat and Potatoes of Event Planning

Choosing Your Menu

One of the most talked about aspects of any event is the menu. People

love to eat and if they are invited to a party, one of the things they will

usually be most excited about is the food.

It can be a daunting task, planning an entire menu for a group of

twenty, thirty or three hundred people. But with some careful thought

and proper event planning, you can prepare a menu that will not only

satisfy your guest's appetites but it will impress them as well.

If the group that you are hosting is large, hiring an event planner might

be in your best interest. The reason for this is that local event planners

generally have an outstanding relationship with caterers. They know

who is good, who serves what and which catering company will satisfy

all of your dining needs. A benefit to hiring a catering company is that

they handle all aspects of beverages and food. All you need to do is sit

down with the person planning your event and decide on a menu that

will fit into both the appetites of your guests and your budget. Armed

with this information, the event planner will contact several caterers get

a quote on your party and then come back to you with a few finalists.

You'll be able to not only meet with the caterers, but generally you can

also get a taste test of what they have to offer. This is a great approach

because then you, as the host, are fully prepared for what will be

served to your guests the day of the event.

If your soiree is a smaller affair, than you might decide to handle the

event planning details of it yourself. This includes taking on the

planning of the menu. In this case you'll consider whether a cocktail

party, a sit down dinner or a buffet might be in order. Each of these

alternatives offers distinct benefits. If you decide on a cocktail party,

you'll need to choose several hors d'oeuvres that your guests will enjoy.

It's usually prudent to plan on a few of each for every person attending.

If you plan in that fashion, you won't be embarrassed by running short

of food.

A dinner party or buffets are also good choices for a party. Depending

on the number of guests invited you can plan either without too much

difficulty. One important note is that whenever you are event planning

and the function will include food it's wise to consider whether any of

your guests have special needs when it comes to food. This can

include things like diabetes or food allergies. If you are having

someone attend who is highly allergic to a food, try not to serve that

food at all.

When it comes to event planning, menu planning is a big factor. If you

consider the size of your guest list and the time of the event, you can

choose foods and presentation that fit the tone of your party to a tee.