Are you planning a sorority or fraternity formal in Las Vegas? Overwhelmed and not sure where to start? We totally get it!
Organizing any fraternity formal isn’t easy, especially if you’re like most students: taking a lot of classes, participating in extracurriculars, and just generally enjoying college life.
To plan a great trip, one that you and your brothers or sisters are going to remember for the rest of your lives, takes time and dedication. It’s a whole project in and of itself, and it can be hard to set aside the time you’ll need to plan it when you’ve got so much going on all at once.
The tips below will help you get started and give you a basic understanding of what you’ll need to do to plan the best fraternity formal in Las Vegas.
1. Venues: Everyone needs a night out on the town.
First things first, let’s talk about fun! That’s why you’re planning this trip, right? And Las Vegas is no stranger to fun nights.
When it comes to venues in general, there are some things you’ll want to think about such as:
The venue’s food or catering services. There’s no fun without food! When you’re looking at venues, be sure to check what sort of food or catering they offer. Is it to everyone’s liking? Will it work for your group? Do you need to be mindful of any allergies or other dietary restrictions?
The venue’s size. How many people are in your group? Will the venue be able to hold everyone comfortably? Is the venue large enough or should you book something smaller?
The venue’s cost. Of course, you’ll want to be sure the venue fits within your budget. Is your fraternity more willing to splurge on a bigger (and potentially better) venue? Do you know if the venue is overcharging you, or are they within range of nearby venues?
For Las Vegas specifically, a lot of places have a minimum age requirement of 21, so if you’re planning to book in this city, it would be a good idea to make sure everyone in your group is 21 or older.
You’ll also want to remember that this is a big vacation city, which means the costs of venues goes up on weekends, so if you’re planning your formal for a weekend, be aware that finding a decent venue that’s cost effective will be tough.
That being said, getting into clubs with promoters for the 21+ crowd is pretty easy; it just depends on what artists your fraternity wants to see and how much they’re all willing to spend.
Our favorite Las Vegas venues are these: The Industrial Event Space, Royal Crystal Event Center, and Place on 7th.
2. Hotels: Everyone’s gotta sleep somewhere!
Obviously, the hotel is a big part of your trip, and Las Vegas has some well-known casinos and hotels to choose from.
This is where knowing your budget will come in handy. If you know what everyone is willing to spend for each item, then you’ll be able to book the best hotel for your group.
Is your fraternity set on a hotel on the strip? Or is the group okay with saving a bit by booking a hotel off-strip? Will the hotel take a fraternity or a group of your size?
Keep in mind the location of your venue, too. Is the hotel nearby, or will you have to arrange transportation to a faraway venue?
Also, because Las Vegas is always buzzing with activity, people, and traffic, checking in at the hotel can be tricky, particularly if your whole group arrives via bus at the same time. You’ll want to make sure check-in is set up properly so your Social or Formal Chair isn’t stuck in the lobby trying to get everyone checked in while bus loads of people are sitting outside the casino or hotel for hours.
These hotels are our Vegas top 3: The Flamingo, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and Wynn Las Vegas.
3. Transportation: Everyone’s gotta get there.
The next thing you’ll want to plan is transportation to Las Vegas and how you and your fraternity are going to get around. Make sure to pick a transportation company that is safe and reliable so you know that your entire group will arrive on time.
Some things to think about here:
How is everyone going to get from the hotel to the venue? Would buses and limos be better and cheaper or would it be easier to have you and your friends grab Ubers?
What’s the parking situation like for the hotel and the venue? This is extra important since Vegas has a lot of traffic. Will the buses be able to unload your brothers without any hassle?
What are people saying about the company? Have large groups used this company before without issues?
You’ll also want to keep track of how many people are attending your formal so you know how many buses you’ll need to book!
We love VIP Limousines of Nevada for all your Las Vegas transportation.
4. Other Things to Consider: Get all the details down.
Last, but certainly not least, there are some final details your fraternity will need to work out as you plan your formal.
While the budget is at the top of the list, other questions to ask yourselves are:
What are the deadlines for each payment you’ll be making? Who is in charge of collecting the payments?
Are you booking far enough in advance to get the best rates?
How will you do your research? Are you going to wade through a bunch of online reviews or make a ton of phone calls? Do you have time to do all of this?
What often happens as fraternities and sororities are making their formal plans is that there are too many voices offering different ideas on what should be done. No one takes charge, leaving your Social Chair with nothing to book for the group, or leaving too little time to actually book anything at all.
Planning your formal is something you’ll all need to work on throughout the year, and since everyone is busy with school, it can be hard to make sure every detail is thought of.
If this sounds like a lot to do, and you’re feeling overwhelmed with it all, that’s completely understandable!
Using a third party company like BigDaddy Formals to help you plan your trip can be beneficial to everyone involved. Not only does BigDaddy Formals already have relationships with reliable vendors in Las Vegas, we can help you get the best discounts and rates, too.
We’ve already done all the research for you, saving you time and money, and we’re well-equipped to make your formal an unforgettable one.
Schedule a time to speak with our team about your upcoming fraternity formal in Las Vegas here.
Check out our awesome Las Vegas formals below!