You just became the social chair for your house and now you have to plan a  successful social event to prove your stuff. Where do you start? Here are 8 steps on how to plan a social event for your fraternity or sorority organization that is sure to impress.

Step 1) What’s Your Budget?

The first step in planning any successful social event is figuring out how much money you have to work with. This will determine everything from the venue, to the food, to the entertainment. So talk with your house’s executive board, and work with your treasurer to ensure your ideas are feasible. A good treasurer will give you a budget that lines up with your chapter’s overall finances. So make sure to ask and see what kind of budget you have to work with.

2) Pick a Theme That You Know People Will Love.

Once you know how much money you have, you can start thinking about what kind of event you actually want to host. The best approach is to come up with a list that you think will be fun, and poll your organization’s members on what they think is the best option. For ideas on themes for your successful social event check out our blog post: “Top 15 Best Fraternity and Sorority Social Event Ideas.”

• • • Things to consider that will impact your event:
    • Is the event formal or informal?  

Who’s coming to the event? Is this an Alumni event, is this a party, or is this a kickback only meant for close friends?

3) Find a Venue That Fits Your Theme and Group Size.

Next, you’ll need to find a place to hold your event. This is slightly difficult as you’ll want to make sure that the venue is relatively close by, and that it’s a good fit for your theme. For social events that are more party-like we don’t recommend having catered food, but instead more carb-based snacks to help fuel the event. 

The size of the venue will have an impact on the size of your event. Venues can only fit a certain capacity so you’ll need to plan accordingly. Small events will seem really small at a big venue, and large events will make smaller venues feel really packed and maybe even claustrophobic. Check in with your friends in other Greek organizations and ask what venues they’ve used in the past or go online to see what could work best for you. 

4) Set a Date for Your Social Event.

Now that you have a general idea of what kind of event you’re going to have and where it will be held, it’s time to set the date. Keep in mind that weekends are usually the best time for social gatherings, as most people are not working or in school. Friday and Saturday nights are usually the most popular, and may impact your event attendance depending on how many successful social events are happening at the same time. 

5) Make a Guest Sheet for Your Social.

Once you have all the details finalized, it’s time to start getting people excited about the event! Give the members of your organization a few bids so that they can invite their close friends. Make sure they fill out your guest sheet in order to have a clear picture on who will be attending. Having a guest list will help avoid party crashing.

Aside from giving bids to close friends of your org’s members, you can also give bids to other Greek organizations on campus. This is a great way to build relationships with other Fraternity or Sorority Organizations, and can even help foster new relationships.

6) Book Transportation for Your Social Event.

If your event is being held off-campus, you’ll need to make sure there is transportation available for everyone who wants to attend. This can either be through public transportation (e.g., buses, trains) or by renting out a transportation service like a party bus company to assist you in getting everyone safely to your venue. If that’s not possible then remember that drinking and driving is never an option, so make sure there are plenty of sober drivers available if alcohol will be served at the event. 

7) Finalize Decorations and Entertainment.

Now it’s time to start thinking about how you want to decorate the venue and what kind of entertainment you want to provide. If you’re on a budget, DIY decorations are always an option (e.g., streamers, balloons, banners). As for entertainment, think about what kinds of things your guests would enjoy doing (e.g., dancing, playing games). Hiring a DJ is relatively inexpensive, and can help set the tone for the event along with enticing your guests to attend.

8) Order Party Favors.      

Last but not least, don’t forget about party favors! These can range from simple things like candy or sunglasses to more unique items like Shirts or Koozies customized with your Chapters Letters. Guests always love receiving party favors as they’re leaving an event, so make sure you have plenty on hand for everyone who attends. If you’d like to order custom items to remember the night Fratty Bear Custom Apparel can help make that a reality. Check the awesome designs we’ve made for chapters similar to yours by clicking the green button below.