Ready, set, gala: essential gala vendors for exceptional events

Welcome back! In this, the second installment of our essential gala checklist for event planners, we’re looking at gala vendors, suppliers and staff.

In part one of our gala planning series we covered the fundamentals: theme, KPIs, venue, committee, sponsors and so on. Now it’s time to find a team of experts to help bring your event to life and deliver a truly memorable experience for your guests:

1. Food and beverage
2. Flowers
3. Production
4. Rental
5. Entertainment
6. Staff
7. Press and media
8. Gifts and favors

Ready, set, gala!

1. Food and beverage

First, establish what kind of food and beverage will be offered at your gala, and in what format. The norm is a drinks reception followed by a sit down dinner, perhaps with a more interactive dessert offering, but canapés, bowl food or a buffet might work better. Memorable food and drink will delight your guests and form a key part of the multi-sensory experience of your gala. 

And this is where your first key gala vendor comes in: the caterer. You can rely on expert caterers to assist with everything from menus to costs per head to logistics. They will be able to make exciting, original menu suggestions that are tailored to your gala’s budget and audience and factor in food trends and seasonality. Therefore food tastings are often a highlight of the planning process for event professionals!

Generally leading caterers will have working relationships with leading venues, and therefore will understand the ins and outs of preparing and serving food on the ground. In fact, some venues will require you to use their own in-house catering service, or to work with gala vendors and suppliers from an approved list.

Regardless, most caterers will ask you to confirm the final number of guests and any dietary requirements around 10 days before the event so they can finalize order quantities. They also know to ‘over cater’, and by how much, in case of any unexpected guests who show up without having RSVP-ed!

As for beverages, you may have sponsors providing drinks to be showcased in bespoke cocktails: non-alcoholic options have become increasingly popular too. Welcome drinks might be pre-poured and served directly to guests, followed by wine poured by staff when guests are seated for dinner, and/or a bar at which guests can order drinks. A cash bar could be an option too, especially for nonprofit organizations hosting fundraising galas.

2. Flowers

Breathtaking flowers will add to the visual spectacle of your gala. So an expert florist is a must on your gala vendor list, and will design stunning displays and installations to appear throughout your event and help bring the theme and visual identity to life.

3. Production

An experienced, full-service production company will, like a good caterer, be integral in delivering the vision for your event. Event producers have the expertise and creative and technical know-how to transform your venue with staging, scenic design, sets, installations, special effects, lighting, AV and more.

If your gala needs to feature a live auction, a live performance or a presentation, the event production company will be able to stage it, handle the logistics and oversee contractors. Also, they can assist with sourcing other gala vendors, including caterers, florists and entertainers, as well as venues, depending on the level of execution you and your gala require. 

In addition, sponsors, particularly brands, will usually want to showcase their involvement in an event. They might request anything from a large-scale projection on the exterior of the venue, to a branded step-and-repeat for photographing attendees, to an interactive, experiential installation for generating social media content.

Event production companies know how to create imaginative content whilst managing stakeholders’ expectations and working with gala vendors, the venue and budget limitations.

4. Rental

Equipment of all types will need to be hired for a large-scale special event, whether it’s for sound and lighting, a marquee, or linens, glassware and tableware. The logistics will likely be handled by your production company, caterer and other gala vendors, but don’t forget to include the costs in your budget, and all the relevant details in your run sheet/master plan.

If you need hardware on which to run your event management software on the day - iPads for event check-in, for example - our global partner One World Rental offers all-in-one rental packages designed specifically for events.

5. Entertainment

Memorable entertainment can take a special event to the next level. Explore every possible connection: your gala’s stakeholders and committee may have links to high-profile talent, sponsors may have brand ambassadors they can call upon, and your production company will also be able to source entertainers.

Establish exactly who and what your event needs: a host or MC, presenters or auctioneers, musicians, performers, and so on. Don’t forget a green room to host the talent…and make sure any performance riders are accommodated! 

6. Staff

It takes a huge team effort to deliver a successful gala. Most event vendors and suppliers will provide their own staff, whether it's the caterer bringing chefs, waiters and mixologists (certain companies are renowned for the caliber of their waitstaff), the venue providing cleaning staff, or the production company bringing set designers, producers and technical experts.

Ensure that all personnel needs have been met, including the lynchpin roles that will be carried out by members of your own team. Account for all team members on your call sheet/master plan, including arrival times and contact details.

7. Press and media

If yours is a high-profile gala with high-profile attendees, achieving extensive, favorable press coverage might be one of your event KPIs. Just think of the media frenzies surrounding the Met Gala in New York, and the amfAR Gala in Cannes, for example!

Ensure your event receives maximum exposure by working with a specialist PR agency that will create press releases and liaise closely with influential press contacts. A media agency like our partner BFA will provide photographers, videographers and social media experts and put the resulting content out on the wire to be picked up by the media. 

Maximize the media potential of every aspect of your red carpet or step-and-repeat, from the positioning of sponsor’s logos to the positioning of photographers. Strong WiFi is essential, and something our tech rental partner One World Rental can assist with.

8. Gifts and favors

If an event begins with the invitation, it often ends with a gift bag filled with treats and party favors. Gala sponsors are likely to be helpful in this respect, and brands will often provide free or discounted products or vouchers in exchange for reaching a new or desirable audience: your guests.

Special branded keepsakes will help your event live on long after the guests have gone home, but always keep sustainability in mind. Are the items in your gift bag genuinely useful, long-lasting and reusable or recyclable?

These are the suppliers you should consider when putting together your list of gala vendors, but have you considered your gala management software? zkipster powers many of the world's best galas, from invitations and seating to check-in. Sign up for a free test drive here.

• Read part one in our essential gala guide: 9 gala planning fundamentals for event planners.
• Read part three, how to organize a gala: 6 ways to ace guest management.

Our media partners BFA, whose expert photographers captured the stunning images featured here, can serve the visual needs of your events. Find out more here.

Header image: The First Annual “Moonlight Gala” Benefiting CARE - Children With Special Needs at Casa Cipriani. Photo by Darian DiCiannio / BFA.com ⓒ BFA 2022