The September Checklist: What to book now for your autumn/winter event

September is a useful month for event planning.

You’re early enough to still have choices, but close enough to the season that making key decisions now will help you deliver a seamless event.

If your event is happening between now and the end of December, here’s what we’d be thinking about.

If your event is in October 

At this point, the big pieces should be taking shape.

Your venue should be confirmed, your suppliers should be shortlisted and you should have a reasonable idea of your guest numbers.

Now is the time to focus on the experience itself. Our team has been incredibly busy hosting tastings for clients with events in October, which has given us the time to focus on bespoke menu development. 

If you’ve yet to book your catering, there’s still time to do so. To help us meet your October deadline, we recommend getting in touch with your guest numbers, budget, venue and theme. With these details, we can finalise your menu and take care of any remaining loose ends.

If your event is in November

For November, your venue should ideally be confirmed. Once that important decision is in place, it’s time to start thinking about the suppliers who will bring the event to life.

Caterers, production teams, florists, stylists, entertainment and photographers can all become harder to secure as the season progresses, so this is a good moment to start building the right team around your venue.

It’s also the perfect month to introduce a theme without making everything about Christmas.

One idea we love is using blockbuster films as inspiration. That could mean menus inspired by iconic films, themed cocktails, or table names based on favourite movie moments. Our team has catered for high-profile film premieres around London, making these themes some of our most favourite events to do.

If your event is in December

If you’re planning a December event and haven’t booked the key suppliers yet, this is the moment to get moving.

By this point in the year, the smaller suppliers are often already booked. Venues can be even harder to secure, particularly for popular dates during the festive period. The most sought-after spaces may have been reserved many months in advance, and availability can change quickly as Christmas parties and end-of-year celebrations are confirmed.

Many of our repeat clients will already have booked their venue, catering and wider supplier team with us. In some cases, they will even have completed their tastings the previous winter, so they could make decisions around menus while the ingredients were at their seasonal best in line with their event date. This is something you may want to consider ahead of next year’s autumn/winter season.

If your December event is still unbooked, don’t panic. The important thing is to secure the foundations first, then work through the detail. Get in touch, we can help!

Your September checklist

Venue

Is it booked? Does it work for the format and the time of year? 

Have a look through the venues we work with here, if you’re still looking.

Catering

Have you chosen a caterer? Is the menu appropriate for the season and the event format? Do you want to incorporate an interactive element?

Speak with our team if you’d like to explore your catering options.

Guest numbers

Do you have a realistic working number?

Budget

Is there clarity around where you want to spend, and where you don't?

Our team is here to help deliver on your budget - the key is understanding that in advance so we can seamlessly deliver.

Drinks

Will you offer wine, cocktails, a reception drink, non-alcoholic options or something bespoke?

Production

Does the room need lighting, sound, staging, furniture or other technical support?

Some venues may require more than others, and knowing this early on will help you stay within budget.

Entertainment

Do you need a DJ, live music, speaker or live entertainment?

We have a long list of reputable suppliers we work with that we’d be happy to recommend.

Guest journey

How will guests arrive, check in, leave coats, find the bar and move around the space?

Dietary requirements

It’s best to ask guests as soon as possible, to ensure your caterer can design a menu around your requirements without compromise.

The one thing you don't need to have yet

A finished plan.

September is about creating the framework.

Once the venue, guest numbers, budget and key suppliers are in place, the rest can evolve. In fact, leaving a little room for ideas is often a good thing.

The best events aren't necessarily the ones where every detail was decided four months in advance. They're the ones where the important decisions were made early enough that there was still time to make the right ones.

Get in touch with our team to discuss your next event here.