Holiday party budget guide

Reading the ranges

The figures above are per person, before HST, for a typical evening party of one hundred to three hundred guests. Smaller parties usually cost more per head, because a DJ, an entertainer or a room rental is a fixed cost spread over fewer people; larger parties gain some economy of scale but often need more staff, security and AV. Add 13 percent HST to the total, and expect a service charge, commonly around eighteen percent, on catering and bar from most venues and caterers. Service charges are taxable, so HST is applied to them as well.

Where the season changes the price

Holiday parties compete for the same few weeks. Fridays and Saturdays from late November to mid-December are the most requested dates in the GTA, and venues often raise food and beverage minimums for them. Moving to a Thursday, a lunch, or a January celebration can reduce the venue line substantially and widens your choice of entertainment. If your company is flexible, ask venues for their rates on several dates before choosing one.

Controlling the bar

The bar is usually the line that grows most on the night. A four-hour open bar is predictable; a bar on consumption can be cheaper or much more expensive depending on your crowd. Drink tickets, a limited menu of wine, beer and one signature cocktail, or closing the bar an hour before the end all keep the cost in check. Serve substantial food throughout, provide good non-alcoholic choices and plan for guests getting home safely, whether by shuttles, taxi credits or a venue near transit. The bar and alcohol calculator estimates quantities for your guest count.

Other lines to check

• Coat check, often charged per guest or as a staffing fee in winter.
• Security, which some venues require above a certain guest count.
• AV for speeches and awards, if not included in the room rental.
• Transportation for teams outside the downtown core.

For timing, see the holiday party timeline; for program ideas that fit each budget, see holiday party entertainment.