7 Ways to Enhance Food & Beverage While Maintaining a Budget

One of the most challenging aspects of event planning is keeping F&B costs in check. The experts at Turning Stone Resort Casino are here to help with seven tips for spending F&B budgets wisely while delivering a top-notch event. 

• Get on your feet. Host a standing reception instead of a seated dinner—your attendees will appreciate the opportunity to move freely and socialize as much (or as little) as they like. Passed hors d’oeuvres are an elegant touch and put the focus on quality, visually appealing bites.
• Enlist the chef. Working directly with the chef to plan your menus is a great way to maximize the wow factor while keeping costs in line. Ask the chef what he or she has planned for other groups meeting at the same time as yours; piggybacking on menu items or even certain ingredients saves on kitchen resources, which can then be devoted to giving your event that extra attention to detail.
• Quality over quantity. Consider trimming the length of the event. Shorten the reception by a half hour, when attendance tends to taper off anyway, and shift the savings to more hors d’oeuvres, more elaborate theming, or more generous bar offerings.
• Keep breakfast and lunch simple. An attractively presented, simple breakfast and lunch will keep attendees well fueled and let you reserve more F&B spend for a pull-out-all-the-stops evening affair. Stick to coffee, tea, juices and continental offerings at breakfast.
• Be smart about the bar. For longer events, request a flat rate for the first half when consumption tends to be heavier, then pay by the drink for the second half as people will likely slow down.  Another option is to provide beer and wine with dinner but arrange for a cash bar for guests wanting other alcoholic drinks. 
• Double up. Why pay separately for floral centerpieces when cupcake towers or tiered plates of pastries can serve as a focal point and the dessert course? Similarly, bowls of whole fruit make attractive centerpieces, and offer attendees a healthy treat. Another way to double up: locate concurrent meeting sessions near each other and have one central meal or break set-up for all.
• Keep count. Some attendees might opt to skip a group reception or dinner in favor of an evening on the town; have them indicate in advance what functions they plan to attend so you can provide the venue with accurate head counts—and not find yourself paying for empty seats. Also, to save money in the future, keep track of typical overages at your events and use that data to make more informed estimates down the line.

Select a venue and event planning team you can partner with to achieve your budget goals while delivering the experience you desire. Turning Stone Resort Casino has 180,000 square feet of sophisticated, flexible space and a team of meeting and catering experts that will work within your budget to create an event that impresses at every turn.

Book a meeting by 10/31/19, consumed by 12/30/20, to receive up to a 12% discount*