1. Determine your goal or cause
Usually, a gala dinner event is held to raise money for a charity, reward employees or as a celebratory ceremony. If you are holding a gala to raise money, then determining the charity you are supporting and how much you are aiming to raise is a great starting point.
2. Set a budget
With your cause and goals in mind setting a budget is the next step. You should also examine costs at this step, considering things like:
Venue rental
Gala furniture
Food and drinks
Equipment and decor
Entertainment and speaker fees
Staff
Promotion
3. Choose a date
Setting the date of your event as early as possible is a sensible move as it allows you to begin making bookings for venues, staff and so on, with confidence. Having a date will also allow you to start promoting your event as soon as possible.
4. Find a venue
This step may be intertwined with choosing a date for your event as you may want to find out when your ideal venues have availability first. When it comes to choosing a venue, you need to consider not only the more obvious factors like size and location, but also the smaller details. For example, can you serve alcohol at the venue and does it have the catering facilities required?
5. Arrange sponsorships and speakers
Sponsorships are an important part of planning a gala. Reaching out to relevant and local businesses to sponsor your event can help you build seed money, obtain items or services needed for the event for free or at a reduced cost and begin spreading the word about the gala.
6. Hire caterers, entertainers, and other staff
One of the most important parts of a gala dinner is of course the meal itself! Finding a reputable catering company is the first step but you should also consider if you will need to hire any additional staff for the event. You may also want to think about entertainment at this stage, for example a band or DJ.
7. Promote and sell tickets for your gala
The goal of a charity gala is to sell tickets and raise money for your cause. This is where promoting your event and using marketing comes in. Try and use a range of marketing channels to reach potential guests, including:
An event website or landing page
Direct mail
Print ads in local publications
Flyers
Email
Social media
8. Pick the perfect gala furniture and decor
Many venues will already have furniture available, otherwise you may want to invest in some gala furniture for the event. When it comes to selecting gala dinner tables, round banquet tables are a popular choice as they allow guests to chat and dine around a central point. Pair your tables with stacking chairs for a comfortable option which is both easy to move and store.
Trent Furniture offers a wide range of affordable, high quality event furniture. You can also contact us here if you have any questions about our gala furniture.