The Key to Every Successful Happy Hour: Cold Drinks and a Great Space
You’ve been put in charge of planning a happy hour…now what? Here are a few basics that you should know before you start planning.
- How many attendees will you have & who are they?
Are you inviting just your department or the whole company? Whip up a quick guest count from there. A guest count will influence the budget allocated, where to host the event, and the atmosphere desired.
- What is Your Budget?
The answer to this question will ultimately determine what type of event you have!
If you are working within a tight budget, think about what is most important to you. Is it having an open bar, food available, or the perfect location? Once you determine that, you can start finding ways to save money. Maybe it’s limiting the amount of food offered (if any at all), or changing to drink tickets for beer and wine as opposed to open bar.
Is your boss footing the whole bill and giving you free range? Great! This will definitely make your life easier, but remember to show them the final estimate before booking.
At Boston Event Solutions, we provide several options for drinks, food and venues – specifically working within your budget.
- What date works the best?
Pick three dates as options and remember that Wednesdays and Thursdays are often the best night for people to make it out. Check with each department involved to ensure there are no conflicts on the calendar. Then take a quick office poll with the key decision makers.
- Where am I going to host this thing?
Make a list of venues within walking distance to your office or ask a few of the social butterflies around work where they like to go. When you begin calling the venues, the first three questions they will ask are “what is your budget?”, “how many people?” and “when will the event be?”. Having the answer to these will get things moving quickly and easily, and limit the amount of work on you, too! If the venue can’t work within your budget or accommodate the amount of people, you know that you can move to the next one on your list.
- How will I get the word out?
Now that all the work is done, let your coworkers know the details! Type out What, Where, Who, When (date and time) and Why (if applicable) and shoot off an email to your guest list. Don’t forget to link to the venue’s website and let your co-workers know to contact you with questions.
Enjoy the party!
Boston Event Solutions manages happy hours, corporate events, private parties and more in 11 venues across the city. Call them at 617-248-9933 or visit bostoneventsolutions.com to start planning your next great event!
