1. Don't Get Hung Up on Numbers
Pimping out a venue with 60-inch plasma TV screens might seem like a necessity, but a willingness to substitute goes a long way. "Most of the time I see clients, and they're just throwing out a [size] number," says Brian Brooks, vice president of MBP Image Display Services. When a client recently requested 42-inch plasmas, and Brooks didn't have them in stock, he says, "I suggested a 40-inch, which was more readily available and cheaper." It resulted in a $1,000 savings for the client, and Brooks saved money by working with his inventory. Flexibility can lead to extra bling for a buyer's buck, too, when Brooks prefers to upgrade something because of his stock level.
2. Call Your Friends
For some jobs, you don't necessarily need people who bill themselves as event vendors. And just as there are actor-producer-novelists, there are also retail buyer-invitation designers. So you might find qualified people looking for a creative outlet—but not necessarily a profit center—among your circle of friends. When Pamela Puchalski, deputy director of the Center for Architecture in New York, organized the opening of an exhibition of contemporary Mexican architecture, she looked first for nontraditional vendors. She found her music through her architecture connections. "We ended up with an awesome DJ, who has a huge following. He's also an architect," Puchalski says.
3. Go Cheap and Chic
Yeah, intelligent lighting and giant peony arrangements are nice, but filling an event with something much less expensive—but completely eye-catching—can turn a staid event into a remarkable party. Kimberly Goldsteen, who plans special events for the Whitney Museum of American Art, threw a party recently where the most prominent decorative element ended up being inexpensive blow-up furniture and piles of glowsticks. "It was very kitschy," she says. "A few inexpensive small things brought together the right way can really make a dramatic difference."
4. Negotiate Fun Freebies
When you're booking a large meeting or conference, most hotels will comp a few welcome amenities for your V.I.P.s. "Instead of the usual wine and cheese basket, try to negotiate something more upscale from the catering department that will be free of charge," says Florida-based Enchanted Events president Gayle Jackson Menk. One idea: a specialty creation made by the hotel's pastry chef—something beautiful, edible, and unique to the hotel—sent with a handwritten note from the chef explaining the item. "Foods like this can be less expensive to the hotel," Menk says, "so you may get more free amenities versus the higher cost of wines and expensive cheeses."
5. Start Big
Even if you know you have a tight budget, don't let it hinder your original brainstorm. "We really like to get all the creative ideas out there first," says Matthew David Events partner Jennifer Madover. "We do it so [clients] can prioritize—we want them to see which line items inspire them to say, 'Yes, let's put our money there!' and then work with them to prioritize the rest."
6. Try a New Place
Unusual venues tend to get guests excited about getting their first glimpse of a new space. But it doesn't have to be the latest pricey restaurant. "Take a chance on a nontraditional venue—something offbeat and different, something out of the box," says John Ierardi, president of Event Energizers LLC. "Nontraditional venues may not know what to charge or may be more inclined to work with what you suggest." And if an event has some publicity behind it, you still might be able to get a good price for that brand-new hot spot. "We did an event at the Dream hotel when it wasn't even finished," says Marina Hoffman of PR and event firm LaForce & Stevens. "The hotel [which opened in October 2004] was willing to provide its venue to add more cachet."
7. Play Piggyback
Many organizations throw multiple parties for various echelons of guests. Claire Whittaker, president of the Kreisberg Group, recommends piggybacking these events on each other, using the same designer for different invitations—to a museum exhibition's press preview, the members' party, and the benefit—and hiring a caterer for the entire day, for example. A lunch can easily lead into an early evening cocktail party and a more raucous party in the night, all with the same decor, rentals, and vendors. "If you bring vendors in at three in the afternoon and end at midnight, it doesn't cost all that much more," she says.
8. Don't Use the Whole Nine Yards
Rental linens can be expensive, and it's sometimes possible to get the same look of rich fabric while using less of it. "If a client who is on a budget requests high-end dupioni silk table linens, we will suggest making runners out of the same fabric rather than covering the tables with full tablecloths," says Reginald Van Grayson of Grayson Bakula Design. "It doesn't take away from the overall look at all—when people are sitting down, all they can see is the top of the tables anyway. It's a luxe look that still fits in with their budgets."
9. Relax on the Rentals
Instead of assuming you need the same old props, see if you can substitute something more creative—and cheaper. Amy Benziger, an account executive at the Baddish Group, recently worked on a fashion show that Bacardi sponsored to help promote its Big Apple rum. "Instead of using ropes for stanchions," she says, "we used ribbons that matched the apple green color and saved hundreds of dollars."
10. Don't Be Too Fussy
As much as planners want their event details just so, they can save money in negotiations by working with people they trust—and not sweating the small stuff. "You know how to work with each other comfortably and efficiently," says Andrew Spurgin, executive director and chef of San Diego-based Waters Fine Catering Inc. "It isn't that I will give a better price to
someone for no reason, but when you do work together often and aren't micromanaged—that represents increased productivity on our end that saves you and your client money."
