Event Planning Resources
--- Planning an Event can be a daunting task, but we are here to help! Meet Christina, she is our in-house Event Planner and runs her own Event Planning Company out of Vancouver, Chatterbox Marketing, she is here to help every step of the way. If you want to forge on and navigate the Event yourself please feel free to use our Resources to make your day a little less stressful. If at any time if you are feeling overwhelmed or lost please feel free to contact us and we are here to help --- Home- Steps to Planning
- Venues
- Seating Charts
- Photographers
- Wedding Cakes
- Floral
- Tent Rentals
- Decorations + Props
- Furniture
- Tables + Chairs + Linens
- Outdoor Washrooms
- Fans + Generators
We came up with a checklist to help you with the process. Still feeling overwhelmed? No problem, drop us a line and we will be happy to help.
1 | WHO/WHAT/WHERE/WHY?
The first thing to when planning an event (big or small) is why you are doing it. Perhaps it is as simple as a milestone birthday party for a loved one, or as complex as an awards gala for your company, but once you know what you are doing you can determine where and when you would like to host the event. Having a clear vision and objective helps keep you (the host) on task and will make it easy to communicate to any helpers or vendors that you bring on.
2 | SET YOUR BUDGET
Sit down with everyone contributing financially to the event and make sure you know how much money you have to work with. Doing this early on will save you a lot of stress, money and time later on as your budget will determine a lot of aspects of your event and give you clear numbers to provide to your vendors.
3 | CREATE YOUR GUEST LIST
Think about all the people you would like to invite to celebrate with you and write it down. This count will help you determine what kind of venue you will need to host your guests.
4 | PICK YOUR VENUE
Now that you know how many guests you are inviting and how much you have to spend you can decide on a venue. Maybe it’s a simple backyard affair at your home, a vineyard or a heritage hall, there are lots of great possibilities for events in The Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver. Once you have some ideas in mind, set up a site visit to check it out in person.
5 | DETERMINE YOUR PARTY THEME (If You Want One)
The theme and vibe of your party will determine the food, décor and dress code (or costumes!) that will come into play at your event. This is when the fun starts and you can get creative. We suggest putting together a Pinterest board where you can easily reference any menu ideas and design elements that inspire you.
6 | BOOK YOUR CATERER
Now is when you contact us, we have menus for every occasion from Family Style, Summer Barbecues, Canapes or Chef Run Stations with options for every type of event and budget. Once you are one of our clients, we will provide you with a customized event plan including rentals and staffing to make your vision come to life.
7 | INVITE YOUR GUESTS AND TRACK RSVP’S
Depending on the type of event you may call, e-mail or Canada post your guests their invitations. Make sure you include the time, date, location and any other information that will make your party goers feel at ease when they come to your event (think: directions, parking, dress code, etc.)
8 | SELECT YOUR OTHER VENDORS
Time to think about the other elements you would like to bring in to your party, from florals, decorators, photographers, DJs, and entertainers, we have a hand-picked list of people we recommend and love working with.
9 | DETAILS
It’s the little things that can make your event really special, so think about the personalized touches that you would like to integrate into your event (think: favors, programs, place cards, etc.).
10 | TIMELINE
Set aside some quiet time free from interruptions and map out your itinerary for your event. Make sure to include what time all vendors are arriving, what time guests are coming and carve out time for you to get ready! If your party is outside of your home, make sure to create a packing list of everything you will need to bring with you (this will save a lot of stress later on!)
After all of this planning and organizing you can breathe easy, leave the day of execution to The Black Radish Catering Co, and enjoy your party (and a well-deserved glass of wine…or two).
VENUES
Finding the perfect venue is no easy task, Check out our master list of venues to find your perfect space. Remember this just a guide and you should always do a walkthrough and see the space for yourself. Ever Venue in the valley and in the city has positives and negatives and every venue has different elements that may help or hinder vendors increasing or decreasing your budget. Make sure to take all these details into effect while doing walkthroughs
SEATING CHARTS
This App is great for organizing your seating for your event
LEARN YOUR TABLES AND CHAIRS
This is a quick resource on our recommendations for tables and chairs — how many people fit comfortable per table, and what style of chairs are available to rent. We listed the most common types available as a good reference and starting point, but there are many different styles that are available from other rental companies that we would be happy to supply for you as well
SEATING ARRANGMENTS
These are the most common size tables, with information on how many people will fit comfortably. We recommend having a clearance of 3ft or more behind each chair
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Making sure to choose the right photographer may be one of the most important vendors you hire for your event. Photos have the ability to store memories, emotions, and hold a sentimental value that is incomparable. Make sure to book your photographer right away as many book-up to a year in advance for the peak weekends.
WEDDING CAKES
We love cake, well chef loves cake… here are two local bakeries that we have worked with that make stunning cakes at different price points
FLORAL
Here are a few amazing florists we have worked with in the past they offer an amazing array of options when it comes to your flower needs
TENT RENTALS
These are a couple of tent companies we have worked with in the past. Please remember if you are holding an outside event the Caterer will require a 20 x 30 tent. In tight locations and smaller menu’s a 20 x 20 may suffice but will need to be determined after a site visit and on an event to event basis
DECORATIONS + PROPS
Decorations and Props can create the perfect mood and atmosphere for your event these companies have stunning pieces and are extremely knowledgeable to help you navigate your needs
FURNITURE
TABLES + CHAIRS + LINENS
The Black Radish Catering Co. carries all your table, chair, and linen needs. Let us supply your event to make your life easy and convenient. Booking all rentals through us ensures the appropriate amounts, the quality is to your standards, we take responsibility for all breakage and lost items, and only one delivery charge. The Black Radish Catering Co. is an easy one stop shop to make sure your event goes off smoothly and stress-free
If you still would like to book rentals yourself we suggest looking into these companies
FANS AND GENERATORS
Outdoor Events need power and these companies are great at knowing what power you will need and the best way to set it up. Also, remember the rule of thumb the Caterers tent should never share the same power as the guest tent. We recommend a 3000w generator for all catering outdoors
Catering Hours of Operation
EVERYDAY
Please reach via email and a team member will get back to you as soon as possible