What to buy for an Anniversary Donors Day

For an Anniversary Donors Day, shopping covers more than food and drinks. Guests need complete table settings, a reliable coffee station, chilled and warm buffet service, and clear name badges. Plan quantities from the final guest list, then add a small reserve for breakage, spills and late arrivals. Check dietary requirements before placing the catering order, and confirm that serving equipment, power supplies and presentation equipment are available at least one week before the event.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Buffet tablesqty 3
Guest tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 70
High tablesqty 4
Dressing room tablesqty 2
Tableclothsqty 12
Coat racksqty 2

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 80
Pastry platesqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 80
Water glassesqty 100
Wine glassesqty 80
Coffee spoonsqty 80
Dinner knivesqty 80
Dinner forksqty 80
Serving spoonsqty 8
Serving plattersqty 12

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Coolersqty 4
Food warmersqty 4
Sound system
Microphonesqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Laptop
Projector
Projection screen
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 6

Lighting

String lightsqty 4
LED lampsqty 8
Battery lanternsqty 6

Decorations

Anniversary bannersqty 3
Balloonsqty 80
Balloon weightsqty 8
Buntingqty 4
Flower arrangementsqty 8
Photo backdrop
Photo framesqty 6
Table décorqty 12
Candle holdersqty 12

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 3
Cake knife
Serving utensilsqty 8
Small bowlsqty 12
Thermos flasksqty 6
Water jugsqty 8
Ice packsqty 12
Aluminum foilqty 2
Cling filmqty 2
Serving trays with lidsqty 6

Cleaning

Bucketsqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Cleaning glovesqty 6
Waste binsqty 6

Catering

Name badgesqty 80
Program leafletsqty 80
Registration formsqty 80
Pensqty 12
Table number cardsqty 8
Thank-you cardsqty 80
Groceries
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Mints - 1 box
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Lemon - 6 pieces
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 5 bottles
- Tonic - 3 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Beer - 5 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Red wine - 5 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Mini bake-off rolls - 80 pieces
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Herb butter - 8 tubs
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Brie - 1 kilo
- Cooked ham - 1 kilo
- Roast beef - 1 kilo
- Smoked chicken - 1 kilo
- Cucumber - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Bell peppers - 2 kilos
- Arugula - 6 bags
- Olives - 6 jars
- Sun-dried tomatoes - 4 jars
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Pears - 30 pieces
- Bananas - 20 pieces
- Strawberries - 3 kilos
- Nut mix - 2 kilo
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Salsa - 6 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Balsamic vinegar - 2 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Pasta - 5 kilos
- Rice - 4 kilos
- Potatoes - 8 kilos
- Mixed vegetables - 8 kilos
- Green salad - 6 kilos
- Chicken breast - 8 kilos
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Fish platters - 3 kilos
- Pasta sauce - 8 jars
- Satay sauce - 3 liter
- Salt - 1 pack
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Onions - 2 kilos
- Cake - 1 large cake
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Chocolate - 2 kilos
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Sponges - 6 pieces
- Tea towels - 12 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls

Tips

Count one dinner plate, one dinner fork, one dinner knife and one water glass per guest, then add 10% spare tableware. Provide pastry plates and coffee cups separately if cake and coffee are served later.
For the drinks station, allow two to three drinks per person during the first hour and one per person for each additional hour. Chill drinks several hours before opening, using coolers rather than relying only on the venue refrigerator.
Plan one coffee cup and one teaspoon per expected coffee drinker, plus at least two kettles or coffee machines for a large reception. Keep milk, sugar and spare coffee supplies at the station instead of unpacking them during speeches.
Match buffet equipment to the menu: use serving platters and serving spoons for cold food, and food warmers for dishes that must stay hot. Confirm the catering delivery time and collect the cake early enough to keep it protected before serving.
Check every presentation item before shopping day: laptop, projector, projection screen, microphones, speakers, extension cords and power strips. Bring enough name badges and print the program only after the guest list and speaking order are final.

Frequently asked questions

How much tableware do I need for an Anniversary Donors Day?: Start with one dinner plate, pastry plate, coffee cup, water glass, wine glass, fork and knife per guest. Add 10% spare pieces, so 110 place settings are needed for 100 guests.
How many drinks should I buy for a donors day?: Budget two to three drinks per guest for the first hour and one drink per guest for every later hour. For 100 guests over three hours, that means roughly 400 to 500 drinks, adjusted for coffee, water and non-alcoholic options.
When should I chill the drinks?: Move drinks into coolers or refrigerators at least four hours before guests arrive. Check the temperature again about 30 minutes before opening, and keep a second cooler available for unopened stock.
How far in advance should I arrange equipment and catering?: Confirm the venue, catering, music and presentation equipment at least one week before the event. Recheck deliveries, dietary requirements, power access and the microphone setup 24 hours before guests arrive.

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