—Alesandra Dubin, Eva Hagberg, Chad Kaydo & Mark Mavrigian
Posted 07.05.05
This story originally appeared in the June/July 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
Pimping out a venue with 60-inch plasma TV screens might seem like a necessity, but a willingness to substitute goes a long way. "Most of the time I see clients, and they're just throwing out a [size] number," says Brian Brooks, vice president of MBP Image Display Services. When a client recently requested 42-inch plasmas, and Brooks didn't have them in stock, he says, "I suggested a 40-inch, which was more readily available and cheaper." It resulted in a $1,000 savings for the client, and Brooks saved money by working with his inventory. Flexibility can lead to extra bling for a buyer's buck, too, when Brooks prefers to upgrade something because of his stock level.
2. Call Your Friends
For some jobs, you don't necessarily need people who bill themselves as event vendors. And just as there are actor-producer-novelists, there are also retail buyer-invitation designers. So you might find qualified people looking for a creative outlet—but not necessarily a profit center—among your circle of friends. When Pamela Puchalski, deputy director of the Center for Architecture in New York, organized the opening of an exhibition of contemporary Mexican architecture, she looked first for nontraditional vendors. She found her music through her architecture connections. "We ended up with an awesome DJ, who has a huge following. He's also an architect," Puchalski says.
3. Go Cheap and Chic
Yeah, intelligent lighting and giant peony arrangements are nice, but filling an event with something much less expensive—but completely eye-catching—can turn a staid event into a remarkable party. Kimberly Goldsteen, who plans special events for the Whitney Museum of American Art, threw a party recently where the most prominent decorative element ended up being inexpensive blow-up furniture and piles of glowsticks. "It was very kitschy," she says. "A few inexpensive small things brought together the right way can really make a dramatic difference."
4. Negotiate Fun Freebies
When you're booking a large meeting or conference, most hotels will comp a few welcome amenities for your V.I.P.s. "Instead of the usual wine and cheese basket, try to negotiate something more upscale from the catering department that will be free of charge," says Florida-based Enchanted Events president Gayle Jackson Menk. One idea: a specialty creation made by the hotel's pastry chef—something beautiful, edible, and unique to the hotel—sent with a handwritten note from the chef explaining the item. "Foods like this can be less expensive to the hotel," Menk says, "so you may get more free amenities versus the higher cost of wines and expensive cheeses."
5. Start Big
Even if you know you have a tight budget, don't let it hinder your original brainstorm. "We really like to get all the creative ideas out there first," says Matthew David Events partner Jennifer Madover. "We do it so [clients] can prioritize—we want them to see which line items inspire them to say, 'Yes, let's put our money there!' and then work with them to prioritize the rest."
6. Try a New Place
Unusual venues tend to get guests excited about getting their first glimpse of a new space. But it doesn't have to be the latest pricey restaurant. "Take a chance on a nontraditional venue—something offbeat and different, something out of the box," says John Ierardi, president of Event Energizers LLC. "Nontraditional venues may not know what to charge or may be more inclined to work with what you suggest." And if an event has some publicity behind it, you still might be able to get a good price for that brand-new hot spot. "We did an event at the Dream hotel when it wasn't even finished," says Marina Hoffman of PR and event firm LaForce & Stevens. "The hotel [which opened in October 2004] was willing to provide its venue to add more cachet."
7. Play Piggyback
Many organizations throw multiple parties for various echelons of guests. Claire Whittaker, president of the Kreisberg Group, recommends piggybacking these events on each other, using the same designer for different invitations—to a museum exhibition's press preview, the members' party, and the benefit—and hiring a caterer for the entire day, for example. A lunch can easily lead into an early evening cocktail party and a more raucous party in the night, all with the same decor, rentals, and vendors. "If you bring vendors in at three in the afternoon and end at midnight, it doesn't cost all that much more," she says.
8. Don't Use the Whole Nine Yards
Rental linens can be expensive, and it's sometimes possible to get the same look of rich fabric while using less of it. "If a client who is on a budget requests high-end dupioni silk table linens, we will suggest making runners out of the same fabric rather than covering the tables with full tablecloths," says Reginald Van Grayson of Grayson Bakula Design. "It doesn't take away from the overall look at all—when people are sitting down, all they can see is the top of the tables anyway. It's a luxe look that still fits in with their budgets."
9. Relax on the Rentals
Instead of assuming you need the same old props, see if you can substitute something more creative—and cheaper. Amy Benziger, an account executive at the Baddish Group, recently worked on a fashion show that Bacardi sponsored to help promote its Big Apple rum. "Instead of using ropes for stanchions," she says, "we used ribbons that matched the apple green color and saved hundreds of dollars."
10. Don't Be Too Fussy
As much as planners want their event details just so, they can save money in negotiations by working with people they trust—and not sweating the small stuff. "You know how to work with each other comfortably and efficiently," says Andrew Spurgin, executive director and chef of San Diego-based Waters Fine Catering Inc. "It isn't that I will give a better price to
someone for no reason, but when you do work together often and aren't micromanaged—that represents increased productivity on our end that saves you and your client money."
—Alesandra Dubin, Eva Hagberg, Chad Kaydo & Mark Mavrigian
Posted 07.05.05
This story originally appeared in the June/July 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
