Banquet Events Set up

Setup of Function or Events in Banquet is one of the most challenging job for hoteliers. Banquet Events Set up requires not only planning but experience of handling various situations during Banquet Events Set up.

Banquet Events Set up (Pre Events)

1. Chairs (remove with a chair caddy) and  tables are moved to the function room, 6 to 8 hours prior to the function’s start.
2. Trolleys are used to transport equipment.
3. All  setup  begins  with  a  clean  room.  A  room  is   considered  clean  when  all  unnecessary equipment is removed and the room has been properly vacuumed, dusted and polished.
4. Floor plans must be followed strictly in order to avoid  wasting of human resources and double- jobs.
5. Setup is symmetrical, equal and aligned.
6. Setups for  meetings must include  water  glasses,  note pads,  pencils and  fruits/candies unless otherwise specified.
7. All head tables for meeting setups and  all stage setups must be properly decorated and  shall not be skirted.
8. All tables, chairs and amenity setups are in-line with the concept of the event.
9. Visual aides must be clean, properly working ad completed with its necessary accessories.
10. Head tables for meetings have full amenities set.
11. At the end of every function chairs must be stacked-up and returned to the store area.

Read and learn more about Banquet Function Plan ..here

Registration and Reception preparation for Banquet Events Set up

1. Table with table cloths or a wooden registration desk.
2. Flower vases, garbage bin, full amenity setup as requested.

During Refreshment Breaks

1. Align all chairs.
2. Clean floors and rearranged table top setup.
3. Do not disturb business papers, briefcases, folders, books or other equipments not belonging to the hotel.
4. Replace all dirty glassware.

Banquet Events Set up for Bar

– Setup of  Cash  bar  with  an  extra  table  and  chair  for  cashier(s),  petty  cash,  register  as per standard.

Buffet Table Arrangement at Banquet Events Set up

Where  no table  service  (service  by  plate)  is  provided,  table  space  must be provided  for  the display of main courses, appetizers, bread and butter, condiments, desserts and beverages.

Tables can be arranged to create buffet spacing/setup that guests can easily serve themselves without having to wait in-line. Rectangular tables can be combined to form V-shapes, U-shapes, L- shapes, hollow squares etc

Half-round and  quarter-round tables can be arranged to from ovals, S-shapes, hollow circles, etc. Tables can be arranged to form islands for different types of cuisine and themes. Table cloths shall be long enough to hide table legs and  are 5cm  off the floor. Skirting is not adequate in modern banqueting.

Flower Arrangements – Types of Arrangements

Table flowers, bouquets, arches and  garlands for weddings are arranged and  prepared by the Florist stated on the Function Order.

VIP Flower Setup – A VIP setup should be indicated by  listing the specifications on arrangements in  the column
‘Flowers/Florist’ of the Function Order.

Signage for Banquet Events Set up

Two directional signs should be produced for each function to be placed at:

1. Lobby (sign board)
2. Entrance at the Ball room/Function room (standing sign board)

Lettering is made by the artists. Specifications must be given at least one week prior to the date of the function so as  to give sufficient time for preparation. Foam  lettering is  prohibited due to environmental reasons.

Meeting/Function Rooms

Requirements depend on external demand and  are influenced by the character and  location of the  hotel/resort.  Rooms  are  multi-functional,  being  used  for  business,  leisure,  private  parties, meetings of societies and  other purposes. The need is for arrangement of furniture and  facilities, including  built-in  A/V  aide  equipment,  adjustable  engineering  services,  large  furniture  storage areas and efficient F&B services.

Maximum  flexibility is  provided  by  sliding  or  folding  partitions into  separate  areas,  each  self- contained having  separate entrance and  independent service facilities. Movable portion must provide a high degree of sound insulation and  this involves special attention to the design panels, joints and  supports. In addition, lighting, air-conditioning, sound  systems and  other engineering services must be capable of separate operation and  control  with provision  for balancing when the room condition change.

One method of increasing space utilization is to combine daytime use of rooms for small business meetings etc. Rooms for multi-purposes must be larger than  normal guest rooms and  provide facility for family use during vacation periods. The room must be easily converted with minimum of effort  and  disturbance  features  such  as  sliding  or  swivelling  bed recesses,  convertible  divans, closets for desks and furniture.

