Are you planning an upcoming corporate event for your company or clients? Organising a corporate event or party is a very exciting time – but it’s also important to get the job done right.
From budgets to dietary requirements, our top catering tips are here to help you plan an unforgettable event for your company.
Know your budget
As with any party or event, the budget needs to come first – and it’s important to know how much of your budget you can allocate to your event catering.
Corporate catering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the event, so it’s essential to know your budget before you start searching for the perfect event caterer.
Knowing your budget enables you to make informed decisions and helps you stay within your financial constraints. Without a clear understanding of how much you are willing to spend on catering, you may end up overspending or compromising on the quality of food and service. By setting your budget ahead of time, you’ll be aware of how much money you have to dedicate to your event’s food and drink offering, and you can find a corporate caterer that aligns with your allocated funds.
Additionally, having a budget in mind allows you to communicate clearly with your potential event caterers – meaning that when you meet with them, they may be able to tailor their proposals to meet your specific requirements, or can suggest menus that will help you to get the best value for your money.
All in all, knowing your budget from the outset of planning your corporate event will streamline the process. This will allow you to better research caterers who offer services within your price range, saving you both time and effort. This way, you can compare quotes and offerings more efficiently, ultimately selecting the caterer that best suits your needs and budget.
Schedule First
After setting your budget, you should then start by setting a schedule for your corporate event. An event schedule acts as a blueprint for your entire event, highlighting all of the necessary timings and activities for the event. A good event schedule will serve as a guide for event organisers, suppliers such as caterers and the attendees, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
One of the main reasons why creating an event schedule is important is that it helps to keep things organised. With so many elements making up corporate events or parties, it’s easy for things to get chaotic without a proper schedule in place. By clearly outlining the order of events, from the arrival of guests to the speeches and activities planned, you can avoid any confusion and ensure that everything happens as planned.
Having an event schedule is also essential for coordinating with your event caterer. Whether you are hosting a cocktail reception or a Christmas party, the timing of the food service is important. By knowing when you’d ideally like to serve any specific food or drinks, you can communicate these details to your caterer in advance. This will then help them to plan and prepare the food accordingly, so that it is served fresh and hot to your guests.
Stick to your schedule
Once you’ve set your schedule, be sure to try your best to stick to it throughout the event, as otherwise this can have a knock-on effect on other timings.
An event schedule also allows you to manage time effectively throughout the event. By allocating specific time slots, you can ensure that everything runs on time. This is particularly important for corporate events that have different elements, such as activities, food and networking.
Dietary restrictions
Another crucial aspect of corporate event planning that should never be overlooked is your guests’ dietary requirements and preferences. Whether your guests are vegetarian, gluten free or require halal food, it’s important to create a menu that caters to all preferences and restrictions, whether it’s for allergies, preferences or religious dietary restrictions.
Knowing your guests’ dietary requirements ahead of time not only shows thoughtfulness, but is also very reassuring to guests with additional dietary requirements that their needs will be catered for ahead of time.
Additionally, it also shows professionalism, and allows you to provide a diverse range of food options that will leave everyone satisfied and happy. Imagine the joy on your guests’ faces when they realise that everything they can eat is clearly labelled, and their needs have been taken into consideration to create a flavourful and filling meal.
Considering dietary requirements can also contribute to the overall success of your corporate event. In recent years, people have become more conscious of their dietary choices, and many individuals have specific food preferences or restrictions. By catering to your guests’ needs, you create an inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels valued and included.
Corporate Catering Style
As with any event, having the right food and drink at your corporate party can make the evening truly memorable. It’s for this reason that choosing the perfect catering style and theme is really important – as it sets the tone for your entire event.
Whether you prefer an opulent sit-down dinner or a casual street food style, your choice of catering should align with your event theme and company culture – as this will make your event more cohesive.
To achieve this, be sure to spend time sourcing a corporate event caterer who can help you bring your vision to life. Search for professional caterers who will not only listen to your ideas, but also offer creative suggestions and customisable offerings to suit your corporate event plan.
By focusing on style, theme-matching and collaboration, you’ll ensure that your guests aren’t just getting fed, but are actively excited by the unforgettable culinary experience you’ve created.
Menu tastings
Now, for the fun part! You’ve got a menu in mind, and you’ve been speaking to some corporate caterers.
Arrange menu tastings with your shortlisted event caterers to see which menu best matches your vision.
This will help you to finalise your menu and book your caterer, before confirming the headcount and any dietary requirements your guests may have.
Get a headcount
Once your corporate event planning is in full swing and you’ve got a caterer and ideal menu in mind, it’s time to get a final headcount.
It’s for this reason when sending out invitations, you should always request RSVPs in plenty of time, so that you’ll know almost exact numbers to share with your caterers and other suppliers.
Consider Additional Services
Whilst securing exceptional food for your corporate event is essential, it’s also important to take into consideration the other suppliers and services that will be part of your event.
To take your corporate party to the next level, consider the other elements that will make your event stand out from the crowd. Whether you opt for themed decorations to make your event immersive, interactive activities to encourage mingling, or live music to get the party atmosphere going, it’s important to arrange the additional services that will make your corporate event one to remember.
Corporate Event Caterers
Are you on the lookout for professional caterers for your Cheshire-based corporate event? Chat to us today! From cocktail evenings to Christmas parties, we’re here to help you create the corporate event menu of your dreams.