There are those who love planning their wedding and do a great job – hat’s off to them! There are others, though, who find hiring a wedding planner is their best bet. Planners handle every detail from helping the bride choose her colors to helping the couple choose the venue. Everything is so organized, meticulous, and detail-oriented . . . they must know what they’re doing when it comes to planning a big event, right?Take some cues from wedding planners for planning your anniversary celebration, particularly if it’s a large milestone moment. If you’re celebrating your 10th anniversary, 25th anniversary, and so on – you’re going to want to be surrounded by a lot of people because, let’s face it, this is something to truly celebrate.
What would a wedding planner do? (Not necessarily in this order) Here are some things a wedding planner would do that mirrors closely what you can do when planning your large wedding anniversary celebration:
* Set up a budget
* Create a guest list, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses
* Order invitations, response cards, and other paper items
* Send out invitations, including a response card for large parties
* Choose a venue, entertainment, and caterer (interview, interview, interview!)
* Order decorations and flowers if they’re not supplied by the venue
* Book a venue, entertainment, and caterer
* Pick out a vintage car or limousine and make a reservation
* Choose a cake (taste MANY)
* Order the cake, and arrange for delivery
* Pick out and, if necessary, order gifts for spouse
There are a lot of other things to consider when making these plans as well. Do you want it to be a cocktail party? Do you want it to be a dessert social? Do you want it to be a formal sit down dinner? Do you want it to be a buffet dinner? Will alcohol be served? If so, do you want a cash bar? Will children be present? If so, have you set up an area to accommodate activities for them?
Planning a party that is sizeable often takes an event planner, so don’t feel like a failure if you need to call in help. Many wedding planners do plan other events as well, and there are some planners who focus solely on large party planning. If you feel overwhelmed, there are a number of places to look online for reputable party planners, or you can take a flip through the yellow pages. Word-of-mouth referrals are your best bet, though. Try getting a referral from a wedding planner you trust, from a bakery, from tuxedo rental shops, and so on.
* Create a guest list, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses
* Order invitations, response cards, and other paper items
* Send out invitations, including a response card for large parties
* Choose a venue, entertainment, and caterer (interview, interview, interview!)
* Order decorations and flowers if they’re not supplied by the venue
* Book a venue, entertainment, and caterer
* Pick out a vintage car or limousine and make a reservation
* Choose a cake (taste MANY)
* Order the cake, and arrange for delivery
* Pick out and, if necessary, order gifts for spouse
There are a lot of other things to consider when making these plans as well. Do you want it to be a cocktail party? Do you want it to be a dessert social? Do you want it to be a formal sit down dinner? Do you want it to be a buffet dinner? Will alcohol be served? If so, do you want a cash bar? Will children be present? If so, have you set up an area to accommodate activities for them?
Planning a party that is sizeable often takes an event planner, so don’t feel like a failure if you need to call in help. Many wedding planners do plan other events as well, and there are some planners who focus solely on large party planning. If you feel overwhelmed, there are a number of places to look online for reputable party planners, or you can take a flip through the yellow pages. Word-of-mouth referrals are your best bet, though. Try getting a referral from a wedding planner you trust, from a bakery, from tuxedo rental shops, and so on.
If you opt to not hire an event planner, purchase a planning guide that will help keep you organized. The trick is to address all issues and to make sure there are no questions left unanswered. There’s a lot involved, so you’ll need to enlist the help of friends and family if hiring vendors is not an option. This isn’t impossible, and it can be accomplished successfully. You’ll see!
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