Easy Ways to Minimize Corporate Holiday Party Costs

Yes, we are talking about corporate holiday parties. Yes, we know there are still leaves on the trees and many of you may not have even given a second thought to your child’s Halloween costume this year, yet alone planning a corporate holiday affair. But alas, now is the time to get things in order. If you are the person responsible for planning your company’s party this year, you’re likely looking for ways to control costs without compromising overall value. So it’s time to roll up your sleeves and design a holiday event worthy of the intent without negatively impacting budgets. Here are a few of our tips to help you get started on designing your perfect holiday event and staying within budget.

Make the holiday party an awards program.

Give this year’s party a business focus. Feature the successes you’ve experienced and share goals of the future. Celebrating together helps spread the message of appreciation and employee value. Check out a great awards banquet we recently held at Montage. It was quite the show stopper!

Utilize the venue’s built-in audio system.

Bands and DJs can be expensive and may not fit into the budget you have available. If you want to include music at your holiday affair, supply your own music and ask the venue to use their audio system. Customize your background sound with music you know you and your coworkers will love.

Limit alcohol.

Mixing wine and work has a reputation of being a bad choice, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are trying to keep your budget in check or don’t want to tempt the fate of liability issues, some successful strategies include offering a signature drink, limiting options to beer and wine, and offering a two or three drink maximum by providing drink tickets per person.

Be décor conscious.

Around the holidays many venues have their own holiday décor to the add to the space, which ultimately makes things more festive for you and your guests without affecting your budget. As you begin to research and select a venue, be sure to ask if they decorate for the season. You may be surprised at the abundance of décor some venues provide. If you really want to impress your coworkers with holiday cheer, choose a museum venue with a holiday exhibit like Jinglerails at Eiteljorg!

Host at your office.

Tighten up your budget by hosting a holiday party at your own office. If you want to slim your budget by eliminating venue rental fees this is a great option. Consider hosting an event in your office midday or after work.

It rarely matters whether your holiday party budget is big or small. Your employees will be thankful for the gesture and outward expression of your gratitude towards their work and dedication to your team. Happy party planning!

If you are interested in one of our exclusive venues for your holiday party or are interested in catering at your office, please call 317.577.3663 to speak with an event specialists!