Avoid Extra Fees with These Event Planning Hacks

By: Tina Martinez , Vice President of Design and Development

Budgets got you feeling the pinch? Fear not! At 360 Destination Group, we know that tight funds don’t mean the good times stop. Whether you’re squeezing the last bit of magic out of this year’s event budget or gearing up for next year’s grand plans, 360 Destination Group is here to help with cost-saving tips and tricks! Can you say cha-ching? 🤑

Let Us Do the Hustle

As a leading DMC, we have friends in all the places you want to be. Our close relationships with destination vendors and partners mean we can secure better rates for our clients than you can on your own. We typically get an industry discount from our vendors and can negotiate further discounts as needed.

When it comes to design and decor, our local expertise and relationships can also come in clutch. At 360DG, our Design and Development managers can strategically leverage the right suppliers to meet your vision and budget. We also know to ask the right questions during the negotiation process to ensure that the pricing you’re getting is all-inclusive. Trust us, we don’t like surprises any more than you do! We know the nitty gritty details that others don’t. For example, if you’re planning a surfing activity in Laguna Beach, the water is cold year-round, so we’d automatically add the cost of renting wetsuits to our proposal. Without this inside intel, you’d be in for a chilly surprise, both in the water and when the final bill arrives.

Vendors: Sometimes Less is More

Using fewer vendors for your events has benefits. Fewer vendors often result in lower labor and delivery fees, enabling you to apply your budget in other areas. With fewer vendors to manage, load-in and strike are also streamlined for your DMC partner and venue.

Consolidation gets you more bang for your buck, too. By utilizing vendors that can offer more than one type of service you can cut down on the total labor and delivery costs. 

Pro Tip: Always pay attention to service line items! If you only focus on the price of décor or catering itself, you can end up spending more on load-in and load-out than on the actual service provided. In our book, that’s an equation that doesn’t add up.

Maximize Your Food and Beverage Minimums

Did you know that dine-arounds are often more cost-effective than group sit-down dinners? It all comes back to the food and beverage (F&B) minimum. In addition to the space rental fee, larger group dinners usually require F&B minimums with higher-priced, multi-course fixed menus and bar packages. When you plan a dine-around with a smaller group, they can order off a regular dining menu (chances are most attendees won’t even think of ordering a four-course meal!) Try to keep things as intimate as possible while ensuring you have enough guests to meet the minimum with a reasonable amount of food and drink. That way, you’re not overcompensating on F&B to hit a minimum and potentially wasting food, and straining your event planning budget.

Activities & Excursions

The More the Merrier!

While it may seem counterintuitive, one way to save on group activities is to bring more folks along for the ride! Vendors offer discounts on per-person pricing the larger the group. You also save on logistical costs because we won’t need to manage multiple activities simultaneously. 

Let Attendees Choose Their Adventure

Sending folks out on their own to explore is a great way to cut costs. For example, if you encourage attendees to discover San Juan Capistrano or Laguna Beach, you’ll only need to pay to get them there. Walking tours and other activities that don’t require transportation, staff, or equipment are more cost-effective.

Don’t Be Afraid of Commitment

Often, you can leverage a multi-year contract with vendors to secure additional discounts and cut down on fees. Your DMC partner can help you negotiate these so you can see what your overall savings would look like. However, if your needs change or something newer and trendier comes along, you’re still locked in. Therefore, it’s best to leverage this type of agreement only with vendors whose services are evergreen or those who offer a wide range of options for an agreed-upon price.

Plan Ahead So Your Event Planning Budget Won’t Get Left Behind

One of the most common (and pricey!) mistakes planners make is booking too close to program operation. If we can contract before the end of the year for events happening the following year, we can often lock in current-year pricing before yearly increases. Vendors also tend to charge higher fees for “rush” work if you book too close to your event date, as they will have to rework their existing bookings to accommodate you. You might face inventory shortages (think chairs, bars, etc.), and rental companies might struggle with workforce or vehicle availability. This often leads to higher delivery fees or, worse, they might not be able to deliver at all. Bottom line: you might not get the fantastic product you were expecting or paying for.

Instead, let’s plan ahead and save big! By contracting early, you secure better rates, guarantee availability, and avoid those dreaded rush fees. Early planning ensures you get the very best without the stress.

Are you ready to put your dollars to work and optimize your event planning budget by working with a cost-conscious DMC partner? Good news, you’re in the right place! Please reach out for more information on how 360DG can help you save while you save the day. 

This article first appeared on 360DG.com.