Plan Ahead…

Today’s tip: Plan Ahead. It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people do not plan ahead.

Waiting to within weeks or even days of your event is not the time to start looking for catering, venues, or entertainment! I get calls all the time from people looking for the services I provide for the weekend quickly approaching and more often than not I am unable to help them because I’m already committed to entertaining at someone else’s event.

I always ask if they had someone booked who flaked out on them, (which does happen unfortunately when you don’t hire a professional), and sometimes it’s just because they didn’t plan ahead. I always wonder in my head (“how did you plan a whole wedding for over a year without any thought to entertaining your guests?”).

There are only 52 weekends in a year. If you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime event; a wedding, a milestone birthday, or an annual event such as fundraisers, car shows, company party, holiday party or anything else that requires multiple vendors being available on a specific date of your choosing, you need to plan ahead and contact all the necessary vendors as early as possible so you have the greatest chance of securing the services necessary to make your event successful. It’s not unusual for my services to be contracted nine to eighteen months in advance for December holiday events and spring weddings!

Entertainment can make or break any event. Entertainment is a service that varies widely by service provider, whether a band or a DJ. Performers are not a common commodity to be chosen by the lowest cost. Purchasing a tire for your car can be done fairly by price because you can compare the exact same tire from the exact same manufacturer from different sellers… entertainment cannot be quantified in such a way.

Meet with your entertainer, ask questions, you must feel comfortable that you are choosing someone you can trust to make your event a success. When you hire a professional to do a job, your worries should end right there!