You are planning a wedding or another special event in 2022? While congratulations are in order, we are familiar with all the stress that goes along with the organization of everything. You have to take care of million things and be very patient with the demands of your guests. In this article, we are going to give you some rock-solid tips on event planning that are universal for any type of special event.
Remember that Covid-19 is still around
Covid-19 is something you must consider for every part of your planning. It doesn’t matter if it is related to wedding transportation in Chicago or hiring a choir to sing at your special event. You don’t need to be a genius to notice that in the colder months the number of cases is rising, while in the spring and summer it goes down. It is better to plan your special event when the weather is warm. This not only means less chance of strict measures regarding Covid-19 but also the possibility to host your wedding party or special event outdoors.
Hotel and transportation for your guests
Even if you are not paying the bill for the transport and accommodation, you have to provide your guests with some options. Consult with them what do they prefer:
- Maybe a hotel close to the venue?
- A place to stay that will allow them to go sightseeing?
- Or perhaps a hotel close to the airport?
You need to clear these things out and know what places to recommend. Also, hiring or giving information about charter transportation from the airport is something that will make their stay better. Double-check if some of your guests are arriving with babies or pets. In this case, there will be extra requirements for the hotel they will stay in.
Book a venue in time
Once the date for the special event is set and you know the number of guests be sure to book the venue you want. If you don’t act quickly the best ones won’t be available to you. There are a lot of weddings and special events in Chicago every year. And everybody wants to book the best places. Don’t get left behind just because you didn’t plan ahead. Here are some essentials to consider:
- Is the specific venue within your budget?
- Is there an option to go inside if it rains?
- Is there going to be enough room for dancing?
Most people forget to check the answers to the question above and then regret their decision about booking a certain venue. Don’t be one of them.
Have some fun games
Sometimes it is hard to get the party started. There is one secret for putting everybody in the mood – get the girls dancing! Then each of them will invite her husband or boyfriend to the dance floor. And once there are 5-10 couples dancing, others will follow. If this scenario doesn’t play out don’t get disappointed. Just include some fun games that will get people moving. Here are some classic ideas:
- Dance-off battle;
- Dollar dash (works for weddings only);
- Generation dance.
There are a lot of amazing ideas. Just remember to read the room. If people are in the middle of the main course and you announce a dance-off battle you will likely be left alone to play it.
Introduce the guests to each other before the special event
It doesn’t matter if it is a wedding or another type of special event that you have in mind. The party will be better if people know each other. While in most cases all guests can’t be friends you can at least try to introduce them before the event. Have some cocktail with an open bar and chat with everybody for 1-2 hours before the evening starts. It would be perfect if you can invite some of your guests to family dinners or birthday parties and let them get to know each other there. In that way, you won’t have a special event with 100 people that are strangers.
Organizing special events is stressful. However, once you see everybody having fun, you forget about the tension and just start to enjoy yourself. Remember that after all this is your special day. Make it count. You are the important one!