by Barbara Nichols
and Brad Weaber

1. Learn as much as you can about your guests. Is yours a "five course" or a more casual group? Would they prefer an opportunity to dress up... or to dress down? How long will you be able to hold the group's attention for after-dinner presentations? What percentage requests entree substitutions because of dietary restrictions? How many are typically no-shows? Retain attendance and consumption data for the next time you have to organize an event for the same (or similar) audience.
2. Select the best space. A room that at first appears to be adequate for a meal function may in fact limit the space available for wait staff to serve and clear tables. But a room that's too large curtails group interaction. Published capacity formulas vary, depending on the size of banquet rounds used. Also, space-eating elements (buffet, entertainment, dancing) added after the room has been reserved can turn the right room into the wrong space.
3. Lock in pricing. Make sure your contract includes a clause that requires menu pricing to be confirmed no later than six months prior to the meeting. Hotels change printed menus frequently, and it's important to "lock in" prices, especially for these items you will be ordering on a consumption, rather than a per person basis. The cost saving can be phenomenal.
4. Reduce serving sizes. Discuss with the catering manager the option of reducing the portion sizes of the meat dishes you are serving. And negotiate to have breakfast breads and pastries cut in half.
5. Know what you are ordering. Be certain that you have a clear understanding of what an item can realistically serve. Does that "deluxe cheese tray" really serve 100 people? Ask the hotel the size of the platter and the number of pounds/ounces provided.
6. Rely on the professionals. Do you know the difference between pommes noisettes and pollo novello? We don't either! Good chefs and catering managers develop creative solutions to match needs to budgets. They know what's in season, what's economical and what's still good after sitting in a hot box for 30 minutes!
7. Monitor free pouring carefully. Bars, of course, must be controlled. But we heard the story recently of a meeting manager on a budget who had to limit the amount of wine at the final banquet to one glass per person. Knowing that not everyone would drink, she ordered by the bottle to cut costs... then watched in horror as the wait staff refilled glasses throughout the meal! Always be certain that your instructions are clearly communicated.
8. Ask to 'carry over' liquor. While many hotels will balk at this request, negotiate the right to use partial bottles from one function at a subsequent event. Also, give yourself the option to purchase on either a "per bottle" or "per drink" basis.
9. Focus on quality. Presentation is important and good service is critical – but lousy food is remembered long after a pretty meal is served. Request references – planners of events similar to your own – and ask them about their experiences with the facility.
10. Get the timing right. Here are a few of the scheduling errors that other planners have made: Too-early (before most flights have arrived) opening events; too-late luncheons in resort settings; too-long before-dinner cocktail parties; and interminable banquet programs.
11. Enrich ambiance. A comfortable and attractive setting heightens guests' enjoyment as do those elements we add to the environment – flowers, candles, draping and backdrops. Pay attention to color combinations, matching or complementing room decor and table linens, and keep an eye on room temperature, sound level and lighting.
12. Rehearse. You may not need a full-cast rehearsal, but even the simplest banquet program will benefit from a timed agenda. Determine when the formal program will begin and, most particularly, the desired duration. Open-ended programs become never-ending programs; allot time limits to very program participant and entertainer and encourage their adherence to the schedule.
13. Keep your cool. Rarely do we see facility staff bend over backwards to produce successful events for purple-faced screamers.
14. Donate leftovers. Have you ever looked at the untouched food after an event and felt heartsick about the waste, knowing there are people, right there in your convention city, who go to bed hungry? Now you can do something about it: Contact PCMA's Network for the Needy at (205) 978-4914 to learn how you can participate in the food and product donation process that PCMA has established for meeting and event managers.

First published in: Convene Magazine, February 1996