Planning a corporate holiday party in Vancouver? Start in October

There's a version of this that happens every year. Someone gets handed the holiday party in the second week of November, starts calling around, and finds out the rooms they had in mind were spoken for weeks ago. Vancouver's December is short and busy, and it rains. The spaces, caterers and entertainers people want get hired early. So start in October, and do things in this order.

October: figure out the shape of it

Before you call a single venue, get three things agreed with whoever owns the budget.

• Headcount, including plus-ones. The room, the food, the bar and the final bill all hang off this number.
• The kind of night. A sit-down dinner with speeches is a different search from a standing cocktail party, a long lunch, or a family afternoon with kids running around.
• A date, and a backup. Thursdays and Fridays in the first half of December tend to go first. A Wednesday, or a "new year" party in mid-January, opens up rooms that were gone in December, and people are usually more relaxed by then anyway.

Then make the call that matters most, which is the venue. In Vancouver that might be a restaurant buyout in Gastown, a brewery in Mount Pleasant, a hotel space downtown, or your own office made unrecognizable for a night. Ask what dates they still have, what's included, and whether you're required to use their catering. That last answer changes everything that comes after.

Early November: food, drink, and how the room feels

With the room confirmed, work out what people will eat and drink, and what the space will look like when they walk in.

• Catering. If the venue lets you bring your own, this is where Vancouver's independent caterers earn their reputation. Raise dietary needs in the very first conversation. A good caterer builds vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free and nut-free dishes into the menu, instead of setting aside one sad plate at the end of the buffet.
• The bar. Open bar, drink tickets, or a signature cocktail plus wine and beer. Decide now, because few things move the cost per head more than this.
• Lighting and rentals. If the budget only stretches to lighting or flowers, take lighting. Warm uplighting and candles on the tables make a plain space feel like a party. Confirm tables, linens and any lounge furniture this month as well.

Mid-November: plan the moments

Plan three or four moments rather than a program. People came to talk to each other; the moments just give them a reason to be in the same room.

• Live music for the first hour, then a DJ. Or one band that can do both.
• A photo booth, or a photographer wandering the room, so people leave with something.
• A short, well-run thank-you from whoever leads the company. Ten minutes, with a microphone that works.
• Something to do with your hands: a cocktail-making corner, a cookie-decorating table, a gift-wrapping station for a toy drive.

Worth watching before you call anyone

Priya Parker's TED talk on gatherings is short and worth it before you plan a thing. Her point is that most parties fall flat because nobody decided what they were for. Decide that, and the smaller choices start making themselves.

Late November: the details people actually notice

• Invitations with a real RSVP deadline, two weeks out.
• A way home. December in Vancouver is wet, and a cab at 11pm is a gamble. A rideshare credit is a kind gesture and a responsible one.
• A simple run of show, shared with every Pro working the night.
• Name tags, if teams don't all know each other. It feels a bit silly and it works.
• Ask your caterer about leftovers. Many will pack them for staff, and some have a local organization they work with.

Get the room in October while there's still a choice, confirm the rest in November, and December is just the night itself.