Tips for Planning a Gala Kosher Dinner

The key components of any gala dinner are excellent food, great decor, a fun theme and first-class entertainment.

Here are some great gala event planning tips to ensure your event goes off without a hitch.

• Start early
I will not bore you with the early bird cliché but we all know that the success of any event comes from mega organization and lots of planning ahead. So start planning as early as possible to ensure your most preferred venue is available on your preferred night.

• Know your budget
A gala dinner is a very special occasion, needless to say you will need the decorations, entertainment and food to reflect this so be clear on your budget. Know your costs before you have a budget blow-out so people will remember the night for all the right reasons. Before the planning process truly begins, your establishment must determine the amount of seed money available. Keeping track of how much money you spend and how much you will need to turn a profit is a key component for having a great gala.

• Outline your purpose
Knowing what your objectives are will help everyone plan accordingly because the cost of planning a fundraising gala can be extremely high, hence, it will be vital to gather support for your cause and spark interest within the community. Set a goal for your organization; determine who will benefit from the gala/fundraiser, and what guests can expect their donations to support.

• Make food and drink preparations
Your menu should be diverse and what to serve at your gala dinner will totally depend on the nature of your event, the theme you have chosen, and your establishment’s budget. You can shop around and contact various catering services, restaurants, and other organizations to see if they are able to accommodate your guests. Also make sure you prepare a menu that has vegetarian options.

• Pick a theme
You should have a creative theme for your gala event. This provides a unique atmosphere for your guests. Whether it’s medieval, masquerade, Christmas, nautical, or something else, a theme will help in your menu selection, decorations, planned activities, and even your dress code. In some cases, you may need to contact an organization familiar with themed events in order to ensure the right presentation.

• Entertainment is important
Have you thought about the kind of entertainment you want at your gala? Although it’s great to allow your guests the time to talk to each other, you should also consider how you will maintain their energy and interest all through the night. Planning a successful gala dinner revolves around fitting entertainment and activities intended to raise funds. Contact local venues and ask about possible live performances. Whatever you do, make sure you not only find forms of entertainment that goes along with it but you get the appropriate ones.

• Establish a ticket price
Selling tickets is a great way to raise additional money for your cause. As soon as you have determined the number of guests you want to attend, fix a price for each ticket. When considering the price of admittance, the venue, menu, should all be considered. Also be sure you have a limited number of VIP passes available for a higher price and that include perks during the event. Make sure your invitations are sent out in time with information on the dress code for the evening. The current trend is to send “save the date” notices in advance of the invitations to ensure you have every seat filled on the night so keep your seats filled!

Galas and fundraisers are essential in the growth of any business or non-profit organization, and the effective management of each step is the key to a memorable evening.

Mitzuyan Kosher Catering provides catering solutions and event planning suggestions to all kosher catering Toronto events.