Planning events seem simultaneously easy and difficult

I am on the planning committee for our Alpha Gam reunion here, and we are getting into the heavy work for planning now. I have planned a philanthropic tea, thought that was fairly small. Other than that, I don’t have too much experience with planning an event like this. (You want a dance performance planned? I’m your girl!)

Thankfully the other three Alpha Gams on the committee have experience planning formals and weddings, so they are pretty much in charge 🙂 My problem is that I can think of the questions that need to be asked, but I have no idea what the answer is. For example, we will have X amount of people- how much will it cost to feed them? I have no idea. I understand that depends on what the going rate is for function here, but I feel like I have nowhere to start. I want to be able to contribute to the committee, I am hoping that I can find my way in this.

I have a lot of ideas, but I don’t want to create unrealistic expectations for us. Yes, it would be cool to have engraved mugs and event t-shirts and crested necklaces for everyone, buuuut that’s not realistic. I find it difficult to balance between what I think will make a fantastic reunion for everyone, and what is possible (in terms of money and time). I am trying to separate out what I think would be good for the event and what most people would enjoy. For example, I would love to listen to hours and hours and hours of stories of older members talking about their time in the chapter. However, most people would want to hear a little, and then spend time catching up.

We should be picking a date and location by March 1, so I think we are on the right track! I’m hoping that I can learn to think of a question, and work on it, without jumping to a new question two minutes later. I’m also hoping that I can learn all of the steps of planning a large event, and the order in which things need to happen. Fingers crossed I can be helpful and not a hindrance to everyone!

Until tomorrow,
The Historian!