Banquet Plans Mean Picking Right Venue

Although company banquets are frequent events, many people may not realize how much time and effort is required to pull one off flawlessly.

Shellie Morrison, owner of The Event Group in Fayetteville, said companies planning a banquet need to prioritize two things: finding the right facility to accommodate their employees and setting a date.

“Although there are a lot of facilities in Northwest Arkansas, they need to find the size that meets the needs of their attendance,” Morrison said.

Determining whether the evening’s dinner will be a sit-down meal or buffet is another key point in choosing a location, because all facilities are equipped differently.

The Fayetteville Radisson offers the sit-down dinner option. Barret Seymour, director of catering at the hotel, provides clients with a 10-page banquet menu that features a variety of dining options. He usually allows clients a month to dwell on the menu before deciding what they want served at their banquet. If the client isn’t happy with the selections, Seymour said he works to accommodate them.

“If a client doesn’t see anything they like, a menu can be designed to suit their tastes,” Seymour said.

Budget, wants and needs come next, Seymour said. The client should decide what “theme,” if any, will be used, what music will be played and room setup. Although the Radisson offers several themes, including Italian and Cajun meals, Seymour said he collaborates with various meeting and event planners to provide clients with everything they need to make their banquet a success.

Once everything is decided, a contract is drawn up, approved and signed.

While most facilities provide tables and chairs, Morrison said, companies need to take into consideration that they will most likely have to rent tablecloths and dishes, adding $400-$2,400 to the total cost. Decorations and entertainment are extras that are limited only by the company’s budget.

Morrison said the key thing companies need to keep in mind when planning a banquet is what they’re going to do with the event.

“Is it going to be eating and entertainment, or is there going to speaker?” Morrison asked. “What about parking?”

Diane Peyton, marketing director for Lindsey Management Co. Inc., has honed her banquet planning skills during the past four years and gained insight into pulling off a seamless event.

Her advice for companies planning a banquet includes multiple check-in tables for groups larger than 50 people to help seat attendees more efficiently. For events with buffet lines, she stressed having enough food lines so that everyone can get their dinner within 15-20 minutes. She also said having enough wait staff is important.

“You must have ample wait staff that is well organized to keep the food filled, drinks served and plates cleared,” she said. “Have several hostesses around the room to direct flow or take care of specific needs.”

To cut down on distracting movements during speakers and presentations, Peyton said a printed program that lists the evening’s itinerary is a must.

And a great way to spice up the banquet is to include door prizes, she said, because “everybody loves to win something.”

In the end, planning a banquet comes down to knowing how to maximize results on any budget.

Morrison urges companies to work with event-planning professionals whenever possible, because they already know the venues, and it will save companies both time and money.

“They need to call someone who can give them information and help them with the details,” she said. “They’re going to end up saving money and time by working with a professional.”