Meeting  rooms  should  be directly  accessible  from  the  main  or  a  second  lobby.  Large  ball rooms/function rooms should be located near the street approached through  stairs or elevators leading directly to the entrance foyer. Separation from the guest rooms is important to facilitate management and  reduce noise disturbance. Sign posting and  directional support is  essential throughout the Hotel/Resort.

Pre-function rooms/foyers are usually necessary to provide a reception/registration area.

Tables will usually be rectangular with provision for linking together to meet banquet needs. In larger rooms, circular tables may also be provided. Seat spacing is usually based on width 60cm per diner.

To allow easy arrangement and storage, furniture should have the following characters:

1. – Light weight but robust/strong.
2. – Fitted with protective ends to legs.
3. – Stackable into mobile carrier.
4. – Inter-changeable.
5. – Replaceable.
6. – Linkable to form rows.
7. – Resistant to marking.
8. – Durable resisting, scraping and impact.
9. – In-line with the character of room and hotel/resort.

Also, service trolleys, mobile side boards and  other meal sources equipment shall be provided. A temporary bar (moveable even) or permanent is  to be considered. Carpet and  furnishing are moveable.

Special requirements for meeting rooms:

– Dance floors
– Band stages, stands and equipment

A/V equipment:

1. – LCD Projectors, Plasma TV’s/LCD TV’s
2. – Built-in or moveable PA speakers
3. – Slide projectors, tape speaker extension
4. – CD/DVD/MPEG/XVID/HDTV/HDD/USB Players
5. – Microphones, wireless microphones
6. – Projection screens (moveable or built-in)
7. – Pin board, display board, flip charts
8. – Remote lighting and air-control
9. – Portable closed circuit TV/Camera and projection equipment
10. – CCTV surveillance
11. – Control room or moveable control panels/switch boards
12. – DJ sets/turntables
13. – Additional special lighting equipment for show performances etc.

Learn all the basics of Banquet Operation ..here

Conferences and Banquets Events Set up

Success or failure of any  conference or banquet depends on the quality of the speakers, the amount  of  assistance  or  information  and  the  degree of  learning  which  participants  received. These elements are out of the control of the Hotel Management.

Arrangement for Conferences

Organizers and  leaders of such  meetings are likely to be impressed with the fact that the hotel associate knows what he/she is doing. Confidence in the smooth running of these arrangements will undoubtedly lead to more business in the future.

Checklist  of  the  information  needed from  the organizers  must be prepared  in  order  that  a systematic plan of campaign can be setup. A checklist below reads such possible details needed:

Dates to be set:

1. – Majority of group arrival/departure, late arrivals, release of reserved rooms not taken-up. Type of arrangement/event:
2. – Wedding, dinner, meeting, funeral, anniversary, conference etc. Attendance to be ascertained:
3. – Total number of guests expected, plus wives/children/relatives (if any).
4. – Total number of participants.
5. – Total number of adults and children

Overnight accommodation to be ascertained:

– Number of DBL/TWN/SGL/TPL rooms, suites etc. and comp. rooms

Planning of Meeting requirements during Banquet Events Set up :

1. – Conference room(s), Annex(s), Cloakroom(s), changing room(s), Number of tables and chairs.
2. – Decoration concept; banners, flags, canvas, logos etc.
3. – Flower arrangements/ plants
4. – Microphone(s), wired or non-wired
5. – Projectors or other visual aid
6. – Paper, pencils, notepads etc
7. – Lectern
8. – Platform(s)
9. – Carpet(s)

Organization of F&B services during Banquet Events Set up :

– Menu  sections,  members  per  table,  shape  of  tables,  bar  facilities,  appetizers  with  drinks, tea/coffee facilities, starting and  finishing times of meals and  breaks, venues of meals and breaks.

Basic costs:

– Double  rooms,  single  rooms,  Suites,  Executive  Floors,  Children  rates,  conference  room(s), additional room(s), business centre and its facilities, parking, drinks (‘open bar’ or ‘by consumption’), main meals, breaks, coffee/tea service.

