Have you ever wondered how event planners are able to do it all?
Check out the three best tips from our latest event planning workshop!
Have you ever worked with a creative professional while putting together an event? If so, you have surely seen the magic that event planners perform when transforming ideas into reality.
Otherwise, you may be all too familiar with the stress of coordinating an event on your own.
Whether you are planning a wedding, a corporate retreat, or even a large scale holiday party, an experienced event planner can make planning and finalizing event details a breeze. They can provide a list of trustworthy vendors, suppliers, and more that bring your event’s vision to life. They can assist with event organization and logistics, decor and style inspiration, and ensure the costs of your event remain within your budget.
Overall, working with an event planner is advantageous to anyone hoping to organize a stellar event, regardless of the occasion.
So, how do event planners get so much insider knowledge to make your events successful? One way is by attending professional expos, conferences, and workshops!
As an accomplished caterer for upscale events across Alabama, Table & Thyme has gained valuable insight about what it means to make and event an amazing one. Our team of talented caterers is dedicated to providing elevated experiences for our community. So, when Table & Thyme was given the opportunity to speak with and share our hard-earned knowledge of the event industry with campus event planners at the University of Alabama, we just had to say yes!
Today, we are sharing some of our best event planning tips that are guaranteed to make every event a hit every time.
Ready to elevate your events?
Here are our top 3 event planning tips, with images courtesy of Rhythm Creative.
Event Planning Tip #1: Feed Guests, and Feed Them Well.
As specialists in catering, Table & Thyme does boast a bit of bias when it comes to deciding on an event’s menu. However, food plays a major role in what makes an event successful.
Finding the balance of flavors, textures, themes, and more can make determining menu items a lengthy and confusing process. Thankfully, a team of devoted caterers like Table & Thyme can work with you to meet and exceed every expectation for your event.
Though, generally speaking, there is one thing that is for certain: whatever you decide to serve at your event, make it delicious!
Of course, as the featured speaker at this event planning workshop, we had to show attendees how it is done!
This event’s menu featured items that said, “tastes like home, but better!”
For starters, we served a platter of Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Spicy Cowboy Butter, an appetizer with a tantalizing and modern flavor to kick things off.
Another important thing to remember when planning event menus is to provide options for everyone. In case some guests were unable to savor the seafood skewers, this event highlighted another tasty alternative, Blackened Chicken Skewers with Creole Honey Mustard Dressing.
Additionally, guests piled their plates with Roasted Rosemary and Thyme Potato Wedges, a hearty serving of Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits with Whipped Fig Butter, and our beloved staple, Creole Deviled Eggs, to make up this event’s Southern homestyle-themed fare.
Naturally, no meal is complete without a healthy dose of fresh greens. In true Southern fashion, Table & Thyme prepared a refreshing salad mix by dressing a bed of spinach and arugula with rich Parmesan shavings, crunchy Cornbread Croutons, and a drizzle of House Honey Vinaigrette or Creamy Caesar Dressing.
An upscale event menu sports more than an array of mouthwatering food. Any knowledgeable caterer knows that the selection of drinks is just as important as the meal itself!
Just like the taste of home (but better), workshop attendees filled their glasses with Southern Sweet Iced Tea and Sweet Strawberry Lemonade, the perfect pairing for the South’s summertime heat!
Event Planning Tip #2: Give Guests Something to Remember.
In addition to providing an excellent menu, another way to ensure a successful event as an event planning expert or vendor is to give guests something to remember. And, to give guests something to remember you by.
For example, this event planning workshop took place in Tuscaloosa’s new upscale venue, Downtown Social. Not only does this space produce an opportunity to gain first-hand experience with a local venue, knowledge valuable for clients in the area, but it also allows a competitive advantage. By attending an event in the new space, the University of Alabama campus event planners had more insight on the venue than others who have not yet worked with Downtown Social.
Beyond the venue, workshop guests were also awarded gift bags filled with special treats and other swag courtesy of Table & Thyme.
Including strategic branding and promotional materials on event items will cement your place as a trustworthy specialist in event planning and coordination in guests’ minds. That is, as long as you have followed our event planning tips for a successful event!
Event Planning Tip #3: Provide a Unique and Valuable Experience.
Finally, the last tip we are sharing from this event planning workshop is to provide guests with a unique and valuable experience.
Regardless of the reason for the occasion, thinking outside the box and staying creative guarantees guests receive an experience they cannot get anywhere else.
For example, instead of hosting a simple meet, greet, and mingle event, Table & Thyme presented attendees with helpful information and knowledge from our years of experience in the industry. Why? For these up-and-coming campus event coordinators to better their own event planning strategies!
Elevate Your Events with Table & Thyme
As you have seen, Table & Thyme is dedicated to making every event memorable. How do we do it? Aside from offering our expertise at workshop and professional development events like the one we shared today, Table & Thyme has a number of resources to elevate your events, like:
- A selection of catering packages to fit every event, large, small, and everywhere in between.
- A collection of guides and event planning tips shared on our blog.
- Our catalog of must-try recipes, hacks, and irresistible food content.
- A gallery of incredible event style, decorating, and catering inspiration.
Whatever you are looking for, Table & Thyme has what you need to become a 5-star event host and planner. So, stick around and don’t miss any of our latest news by following Table & Thyme on social media using the links below, and check in with our blog every week!
For more information on Table and Thyme, contact them today! Follow us on our social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest to see the other amazing events, lavishing grazing tables and beautiful graze boxes we have created.
