corporate events

5 Corporate Event Trends To Consider

Most people want their corporate event to be more on the trendy than traditional side, but it’s hard to know what some of the latest trends are and which ideas you should leave behind. Every corporate event is different, but having helped execute countless corporate events in the past, we’ve noticed which trends have emerged and what ideas seem to be popular and engaging for an audience. With that in mind, we wanted to share some emerging trends in the corporate event planning world.

Trendy Corporate Event Ideas To Consider

Here are some of the successful trends we’ve seen executed recently and which ones we expect to continue to stay strong going forward.

  1. Outdoor Events – While the weather doesn’t always comply here in Minnesota, we expect more events to take place at outdoor venues. This became more popular when the coronavirus was making it harder to safely hold large gatherings indoors, but there’s also been a renewed focus on appreciating the beauty of nature when it comes to event planning. You can take your next event outdoors, and better yet, we can meet you there with our mobile catering by bringing The Kitchen to you and your group!
  2. Going Green – Many companies are becoming more cognizant of their ecological footprint, so event planners have been encouraged to “Go Green” with their planning recently. We shared some helpful tips for going green with your next event in this blog. From going digital with your invites to outsourcing the design and decor so you’re not buying a bunch of decorations you’ll just throw away when the night is over, our team can help ensure your event is environmentally conscious.
  3. Insta-Appeal – You want a venue with nice eye appeal, but there are added benefits to having a venue that is visually appealing to a younger audience that frequently shares on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Help your event go viral by having some places that lend themselves to great photo opportunities, and develop some fun and creative hashtags to help spread word of the event on social media. A number of our venues lend themselves to gorgeous photo opportunities that people will be excited to share online!
  4. Local Foods – We’ve seen more and more people ask where our catering options come from, and we’re proud to say that many of our dishes are built from people and places right here in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota. Fun dishes created with the help of local ingredients is a craze that we believe is here to stay, and it’s one we can deliver on. We’ll work to create the perfect menu that supports local businesses and farmers if that’s something you’re interested in doing.
  5. More Small Dishes – Finally, we’ve noticed that many companies and even some weddings are shifting away from one large meal towards more options served as appetizers or hors d’oeuvres. People can sample a larger variety of foods this way and really find something they like, and they don’t have to wait through an hour long meal to try them. People can network and mingle all while enjoying high quality hors d’oeuvres, which is the best of both worlds. Again, our chefs can create the perfect menu for your group to suit your needs.

So if you’re interested in trying one of more of these trends at your next event, we hope you’ll connect with the team at Entourage Events Group. Let us help you explore these trends and execute them at your next corporate event. For more information, or to connect with a member from our team, give us a call today at (612) 564-3777.

5 Tips For Choosing The Right Corporate Event Caterer

If you want to wine and dine your guests at your next corporate event, you really need to put some thought into who you choose to cater the event. But what are some of the things you should look for in a corporate event caterer, and what types of things will be important to your guests? We share some tips for picking the right corporate caterer for your next event in today’s blog.

What To Look For In A Corporate Event Caterer

If you’re in charge of planning a large-scale corporate event, you need to know that the caterer you choose will deliver high quality food and beverages in a timely manner. But how can you trust that the caterer you’re considering will follow through on their promises? Here’s a look at some of the things you should look for when choosing a corporate caterer.

  1. Someone Who Listens – There are a lot of details that go into planning a corporate event, and you need to find a caterer who will listen to your wishes and deliver what you need on your schedule. A good caterer will tell you what they can deliver, but a great caterer will ask what you need and how they can help deliver it.
  2. Consider Efficiency – When planning a big corporate event, sometimes it’s easiest to consider a caterer who can efficiently provide the food and beverages you need in a timely manner. For example, at Entourage Events Group, a number of our venues have access to on-site catering, so our staff are working in familiar kitchens at the venue itself, eliminating travel and other surprises that can come up when food is coming from off-site. Food and beverages can be provided efficiently when you’re working with an on-site caterer.
  3. Been There Before – If you’re hosting a corporate event, there is typically a level of professionalism that is expected from both guests and staff. Don’t hire a cheap caterer who doesn’t understand the subtleties of putting on a professional corporate event. Our caterers have a wealth of experience doing the little things that help ensure your event carries an air of professionalism. Whether that’s quietly delivering food while the CEO is giving a speech or quickly and efficiently cleaning up dishes and bringing out dessert, we’ve catered a lot of events in the past, and we hold ourselves to a high standard of care.
  4. Can Accommodate Your Menu – One of the things that we feel sets us apart from the rest is that we encourage our corporate groups and wedding parties to get creative with their menu. We’ll gladly provide examples of some of our most well-received plates, but our chefs can also work within your theme or dietary restrictions to create the perfect menu for your one-of-a-kind corporate event. Find a caterer who will work to accommodate your menu instead of one who requires you to work with their menu.
  5. Dazzle With The Presentation– And finally, it’s not just about the taste of t food and drinks, they also need to be presented in a way that wows your guests. Our chefs can create culinary masterpieces that are as fun to look at as they are to eat. At Entourage Events Group, we also have a division of our business that is dedicated to design and decor, so the tables, furniture and linens can all compliment your menu. Trust your catering and design to a full service event’s group, and your next corporate event will be the talk of the town.

