The expert event planning team at New York event venue 583 Park Avenue has over 40 years of event planning experience. There is almost nothing about planning an event that surprises us. That said, we receive new and interesting questions from clients on a nearly daily basis. Through this new blog series “Ask 583,” we will be sharing our experts’ answers to many of our favorite event planning questions. Do you have a question for the event planning experts at 583 Park Avenue? CONTACT US today.
What is correct etiquette for requesting that our event be “adults only”?
There are dozens of events that should be adults only, and any guest would understand your request. From events that legally require guests to be 21+ to black tie events where children would simply be bored out of their minds, there is no reason to feel uncomfortable making it clear to guests that any children need to be left at home.
On the other hand, when planning a wedding or other traditional family event, requesting that your friends and family members leave the kids at home can be a little more awkward. Just remember, it is your event and if you don’t want to invite the kids, you don’t have to. Some friends or relatives might be annoyed, or even slightly offended that you haven’t invited their entire family, but most will appreciate the chance to relax and enjoy your event without having to keep an eye on their kids.
If one of your invited guests does make bringing their child an issue, calmly explain to them the reasoning for your choice, that it is nothing personal, and that if they refuse to adhere to your policy, they will be missed at your event.
Is it inappropriate to ask for the original full unedited footage from our videographer if we were unhappy with the video he gave us?
There are any number of reasons that you may be upset about the video you received from your event videographer. Some issues may be stylistic or based on personal taste, while others may be more objective. A disagreement on style and a videographer not living up to their contract are very different situations. While you can’t argue style, failing to live up to a contract is a serious offense.
As a paying customer, it is well within your rights to ask your photographer for the original footage, but unless specified in the signed contract, do not expect to receive this footage for free. Storage devices capable of handling the amount of footage taken at an event are expensive and it will be your responsibility to pay up.
Another thing to remember is that the raw footage is just that, raw. You are going to see plenty of stuff that needs to be edited, several different angles of important moments, etc. If you don’t have the technical expertise to recut it, the raw footage will do you no good. Instead, why not explain the situation to the videographer and give them a second shot at it? They will likely be happy to do it if it means avoiding a bad online review.
I am planning to host an alcohol-free event. Am I setting myself up for a disaster?
While it is quite common for corporate events to not serve alcoholic beverages, planning a gala, wedding, bar mitzvah or other social event without offering, at least beer and wine, is almost unheard of. In fact, many gatherings will require wine or champagne in order to fulfill family or religious traditions.
There are a few reasons that we hear about event planners considering a dry event. These reasons include:
- He/She or one of the guests-of-honor is sober, in recovery or has a religious objection
- The majority of guests are under the age of 21 (Sweet 16, Bar/Bat Mitzvah)
- He/She are trying to save money
While the first two reasons are legitimate reasons to consider hosting an alcohol-free event, the third is not. Not serving alcoholic beverages in an attempt to save money is:
- Misguided. There are plenty of other places where you could save money that would not be as detrimental to your party
- Going to annoy your guests
If you must, offer drinks from a cash bar. While I am strictly against charging invited guests for drinks (or anything else), if your budget is truly that tight, a cash bar is a better option than no bar at all.
Do you have a question for the event planning experts at 583 Park Avenue? CONTACT US today to ask your question and find out what makes 583 Park Avenue the best event space on the upper east side. One of our event coordinators will be in touch with you shortly.