Planning should start as early as possible in the special events game, says Steve Norton of Lake Forest-based Steve Norton Perspectives.

“You want to start as early as possible, depending on the size of your event,” Norton says. “There are a number of limited venues and they book up very fast.”

In addition, Norton says, those who book early have better negotiating power. For example, his clients book his company way in advance to make sure he can accommodate the event and to make him available the day of the event.

Norton also says booking early gives the event planners more time for creativity. “When you start earlier, there is time to do more research and to be able to create the true atmosphere for which the client is envisioning.”

Getting deals

Negotiating power might be one of the best reasons for planning early, right? So, how does it really work?

“You are able to negotiate better pricing as you are assuring yourself that you are getting exactly what you want and that it is available,” says Norton.

“If you are doing your ordering in a short amount of time, the product or service that you need may not be available and you have to either upgrade, which will cost more, or downgrade and that may not be what you are looking for,” he adds.

Norton also says planning ahead can save on shipping and delivery costs. If you don’t start early you may end up paying rush charges – higher prices due to the short amount of time to get something done, as well as higher fees from the shipping company for overnight delivery charges, he says.

“By starting ahead, you also ensure yourself that if you are ordering anything for your event you have the time to get all that you need and you do not run the risk of finding that things are booked or out of stock,” he says.

Norton recommends this timeline for securing vendors from first to last:

• Event planner: Book the event planner first, as they will assist in making sure all the other vendors are in line with what needs to get done.
• Venue: Dates are limited for event space, so make sure that you have secured the space you need.
• Caterer (if your event is not being held in a hotel): Caterers get booked up early and you want to make sure that they do not take on more than they can produce on a single day. You want their full attention for your event.
• Entertainment: This needs to be decided upon as early as possible as entertainers book on a first-come, first-served basis. Make sure to secure them with a deposit to guarantee your date on their calendar.
• Lighting/audio: This element needs to be secured early because you want to make sure your vendor of choice is locked in for your event.
• Rentals: Secure rental equipment and any tenting. This will help you get exactly what you want and prevent you from having to select other elements that were not your first choice.
• Valet, giveaways, décor, security: Transportation needs and other event elements all need to be secured as soon as possible.  One item you want to make sure is done way ahead of time, if your event requires one, is the special event permit.

Norton says he likes to secure all of the services for a client’s event as soon as possible. “Even if the design is not completed, I have certain vendors pencil in the date to make sure I have them on the calendar,” he says.  “You can never start too early in this process, as you always want to allow time for the changes and revisions that happen.”

The earlier you begin to plan, the more time you have to negotiate, secure exactly what you want, create the atmosphere you are looking for without having to compromise, save on shipping costs and, most importantly, have peace of mind for your successful event.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer from Costa Mesa.