For more tips on choosing the right caterer for your next corporate event, or to meet with a member of our catering division, give the team at Entourage Events Group a call today at (612) 564-3777.

5 Tips for Going Green with Your Next Corporate Event

Sustainability has been a hot button topic in recent years, and companies are always looking for new ways to “go green” and help build a better world for future generations. Your company may have some green initiatives this year, and those goals may also extend to any corporate events you arrange this year. In today’s blog, we share some tips for going green and promoting sustainability at your next corporate event.

Tips For Going Green with Your Corporate Event

Having an environmentally friendly event is great for our planet, but it can also help to improve attendance or fundraising efforts because people may be more likely to participate with a company that wants to make a better world for tomorrow. So if you want to help the planet and have a more successful event, consider these five tips for making your next corporate event greener.

  1. Paperless Invites – Paper invites can be expensive and time consuming, and they also come at the expense of trees. In today’s day and age, digital invites are much greener and make it a lot easier for your guests to quickly RSVP. If you have to have things printed on paper, consider a green option or try to cut down on paper consumption by printing on both sides. Digital invites are better for the environment and can make it easy to track attendance with ease.
  2. Choosing Your Caterer – When you’re considering your catering options, consider asking the caterer about their sustainability efforts. At Entourage Events Group, we can create a menu suited to your wishes, and a number of our options involve local organic ingredients and are from sustainable vendors. We can also help with the setup for your meal to help keep it as sustainable as possible. Whether that involves compostable utensils and dishes, paper straws or simply donating leftovers to a local shelter, we’ll work with you to ensure your meal is sustainably driven.
  3. Your Decorations – We can also use a similar approach when helping to design and decorate your event. Another division of Entourage Events Group is focused on design and decor, and we have a number of green options for your next event. We love getting creative with design options and avoiding traditional paper signage that just end up in the trash bin after the event. We can use furniture, lighting and other sustainable decor to create a one-of-a-kind event that is eco-conscious while still meeting the demands of your theme.
  4. Your Venue – At Entourage Events Group, we have a number of picturesque venues to choose from, and many of them come with some eco-conscious amenities. We have some energy-efficient venues that are close to public transportation options to help make it easier for attendees to show up without everyone driving on their own. We also work to reduce waste wherever we can and recycle at every opportunity. To learn more about how our venues can help meet your sustainability goals, reach out at set up a tour today.
  5. Work Hard To Get An Accurate Headcount – In order to cut down on waste, it’s important to get an accurate headcount on how many guests you’ll have at your event. We understand that you always want to have enough food for everyone who attends, but grossly overestimating how much food and supplies you’ll need contributes to unnecessary waste. We have helped organize events of all different sizes and can help guide you to the right amount of food and beverages you might need to help reduce waste. We just need you to come with an accurate number of attendees, which again speaks to the importance of using digital invites to record and track attendance changes.

So if you want to help build a better tomorrow while also throwing a wonderful corporate event, consider syncing up with the team at Entourage Events Group. To learn more about our green initiatives or how we can help your event make sustainability a theme, give our team a call today at (612) 564-3777.

5 Tips For Catering Your Next Corporate Event

One of the easiest ways to increase attendance and keep people in a good mood at an event is to cater it with a carefully selected food and beverage menu. A perfectly catered event can enhance the whole atmosphere and help you reach your event goals, while a poorly catered event can have people talking for all the wrong reasons. So how can you ensure that your food and beverage services help create the perfect event? We share some tips for catering your next corporate event in today’s blog.

How To Cater Your Next Corporate Event

Here are some helpful catering tips to keep in mind if you’re trying to organize your next corporate event.

  1. Get A Headcount – You don’t want to run out of food or end up with piles of leftovers, so it’s important to try and get an accurate headcount. You can do this by selling a certain number of seats or tables, tracking ticket sales or requesting that your employees RSVP online ahead of the event. Knowing about how many people will attend is a great starting point as you start to plan how to cater the event.
  2. Know Your Budget – It’s also very helpful to know what type of budget constraints you’re working with. You may have a total event budget, but if you don’t know exactly how much is earmarked for food and beverages, it can really complicate things. Determine your catering budget so that you can easily work to stay within this limit.
  3. Consider An Events Group – Here’s where we’re going to toot our own horn a bit. Instead of trying to find outside vendors to bring food into your venue on the day of the event, connect with a full service event’s group like Entourage Events Group. We have a number of beautiful venues with on-site catering, and we can also assist with other aspects of your event, like music, lighting and decor. Working with one company for all your services helps you easily stay on budget and makes communication between parties much easier. We’ve helped cater massive corporate events and intimate company gatherings, so we know we can feed your group no matter the size.
  4. Develop A Menu – If you work with our team, you’ll be able to sit down with some of our culinary experts and develop the perfect menu for your event. We can show what’s worked best in the past and which dishes are crowd pleasers. If your event has a specific theme, we can also discuss how the menu can enhance this theme and set your event apart. We’ll do this with you to get the most out of your menu.
  5. The When And How – During the meeting with our culinary team, we can also go over arrangements and when food should arrive if you’ll have appetizers or beverage areas at your event. Consider when you want food to be available if you have speakers or awards. Picking the menu is only part of the equation, and we can ensure that other aspects like when food arrives, how it will be presented and where it will be placed aren’t overlooked.

If you keep these tips in mind, and you trust the catering to a team with a wealth of experience catering both small and large events, we know that your next corporate event will be a success. If you’re looking for a talented team in the Greater Twin cities area to help cater your next corporate gathering, look no further than the team at Entourage Events Group. Click here or give us a call at (612) 564-3777 for more information or to schedule a tour.

5 Smart Ways To Save Money On Your Next Corporate Event

If you’ve been tasked with helping organize your company’s next corporate event, one of the first things you’ll probably work to understand is the financial constraints you’ll have to consider. Nobody wants their event to go over budget, and you want to be smart about how you maximize your funds to ensure the event is as successful as possible. Finding ways to save money and stretch your budget when corporate event planning is key. But what is the best way to do this? What areas should you absolutely allocate funds towards, and where can you work to save a few bucks? In today’s blog, we share five smart ways you can save money when planning your next corporate event.

1. Choose A Picturesque Venue

You might think that venue location is where you can work to cut costs, but choosing a bland venue may mean that you really need to ratchet up the costs for decorations. You can minimize decoration costs by choosing a venue that is already beautiful on its own. A venue like The Riverside or The Palace Theater require minimal decorations because they offer stunning views and aesthetically pleasing surroundings. Let the natural beauty of the venue help you save on decor costs.

2. Avoid Peak Times And Seasons

You may want to have your company holiday party as close to Christmas as possible, but oftentimes these high-demand times will be more expensive. If you can push your event to a Friday in late January instead of a Saturday in December, you may be able to save on venue costs. Talk to your venue to see if certain times or dates are cheaper.

3. RSVPs

The catering bill will make up a significant portion of your budget, and while nobody wants to have too little food at an event, if you drastically overestimate attendance, you can get stuck with a major food bill and a lot of uneaten appetizers. Selling discounted tickets can encourage people to buy their tickets earlier and make it easier to get an accurate headcount, or you can request that people RSVP with their guests so that you can gauge attendance and plan your food options accordingly.

4. Read The Contracts Carefully

When we’re working with guests who are booking one of our venues, we always set aside time to sit down with them and go over the contract in detail. This way they understand what they are signing, there are no surprises, and guests can ask for clarification or get answers to any questions they may have before signing. Some contracts have added fees if all guests aren’t gone by a certain time or if you don’t clean up your decor quickly enough, so don’t go over budget because you get hit with a surprise bill when the event is over. We work with each client to ensure we help them stay within their budget by understanding the contract they are signing.

5. Streamline Everything

Finally, one great way to save money and ensure everything goes off as planned is to streamline as much of the event as possible. For example, at Entourage Events Group, not only do we help book amazing venues, but we have divisions within our group that can provide catering, decor, lighting, design, music and more. You’ll work with one group instead of trying to get one company to cater the event, another to provide the sound system and another to help decorate your event. Streamlining the process with a production company saves on costs and makes everything run smoothly.

So if you want help making sure you throw a wonderful event within budget, consider reaching out to the team at Entourage Events Group. For more information on what we can offer and how we can help you throw the perfect corporate event, give our team a call today at (612) 564-3777 or click here to schedule a tour online.

6 Tips For Throwing A Successful Fundraising Event

Getting people to donate to your cause doesn’t always come easy, but if you are creative in your fundraising efforts, you’ll find that guests are more likely to donate to a worthy cause. If your company or organization is looking to raise funds for their next project or to give back to the community, you may be wondering how to throw a great event that will surpass fundraising targets. The team at Entourage Events Group has helped assist in the production of numerous fundraising events for large corporations and small organizations, and we’d be happy to share some of our tips for a successful event. Below, we share six tips for throwing a successful fundraising event.

1. Set The Scene With The Right Venue

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, don’t just book your event at the first hotel convention center that can accommodate a group of your size. You want the venue to set the stage for a wonderful night, and a dimly lit convention center with beige walls hardly does the trick. Dazzle with picturesque views of the city like you’ll find at The Riverside, or amaze with elegance at a venue like The Grand 1858. Let the venue speak for your organization from the moment your guests arrive.

2. Time Your Event To Your Audience

You want to ensure that your event is scheduled for a time that is ideal for your group and your guests. If you’ll be hosting a large portion of employees and clients, don’t plan it during normal business hours. If you want families to be able to attend, consider a weekend afternoon or evening. Pick a time that coincides with the obligations of your organization and your attendees.

3. Consider How You Can Best Raise Money

You might be hosting a fundraiser event, but that doesn’t mean people will just show up and write checks. Find creative or enticing ways to get people to donate to your cause. Run a 50-50 raffle, organize a silent auction, or offer a VIP experience to those who donate at a certain level.

4. Feed Your Group

Oftentimes charity or fundraising events sell seats or tables at an event that includes a delicious meal option, so consider making a meal one of the main aspects of your event. A meal can provide a great opportunity for a keynote speaker to make a donation pitch or explain how the donations will be used. Our team has catered countless fundraising events and weddings, so we know how to feed a large group with ease. Learn more about our catering options on this page.

5. Get The Word Out

You need to effectively market your event so that people are excited about coming to your event and donating to your cause. Emails, flyers, social media posts, formal invites, you name it. Don’t just let people know that an event is taking place, let them know what to expect and make them want to come. Let them know about dinner, raffles, music, prizes and anything else that will have people wanting to come to your event. You first need to sell the event before you can sell people on your cause or your vision.

6. Budget

The last item on our list is something you’ll want to set early on in the process, because a successful fundraising event relies on keeping expenses under a set threshold. Set a budget and stick to it. That can be harder than you might imagine if you’re trying to organize the event with a number of different companies. At Entourage Events Group, we can be your singular point of contact for venue hosting, decoration and lighting, food and beverages and other entertainment options. We make it easy to work within a budget and avoid any surprise expenses. Let our team help keep your event under budget to maximize the success of your fundraiser.

For more tips on throwing a perfect fundraising event, or to learn more about how our team can help you raise funds for your next venture, reach out to the team at Entourage Events Group today at (612) 564-3777.

5 Ways To Have Your Corporate Event Stand Out From The Rest

Depending on what line of work you’re in, you may be pretty familiar with the corporate event scene. Even if you don’t attend a lot of corporate events, the ones you attend can be pretty forgetful if the organizers don’t do anything to make their event stand out. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to make your corporate event stand out if you’re throwing a fundraiser or organizing a company event. Below, we share five ways that you can ensure your corporate event is unforgettable.

1. Wow With The Venue

Hotel convention centers are designed to be both functional and forgettable, so while they can host a large group, they aren’t going to be memorable for your audience. Instead, choose a venue that dazzles your guests. Spaces like The Grand 1858 and The Riverside offer picturesque views and incredible interior design that will be sure to make a mark on your audience.

2. Have A Keynote Speaker

Depending on the goals of your event, oftentimes it’s very helpful to have a keynote speaker deliver a message to your audience. It could be the head of your foundation speaking about the goals of your charity event, or it could be the CEO congratulating the team for a year of hard work. Or you could book a motivational speaker or a local celebrity to come talk to your guests. These powerful words can help make your night memorable.

3. Add Some Music

To help set the mood and create easy conversation between guests, consider having some musical entertainment at your event. You can book a local band to play for a couple hours, or you can bring in a DJ to play music at your event. The team at Entourage Events Groups can also handle the music and sound arraignments if you want to have more control over the music options at your event.

4. Have Top Notch Food

As you might have noticed so far with these tips, you want to appeal to your audience with sensory experiences. You’ve wowed with impressive views and entertained their ears with music, now it’s time to take it to the next level by dazzling their taste buds. Cater the event with fabulous food and beverage options. You can look into local vendors, but again, sometimes it’s easiest to go with the in-house options. Our catering division can create incredible appetizers and desserts at any of our venues, which is one less thing you have to worry about on the day of the event.

5. Encourage Social Sharing

A final way to make your event memorable and to help it have a second life in the digital realm is to make it an event that lends itself to sharing on social media. Our design and decor team can create wonderful spaces within your venue that lend themselves to Instagram opportunities or group photo spots. Create a hashtag for your event and encourage your guests to take photos and share about the night on social media. Photos and videos will help you remember the event, and it can be an effective PR tool.

If you want to ensure that your corporate event stands out from the rest, sync up with the team at Entourage Events Group and let us help make your event one-of-a-kind. For more information or to request a quote, reach out to our team today at (612) 564-3777.

5 Tips For Ensuring Your Corporate Event Is A Success

Corporate events take a lot of planning in order to go off without a hitch and have the intended effect on your audience. Done correctly, corporate events can increase productivity, bring in new clients or show your employees that you appreciate all their hard work. Done incorrectly, and your event can be the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. We’ve helped plan, organize and run countless corporate events, so we know what it takes to make them a success. In today’s blog, we share five insider tips for making sure that your next corporate event is a smash hit.

1. Figure Out Your Why

Before you even get into how you’ll plan your event, you want to make sure everyone understands why you’re having the event in the first place. Are you rewarding employees for their hard work? Are you fundraising for a new project? Are you trying to onboard 15 new clients? Once you figure out why you’re considering organizing a corporate event, the how will become much easier. Make sure the planning committee establishes and understands the goals of the event before they start trying to plan anything.

2. Wow With Your Venue

The venue you choose sets the stage for the event, so don’t just book the first place that has a space on a specific date. Instead of throwing your event at a hotel conference room, let your event stand out by picking a unique and memorable venue. We’ve had so many satisfied clients reach out to us to let us know that so many of their guests raved about the venue, so don’t underestimate what a great space can do for your event. Places like The Grand 1858, The Riverside and The View are all unique and awe-inspiring venues for your next corporate event.

3. Feed Your Guests

We also strongly recommend feeding your guests at some point during the event. You can either do a full sit-down dinner or just serve appetizers, but meal options tend to increase attendance, give people a centralized activity and avoid irritability that can be caused by hunger! Not sure how to best cater your event? Outsource it to the professionals. We can cater your event at any one of our venues. Not only is this one less thing that you have to plan, but you can take solace in knowing that your caterer won’t back out on your last minute. We have catering options to accompany any size group or any dietary restrictions. Let our team dazzle with decadent food options.

4. Remember That Less Is More

You’re going to have a lot on your plate as you plan your corporate event, and oftentimes it’s easier to outsource to one company instead of trying to get a bunch of groups to come together. If you’re trying to have one company cater the event, another company decorate the venue, you’re hiring your own bartenders and you’re trying to bring in your own DJ, it’s going to get complicated and it’s easier for something to fall through the cracks. Instead, connect with a company like Entourage Events Group that can handle all those aspects for you. We’ll handle parking, catering, decorating, bartending, cleanup and the music, all you have to do is bring the guests. Working with one point of contact is so much easier and helps everything run much smoother, so consider outsourcing duties to an event planning company.

5. Develop A Budget And Stick To It

Finally, develop a budget and stick to it. You don’t want your event to become a budgetary nightmare, so work with your financial team and come up with an appropriate budget. Again, it can be so much easier to understand costs and total expenses if you work with an event planning company instead of trying to pay a different caterer, hire your own DJ and decorate the venue on your own. With our team, you’ll have clear, upfront prices and a singular point of contact in the event you have questions about any aspect of your event, which ensures there aren’t any surprises when the bill comes. Don’t get in trouble with the finance department because it was tough to stay on top of expenses. Work with an event planning group and keep your budget on track.

If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you throw the perfect corporate event for your group, head on over to our contact page and let us know what you’re looking for. We’ll read your form and get back to you with individualized answers, and we can even schedule a tour of any of our venues. We look forward to hearing from you and helping ensure your next corporate event is a success!

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