You’ve been asked to host a big event—but how can you make it a success?

Being the center of attention as the event host can put a lot of pressure on a person, so you want to be sure you work hard to deliver a fantastic event. Whether it’s a wedding, work conference, surprise party, or a convention, there’s a lot of work to be done to prepare for both small and large events.

Ready to get started with event hosting? If so, keep reading to find everything you need to know about hosting live events.

Preparation Is Key to Event Hosting Success

If you want our top tip for hosting an event, you need to prepare and plan well in advance! For large events, you may need to start booking venues and sending out save-the-dates months, if not a year, in advance.

There’s so much to do when it comes to preparing for an event, so you’ll want to make a timeline outlining everything you need to do and when. Include tasks such as booking the venue, catering, sending out invitations, organizing guest speakers, and decorating.

Enlist a Team to Help You

An event host can’t do everything by themselves, so make life easier for yourself by enlisting a team to help you. Create tasks and responsibilities for each helper, so that everyone knows what they should be doing.

Give your volunteers tasks such as greeting guests as they arrive, setting up the catering, cleaning up, and assisting with decorating before the event starts.

Make Your Guests Feel Welcome

On the day of the event, you want your guests to feel like a million bucks! Give them a warm welcome and ensure you make conversation with everyone attending throughout the event.

Hospitality is an art, so try to be friendly, welcoming, and gracious—even to those who you may not like.

Offer Plenty of Food and Entertainment

You want your guests to enjoy the event and stay throughout the whole thing, so be sure to keep them happy with plenty of food and drink. Make sure to also cater for dietary requirements, so that everyone can enjoy the meals.

Work out how much food you need per person, whether it’s a buffet, canapes, or a sit-down meal. You don’t want anyone to go hungry, so always better to over-cater.

If you’re offering food that can’t be eaten while standing, you’ll need plenty of tables and chairs too—the best folding chairs are lightweight, durable, and easy to assemble.

Become a Memorable Event Host With These Tips

Event hosting can be a challenge, but it can also be a lot of fun! Use the tips above to create a plan for your next event, ensuring everything goes according to plan.

Before you know it, your big event will be going off without a hitch and everyone will be talking about how successful it was!

Did you find this article helpful? If so, please read on for more informative tips.