Other services to be costed:

1. – Provision of special equipment, i.e. projector, microphones etc.
2. – Provision of personnel for service of above.
3. – Provision of flowers.
4. – Complimentary meals and/or accommodation.
5. – Sign/place cards, gratuities. General Information

The   Hotel/Resort   should   be  prepared   to   make    suggestions   and    arrangements   for   the entertainment of the relatives (wives, children) and  friends not participating the event/function. A list of facilities is helpful and may list as the following:

1. – Shops and stores within the property or nearby
2. – Kids activities (chargeable or free)
3. – The hotel’s/resort’s restaurants and leisure facilities.
4. – Theatre and cinema program.
5. – In-house DVD movie program (if applicable).
6. – Excursion arrangements specially tailored for this group.
7. – All transportation facilities available.
8. – Baby sitting facilities.
9. – Availability of guides and tours.

Opportunities  for  promotional  events  within  the  hotel  can be means of increasing income  from conference.

Characteristics of Conference or Meeting Rooms in Banquet Events Set up

Banquet Events Set up and Services

– Conference rooms preferably  be windowless, artificially  lighted and  air-conditioned and  the following points indicate why this should be so. It amounts to the fact that the speaker or instructor can then control all these factors.

Windows

– If a conference room has windows, all curtains/blinds should be pulled over existing windows to allow greater concentration on the guest speaker.

Lighting for Banquet Events Set up

– The eye is always drawn to either the highest luminous point or the one which has the highest color  intensity.  Therefore,  it  is  important  that  the  speaker  should  be illuminated  and  seen

against a very simple background which is preferably darker then the rest of the room. Beware of concentration of light, if, which can cause glare, forcing the speaker to step aside to avoid this painful experience or give his/her performance in discomfort. It is a simple matter to shield or cover the light source.

General Information on Banquet Events Set up

The   Hotel/Resort   should   be  prepared   to   make    suggestions   and    arrangements   for   the entertainment of the relatives (wives, children) and  friends not participating the event/function. A list of facilities is helpful and may list as the following:

1. – Shops and stores within the property or nearby
2. – Kids activities (chargeable or free)
3. – The hotel’s/resort’s restaurants and leisure facilities.
4. – Theatre and cinema program.
5. – In-house DVD movie program (if applicable).
6. – Excursion arrangements specially tailored for this group.
7. – All transportation facilities available.
8. – Baby sitting facilities.
9. – Availability of guides and tours.

Opportunities  for  promotional  events  within  the  hotel  can be means of increasing income  from conference.

Heating

– Noise of bad air-conditioning or heating system in operation must be avoided. An audience is more  responsive  mentally  if  they  are  seated  in  a  slightly  lower  ‘climate’  than  normal temperature.  There  should  be an  awareness  of a  flow of  air  cross  the  room,  at  least  a movement noticeable.

Noise control

– Lift  operations,  opening  and  closing  of  doors,  walking  or  talking  are  to  be cut  down to  a minimum. It is important that distractions of all kind are avoided.

Chairs

– Chairs shall be comfortable with semi-padded seating but without front edge. The speaker’s chair should be always brighter-colored fabric to keep the attention of the audience’s field of vision. Chairs should be stackable sot that the room can be easily cleared and setup.

Tables

– Flat-topped foldable tables of uniform size are better  than one or  two  large ones. Also  they must be of light-weight, no obstructions for the knees and a rod underneath for the feet to rest.

Platform

– A raised speaker platform must be set in order to give best visibility. The nearer the speaker is located to the ceiling, the better will the audience at the back of the room be able to hear.

General

– The lay-out of the room is to be discussed and  planned beforehand depending on purpose and  multi-functional usage. A series of diagrams of seating arrangements should be drawn-up and checked with the organizer/leader before each meeting.

Other points to be checked during Banquet Events Set up are:

1. – Seating styles (classroom, theatre, u-shaped, top tables) and for how many participants.
2. – Size of conference room; Length, width, height. Is this adequate (comfortable) for the group, if seated as required?
3. – Is there space for coffee breaks in the room or will it be served outside?
4. – When is the latest dead line of finishing all setup and its equipment?

