All is calm, all is bright – until you are given the task of organising your office Christmas party. Before you get your tinsel in a tangle, the Wine & Dine’m elves have formed a step by step guide to organising your office Christmas party.
1. Make a list
2. Check it twice
3. Find out who’s been naughty
4. Find out who’s been nice
(That was a joke, we just really love Christmas!)
Step One: Make A List (actually)
Ask yourself, what is it you and your team are hoping to achieve with your Christmas Celebration? Will it be an opportunity to recognise staff members for their contributions or an excuse to let your hair down and celebrate? Defining what it is you hope to achieve will help set the tone for your event and give you an idea of your venue requirements.
Other questions to consider include:
- How many guests do you expect to attend?
- What day of the week would be most suitable for your team?
- What style of dining is preferred?
Step Two: Prepare A Budget
Once you’ve defined what you are aiming to achieve, the next step (and possibly the most important) is to make sure you have a budget in mind that will allow you to achieve it. Be honest when discussing your budget with your vendors as many (including us) will work within the budget range you provide. We are experts at playing with menu selections and numbers to reduce the cost of your event or increase the value.
Step Three: Secure a Venue and Set Your Date
The first couple of weeks of December are typically very popular for end of year office celebrations. We know several of the venues we work with have already booked out for the first two Fridays. If you do have a particular date in mind, it is a good idea to find your venue quickly and lock that date in. We work with a range of venues all throughout South East Queensland including Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Powerhouse, Baedeker, State Library of Queensland, Lightspace and many more (see our Venues page). Contact our team if you require assistance in selecting the perfect venue for your event.
Step Four: Theme and Design Your Event
Themed celebrations are a great way to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. From Ugly Christmas Sweater parties (provided your venue has great air conditioning!) to more of a cocktails by the pool vibe, the possibilities are endless. We recommend teaming up with one of the stylists in our Corporate Vendor Recommendations guide to help assist you in finessing your theme.
Our Corporate Vendor Recommendations guide also has suggestions for some of our other favourite vendors including: AV and lighting, florists, stationary, furniture hire and more.
Step Five: Select Your Menus
This Christmas we are offering a range of special Christmas themed menus so you and your guests can eat, drink and be merry.
Santa’s Canape Collection is the perfect addition for your cocktail party including four cold and four warm canapes as well as two substantials.
Feel at home with our Christmas Shared Dining menu including Cognac baked ham with apple and cardamom sauce, rolled turkey with sourdough stuffing, brandy cream and cranberry jam served with maple roasted vegetables, salads and sweets to finish.
Enjoy a Two or Three Course Sit Down Dinner that was designed to encapsulate the flavours that remind us of a traditional Australian Christmas including the entrée of King prawns, avocado panna cotta, torched mango and verjuice lettuce.
Or if you’re looking for a no frills Christmas lunch, our Express Catering service is offering Christmas Coldhampers that can be dropped off straight to your office door.
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Perhaps red is more your style. Either way we’ve got you covered with our Beverage Menus – talk to us about creating you a custom Christmas themed cocktail.
Step Six: Book Your Entertainment
A party isn’t a party without some festive entertainment. Whether you are looking for a DJ, band or live roving entertainment, throwing an element of theatrics into your event is a great way to increase the festive cheer. Find your entertainment needs in our Corporate Vendor Recommendations guide or contact our team and we can point you in the right direction.
Step Seven: Have A Merry Elfin Christmas
The end of year celebration is planned so all that’s left to do is over-eat, drink responsibly and know that you totally sleighed the Christmas party.
If you require any further assistance in planning your Christmas celebration, our Events Team are happy to help. Contact us today for more information on venues, menus and Christmas cheer.
