When it comes to events, no other function is quite as versatile as a banquet. A banquet is a perfect choice for both personal and professional purposes. You can throw a banquet to celebrate an anniversary just as readily as you can host one to give select employees awards or to raise funds for a charity. Banquets can be as formal, informal, big or small as you want them to be.

If you’re going to plan an event for work, you may wonder how to plan a banquet that will wow all your attendees. Luckily, planning a business banquet isn’t nearly as intimidating as it may seem at first. That is, it won’t be overwhelming if you follow our guide for planning a business dinner that’s sure to impress.

1. Choose a Purpose for the Banquet

The first step toward planning a successful business banquet is to choose a purpose for the event. When you know why you’re going to host a banquet, it will make the rest of the planning process much easier because you’ll have a vision for your function.

2. Set Your Budget

Once your banquet has a purpose, it’s time to set your budget. It’s likely that you’ll reserve most of your budget for your chosen venue, catering and entertainment. Don’t forget to create line items for other aspects of your event, such as any awards you’ll hand out, transportation, accommodations, decorations and tips for the staff.

3. Select a Theme

Like your banquet’s purpose and budget, the theme you select will impact nearly every decision you make during the planning process. Your theme will influence where you host your event, for example, and it will also impact the menu you choose. A youth sports-themed banquet will include food and decor very different from a top salesman awards banquet of a Fortune 500 company.

4. Finalize Your Guest List

There is little point to planning a business dinner if key players won’t be able to attend. Finalize your guest list and check the schedules of the people you most want to attend, such as the people who will receive an award and any presenters. Finalizing your guest list early on will help you pick a date that’s convenient for as many prospective attendees as possible.

5. Select a Date

After you review everyone’s schedule, pick a date for your event. You may even want to pick a backup date in case another party already booked the venue where you want to host your banquet.

6. Choose a Venue

Once you settle on a date, schedule tours of the venues you’re considering as a potential host site. Choosing a venue is a key decision that can make or break your banquet, so consider your options carefully. Make sure your chosen venue has the support staff, space, amenities, catering, and equipment necessary to make your banquet a success.

7. Book Entertainment

In general, banquet attendees expect some sort of entertainment. Whether you book a stage act or performers who will circulate among your guests, it’s important to choose entertainment that’s in line with your theme.

8. Create and Send Invitations

You basically have two choices for creating and sending invitations. You can create an email invitation and send invites through a site like Evite, or you can print and send physical invitations via snail mail. If you do the former, your guests can RSVP online. When you take the latter route, you’ll need to make sure your invites include RSVP cards that recipients can send back to alert you of their intentions.

Visit Spooky Nook Meetings & Events

Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, a large, formal banquet, a small, informal business dinner or something in between, you won’t need to go anywhere else to find a venue you and your guests will love. Our award-winning facility has 135 rooms, 700,000 square feet of event space and a generous number of catering options.

Schedule a tour of Spooky Nook Sports today!