Banquet Events Set up for Business Meetings

Some minimum requirements:

1. – Required number of chairs arranged in the form requested.
2. – A platform.
3. – A presiding officer’s table and chairs.
4. – A lighted lectern (either table or floor type).
5. – A gavel.
6. – Water (bottled) and glasses on the speaker’s table.
7. – A black board/flip chart/white board.
8. – Chalk/Pens.
9. – An eraser.
10. – A pointer.
11. – A national flag (for public gathering).
12. – A/V tools.
13. – Any other latest sophistication.
14. – The hotel logo/wording on the back (drop).

Key Points for Banquet Events Set up :

1. – Entrance and  exit facilities for material and properties, as well as guests, facilitating movement without delay.
2. – Provision for adequate parking varies for guests and meeting sponsors.
3. – Provision  of   safety   features  including  properly  marked   fire  exits,  properly   fused   circuits, adequate floor load capacity and flame-proofed drapiers.
4. – Provision for adequate electric circuit, 20-amperes min. capacity with outlet, both at front and rear of room. All lights are controllable from one light switch panel.
5. – Air-condition  and  heating  should  be controlled  by  a  room  thermostat  which  can  easily  be adjusted without services of the associate.
6. – Ventilation should be provided and  washing rooms and  drinking fountains should be arranged near by.
7. – Top quality sound systems are a must. In addition to lectern mike, there should be provision for “lavaliere’, microphones for panelists and portable microphones for audience participation.”
8. – Minimum required A/V equipment must be available in sufficient quantity.
9. – Associates  must be readily  available  to  assist  in  setting  up  the  room  and  equipment  for  a meeting.
10. – Provide  F&B  services  for  breaks  and   meals  in  an  efficient  manner.  For  larger  properties, separate wing with kitchen equipments should be setup/installed.
11. – Provide convenient outlet and  space for projection equipment to keep audience distraction to a minimum.

In smaller Hotels/Resorts, it is uneconomical to own  meeting equipment which is very costly. The Hotel/Resort  should  consider  arranging  needed equipment  with  local  suppliers  on  a  rental basis/contract. This may include the following equipment:

– Sound projectors, LCD Projectors, Slide projectors, PA Systems.

Outdoor Catering Banquet Events Set up (Off-premises Catering)

It is  also known as off-premises catering. The Hotel/Resort providing outdoor catering facilities should make it a continuing activity to ensure the fuller utilization of its equipment and  associates. A full and  comprehensive sales service such as,  meals, drinks, confectionary, tobacco, kiosk, merchandises etc. should be provided in these functions.
The following points should be included in the initial survey to be conducted for proper planning of outdoor catering:

1. – Type of function
2. – Size of function
3. – Date and time
4. – Site and distance to Hotel/Resort/depot/store
5. – Local transport facilities
6. – Local commodity supplier
7. – Availability of associates and equipment/facilities

An important note in Banquet Events Set up ; Remember that associates from the F&B operation team  used in the  regular  operation  might  be taken-out  of  the  regular  operation,  thus hiring of  temporary associates might be considered. The same applies for the equipment and transportation used.

1. – Layout of site
2. – Number or people expected
3. – Availability of electricity, gas, water, sanitary installations, wastage disposal
4. – ASP of people attending
5. – Occupancy of the Hotel/Resort (to schedule additional resources for the outside event)
6. – Kiosk and merchandise stand/booth
7. – Time allowance for setting up catering units and dismantling
8. – Type of license required
9. – Provision of mobile units adaptable to hot and cold food items
10. – Communication  facilities  to  ensure  coordination  and  control  of  associates  and  continuous supplies of commodities
11. – Arrangement for photographers/internal-external PR/DVD camera team etc.
12. – Press and the Media
13. – Provision for changing rooms and toilettes
14. – Insurance against fire/weather
15. – Provision of first-aid
16. – Available A/V and PA system as required
17. – Needed resources of Housekeeping and Engineering
18. – Forecasting of weather reports and possible rain-protection
19. – Safety regulations of employees for loading and unloading of equipment
20. – Estimate of cost of overhead
21. – Type  of  service  received;  Buffet  service/Service  by  plate  (table  service)/Takeaway  Service/ Supply of hot dishes/Beverage service
22. – Clearing and cleaning facilities (Stewarding)
23. – Containers for small and disposable items used
24. The  person  in  charge  needs  to  be decisive,  quick  to  command  and  adaptable  to  various situations. Everything is possible during an outdoor event!