How To Host A Gala Dinner

If you’re wondering how to host a gala dinner, keep scrolling. Here at Canvas House, we understand the amount of time, effort and attention to detail that goes into putting a gala dinner together, and we’ve hosted a fair few over the years in all shapes, sizes and styles.

But what are the fundamentals of a gala? A clear event theme alongside a fundraising or similar purpose for raising money or awareness are two crucial ingredients for a gala dinner. A well-curated, high-quality menu paired with relevant entertainment, fundraising activities or other engaging interludes is also often involved.

But hosting a gala dinner isn’t just about putting on a spectacle. A well-thought out and well-executed event can dramatically increase the success of your fundraising or awareness efforts. In this blog, we’ll explain all you need to know about how to host a gala dinner​, helping you to pull off a real show-stopper.

Here’s how to host a gala dinner, in a nutshell:

1. Calculate Event Costs
2. Choose Event Theme
3. Pick Entertainment & Fundraising
4. Build A Buzz

1. Calculate Event Costs

Decide On Budget

There are a few ways to do this, and it depends on whether the budget is allocated to you, or you have the freedom to request a (realistic) figure, such as if you’re hosting a corporate event. But the first thing you need to sort out when learning how to host a gala dinner is how much you have to play with. Work out which parts of your gala dinner are negotiable and non-negotiable, such as the entertainment, volume of guests, style of food, or event location. This will help you prioritise where to allocate more or less funds when you start booking the different elements of your gala.

Sponsorship

Reach out to relevant brands or influential figures to apply for event sponsorship. Sponsorship is a great way for companies to associate themselves with your cause, and to boost your funding for the event. You can provide other benefits that provide mutual opportunities, such as supplying or displaying their product during your gala dinner to increase brand awareness. A business can claim tax deductions on donations over $150, so make sure to lay out all the benefits when you’re reaching out.

Ticketing

Next, you have to weigh up covering your costs with raising enough money through your ticketing. If you’re planning an all-out affair, you can justify raising your prices. Lower ticket prices may indicate a smaller-scale, less formal gala dinner. If you’re expecting guests to spend more money at the gala through fundraising activities, consider this when setting your initial price, which covers entry and catering alone. Gala tickets can cost anywhere from $30 – $300, depending on the scale, exclusivity and profiling of the event.

2. Choose A Theme

Dress Code

Your dress code goes hand-in-hand with your gala theme. When choosing a theme for your gala dinner, you can be inspired by the cause or charity you’re supporting, or you can let your imagination run wild and come up with a bold aesthetic, such as a circus, jungle or decade-specific theme. If setting a more creative theme doesn’t seem appropriate, you can opt for a formal dress code such as ‘black tie’, ‘black and white’, or ‘cocktail attire’.

Catering

High-quality catering is an essential component of your gala dinner. If your guests are spending all that money on one night, they’ll expect top-notch food. Try to curate your menu in line with your chosen theme (the party planner pros at Canvas House can help you come up with suggestions for this). Ensure you have alternative meal options and substitutions for dairy, gluten and meat-free guests, as well as those with allergies. You will have to request this information on your gala invitations. It’s a good idea to prepare more food than you think you’ll need, to guarantee none of your guests go hungry due to last-minute changes or oversights.

Venue

Choosing a venue that aligns with your event theme and purpose is fundamental to a successful gala dinner. For example, a gala dinner raising money for a wildlife charity would work well in an outdoor environment, or a setting filled with foliage. An open, blank canvas will give you the freedom to decorate the venue however you want, and it just so happens we have a beautiful function space in Melbourne, perfect for personalisation. Pick a local venue hire that can comfortably accommodate your guests,  and meets a careful blend of formality with creative expression tailored to your theme, for a fully immersive experience.

3. Pick Entertainment & Fundraising

Raffles

A raffle is a fun way for all your guests to get involved in joyful fundraising without needing to commit to spending large amounts. You’ll need a collection of donations to act as your prizes. Then, each guest can purchase a numbered ticket during the gala dinner. At the end of the evening, one ticket is drawn at random which is allocated to each prize, which will be won by the guest with the matching number. Attendees can pay for as many raffle tickets as they want, which gives guests the opportunity to donate as much or as little as they feel comfortable.

Auctions

If you’re hosting an auction, make sure the items you choose hold significant emotional value to the root of the gala dinner cause, whether an item from an important individual, something with historical significance, or a high-value gift that will be in high-demand among your guests. You’ll host an opportunity to bid for the items, and the highest bidder will win it. You can host this in front of your guests, or opt for a silent auction if you want to keep things more formal and discreet, for example if you’re hosting a corporate party.

Live Entertainment

Whether it’s a live music act, a guest speaker, a dance performance or something entirely unique, most gala dinners incorporate some form of entertainment as a key part of the evening. If you have the budget to secure a well-known performer or a theatrical spectacle, this will make your gala dinner much more memorable. Make sure to advertise your event entertainment to entice people into buying a ticket!

4. Build A Buzz

PR & Marketing

If you’re hoping to drum up excitement for your gala, you need to spread the word. Put up posters and social media campaigns if you’re hosting a public event, along with a clear link to purchase tickets. Or, make sure you send thoroughly detailed emails or letters if your gala is by invitation only for colleagues or close friends and family. Contact local radio stations and magazines to feature information about not only the gala you’re hosting, but also the cause or goal behind it, to attract attention and raise awareness before it’s even started.

After The Event

Buzz is just as important after the event, to keep guests interested in the progress of your fundraising. Attendees will be keen to know how much was raised during the gala, as well as key winners of large competitions or silent auctions, and any other sweepstakes you held. Make sure you share photos on social media to share the success of your gala dinner. Thank your sponsors and the guests for their attendance, and provide access to further information if they wish to keep supporting the gala cause.

How To Host A Gala Dinner: All You Need To Know

We’ve briefly explained how to host a gala, so that even those with no experience of event planning can pull off a dinner that’s certainly out of the ordinary.

Hosting a gala is a lot of effort, but the rewards pay off far beyond the figures you make. Whether it’s funds, awareness or simply support and celebration, championing an important person, charity or cause is always worth a party. With these stellar tips you can pull together a gala dinner which is respectful as it is a feast for the senses.

Of course, if you don’t fancy doing all that work yourself, you can always ask the experts! Here at Canvas House, our experienced team is well-equipped to help you host a gala with as little or as much direction as you require. We’ve been in the business for over two decades, so we’re happy to lend a supporting hand, but we’re equally poised to stand back and simply provide you with a stunning backdrop to turn into your own for a memorable night.

Contact us with your gala plans or share the key information for your event via email or at 0478 056 390 so we can get started on waving our magic fairy godmother wand to deliver the best gala in Melbourne.