The largest staff party in Hertfordshire
We were bought in to plan, manage and deliver the IET’s annual party, a key event in their calendar which forms part of their reward and recognition programme for their staff. Previously, they have managed the event themselves; but with a guest list exceeding 350 people, including all of the senior management, they wanted to reduce their internal burden and felt that outsourcing the event would not only allow them to enjoy it more, but also to bring fresh ideas to the table.
Key to this year's theme was the expectation that they wanted to have more of a party atmosphere. Previous events had been relatively formal; this year was the chance to have more fun.
Working alongside the client, we discussed every aspect of the event from the budget, preferred location, entertainment and catering ideas. The design of the event itself was left open which allowed us to consider a variety of options and suppliers. The key objectives set out in the event brief that needed to be met were:
As part of this project, we engaged in the following work streams
Venue Sourcing
Supplier Negotiations
Budget Management
On-Site Delivery
After a wide venue search across Hertfordshire and London, due to the large venue required, budget and venue availability, the Client selected its own amazing Savoy Place positioned on the London embankment.
The venue could accommodate the party within its Riverside Suite, which also meant we had the use of the roof terrace which overlooked the River Thames and London Eye. We worked closely with the venue for 6 months, working out room layouts, access for deliveries, risk assessments, set up times, along with the menu design.
The final menu was created with a sense of celebration and networking in mind. Guests were greeted with a cocktail and selection of canapés upon arrival. Bowl food was served filled with Buttermilk fried chicken, Beef sliders and crispy cod tacos.
Dessert was styled as a buffet of Bailey’s doughnut, ice creams, warm chocolate sauce, Almond panna cotta and a huge selection of British & Irish artisan cheeses, chutney & crackers, a true feast to the eyes!
Entertainment for guests was also high on our list of tasks. We sourced an amazing magician who worked the room with some up close hand magic. The band did an acoustic set as guests arrived, plus 3 live sets of music from the 70s, 80, 90’s, through to more recent anthems. The magic mirror photo booth was chosen to help capture the night’s celebrations and added an injection of fun into the night with lots of entertaining props.
To ensure the guest got home safely, we also arranged for 7 coaches to take the guests home back to Hertfordshire.
We were delighted with the feedback from the guests, who all enjoyed the evening, and provided amazing feedback on the food and entertainment. To top it all off from a planning point of view, the event came in within budget and we met and exceed all the key objectives. Above all the client was very pleased with its delivery and the impact it had.
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