Event Planning 101: The Importance of Booking Vendors Early
Are you the type of person that loves leaving things to the last minute? Well, then this blog post is for you — because when it comes to event planning I am here to tell you that leaving things to the eleventh hour can really have a negative impact on the process — believe me!
Event planning is such a complex job with so many moving parts. You can cross three things off your list only to have five other things pop up! So, it’s important to be way ahead of the game so that when miscellaneous fires pop up, you have the bandwidth to put them out instead of having to worry about the meat and potatoes of the event itself, such as venue booking, hiring staff, and more.
Additionally, as we begin to return to real life following the pandemic, there are so many new restrictions that come along with hiring vendors and securing details for events that might slow you down. Long story short, it’s always best to be ahead of the game with it comes to event planning.
Not convinced? Here are four key reasons why it’s best to book your vendors early when you are planning an event!
There are plenty more options
We are all very busy people, and event vendors are no exception! On average, a vendor’s schedule is usually booked for the next six months —especially the really good ones! So, if you want plenty of options so that you can find the best fit for your event, make sure you think about researching vendors as much as a year in advance! It might sound overkill, but it’ll ensure the best results for the event.
It keeps your event planning budget in check
Just like booking a flight last minute, it’s likely that all vendors will be substantially more expensive when it’s closer to the event date. Keep in mind that these vendors need to find support as well, prepare everything that is necessary to complete their job, and open up their schedules for your last-minute event. Therefore, booking last minute might force you to bend your budget a bit more, and who wants that??
Allows for creativity
Let’s face it, when there is a laundry list of to-do’s in front of you, your creative juices might not be flowing as hard. Your brain might be in get-it-all-done mode, which can be all-consuming. By booking all of the big stuff early, you can give yourself space to add creative aspects to the event! You know what they say: it’s all in the details.
Way less stress!
Last but not least, the most important factor of all! Booking way in advance will make an already stressful process so much less stressful. I’ve seen it time and time again, the unorganized event planner showing up on the day of the event extremely stressed out and unable to enjoy it! Could it get any worse than spending months planning something only to not be able to have fun at it? I don’t think so! So, save yourself the stress and get on the proactive train!
To learn more about event planning in NYC and the DMV area, contact Tracie of LeFeast to get your vendors booked well in advance and ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible!