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Putting On An Outdoor ‘Do’

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Helen Lowe from IGs furniture arm, Europa, talks about putting on an outdoors event.

With summer officially here I thought it was an apt opportunity to talk about one of the most common, and arguably most challenging, types of ‘do’ I am regularly tasked with overseeing in my capacity as an events and marketing manager for a furniture hire orientated business… sporting events of the outdoor variety!

Tennis, cricket and polo matches, love ‘em or loathe ‘em there is no denying that they are all a big part of the British cultural calendar. After all, no other nation is as aptly equipped to have a ‘jolly good time’ whilst desperately trying to remain dry, relatively warm and suitably fuelled with tea, prosecco and strawberries?

But as the person responsible for ensuring all of the above goes to plan, pulling it all together and making sure things go at least some way to plan can feel a tad tough.

Needless to say getting it right takes a real team effort, and a serious amount of delegating to partners and supporters – from caterers through to media managers, marquee and event structure advisors through to furniture, carpet and panel hire experts.

If you take our furniture team here at IG, for example, they appreciate that they are a cog in a much more complex machine that requires everyone to do their job… and do it well.

And whilst you might think that adopting that all-important ‘can-do’ attitude should go without saying – i.e, being on time, keeping costs down and being as organised and efficient as possible – the reality is that such suppliers are not all that easy to find, and so once you do track them down you will likely find they are worth their weight in gold.

After all, your job is to bring together the very best suppliers to meet the individual needs of the end user, so don’t be afraid to lean on trusted suppliers to ‘wow’. In my experience, they are best placed to ensure that every possible box is ticked when it comes to creating an outdoor extravaganza - from marquees to sound systems, quirky catering options to inflatable bars!

It’s the passion and dedication of each of those contributors that really helps to keep all of the balls in the air year-on-year (pun intended, with Wimbledon now upon us). After all, the little things make the world of difference when it comes to making a good event great; and having the peace of mind to know that the partners you place your trust in will deliver with a spring in their step and a smile on your face should not be underestimated… especially when the weather gods are against you!

So if you are approached last minute to help host an outdoor happening with a limited budget, fear not! A few strategic calls to the right people can help share the load and will result in an amazing event that meets the needs, and perhaps even exceeds the expectations, of the client and all of the guests.