Every event has a purpose and from that, all the other details should flow.  As you start to plan, ask yourself: what is your event about?  Is it about celebration, connection, education, fundraising, recognition or something else entirely?  Above all else, you want your attendees walking away feeling good and connected to MIT.

Take time to consider who your audience will be and use this as the second most important factor in planning the event.  Consider the age and stage of those who may attend. Is this an event for young or recent alumni who may be more likely to attend an event that is low cost or free?  Recent grads may be more interested in career-based events or networking mixers.  Is this event for alumni who want to reconnect with old friends or those that may want a family-friendly event where they can bring their kids?  You may anticipate having something for everyone but it is also worth considering who makes up the majority of your audience. Is the event just for MIT alumni or is it for alumni and guests?  Are you hoping to attract more repeat attendees or newcomers?  These are all good questions to ask yourself all throughout your planning process.

Once again, the appropriate time and location will be based on your event purpose and audience.  Consider not just time of day but also time of year.  Avoid planning events on civic or religious holidays, even those that you don’t personally celebrate. Keep records of successful past events noting the best time of year, time or day of the week, and locations. Remember to consider the dates of traditional MIT events such as the Summer Send-Offs, Holiday Parties, Toast to IAP, Tech Reunions, Alumni Leadership Conference, and Family Weekend. 

The time of day should support your event purpose and work well for your audience.  Older attendees may prefer and Sunday brunch while an evening happy hour might would appeal to a younger crowd.  You should also consider the length and schedule of the event.  Consider creating a run of show if your event has key points such as guest speakers, a formal program or presentation or meal courses.  This schedule can also include what time the venue can be accessed for set up and clean up. 

Choosing the correct venue can be complicated but here are some key things to consider:

There are a lot of good reasons to use a caterer or restaurant for your event.  They add professionalism, have food handling experience and training and often include liability insurance.  Using a caterer takes a huge amount of work away from you so that you are able to confidently plan the other aspects of the event, welcome your guests and enjoy it yourself.  If you haven’t used a specific caterer before ask for references or request a tasting.  You’ll first need to determine if you need drop-off catering, a staffed buffet or a plated dinner.  To accompany this will you need china and silverware or paper or plastic utensils?  Will you need real linens or plastic tablecloths?  Many caterers can supply these as part of their service.

Take the time to consider common food allergies and specific diets.  This can include vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, kosher and halal as well as an array of allergies.  If you require RSVPs for your event, ask guests to also list any dietary restrictions they may have. 

As far as beverages, no matter the purpose of your event always provide plenty of plain water.  If you are serving soda or juice, try to provide a large variety.  If you are hosting a morning event or committee meeting, make sure to have coffee and tea available.

If your event includes alcohol, here are some important guidelines to follow:

• Always use a licensed bartender
• Always serve alcohol with food
• Always offer non-alcoholic options
• Never charge for non-alcoholic drinks
• Consider whether you want to serve just beer and wine versus hard alcohol
• Having a cash bar or drink tickets is a good way to regulate how much your guests are consuming.
• As the host, know your limits:  you should be able to enjoy yourself and mingle but not become overly intoxicated

The primary objective of an event is to provide guests with an enjoyable and valuable experience. When setting the price for an event, develop a rough budget of expected income and expenses. Build in some cushion to help cover unexpected expenses. Be sure to budget appropriately for your event’s purpose and audience. For example, a casual networking night for recent graduates will need a lower budget than a dinner for a local VIP alumni speaker. You can use this event budget worksheet (PDF) to plan the costs.

As event time approaches, be sure to do a final pre-event check.  This should include scanning the room to make sure everything is neat and clean, signs are in place, lighting is appropriate and the temperature is comfortable.  If there is a speaking program or presentation, do a final check of the audio visual set up before opening the door.

Proper décor and lighting contribute greatly to the atmosphere of the event.  Consider light background music which can fill in pockets of silence but isn’t so loud that guests can’t speak to one another.  Use MIT branding wherever possible and make sure to have volunteers standing at the entrance to greet attendees and answer questions, check coats or manage a sign in list.  Consider opening and closing the event with a few remarks from a committee chair, guest speaker or VIP.

Provide name tags. A special sticker, colored dot, or other mark on the tag can distinguish newcomers to the alumni community to alert members to make a special effort to make them feel welcome and introduce them around.

Souvenirs are nice addition to an event but be sure to consider a few factors when choosing them.  Is the item useful after the event or will it really only be used one time?  Consider environmental concerns when offering souvenirs.  It is also wise to consider where guest are going after the event? Is the souvenir easy to carry and will they be able to take it on a plane if they flew in to attend the event?