How to Plan an Awards Banquet

What is an awards banquet? Basically, after the awards ceremony, all the nominees and their guests are invited to a special banquet. The banquet menu and the entire experience of the dinner should be enjoyable and perfectly timed as a result of the best event organization. In an effort to put your best foot forward at your own awards event, discover how to plan an awards banquet in detail with our help.

Awards banquet planning checklist

Before you start planning an awards banquet, you should familiarise yourself with the key points of the process:

• Plan a budget
• Determine a date

• Choose a theme

• Choose a venue

• Create a menu

• Create a guest list and send out invitations

• Create a seating/table plan

• Plan the program and arrange entertainment

• Plan logistics of transportation

• Order your awards

• Organize your decorations
• Create a schedule for the day etc.

With that in mind, let’s consider some useful awards banquet ideas.

Banquet planning guide

Since the focus of an awards banquet should be the event it’s being thrown for, always focus on the banquet process: speeches, their content, choice of room (spacious, with good acoustics), the decoration of the room and tables (tablecloth and dinnerware sets), the attire of guests and attendants, the seating of guests, impeccable service, etc.

The culinary side should be arranged much more modestly: a few cold snacks, one hot dish (main course), desserts, and tea or coffee. Sometimes a simple banquet is even limited to a snack table. Wine and other alcoholic beverages are selected based on what the banquet is devoted to and the specific concept of the event.

A week before the main banquet, rehearsals for the waiters begin. Senior waiters should be outstanding servers if you want your event to be a success.

How to plan an awards banquet step by step

In order to organise an awards banquet effectively and produce a positive impression on your guests, you should learn exactly how to plan an awards banquet in detail from beginning to end. The following recommendations, proven experience, and time will help you achieve that goal.

• Carefully consider the concept.

There may be a variety of themes you can choose from for the event. This may be an anniversary, a business awards ceremony, a university graduation banquet, or something else entirely. The delivery of a large-scale project, successful employment, or a marriage engagement may also be the reason. It is important to inform the guests about what the banquet will be dedicated to so that they can dress appropriately and understand the mood or tone of the evening.

• Set the budget.

Decide how much you’re willing to invest in the event. If it is a small budget you’re working with, you will have to restrict how much you spend. If money can be spent freely, choose a great dining experience or restaurant where guests will be offered a unique menu, live music, a comfortable atmosphere, and many other pleasant amenities. Your guests will definitely appreciate this level of care. Banquet halls are happy to offer a special menu for large-scale events, of course, with some discounts for the service. This type of solution may be perfect for your needs.

• Plan a program.

Finding a reason for a good banquet is not a problem, especially if you have a large number of employees and there is any type of holiday or milestone ahead. However, if you don’t have any organisational skills, the task can be seriously difficult. Nevertheless, you can probably throw an excellent event if you approach the issue wisely and carefully. Awards banquet program planning will comprise the main aspect of the celebration, so the awards must be considered. First and foremost, settle on the exact concept, budget, and date of the event.

• Invite the guests.

Once the questions of time and money are resolved, notify all your future guests with the help of a well-crafted invitation. This will help your guests coordinate their plans and will help you establish the exact number of guests, taking into account those who won’t be able to attend the event you have planned. Sending invitations is optional; a phone call or personal communication may also be effectively used.

• Take care of the decorations.

Some other issues that need to be addressed are the presence of a toastmaster, decorating the hall, and organising dancing, games, contests, or other forms of mass entertainment. All of these points need to be discussed; this way you won’t put the restaurant staff in a tough spot where they need to urgently adjust the décor, menu, or outlined plans, which could put the whole event at risk.

Since many participants of the banquet may have with toasts or speeches, alcohol should be served at banquets in a minimum quantity or simply eliminated entirely.

• Choose the menu.

A good festive menu consists of both cold and hot snacks, two main dishes (meat and fish), dessert, and drinks. If you plan to have a banquet for a wedding, indicate the weight of each portion. An average person needs about 300 g of snacks, 300–400 g of hot dishes, and 0.5 kg of fruit. A banquet option usually provides 150 gr. of spirits per person.

Banquet wine and champagne are considered traditional drinks. There should be no shortage of them, so the following figures can help you: one bottle of strong alcohol drink for one man, one bottle of wine for two guests, and one bottle of champagne for three. Champagne is served on a table in an ice bucket and is used at the beginning of the meal for one or two toasts.

Selected dishes are prepared on the banquet day, but you can begin to purchase products and make pre-orders one to two days before it. Even if you’ve reserved a restaurant for a banquet, it is wise to check the purchasing process and to ask the owners for certificates and about the freshness of the products, etc.

These are the must-have elements of an awards banquet!

Conclusion

The occasion for a banquet can be a business party, awards ceremony, wedding, or any other important large-scale event. It can be very difficult to organise such events on your own, so you should turn to professionals! Judgify will help you create a unique and memorable atmosphere for the banquet and provide a delightful atmosphere for all of your guests. Your event will be a flawless success with the right tools and tips in place.

Use the checklist above and our awards planning solution to plan your awards banquet and impress your guests with top-level services and an unforgettable night. You are also welcome to leave your own great ideas on how to host an awards banquet in the comments below!