Outdoor events such as weddings, birthdays, family gatherings or corporate events offer many advantages. This includes leveraging the beauty of nature in providing an excellent background for pictures and fresh air.
It, however, requires proper planning just like any other event, and you also need to consider the possibility of sudden weather changes.
To save yourself lots of frustration and avoid disappointing your guests, consider the following tips:
Get necessary permits
First, decide on the venue for your event. Depending on the location, you may need to obtain permits from the local authorities. Only try to dismiss this, except you would like your event to be over before it starts.
Some of the most common permits include:
- Zoning permits
- Gathering permits
- Food and beverage permits
- Alcohol permits
- Health permits
- Building permits (for tents)
If your venue does not already have a premises permit, you may need to get that too. Furthermore, events that will require the use of fireworks might require a fireworks permit. Do your research and ensure all needed permits are obtained before the event date.
Check your area’s ordinance and curfew
Similar to permits, the law guiding lifestyles in the venue area is also essential. Some localities have noise ordinance which stipulates the time noise is allowed.
In addition, if you will be displaying or using special objects or animals, you should contact the police department in the area to request approval.
Also, find out if there is any curfew to avoid disruption during your event.
Prepare for guests’ cares
Depending on the event you are planning, you may be obliged to provide food for your guests. If this is the case, hire a caterer with a good reputation and experience handling outdoor events.
Also, provide your guests with power, bathroom(s) and other essential utilities. For instance, the DJ will need a power source for his equipment; likewise, people who want to ease themselves need to use the bathroom.
For instance, to reduce the burden of planning a trade fair, inform vendors to come along with their extension cords for easy connection. In addition, prepare a backup power system.
Considering the possibility of food at the event, certain pests, like flies and insects, may want to join the party. To prevent this, include proper pest control of the venue in your planning list.
Plan for the unfavorable weather condition
So, you have checked the weather, and the forecast says everything is fine for the date of your event. It is essential to know that weather forecasts are only predictions using models to analyze different scenarios of the atmosphere. The results are used to guess weather conditions to expect.
The bottom line is that the weather forecast is not 100 percent accurate. That is why you need to prepare for unfavorable weather conditions like rain and excessive sunlight.
A better way to handle this is the use of tents which can be sourced from the American Pavilion tent rental service.
Tips for choosing the best tent for your event
Floor design
Event venues with grassy fields are best for pole tents while frame tents are perfect for hard or concrete floors.
Another thing to consider is the type of design you are considering. Discuss with your decorator to choose the best.
Number of guests
This will play a significant role in deciding the size of your tent. The type of guests and how you plan to take care of them should also be considered. For example, you may prefer a separate tent for a specific group of visitors, which means you would need an additional tent for such a purpose.
Weather forecast
It is true weather forecast is one of the main reasons for using a tent at an event. However, there are different types of tents, and they are designed to serve you best under certain weather conditions.
Nylon tent canopies may require additional waterproofing to resist rain effectively. Coated cotton tents, on the other hand, are waterproof and soundproof but heavy, while tents made of vinyl are light and offer optimal rain resistance.
Create an easy communication channel for guests
Create an online group for your guests to communicate any inconvenience or request for information. This could be a group in Gmail, on Facebook, Telegram, Signal or any other social media platform your guests are most likely to be comfortable with.
They can quickly request directions to the event venue through the group. Anyone in search of certain things can also ask there. Surprisingly, you might do less answering questions as other members of the group may help out.
The group can also serve as an avenue for people who lost their belongings to raise awareness so that anyone who finds it can easily locate them to return it.