Banquet planning Question

I called the Radisson and made arrangements for the Banquet. One slight problem, the costs have gone up. It will cost $28 per person. This is for a buffet that has two types of salads, three choices of entree (chicken, beef, baked ziti), potato, veggie, bread, coffee/tea, dessert.

I might repeat might be able to get it for slightly less elsewhere (most likely around $25 so not significantly less) but it also means that the banquet would be in a different place than ComiCon which will be inconvient (especially since lots of folks stay at the Radisson, and they don't need to worry about drinking and driving, or finding another location in an unfamiliar city)

Considering that their $28 will include dinner, a show, and door prizes (provided by Pittsburgh FF) do you all think that is an okay price. Also consider that the folks doing paypal will be charged $29 to cover what paypal charges.

I am still inclined to have it at the Radisson for the $28 price, but how do other folks feel about this?

 

can we simplify the menu a bit to not have dessert and possibly one type of salad and choice of chicken or pasta?
LOL
I know we can get a cake for desset elsewhere and I honesty dont mind handling desserts.

I am wondering.... how much is it per person to just use the room? are we allowed to have outside catering?

Let me know. I honestly think 29.00 a person is steep and considering we dont have much of a show planned I really steer away from it.

Lets try to get a quote for with a simple menu and without. Lets go from there.

 

That is the cheapest dinner plan, I'm afraid. I can try to negotiate down to what we paid last year, by pointing out that the room is already committed for the evening and it will sit empty if we don't use it. That would be $25 ($26 by paypal) but I don't know if it will work. And the policy is no outside food.

What do you mean there won't be much of a show? Musical numbers? Videos? Our speical 'guest presenters' -- folks in costume, like last year, although Terry says he's done being Amidala. Door Prizes. What about the 'slide show'?

Dinner and a show. Its a bargain at $28!

 

we will have the slide show and door prizes but we really need to get some volunteers and hammer out the entertainment. Also the theme I would like to be different this year. yes the awards type show however I would like a theme attached to it and also play things uot alittle differently.
THis forum is pretty quiet and we need to start hammering things out. anyone up for some online chatting? I can figure out a show all day long but I need to know who wants to perform what

Dinner sounds fine see if we can negotiate 25.00 a person. At any rate....... 25 is more reasonable

can we take donations at the door this time to help defray the costs of the awards?

we also need the website up and running anyone heard from terry?

 

What kind of theme? Different from the 'Acadamy Awards' type thing we've been doing? I liked that. Including getting folks dressed like the award to present them. I will most likely be able to get you a Han, a Leia, and Yoda. We could ask for volunteers from other FFs also.

What do you mean as far 'playing out a little differently'? What do you have in mind?????

Superchill is willing to perform some SW parody songs. PM him directly for more info.

Also Pittsburgh is playing around with the idea of doing something entertaining. But we're not saying what.

I'll try to get the $25, but no promises. Folks might just have to pay out.

Last year, SWAP sold raffle tickets and used that money to help cover our expenses. I was planning on doing this again, and Pittsburgh will cheerfully split the proceeds to help cover other costs (like making the awards). But if we're splitting the costs, donations for raffle prizes would be nice. Almost all of last years (not all, but most) came from my collection.

Terry, I don't think, is going to be available. He's been off line for a while now.

 

ok, playing out differently -

for one, if we are setting it up for the awards to start at 6 (for exapmle) then I do not want anyone allowed in the room until 6 pm. This makes things much easier for sound check and organization and surpise level

Once everyone is in and settled, show would start. Make our announcements (welcome etc) announce everyone would be allowed to get up and get their food, in the meantime a slide show of some sort would be playing for that period or entertainment slot etc. The show layout hasnt been planned but you get the jist of it.

We could also announce table by table to get up and get their food to cut down on any confusion.
In addition to the raffle we can have table challenges. Quiz tables and which ever table has the most points wins a prize etc.


During intermission we can hand out door prizes. if thats ok.

For those performing thru the show I am wondering if we can get a dinner set aside for us either afterwards or before hand since most of us will be in costume changing mode and may not be able to eat.

