Developing An Auction Dinner (Part One)

I have had the privilege of attending and working with thousands of auction dinners throughout North America for over 20 years. Some had several thousand attendees, while others only had fifty or so. The articles that follow are meant to give an overview of how successful auction dinners are conceived, planned and managed.
For anyone who wants a complete "Developing An Auction Dinner" package, complete with working manuals, workbooks, sample forms and PowerPoint presentations, visit my Festival and Event Planning website.

Event Development
1. Event Theme
By creating an event theme you also create direction. A theme allows you to focus on the final vision of the event. Being able to visualize the final look of the event makes planning it easier. Like planning a trip, if you know your final destination, the way there is just a matter how you get there.

2. “Little Touches”
When planning an event, don’t just think of the large details, but think of the small ones too. It’s the small details that make an event special, an event to remember and to talk about. During the development stages of the event, make a list of all the small details you could include in your event and then see how many you can implement. Here’s a start to your list, you finish it.
• Flowers for the ladies – boutonnieres for the men
• Flowers in the washrooms
• Centre pieces on the table
• Decorations on the wine glasses
• Décor the hall
• Chocolate on each placemat
• Custom placements
• Unique program
• Name tags
(To be continued)