Most of us have been to at least one event that ticked all the right boxes: great food, good company and a healthy dose of fun. On the flipside, most of us have also attended our fair share of functions that left a lot to be desired. Think dull corporate settings with fluorescent lighting and bland finger food.
Hosting a successful event takes a certain amount of finesse, but it’s especially important to plan ahead. With that in mind, here are our top tips for making sure your next event goes off without a hitch.
1. Choose the right venue
As the old adage goes, it’s all about location, location, location. Executing a successful event is all about choosing the right spot for you and your guests depending on the purpose of the event. For example, if it’s a birthday party or wedding reception you’re planning, you’ll want to make sure there’s plenty of space to accommodate decorations, gifts, a cake display and, of course, a place to give your dancing shoes a workout. If it’s a corporate event, it’s important to choose a venue that’s welcoming but professional and has necessary equipment such as an AV set-up to suit your needs.
2. Cater to your guests
It’s important to know your audience, and planning an event is no exception. Think about your goal for the event and who will be attending. Do you want to express gratitude to your team? Surprise and delight clients? Have a casual catch-up with friends? Raise funds for charity? Your choices for the venue, decorations, timing, duration, food and drinks etc. should all depend on who you’ll be entertaining and why.
Try to think outside the box and conceptualise themed events or special functions that will appeal to your guests. For example, a fun group activity like doing an escape room followed by a celebratory ‘We escaped!’ restaurant lunch could be just the ticket to winning over new clients or saying thanks to your team for all their hard work.
3. Make the menu a priority
If you’ve ever been to a birthday bash or a corporate function, you’ll know that the standard of food can make or break an event. The last thing you want is for your guests to be starving with only a handful of lukewarm party pies and sausage rolls to choose from. Make sure that the venue you choose has a good reputation when it comes to the quality and selection of food available.
At The Meat & Wine Co, we have a number of set menu options available for events, which feature some of our most popular dishes – including fresh hors d’oeuvres on arrival, entrees, cutting-edge main dishes and tempting desserts. We also have a range of beverage packages to choose from, so you can create a customised food and drinks menu that perfectly suits your requirements.
4. Make sure it’s easy to get to
It may sound obvious, but accessibility is a big deciding factor for guests in whether or not they’ll attend an event – so it’s important to ensure that your chosen venue is easy to get to by car or public transport.
With seven restaurant locations, The Meat & Wine Co has a number of event venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth to choose from, all conveniently located near public transport and/or parking. From waterside dining in Barangaroo to stylish private events in South Yarra and corporate-friendly entertaining in Perth’s CBD, there’s a location to suit virtually every need when you host your event at The Meat & Wine Co.
5. Pay attention to service standards
It’s difficult to pull off the perfect event on your own – and you shouldn’t have to. Do your research to make sure that your event organiser or venue team has a reputation for going above and beyond when it comes to customer service. This means they take the time to understand your unique requirements, answer your questions and put in that extra effort to make sure all the finishing touches are accounted for ahead of time.
At The Meat & Wine Co, our events team is on hand to see your vision come to life and ensure your event is unforgettable for all the right reasons. Get in touch to enquire about holding your next event at The Meat & Wine Co.
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