Successful Private Events

Planning a meeting or private events for a Group (on the Hotel side) can indeed look as a very simple task, but it’s not, it is a whole new operation that can be even more profitable than the regular F&B operation, and many mistakes are usually made such as:

 Planning a couple of days prior to the meeting or event.
 Under estimating location capacity.
 Poor coordination and execution, resulting in chaos during the meeting.
 Mise en place not ready.
 Poor illumination during event (if the event is at night).
 Shortage of employees to service the event.
 Not having a pre-convention to detail and confirm every single aspect of the event.
 Not enough supervision during event.
 Not following up with the Group Leader after the event.
 Lack of satisfaction measurement, remember that what cannot be measured, cannot be improved.
 Not planning a coffee service during dessert, remember that this is the closure of a successful or a failed event, this is your grand finale, even it sounds very simple.


It’s not a lost case, there are many ways to perform exceptionally good before, during and after each meeting or event, and it’s all about coordination, planning, designing, execution and follow up.

I’ll share with you some considerations that can make a private event a success:

1) Create a very good and complete banquets kit, it is cost-wise to plan it with your existing basic chart of ingredients, otherwise you will end up buying specialty items that you won’t be able to “move” in the future.

2) Don’t leave anything out of a legal and formal contract, the Hotel needs to be protected at all times.

3) For you to make a recommendation to your Client, it is important for you to know the size of the Group, event dates, type of event, gender of attendees, average ages and special needs (vegetarians, any allergy, or any specific dietary restriction). That way you can address your Client to a much better event.

4) Recommend entertainment as background music, A/V rental, banners, menus printing, flower arrangements, center pieces, photographer etc. as this will add value and increase your sale.

5) Work on the Group budget, as normally they are limited with it, but that doesn’t mean that you will perform a mediocre event, as the Hotel’s reputation and image is in stake. Work your magic to squeeze every dollar to make it worthy.

6) Make sure to allocate every single expense in advance, otherwise you will en up with a lot of payables but not enough cash flow.

7) Coordinate and address every detail with the Group Leader, or you will face the awful truth of triangulating information causing a poor event and spending more resources.

8) Even though you send out the BEO’s (Banquet Event Order) or EO’s (Event Order) by e-mail, make sure that all Managers sign a hard copy of it, which will commit the Staff to perform accordingly.

9) Set up a pre-convention 2 or 3 days prior to event, make sure that your entire Management Team is present; this will make the Group Leader(s) more confident that their event is being handled by many professionals in the same frequency, and the overall outcome will be positive. There are a few themes to address during this meeting:
a. Read the whole BEO, don’t leave anything to imagination.
b. Make sure to recommend more services, as this will increase your profit.
c. Explain each step of the event to the Group Leader(s), let them know how many employees will be executing the event, details, schedule on each part.
d. Have set up a coffee break, this will automatically let know the Group Leader(s) that you are used to excellence and have every detail in control.
e. If there are some minor changes of the event, write them up and communicate them with your Staff, and make sure that your Client signs for those changes.
f. The Controller should ask if they will open up a master account for all incidentals.
g. Make sure that the Chief Engineer addresses lighting, because is one of the few tasks that takes too long to set up and you wouldn’t want Maintenance Employees walking through while the event is taking place.
h. Let your Client know that you will set an easel saying that the event is exclusive and private (this will take away uncomfortable situations with other Guests.

10) Feedback your Client with the overall set up process (physically), from the skeleton, food, beverages, linen, china, silverware, glassware, lights, A/V equipment, amenities, entrance and Guest traffic.

11) All events has to be completed 30 minutes previous to starting (everything in place), and make sure you show it to the Group Leader(s) for any last minute minimum changes.

12) Normally an event starts with a 45 minutes cocktail, so have your Waiters at the entrance with lots and various cocktails, this will help you decrease the work load on bartenders.

13) Be punctual on every step of the event, keeping an open channel with the Group Coordinator, and 45 minutes before ending, ask the Group Leader(s) if they wish to extend the event, but don’t forget to charge for it.

14) A private event is not exclusive of the F&B department; all departments are involved in a certain way, so supervision from all Managers is the key element for success.

15) ALWAYS expect the unexpected, there are so many variables that you need to be ready for action and capable of executing.

16) When the event ends, a “Swat Team” has to be ready for disassembling, storing, cleaning and leaving the location as if no event ever took place in a very short period of time.

17) Have a thorough check list printed, as a piece of paper is always better than the brightest mind, include every detail even the silly ones, and remember that an event has planning, ongoing execution and closure. Never assume that something is in process unless you confirm it.

18) Kindly ask your Client to write down their comments, as this will help you improve or keep up the good work for your next event.

19) Make a post-convention with the same attendees of the pre-convention, evaluate the met expectations, or not. Review bills, and close the chapter. This post-convention will give you valuable information for the future, goals, programs, operational manuals, costing, pricing and planning.


There are thousands more considerations to executing a positive private event, and every single event is unique and has to be handled that way,
¡¡ personalized!!