“Seeking Affordable Party Space”
That’s the title of the ad you just placed on the community bulletin board. You were just made responsible for throwing a big bash for a friend or relative. Everyone expects a nice place, centrally located, with lots of amenities. Oh, and by the way, you have a limited budget to accomplish it all. Sounds like a recipe for trouble. However, you really like this person and you really like to party, so you dive right in. You call 8 hotels, 3 bars, 4 restaurants, and a library. All have limitations or problems of some sort. Cost is the biggest obstacle in most cases, what are you to do?
Lots of Options, None Good
On every call you made, the first thing you learned was what you could NOT do at the venue. The second lesson learned was bars and restaurants may not charge for their space, but they DO expect you to order lots of expensive food and drinks. To book a hotel space for your party would require levying a special assessment on every guest or taking out a small loan. What started out as a fun project is turning out to be a nightmare. As a last resort, you can always book a pavilion at the local park. . . with all the heat, bugs, wind and other annoyances. How are you going to afford this get together with the budget you were given?
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Creative Financing
I know, it sounds like the lead into a used car commercial. There are ways to conserve funds and even help pay for your shindig without taking out that loan. We put together this list of simple suggestions to help you do just that:
#1. Raffles – Contact some local businesses and inquire about giveaways. In order to promote their products, vendors will sometimes donate items or samples. You can then auction or raffle those items at your event. The proceeds can go towards the party budget.
#2. Solicit Donations of food or entertainment – You may be able to work out an agreement with someone to provide food in return for exposure of their business or a singer who is looking for more exposure or to record a video at the same time.
#3. A Venue with Alternatives – When researching party space, look for places that have extra amenities included. Perhaps a package of items, such as free WI-FI, streaming services or a sound system to eliminate the need for a DJ.
#4. Love Offerings From Guests – Why not just suggest to attendees that instead of gifts, they give cash to offset the party costs? Many people would be happy to kick in a few bucks rather than deal with the hassle of gift buying.
#5. Potluck or BYOB – I know it is old fashioned, but in today’s economy, it’s something to consider. Ask your guests to bring a dish or two. Perhaps suggest that guests bring their own favorite drink and just provide bottled water as part of the party offerings. You would be surprised how quickly the food and drink portion of your party budget can get out of hand.
Another Alternative for Party Space
To get the most out of your party space budget, there is one more smart idea we would suggest: Contact The Beacon Center. We can offer you a package that includes many of the budget-draining options you are looking for. We have a beautiful, clean and centrally located venue to host all of your gatherings. Make us your designated Affordable Party Space.
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