What to buy for a meet and greet evening

A meet and greet evening needs more than drinks and snacks. Plan for name badges, registration materials, serving ware, presentation equipment and enough places for guests to sit or stand comfortably. For drinks, allow two to three servings per person during the first hour, then adjust for the rest of the programme. Check dietary requirements before ordering food, and buy or borrow equipment early if presentations or room tours are included.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Tablesqty 12
Chairsqty 120
High tablesqty 4
Coat racksqty 3
Stoolsqty 12

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 100
Tea glassesqty 100
Water glassesqty 120
Platesqty 120
Pastry forksqty 120
Teaspoonsqty 100
Serving utensilsqty 12
Serving plattersqty 12
Coffee potsqty 6
Teapotsqty 4
Water jugsqty 12
Milk jugsqty 6
Sugar bowlsqty 6
Serving tongsqty 12

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 3
Coolersqty 4
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 8
Laptopsqty 4
Projectorsqty 3
Projection screensqty 3
Speakersqty 2
Microphonesqty 2
HDMI cablesqty 4
Presentation Clickersqty 3
Charging cablesqty 6

Decorations

Balloonsqty 100
Balloon pumpqty 2
Buntingqty 12
Tableclothsqty 12
Flower arrangementsqty 6
Menusqty 12
Photo backdrop
Tapeqty 6
Ropeqty 3

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Green tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Whole milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Coffee creamer - 2 bottles
- Lemons - 10 pieces
- Still mineral water - 10 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 8 bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Tonic - 2 bottles
- Bitter lemon - 2 bottles
- Ice cubes - 8 bags
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Mini pistolets - 100 pieces
- Wholemeal bread - 6 loaves
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Plain cream cheese - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Herb cheese - 1 kilo
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Aged cheese - 2 kilo
- Brie - 1 kilo
- Grilled vegetable spread - 1 kilo
- Turkey breast - 2 kilos
- Smoked chicken breast - 1 kilo
- Vegetarian slices - 1 kilo
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Bell peppers - 12 pieces
- Arugula - 8 bags
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Celery - 2 bunches
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Apples - 50 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Mandarins - 40 pieces
- Strawberries - 3 kilos
- Lemon cake - 4 pieces
- Apple pie - 4 pieces
- Brownies - 5 boxes
- Mini muffins - 6 boxes
- Gluten-free cookies - 4 packs
- Vegan cookies - 4 packs
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salty pretzels - 4 bags
- Cashews - 2 kilo
- Student mix - 2 kilo
- Rice crackers - 4 packs
- Olives - 2 kilos
- Pickles - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Pesto - 3 jars
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Paper cups - 150 pieces
- Stir sticks - 200 pieces
- Cocktail picks - 200 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 50 pieces
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 rolls

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Measuring cupsqty 3
Coolersqty 6
Thermos flasksqty 8
Storage binsqty 12
Kitchen tongsqty 8
Oven mittsqty 4

Cleaning

Bucketsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Broomsqty 3
Dustpan and brushqty 3
Spongesqty 12
Cleaning glovesqty 8
Waste binsqty 10

Lighting

LED light stringsqty 6
Table lampsqty 8

Presentation

Whiteboardsqty 4
Flip chartsqty 4
Flip chart paperqty 8
Markersqty 24
Pensqty 50
Information foldersqty 120
Name labelsqty 140
Badge holdersqty 120
A4 printing paperqty 2
Route signsqty 20
Arrow stickersqty 40
Clipboardsqty 12
Envelopesqty 150

Activities

Puzzlesqty 6
Game materialsqty 6
Craft kitsqty 8
Apronsqty 12
Measuring tapesqty 4
Ballsqty 12

Safety

Flashlightsqty 4
Warning tapeqty 2
Flatbed cartsqty 2

Cloakroom

Clothes hangersqty 150
Coat check tokensqty 150
Cloakroom bagsqty 4

Tips

Allow two to three drinks per guest for the first hour, then add one serving per person for each additional hour. Include water as well as coffee, tea and other drinks.
Prepare at least one name badge for every registered guest, plus 10% extra for late registrations, spelling corrections and unexpected visitors. Keep blank labels and marker pens at the registration point.
Match your tableware to the catering order: plan one plate and pastry fork per guest, one water glass per guest, and enough coffee cups, tea glasses and teaspoons for a full service round.
Check every presentation setup before shopping is finished. For each presentation room, confirm the laptop, projector, screen, speakers, microphone, HDMI cable, remote and a charging cable are compatible.
Buy or arrange practical access items early, especially extension cords, power strips, coolers, coat racks and stools. These are easy to overlook and difficult to replace on the day of the event.

Frequently asked questions

How many drinks do I need for a meet and greet evening?: Plan for two to three drinks per person during the first hour. For each further hour, add roughly one drink per guest, with water available throughout.
How many name badges should I buy for a meet and greet?: Prepare one badge per registered guest and add 10% extra. For 80 guests, that means at least 88 labels, including blanks for late arrivals or corrections.
What equipment do I need for presentations at a meet and greet?: Allow one compatible laptop, projector and projection screen for each presentation setup. Also check speakers, microphones, HDMI cables, presentation remotes, charging cables, extension cords and power strips at least one day beforehand.
How much tableware is needed for a meet and greet evening?: Start with one plate, pastry fork and water glass per guest, then add 10% spare pieces. For 60 guests, prepare at least 66 of each frequently used item and enough coffee and tea service for one complete round.

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