How we plan events for the British weather.....continued
We all know what incredible weather we have been having especially for the UK and on a personal level it has been great for those BBQ's and garden parties we have been enjoying. However, how do you plan for an event with outside elements 2 months before the summer even starts when the weather can be so variable?
We were recently set with this challenge, having to organise a number of evening events all in one local area and to make each one different. With the restriction that we shouldn't be shuttling the large group of guests to various venues every evening we needed to transform one location several times over. With a huge amount of outside space at our disposal it seemed silly not to utilise, especially as the guests would spend most of the day inside at a conference.
With the World Cup Semi-Finals falling on the same days as the events, our plan to create a Summer Festival with a large scale outdoor screening seemed perfect. Apart from the bar and a small amount of seating under cover we wanted to keep the entire area feeling like a mini-festival/fair site. If it rained the atmosphere would really feel like a British festival but for a group of senior level managers it may not be as suitable. Therefore as a back up all the elements we had planned had a transferable set-up that could be moved to an indoor space (in this case a marquee we were using on another evening).
In every detail of planning, we were constantly reviewing how the elements would work inside. On many occasions though a back-up venue is not an option due to cost. We would therefore suggest negotiating with the venue or a local marquee company to offer a special cost for a back up option (e.g. if there is still availability and you call two days before they will offer a half price solution).
The other event that required a back up solution was a Olde English evening which had two main covered areas for dinner and a Olde Tavern, with open air archery/ falconery and entertainment spaces. In this case we planned larger indoor areas than were actually needed. With clever dressing the banquet and bar areas didn't feel cavernous but could accommodate all guests easily if it rained, so that extra space could save the day!
With absolute luck both events were a huge success thanks to the weather, but we all know that in events this is one area we can't control so plan plan plan!
