5 Tips for Keeping Guests Happy

It’s hard to maintain perspective on the broader goals of an event when you’re in the throes of designing your dream wedding or dinner, worrying about exactly which Champagne glass perfectly accompanies your china and finding the ideal spot for those highboys during cocktail hour. And even though you’ve likely spent hours agonizing over design details like your invitation font, the chargers, and the linens, chances are your guests will not appreciate those aesthetic details nearly as much as they’ll notice how well the event flows overall. It’s important not to forget this very fact when we plan events.

This is critical. Events are not static. Sure, the initial gasp and awe when the curtains are drawn is important, but just as important is having a flow for the evening – the run-of-show – that includes small gestures of thoughtfulness, demonstrating that you’re thinking about your guests’ time and enjoyment above all else.

Here, we at Revelr share the top five things you should always keep in mind when planning a party or a big event.

1. Don’t keep guests waiting for a drink. Keep the lines short and the trays stocked. There’s nothing worse than arriving to a beautiful cocktail hour only to wait more than half an hour for that first drink.

2. Keep presentations, ceremonies, and speakers brief. We’ve all been there: The three-hour wedding ceremony. The conference where the speakers all go on for 45 minutes (and there are 10 of them). The off-site that turns into a lecture. Do everyone a favor and be brief. That way you’ll be more memorable for a good reason.

3. Have multiple bathroom stalls. Nothing can kill the mood at a party worse than standing in long bathroom lines. When visiting venues, take a look at the bathrooms. More stalls mean fewer lines and more fun!

4. Give seating options. As someone who has pretty much attended nearly every wedding or business event in heels, I welcome the opportunity to rest my feet for a quick second if at all possible. It’s always considerate to establish some seating during the cocktail hour for the elderly (and the stiletto-ed).

5. Late night food. After hours of dancing or mingling post-dinner, it’s likely that hunger will strike again. Because any late-night offering will be a secondary source of nourishment, it doesn’t have to be fancy, but it’s nice to have something. Sliders, tacos, or even just fries or popcorn can be easy to coordinate and will provide enough sustenance to keep the party going.


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