What to Buy for an Award Ceremony

An award ceremony needs more than trophies and a stage. You will need serving ware for the meal, separate glasses for water, wine and champagne, presentation equipment, and clear signage for guests and winners. Start with the guest count, then add a small buffer for breakages, late confirmations and unexpected dietary needs. Order trophies, certificates and printed materials early so missing names or incorrect categories can still be fixed before the event.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Reception tablesqty 2
Round dinner tablesqty 12
Chairsqty 130
Stage
Speaker table
Buffet tablesqty 4
Coat racksqty 3
Stoolsqty 4

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 140
Dessert platesqty 140
Coffee cupsqty 140
Water glassesqty 160
Wine glassesqty 160
Champagne glassesqty 140
Dinner cutleryqty 140
Serving utensilsqty 30

Decorations

Table runnersqty 12
Table decorationsqty 12
Flower arrangementsqty 12
Backdrop
Logo bannerqty 2
Balloon archesqty 2
Table numbersqty 12
Cloakroom numbersqty 150

Equipment

Laptopqty 2
Projector
Projection screen
Wireless microphonesqty 3
Microphone standsqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Mixer
Audio cablesqty 6
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 6
HDMI cablesqty 3
Presentation clicker
Camera
Power banksqty 4

Kitchen

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Food warmersqty 6
Coolersqty 4
Serving traysqty 12
Coolersqty 3

Cleaning

Cleaning bucketsqty 3
Mopsqty 4
Broom setsqty 2
Vacuum cleaner

Lighting

LED spotlightsqty 6
String lightsqty 4
Battery lampsqty 8

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee beans - 4 kilos
- Tea bags - 250 pieces
- Decaffeinated coffee - 1 kilo
- Cane sugar - 2 kilo
- White sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Semi-skimmed milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Whipped cream - 3 liters
- Cola - 24 liters
- Cola Zero - 24 liters
- Orange Soda - 12 liter
- Tonic - 8 liters
- Ginger ale - 8 liter
- Sparkling water - 30 liters
- Still water - 30 liters
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Orange juice - 12 liters
- Beer - 180 cans
- Alcohol-free beer - 60 cans
- White wine - 18 bottles
- Red wine - 12 bottles
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- Champagne - 18 bottles
- Gin - 3 bottles
- Vodka - 3 bottles
- Rum - 2 bottles
- Bitter lemon - 8 liter
- Limes - 4 kilos
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Mint - 10 bunches
- Ice cubes - 25 kilos
- Baguettes - 35 pieces
- Mini rolls - 250 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Cream cheese - 3 kilos
- Young cheese - 4 kilos
- Brie - 3 kilo
- Smoked salmon - 3 kilos
- Back ham - 3 kilos
- Hummus - 3 kilos
- Pesto - 1 kilo
- Mayonnaise - 2 liter
- Mustard - 1 liter
- Ketchup - 2 liters
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 liter
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Black pepper - 500 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Garlic powder - 250 grams
- Mixed salad - 8 kilos
- Cucumbers - 20 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 5 kilo
- Bell peppers - 30 pieces
- Red onions - 3 kilos
- Grapes - 6 kilos
- Apples - 60 pieces
- Pears - 40 pieces
- Strawberries - 5 kilo
- Paprika chips - 20 bags
- Plain chips - 20 bags
- Salted nuts - 5 kilo
- Olives - 4 kilos
- Breadsticks - 10 bags
- Mini quiches - 300 pieces
- Vegetable balls - 250 pieces
- Chicken skewers - 250 pieces
- Falafel - 250 pieces
- Pasta - 12 kilo
- Rice - 10 kilos
- Vegetable mix - 15 kilos
- Chicken breast - 15 kilo
- Vegetarian burgers - 40 pieces
- Tomato sauce - 8 liters
- Parmesan cheese - 2 kilos
- Tiramisu - 12 kilos
- Chocolate mousse - 10 kilo
- Fresh fruit for dessert - 8 kilos
- Cookies - 8 kilos
- Paper napkins - 1500 pieces
- Cocktail picks - 1000 pieces
- Coffee filters - 200 pieces
- Tea filters - 100 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 3 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 100 pieces
- All-purpose cleaner - 5 liters
- Glass cleaner - 2 liters
- Disinfectant wipes - 6 packs
- Rubber gloves - 12 pairs
- Aluminium trays - 50 pieces
- Storage containers - 30 pieces

Registration

Name badgesqty 150
Badge holdersqty 150
Registration formsqty 150
Desk pensqty 12
Cloakroom ticketsqty 150
Program leafletsqty 150

Awards ceremony

Awardsqty 18
Award standsqty 18
Certificatesqty 40
Certificate foldersqty 40
Envelopesqty 50
Presentation cardsqty 30

Safety

Non-slip matsqty 8
Cable traysqty 12
Warning signsqty 6
Flashlightsqty 4

Tips

Plan one dinner plate, one dessert plate and one set of dinner cutlery per guest, plus 10% extra. Add serving utensils for every buffet dish rather than relying on the cutlery placed at tables.
For drinks, allow around 2–3 drinks per guest during the first hour, then 1 drink per hour. Count water glasses separately, and order enough wine and champagne glasses for the moments when both may be served.
Order trophies and awards at least 3–4 weeks before the ceremony. Check every winner’s name, category and spelling against the final list before approving the order.
Prepare one wireless microphone for the presenter and a second for award recipients or questions. Test the laptop, projector, screen, speakers and microphone stands together at the venue at least one day before the event.
Do not leave guest-flow items until the last week: arrange coat racks, cloakroom numbers, table numbers and a backdrop or logo banner 7–10 days ahead. This gives you time to replace missing signage or adjust the layout.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to buy for an award ceremony?: Plan for awards or trophies, certificates, tableware, drinks glasses, décor, furniture and AV equipment. For each guest, allow one dinner plate, one dessert plate and one set of dinner cutlery, with about 10% extra.
How many glasses do I need for an awards ceremony?: Provide at least one water glass per guest and add 10% extra. If wine and champagne are both served, plan one wine glass and one champagne glass per guest, plus spare glasses for breakage and replacements.
How far in advance should I order award trophies?: Order trophies and awards at least 3–4 weeks before the ceremony. Review names and categories against the final winners’ list before production, and allow extra time for corrections or delivery problems.
What AV equipment is needed for an award ceremony?: Prepare a laptop, projector, projection screen, speakers, wireless microphones and microphone stands. Test the complete setup at the venue at least one day before the event, including presentation slides, sound and microphone batteries.

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