Catering

In today's economy, it's helpful to get an idea of what an event is going to cost you before you start the long and arduous task of making it happen. To help, the event coordinators at Reveal (my staffing and events company in Orlando) have a pricing rubric to put together before we even start an event.

This rubric works anywhere and for any event, from corporate functions to social parties, to get a general idea of budget on the low, middle, and high ends. Keep in mind that Orlando has so much to offer to make any event happen, but setting your event budget is one of the first things to be done during the planning process.

Write out the six basic elements of your event in individual squares. Then list three preferred Orlando event suppliers, or the elements that you want, from least expensive to most expensive.

For example, here are two of the category listings one of our event coordinators put together in the early planning stages for a recent Wake-board DVD release party in downtown Orlando.

Downtown Orlando Venue
1. Latitudes on Church St.
2. Rooftop Waverley Condo
3. Lake Eola Amphitheatre

Food
1. Bubbalous  Bar B Q
2. Wildside Bar B Q 
3. Puff-N-Stuff Catering   

Laying out these options makes the choices much easier when it comes to sticking to your event budget. You can select the most important areas in which you want to really invest, then opt for the less expensive options for the remaining categories. Plus, laying out the pricing allows you to see where what competition is out there, making it easier to negotiate a great deal when you send these suppliers your Request for Proposal!