I dont think we should have a formal after party this year or a whos my line or whatever we did last year LOL I think if everyone wants to get together afterwards at the hotel bar Im game, we were all there afterwards anyhow LOL

as far as donations chris I do not have a problem with donating anything you should know that. I donated the C3 figure that year to the basket and the awards usually run me about 500.00 so, whatever you need for your donations let me know what your looking for.

Unless we can get a chapter to "sponsor" a certain aspect of the awards. like the name plates. Those run about 45.00 to have made. This year it may run more since I am changing the format. A chapter can sponsor that aspect of the awards.

The paint and bases usually run me about 50.00
The trophy paint is another 20.00


so again, anyone can help sponsor that. for those chapters who sponsored the awards we could have a special thank you on their tables for donating. I was going to make the chocolate SW candies this year. Whoever makes a donation can get one of those at their tables? no?

Those are honestly a hell of a lot cheaper to make than the trophies

anyways, this is why this forum is here to hammer out possiblities and figure out what works best for all. Im glad to see the chatter pick up in here so we can get this done, its literally around the corner and I still have alot to do
Im sure you guys are swamped with all your panels you have and dont have time for last minute planning so as soon as we can get this under way the better we all are LOL

hope I covered all of your post LOL and as always you can call me if you want to

 

also, are we going with the table theme this year? we didnt get that off the ground last year.

 

*grin* and it most likely won't this year either.

I'm going to arrange that the room gets 'sealed off' at 5, with doors opening again at 6, food served from 6 to 8:30 (those invovled need to take a few minutes to fix themselves a plate, even if it gets set aside until later )

I figured the actual show to start at 7:30. Is that okay?

It would be very helpful if we made a time schedule of exactly what is happening when. You had a rough handwritten one last year, but it was a little challenging to interpret your notes. I'm hoping for a typed out schedule for those that are 'working' so we all know the exact order everything is happening in.

MC of the evening. Are you doing this again Strawbary? Have you heard from Ithorian about doing this?

Award Presenters. Are we going to try to get folks in appropriate costume for each award? If so, we need to start composing a list and getting confirmation of each presenter. Rox absolutely refuses to do Amidala again, despite much effort on my part to convice him otherwise.

 

I really want the show to start earlier. I am hoping for entrance at 6 pm, we get the announcements done and everyone fixes their plates and away we go by 6:30

The show was laid on here in the forum last year with the schedule for everyone to print out. I will do that again this year. This time I will print out extras for those who dont print them from here

Im not sure how we are doing the show as far as presenter this year , up until recently we werent even confirned for dinner and a projector so now that those things are out of the way details should start flying in soon.

I was hoping to get a response frmo the committee in here about what they would like to see happen.

I will post more this week. My husband had surgery 2 days ago and Im doing my taxes this week so once thats done you should see a large amount of information flowing thru here.

I suggest you and NYCgurl hammer out what u need to on the Fanfic award and have her post that when you guys are all set. I need someone to take charge of that and soon.

Table themes, I will work on that on the side and see what I can come up with from the RSA's to see if they would like to help this year.

Dont worry about what time the show will start just make sure dinner is ready to grab by 6:30 and I will figure around that.

 

I'm getting a bit concerned about the lack of response to the Banquet. I've gotten 1 response (for 2 tickets) by mail and Rox's gotten 2 responses through paypal. Perhaps we could do another round to remind folks to send in their money . . .

 

a reminder would be fine . I think we had alot at the last minute last year no?

From reading the thread in buffalo alot of them already have their hotel reservations. Plus you have how many from pittsburgh who are going to be buying a ticket. Plus 4 from my clan so add those to your tenative numbers and see where you are at.

What is the magic number for the banquet this year? wasnt it 30 last year? I dont remember.

But go for it and remind everyone that in order for this to work its important for advance ticket sales to secure the room

 

I cannot seem to brainwash Ithorian into being MC this year, any suggestions on who?

I didnt want to stand up there and ramble again this year LOL

greencat do u know how many have paid so far?

What is the max we can seat? (not that we would really fill it ) LOL

 

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