Private Bookings VS Party Packages

Party planning: some people love it, some people hate it. We, of course, fall in the former category and are here to get you enthused and be your guide to organising this year’s Christmas party. So, first things first, what type of party will it be? In deciding this you need to think about both your guests – how can you best give them (and yourself) a special evening and what resources do you have at your disposal in arranging the event. There are two types of event we’ve defined in this article, along with their pros and cons. Now provided with all the information, it’s time to decide which suits you best…   Private Booking A private booking involves hiring a room or a whole venue in which you and your guests have single use of the space.   PRO:      Privacy – not only does this add exclusivity to your event it means that you and your guests can get a little embarrassing (c’mon, we’ve had a wine too many at our office party before) away from prying eyes. PRO:      Creative rein – private spaces are a blank canvas which means you have more scope to be creative and produce a bespoke event. Venues will have options for you to choose from in terms of décor and menus, and will often be open to you using third party suppliers in terms of florists, entertainment and more.  PRO:      Extras – in the case of many of Prestige Venues & Events spaces, the venue itself is well worth exploring. At many of our venues, including The National Gallery, London, and Pittodrie Stadium, home to Aberdeen FC, you can arrange a tour of the building and grounds pre event. This can be done at any of our stadiums. CON:      Higher cost – a bigger budget will be needed to hire an entire space. Plus, if you wish to bring in decorations and organised activities from third parties, and arrange for bespoke menus too, this will come at an extra cost. CON:      More work – creating a bespoke Christmas do involves pulling a lot of elements together, hunting for the most fitting or best value accoutrements to the event. It’s the paradigm of too much choice.  You just need to ask yourself do you have the time or manpower.     Party Package Buying a table (or many tables!) at a public event, where a food and drink menu, as well as the night’s entertainment is included in the ticket price. PRO:      Easily organised – the venue’s event organisers have dealt with all the nitty gritty so you don’t have to. Just tot up the number of attendees and start getting excited. PRO:      Ambience – with so many revellers conducting their own celebrations, you can be sure that the atmosphere will be one of real festive merriment. Plus, you can be sure that you won’t be the only one there brave enough to hit the dancefloor. PRO:      Better value – because the scale of such events, the tickets tend to be excellent value. Why not spend the money you save on a bottle of bubbly for the table or Christmas favours for your guests? CON:      The crowd – it depends what you’re looking for in an event but if it’s something intimate a party package might not be for you. CON:      Impersonal – with the night’s events mapped out in front of you and your guests there is little space for customisation* in terms of the celebration was a whole. However do speak to the event organisers and see what wiggle room there is for your table… So now you’re clued up, there’s no time like the (Christmas) present to start your festive planning, If you have any questions about either type of event, don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Hub at venues&events.prestige.uk@sodexo.com or call them on ...