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Halloween parties are a fun excuse to have your friends and family turn into ghosts and ghouls and to really go all out with your party theme. It's a time to get creative, think out of the box and to reach with your imagination. Halloween parties are exciting escapes for adults, children or both! So many choices are available to you in terms of which direction you want your Halloween party to go in. We can help perfect your party by assisting you in finding the perfect location for your spooky Halloween bash:
- Is there a specific geographic area you would like to restrict your search to?
Knowing what region you do or don't want your Halloween party to be located in can easily help rule out several hundred catering halls. Of course the more specific your desired geographic area, the fewer options you have to work with. This fact may be very welcome to some overwhelmed party planners, but may seem frustrating to others who look forward to being given a variety of catering hall options. A good compromise is to first limit your geographic area to a very specific area. If you are not pleased with the choices of catering halls in that region, then slowly expand your search to the surrounding areas until you are happy with the number of choices being offered, as well as with the distance. Since Halloween parties in Long Island may be during the colder weather, selecting a location that's closer to the majority of the party guests might be a good idea in case winter driving conditions gets bad.
- Is there a specific type of catering hall (i.e. hotel, vineyard, restaurant, etc.) you would like to restrict your search to?
Limiting your catering hall search to the type of catering hall is another way to quickly narrow down your top choices. Knowing exactly the type of catering hall you would like to use can help organize your event quickly and efficiently. However, being flexible with the type of catering hall you choose can often result in a unique event that impresses all of your guests, including yourself! Having your Halloween party located at a location that can be easily transformed into a festively spooky should be high on your priority list. For example, historical mansions, older wineries, or hotel ballrooms that can be decorated from top to bottom are ideal places for your scary gathering. You may also want to think about hosting the event at an outdoor location depending on the fall weather, such as in a pumpkin patch or campground with a bonfire.
- What is the date of your Halloween party?
This may be an obvious "to do", but it is nevertheless an important factor in selecting the perfect catering hall for your Halloween party. Just like selecting airline tickets, the more flexible you are the more likely it is to get better rates, options and availability. However, since Halloween is a holiday, your choices in terms of dates might be automatically restricted.
- How formal an affair do you want your Halloween party to be?
The level of formality of your Halloween party doesn't necessarily equate to the level of pricing of the catering hall. Instead, it can help you to select an appropriate type of hall if given the choice. Of course, most Halloween parties are traditionally not too formal since it usually requires your guests to dress up in eerie and funny getups! In this case, hosting your Halloween party at a laid back restaurant or outdoors at a farm might be just the ticket.
- Is there a specific theme you would like to portray?
Selecting a theme for your Halloween party could really enhance the overall experience for the guests of honor as well as for everyone else. Of course, with a Halloween party - your theme is already selected for you. However, you could take it a step further by choosing to go extra eerie, or make it a little more child-friendly with more of a fall theme rather than scary. If you choose to go extra eerie, then maybe it's a good idea to choose a location that resembles a haunted house, such as an old mansion. A fall-themed party could take place at a pumpkin patch or other type of farm.
- How many people will you be hosting at the Halloween party?
The number of anticipated guests will undoubtedly help limit your catering hall choices, especially if it's a large number. This is true in terms amount of space and the pricing per plate of food. Depending on your budget, this could be the determining factor of where your event should be located at. Depending on the fall weather, it might be a nice idea to host your Halloween party outdoors.
- Will you be requiring onsite food catering?
Most of the catering halls we showcase on our website include food catering. However, some do not and will require additional cost and planning in order to provide quality food for your guests. Additionally, if the catering hall of your wishes allows onsite food catering, but not the type of food that you wish to feature, then you may be able to work out a deal with the catering hall's management in order to bring in the type of food you would like to feature. If you would rather bring the food yourself to ensure that ghoulish snacks and witchy treats will be served, then you should inquire about the possibility of bringing in your own food as well.
- How much do you expect to spend per plate?
As mentioned earlier, where your Halloween party is located will largely - if not completely - depend upon how much you are able and/or willing to spend per plate. If you are especially interested in a specific catering hall, but the cost per plate is higher than you were expecting, you may need to either rethink that catering hall or the number of people you invite to the event. Also, you can help keep costs down by offering buffet service rather than table service, or by simply offering appetizers. Remember, many of your guests might be wearing costumes that make it hard for them to sit down for dinner, so standing cocktail tables could be a better idea.
- Will you be requiring a Kosher, Vegetarian or Vegan menus?
Many catering halls do offer Kosher, Vegetarian or Vegan menus. If this is a must for your event, make sure your catering hall choice has this option.
- Will you be requiring a full service bar or food stations/carving stations for a cocktail hour?
Most catering halls (especially hotels and large halls) will offer this service in a customized party package. If the catering hall of your choice does not offer this service in a package be sure to inquire about the additional costs and how it may or may not affect the overall scheduling of your event. It might be a fun idea to add special festive drinks to the bar menu, such as bloody marys or spiced pumpkin coffee drinks. In addition, you could ask about the possibility of having a red punch fountain that resembles - you know - blood!
- Will you be requiring a catering hall that provides party favors?
Perhaps not surprisingly, these days many catering halls automatically offer you a selection of party favors to choose from in order to streamline your party planning. However, most of these favors are geared towards wedding parties. If you are not happy with the selection of party favors that are offered, or if you would like to present your guests with additional favors, check to see if the catering hall of your choice has any suggestions. Also keep in mind how you would like to disseminate the party favors at your Halloween party. Since your Halloween party may not include a sit down dinner, then maybe you could offer the favors upon the guests arrival or departure?
- Would you prefer a location with attached or nearby accommodations for out of town guests?
If your answer to this question is yes, then you should highly consider hotels as your choice of catering hall. However, pay special attention to non hotel catering halls that are in close proximity to other hotel accommodations. Most halls should have this information ready at hand. Having your party located at the hotel in which your guests will be staying may also help them to keep their costumes in tact since they won't have to travel very far for the festivities.
- Will you be requiring a party planner?
If you book your Halloween party at a catering hall, chances are you will be provided with an in-house party planner that can help ensure that your event goes smoothly. If you are not provided with one, but you are still interested in having a party planner, keep in mind that Long Island party planners have a wide range of rates, involvement and expertise. The catering hall of your choice could also assist you in finding a party planner who has been involved with past events at that location.
- Would simultaneous events at your location be acceptable?
This is an important, yet often overlooked, factor to keep in mind when booking your Halloween party. Neighboring events could distract from a calm celebration or compete with a high energy celebration. On the other hand, catering halls that offer simultaneous events could help keep your costs low and could even fuel the party spirit. In any case, as the party planner, you should be aware as to what types of events may be going on simultaneously to ensure that your guests are comfortable and safe.
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