When you’re planning a big corporate event, there may come a time when you need a professional to step in. If you’re wondering when that is, who to call, or if there are any alternatives to a traditional event planner, this post can help to point you in the right direction.
Since 2011, we’ve helped organizers create 5-star dining experiences that connect people better. From team building offsites and corporate events to milestone celebrations, we specialize in elevated experiences that go beyond the traditional dinner. Because connection doesn’t happen over boring meals.
A corporate event planner organizes events on behalf of the business that hires their services. If you so desire, the planner will oversee the full lifecycle of your event, from inception through the run of show on the event day.
Before the Event
On the Day of the Event
After the Event
There are a couple of models we commonly see for how San Francisco corporate event planners set their rates.
Percentage of Total Event Budget: The most common way event planners set their payment is as a percentage of the total event budget you present them with. This is usually in the 10-20% range. Some event planners who use this model still have minimums, so be sure to inquire when booking.
Example: If your event budget is $20,000 and the planner charges 15%, their fee would be $3,000.
Hourly Rate: The second most common is for an event planner to have an hourly rate. Event planners who are new to the game may charge as low as $25/hour, but boutique agencies or planners with vast portfolios may charge $100-200+/hour. More experienced planners often have more connections to venues and vendors, which is in large part why they charge more.
Example: If a planner charges $100 per hour and spends 25 hours planning your event, the total cost would be $2,500.
Flat Project Fee: Some planners charge a flat project fee, which is a good fit for when you are planning a one-time event without frills. A full-service conference could run you anywhere from $4,000-$10,000, depending on the planner.
Example: A planner may charge a flat fee of $5,000 to plan your event, regardless of how many hours they spend working on it.
When choosing an event planner, you want the best of the best! We rounded up the top 5 event planners in San Francisco to help you place your event in the right hands.
Kennedy Events has been in the business of event planning for over 20 years. They’re a full-service event planner, meaning they will see your event through from beginning to end, and their excellent connections and hard-earned expertise make them a top choice for corporate events in SF.
Best For: Large-scale corporate events
Entire Productions is known in the industry for pushing creative boundaries and for its technical expertise. If your event is immersive, theatrical, or relies heavily on tech and AV elements for its success, these are the folks you should call.
Best for: Entertainment-driven corporate events
Event Solutions is a full-service events company that specializes in corporate events. They are expert event planners and also one of the best event management companies in San Francisco. They have strong industry relationships from years in the business, ensuring you’ll get the best venues and vendors for your event.
Best for: Full-service corporate events
Glow Events are masters of aesthetic, ambiance, and truly unique corporate event planning. They transform venues to bring the concept of your event to life, which is why many companies call on them for splashy brand activations and unforgettable corporate galas.
Best for: Creative corporate events
Hunter Events has been SF’s premiere full-service event planner since 1992. They’ve established strong relationships with venues and vendors over the years and can draw on this expertise to plan a diverse range of corporate events, with their signature detail-oriented and client-facing approach.
Best for: White glove service
An event planner is an incredible resource when their expertise is warranted but there certainly are events that can be pulled off successfully without incurring the extra cost. If you’re not sure which your event qualifies as, take a look at this handy list.
Small and Simple Events: If you’re planning a team lunch, a small offsite event, or an executive dinner in a private room, the logistics are pretty simple. An internal event coordinator or an executive assistant can likely handle it.
Your Venue Can Handle It: If you’re booking a dedicated private event space, the venue may already have an event coordinator on staff. Check if your venue provides catering, AV, setup, and an on-site coordinator before you hire an event coordinator and pay for outside vendors.
You’ve Held this Event Before: If you’re hosting a recurring event that has been run successfully in the past, you may be able to mimic the budget and work with vendors you’ve previously brought on. Then you can bypass the need for an event planner and just follow the blueprint from last time.
You’re on a Tight Budget: As we discussed earlier, hiring an event planner can be a huge expense, with often 10-30% of the event’s budget going towards their payment. This is a good time to consider bringing someone on for day-of coordination only, or booking a venue with an in-house events coordinator.
A corporate event planner is not your only option when you need help sourcing a venue, running AV, or finding vendors. Here are some alternatives you may come across that are better for the event you’re envisioning.
A venue event manager, or a private dining room manager, is the person assigned to booking and producing events at the venue/private dining room your event is being held at.
Pros
Cons
At experiential production company designs and produces interactive and/or immersive brand events.
Examples
Pros
Cons
A teambuilding provider is a company that comes into your corporate event to engage your group in a teambuilding activity.
Examples
Pros
Cons
While we’re not traditional corporate event planners, Avital Experiences can often take the place of the venue, catering, and activity vendors all in one experience. Instead of coordinating multiple vendors, we provide interactive food and drink experiences that combine the space, the meal, and the entertainment into a single memorable event.
Our Interactive Meal is your venue, menu, and activity all in one! We’ll help you find the perfect venue from our diverse network of restaurant partners to meet the goals of your event. We only work with the best restaurants in SF, with premier private dining spaces for our events. Think Michelin Starred restaurants and James Beard award nominees.
At an Interactive Meal, your guests will be served a curated four-course menu with three perfect beverage pairings (alcoholic or N/A). Throughout the meal, we will pepper in three activities perfectly aligned with your group’s goals. This elevates the traditional fine dining experience and keeps your guests engaged and chatting the whole night long!
If you already have the venue, Avital Experiences can be your vendor! Book one of our Interactive Bars to bring excitement to your next corporate event. These are hands-on culinary stations where guests engage with quick, fun, foodie activities. These bars are best enjoyed in bundles of two or more, allowing guests to mix and mingle between stations. Here are some of our favorites:
Popcorn Seasoning Bar – Make your own savory or sweet popcorn seasoning, then package it up as a take-home gift
Cocktail Spice Rim Blending Bar – Blend a custom mix of spices, salts, and zests to create your own cocktail spice rim
Bitters Blending Bar – Learn the art and science behind making cocktail bitters, then bottle up your own creation to take home
Spiced Nut Mixing Bar – Choose from a variety of nuts, spices, and seasonings to craft your perfect nutty and savory snack
Water Tasting Bar – Learn how to distinguish the flavors in water like you would with fine wine at this interactive tasting bar
Hands-on Cocktail Bar – An expert host will teach you how to shake up a signature cocktail or mocktail when you book this hands-on experience
If you want something totally different for your corporate event or standard catering, book one of our Walking Food Tours! These tours are unique because you enjoy 3-4 seated tastings, no lines anywhere, and eat the equivalent of two appetizers, an entree, and dessert by the end of the tour. You can also upgrade to enjoy three perfect beverage pairings along the way!
We run these tours in North Beach, the Mission, and Chinatown, because these neighborhoods are SF’s best foodie destinations. On the North Beach Tour, you’ll taste the best bites from SF’s Little Italy while learning about the former Barbary Coast– a notorious neighborhood during the Gold Rush. On the Mission Food Tour, you’ll enjoy incredible Latin cuisine and take in the area’s unique street art and culture. On the Chinatown Food Tour, you’ll taste authentic Chinese food while hearing insider stories about what makes the U.S.’s oldest Chinatown so special.
Avital Ungar is dining and restaurant expert and the founder of Avital Experiences. She has spent 15+ years designing dining experiences nationwide and has been featured in The New York Times, Shark Tank, Travel Channel, Bon Appétit, and more. Learn more
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SF Interactive Meal
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North Beach Food Tour
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Mission District Food Tour
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