How to organise your company’s end-of-year party

When should you book the end-of-year party?

The rule is simple: the closer the date is to Christmas, the earlier you need to act. Between mid-November and 20 December, Marseille’s reception venues, caterers and DJs receive several requests for the same Fridays. Companies that book in October often end up with a venue by default, far from their employees or poorly suited to their headcount.

If your timing is already late, think about alternative dates: a Thursday in early December, a party at the end of November or a New Year reception in January. They leave more choice, and employees often appreciate not having five parties in the same week.

Which format should you choose for an end-of-year party?

A seated dinner has a sense of occasion, but it keeps guests stuck at their table for two hours. A cocktail reception with food gets teams moving, lets departments that never cross paths talk to each other, and generally costs less. In Marseille, a cocktail reception with food in an exclusively hired venue costs between €35 and €60 per person. A common compromise: a generous standing dinner, then the dance floor from 10pm.

For companies with fewer than 50 people, hiring a restaurant or part of a bar is enough. Beyond 150, you need a proper reception venue, with a cloakroom, enough toilets and a finishing time compatible with a dance party. Our article on corporate party venues in Marseille helps you narrow things down.

How do you make the party memorable without leaving anyone out?

An end-of-year party brings together very different people: new recruits, senior executives, employees who do not drink, colleagues who never dance. The secret is to offer several “ways in” to the evening rather than a single activity.

• A light theme: the 80s, casino, chic Christmas. It gives people a reason to dress up and a thread for the decoration, without forcing anyone into fancy dress.
• A group activity early in the evening: a music quiz in mixed teams, casino tables, karaoke.
• A photo keepsake: a photo booth draws in the guests who do not dance and creates pictures that everyone shares on Monday.
• Carefully made alcohol-free drinks: a bartender who prepares mocktails as elaborate as the other cocktails.
• Music that builds up: background music during cocktails, then the dance floor.

How much does an end-of-year party cost?

According to agency quotes received by a Marseille company, a turnkey party (venue, caterer, drinks, entertainment) costs €65 to €130 per person, or €12,000 to €25,000 excl. VAT for 150 to 200 guests. The venue and catering account for most of it. Music, bar and photos, which create the atmosphere, weigh little when you book them without a middleman: through an agency, a DJ is often charged at around €1,100 and a photo booth at around €750. The item-by-item breakdown is in our guide to the corporate party budget in Marseille.

If the party is organised by the works council (CSE), ADJM Événementiel’s works council offer handles the organisation free of charge and gives employees a 10% discount on our services.

Which pitfalls should you avoid?

• The speech that goes on and on: five to ten minutes is enough, before the cocktails and with a wireless microphone in hand, not at 11pm when the dance floor is in full swing.
• Getting guests home: organise shuttles, negotiate a rate with a taxi company or choose a venue served by the metro. The employer has a responsibility for safety.
• An open bar with no limit and no food: provide enough to eat throughout the evening and self-service water.
• Music aimed at just one crowd: brief the DJ on the age range and the styles to avoid.
• A vague finishing time: the venue, the DJ and the shuttles must all have the same end time. An extra hour of DJ costs €75 until 2am and €100 after that: better to plan for it.

The on-the-day checklist

• Welcome desk and cloakroom staffed, guest list at the entrance.
• Wireless microphone tested for the management speech.
• Floor plan: bar, buffet, dance floor, photo booth, quiet area.
• Shuttles or taxis confirmed with the departure time.
• A single contact person reachable by every supplier.
• Photos collected the next day for internal communications.

Would you rather hand the whole thing to one team? With more than 500 events delivered since 2014, our team takes care of the party from choosing the venue to the last song, with a single point of contact.