Spend vs. Save: Where to Splurge When Planning Your Event
Throwing a successful event all comes down to budget. Whether it’s entertainment, decor or choosing a catering company, every aspect is equally as important but it all adds up. So how to choose where to spend and where to save? Rather than sweating the small stuff, here are our top tips to help you stay on budget for your wedding or next corporate or personal event.
Spend: A/V & Entertainment
We’ve all been to an event where poor audio ruins the experience. Good A/V and entertainment is something everyone appreciates and can have a big impact on the atmosphere, especially if you have guests with auditory issues. If you’re on a tight budget, consider finding a venue known for its good acoustics or look to shave budget elsewhere to ensure your guests have a great time.
Save: Venue (not how you think!)
Next to food, nothing impresses guests more than a venue that leaves a lasting impression - but finding the perfect place to hold your event can become costly. A venue can directly impact overall guest experience, so it’s important to find somewhere that matches both your budget and the tone of the event. To cut back on costs, try scheduling your event during the venue’s off-season, or off-peak time of day. Get creative when brainstorming your event space - for corporate events, is there somewhere on your business premises that can be repurposed for the day? We’ve found that even the most unexpected venues can be dressed up with decor, leaving the biggest impact on guests - we’ve even catered wedding receptions in underground parking lots! Choosing somewhere unique can also help ensure your guests enjoy an incredible and memorable event experience.
Spend: Photography
Event photography isn’t just about capturing memories. For businesses, recapping your event in a blog post or email newsletter with high quality images can be a great way to promote your company and create shareable and SEO-friendly content to use for marketing purposes. It will also help you create a gallery of owned images that you can reuse as needed for years to come. At Savoury City, photography is an essential part of most of our clients’ event experiences. We have a number of preferred photographers we love working with and recommend highly to our clients.
Save: Keynote Speaker
Speaker fees can eat up a large portion of your budget, but there are a few ways you can still have a fantastic keynote without breaking the bank. Make sure you either book a speaker well in advance, or keep track of when your wishlist speakers will be in your area for another engagement to cut back on hotel and flight costs. You could also look for someone up and coming who is still charging an affordable rate, or perhaps even someone local with an inspirational message to share. Another option is to hire a virtual speaker, allowing you to dedicate a bit more budget on high quality A/V & entertainment!
Spend: Decor
With the right decor, even the blandest of venues can transform into a unique setting. Decor should always be memorable and help set the mood. Choose a colour scheme and table decor that stand out and play well with your menus (don’t plan to have large garlands running down the tables if you’re planning on having a family-style meal, for instance). If you’re down to the last dollar, consider investing in statement lighting or one to two larger photo-worthy installations, while keeping everything else minimal. Simple decor like string lights are an affordable and adaptable way to zhuzh up a space, and florals can be moved around the venue throughout the event to draw guests’ focus where it needs to be. And remember - food can often be just as eye-catching! We work one-one-one with clients to design bespoke event menus that showcase seasonal ingredients and fit your budget, all while delivering on visual impact.
Spend: Staffing
The last thing you want is to be running around helping out at your event if you’re short staffed. Instead, save yourself both the time and last-minute stress by letting someone else handle the logistics. Whether you choose to hire external staff and an event planner, or select a venue which includes on-site support, you can be rest assured that your event will run smoothly. At Savoury City, we provide bartenders, servers, chefs and more, and our experienced staff can travel almost anywhere you are, including the Gulf Islands, taking care of all the details so you can enjoy your event along with your guests!
Save or Spend: Food & Beverage
This one might surprise you, but bear with us as there are many ways you can adapt an event menu to suit your budget. Sit-down meals are often pricier than a buffet, so if you’re looking to save rather than splurge it’s important to consider your options. We offer a variety of dining experiences, including plated, buffet, family-style, serving stations and BBQ, and often host reception-style events that are entirely canapés-based. There are also a number of bar packages we offer to our clients, to ensure they have the best fit for their event. At Savoury City, we want every guest to have an unforgettable experience. Ask us about creating a personalized menu for your next event.