While money is tight, you don’t necessarily have to squeeze your holiday party plans.  In fact, you can get more than you pay for.

by Tony Porcellini

As we reach the end of what has been a difficult financial year, it’s more important than ever for businesses to show their employees that they are appreciated and valued assets of the organization. And there is no better way of doing this than by throwing a memorable holiday party.

The current economic situation has undoubtedly caused many event budgets to be cut from the amounts spent in past years. That, however, doesn’t mean the guests — your employees — have to notice. There are several creative tactics that those plan company holiday gatherings can use to save money while actually enhancing the quality of their events.

Here are a few tips:

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Venue Selection

Depending on the size of your function, you may be able to host your party in a restaurant’s private dining room instead of a banquet hall. Many restaurants can privately seat as many as 150 guests. Restaurants offer a great cost saving, as their food and venue aren’t being provided solely for your group.

If you do decide you need a banquet hall, you should ask a couple key questions that will reveal the venue staff’s desire and ability to create the event you want, at the price you want. One question: Will the catering manager, food and beverage director and executive chef personally meet with me to offer suggestions? Also, are there examples of creative ideas the team has implemented to help planners save on costs but maintain flair?

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Decorations

Whether your event will be at a restaurant or at a banquet hall, you can save significantly on decorations if you ask the right questions. When working with a restaurant, ask if it offers a holiday package or is willing to provide some festive decorations for your event. Depending on the restaurant’s décor, it may not take much. Some red and green ornaments and holly down the middle of the table might be enough to achieve the holiday feel, or for a more generic look, some festive colors and accents might suffice.

You may also be able to capitalize on the restaurant’s décor for a unique holiday-themed event.

At a banquet hall, where the decorations will need to be more elaborate than at a restaurant, ask your contacts at the venue if they are hosting any other holiday parties around the same date as yours. If they are, try to coordinate with the venue and the other parties to share the decorations, reducing your decoration costs by at least half.

In addition, the venue itself might own items that will enhance the décor. Be sure to ask these questions: What choices of table tops are available — acrylic, metal, wood? Is there a variety of linen colors and sizes? Do the banquet bars enhance the atmosphere or need disguising?

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Food

When selecting food, many party planners will choose a $50-per-person menu and attempt to turn it into a $40 menu by removing items. This compromises the integrity of the menu and can dilute the experience.

A better strategy is to select a less expensive menu but add enhancements. For example, select a standard, relatively inexpensive holiday buffet and add a beef carving station and a pasta station. The interactive stations add variety and enhance atmosphere.

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Drinks

For many guests, cocktail service is an important part of the holiday party, yet a full bar can be a major expense. To compromise, consider working with your venue to create a signature cocktail that will be the sole mixed drink served at the event, along with wine and beer. Be creative in developing the drink. Perhaps use company colors, serve it in a specialty glass, include a glow stick and/or name it after the company. This will create a great atmosphere and conversation piece.

The old adage “You get what you pay for” isn’t always true. Today’s economic environment requires fiscally focused planning, and a little creativity can go a long way, allowing planners to trim costs while still making their holiday parties memorable.

Editor’s note: Tony Porcellini is director of food and beverage at the 2,265-room Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.