Decorations and Set Up Coordinator Guide
1. Personal Organization. Getting organized early will be a life-saver for you. You'll need some tools for your job to keep with you at all times during the planning stage. A tape measure, notebook, pencils and pens will be invaluable to you. Get a notebook to keep all of your plans in. A three ring notebook works well because you can add pocket slips that you can place things in such as receipts. Making lists will be a key part of your planning too. As you begin, make a lot of 'Quick Lists'. Jot down 'quick lists' of general information. You can refine your plans later.
2. Communication with your General Coordinator will be a must as you will be working closely with her in order to make your preparations. Check on your budget, what proceedure you will need to go about for purchasing items, what facilities you'll have available and when you'll be able to actually set up and make note of all the details before you begin your actual planning. Know exactly what is expected of you and if your Coordinator doesn't give you a job description, make sure you write it all down yourself.
3. Gather Your Volunteer Team. Depending on how your retreat planning is done, you may have several ladies assigned to you by your Coordinator or you may be in charge of choosing your help yourself. Bear in mind decorating involves a lot of help.
4. Consider Your General Working Plans for Decorating. Taking into consideration your theme and budget, devise a general decorating scheme.
Keep in mind all of your decorating areas.
This will depend on your facilities and where you are holding your event. There may be more or less than listed here. Look around each of them and make a 'Quick List' for each of what you'd like to see done.
a. Entry. Usually this will entail doorways and where registration tables are located.
b. Main Session Area. Usually an auditorium or large meeting place where the speaking will be done.
c. Workshop Rooms. You may be using Sunday School classrooms or if it is in a place away from your own facilities, make sure you are aware of what is available.
d. Banquet Area. Entails the main eating areas for banquet tables.
e. Refreshment Area. Place for coffee breaks.
f. Bathrooms. This will be one of the most used places during your event, so don't overlook it.
g. Favors. Do some research. Find several that you think might work. You can narrow it down later.
5. Refine Your Plans After you've made your initial 'quick lists', do some research on what you really think is practical and refine your ideas down to what would be appropriate. You may want input from your volunteer team.
Keep a section in your notebook for each area that you will be working on. Jot down your vision of each. You may need to include sketches and a few details. This will help you as you try to relay your thoughts to your Coordinator or your planning committee. You might be able to see your whole design vision in your head, but unless you convey it adequately, nobody else will.
Working with your volunteer team, begin to work on each area and fill in details as to what you want to accomplish for each. Write down your general plans, but make up 'Project Descriptions' for any project that will need to be done. Include what the project is and a description of it, the supplies needed, the cost, time to accomplish, a place for who you will be handing the project over to, and whether it has been approved by leadership if necessary.
You'll find a 'project description' to print here. You will need
Acrobat Reader to view.
Planning Areas
a. Entry. You'll never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make the entry into your facilities a pleasing one for those attending. You may want to add a nice arrangement, etc. If the tables you are using for registration are not in the nicest shape, add a table cloth. There are simple things you can do to make things look neat, simple, and clean.
b. Main Session Area. If this is held in a church or even a rented facility, you may not need to do much extra, depending on how nice the facilities are, but you may want to have a nice display down front that revolves around your theme with a nice floral arrangement. If you are considering banners with your theme or verse, check into professional banner makers unless you have someone qualified to make one in your church. If it can't be professional looking, it's better to forego it.
c. Workshop Rooms. If your retreat is broken up into sessions, there may be many rooms that will be used. Check over each and make sure everything is pleasing. Bulletin boards may need to be perked up, etc.
d. Banquet Area. If you are having a meal, this will probably be the area you need to concentrate on the most and there will be several areas to consider.
Consider the set up of the tables and chairs.
Most churches usually have a set way for their set up for all functions. Don't be afraid to break the mold. Consider if there is a better way with more room that is more pleasing and more logistic. Remember when planning to leave enough room between chairs and tables whose backs are to each for walkroom. Pull out that tape measure and write down dimensions of anything you need to work on.
Consider Table Cloths, Placemats, and Napkins.
If your church doesn't have tablecloths on hand this may fall into your area and it will all depend on your budget, etc.
Consider Walls
Consider Ceilings
Consider Tabletops This will include the whole look of your tables, from table cloths and napkins, table centerpieces, silverware, dishes (plates and glassware), any nut cups, to favors.
Consider Focal Points and Displays. |
e. Refreshment Area. Will there be coffee breaks and refreshment breaks throughout the event? Your food supervisor will be taking care of the refreshments but you may want to add a tablecloth and a small arrangement to the refreshment area.
f. Bathrooms. Is there something you can do to enhance your bathrooms? A basket of hand lotions and hairsprays for your guests is always nice.
g. Favors. You may know what you wanted to do initially but much research will need to be done on cost of supplies, what is available and practical time wise to finish.
Some places to start are the internet, Christian bookstores, novelty import stores, dollar stores, and craft stores. List out the cost of each, supplies needed, amount of time to finish or shipping time allotted, and how well it compliments your theme to help you make your decision.
6. Convey Your Plans to your Leadership. After you have refined your details, a meeting with your Coordinator or planning committee is in order to show them your initial plans. If you've written out general descriptions, details, and made 'project description' sheets, you should be able to convey your plans adequately.
7. Accomplishing Your Goals. After you have the initial approval from leadership to begin working on your projects, you will need to get started.
a. Schedule several planning meetings with your volunteers. Many things may need to be made, painted, or designed so have some 'working' meetings planned too. Make sure you schedule it out. Print a page or a calendar with the times and dates of each meeting and give to each member of your team.
b. Assign tasks to your volunteers. If you've made 'Project Descriptions', it should be easy to divide up the work and get started.
c. Keep in touch the General Coordinator after each planning session with your team to let her know of your progress.
8. Gather Supplies. Look around and gather all the supplies you can that you already have on hand before you begin purchasing items. After you've looked into all resources, then purchase any items and supplies you'll need. Make sure you get receipts and organize them neatly. Use tax free forms from your church if needed. If you are receiving items on a donation or 'borrow basis', make sure you list out each item and description of each. Consider storage of where you'll be able to put supplies before your event. If you are using 'borrowed' items from within your church, make sure you have a locked room to place your items so that nothing is damaged or lost.
Here is a simple
Donations list form. You will need
Acrobat Reader to view.
9. Work on Your Plans. Things will start falling into place. Remember as you begin working on your projects that you will need a place to store them before your event so make sure you have a space available where they won't be disturbed.
10. Keep On Track. You will need to keep up with your budget and projects and keep your receipts organized. There's always going to be some unexpected things come up but if you are prepared, it will be a lot easier to handle. Your leadership may want your receipts turned in as you go or may want to wait until everything is purchased. Be ready to hand them all over. Paperclip small notes of explanations if needed.
11. Set Up. Time will fly and soon it will be time for set up. It depends on your facilities and whether and when you have access to them as to when you begin your actual set up. Make sure you have enough help for heavy chores such as moving tables and anything large. You may need to enlist some men for this area.
12. Post Event. Hopefully you will have a clean up crew but it may be your job to disassemble the displays so be prepared with some help for it. Return each item borrowed as soon as possible to it's rightful owner. If you've moved things within the facilities, make sure they are put back where you found them as soon as the event is over.
13. Thank Your Volunteer Team. Your Coordinator will probably be sending out thank you notes to volunteers but make sure you send your own personal ones to those who've been by your side for this process.
14. Relax and soak up the blessings of the event.Copyright©2001/2003 Julia Bettencourt.
Not to be reproduced in any manner without permission with the exception of one copy for personal reference and planning. 
