The final two weeks

The last two weeks are about removing surprises. By now the venue, the food and the extras are booked. What is left is writing things down so that on the night nobody has to ask you anything.

Two weeks out

• Write the run of show: arrival, food, toast, dessert, last call and end time, with a name next to each.
• Send a reminder with the date, address, parking and dress code.
• Confirm load in and pack out times with every vendor.
• Close the RSVP and send dietary totals to your caterer.

The week of

• Confirm the final headcount with the venue and the caterer.
• Check the forecast and confirm the cold or rain plan.
• Share the run of show with your venue contact and every vendor.
• Name a point person who is not you, so you can actually enjoy the party.

A sample evening

Sample evening (6 to 10 PM party)

• 4:30 PM: Caterer and vendors arrive. Styling check and sound test.
• 5:30 PM: Walk the space with your venue contact and point person.
• 6:00 PM: Doors open. Coffee and cocoa bar, drinks and bites out.
• 6:45 PM: Main food opens: stations or dinner.
• 7:30 PM: One toast, two minutes. Awards on the screen if you have them.
• 7:45 PM: Dessert, then the team photo at the photo wall.
• 9:30 PM: Last call. Gifts at the door.
• 10:00 PM: Party ends. Vendors pack out.

Day of logistics

Arrive before your vendors and walk the space with your venue contact. Put one person at the door for the first half hour to greet people and point them to the coats, the food and the bar. Keep a small kit: tape, scissors, a phone charger, a lighter for candles and a printed run of show.

Tip: Start pack out on time. Announce last call 15 to 30 minutes before the end, and decide in advance who takes home leftover food, gifts and decor.

The checklist

Corporate holiday party checklist

8 to 12 weeks out

• Get a headcount range and a per guest budget approved
• Pick a first choice and a backup date
• Tour two or three venues at your party's start time
• Confirm who carries the TABC responsibility

4 to 6 weeks out

• Pay the deposit and sign
• Choose stations or a seated dinner and book a tasting
• Send invites with parking, dress code and an RSVP that asks about dietary needs
• Book music, a photographer or a photo wall

2 weeks out

• Write the run of show with a name next to each moment
• Confirm load in and pack out times with every vendor
• Close the RSVP and send dietary totals to the caterer

The week of

• Confirm the final headcount
• Check the forecast and confirm the cold or rain plan
• Name a point person who is not you

Planning yours at The Gallery on Montana

The salon. Lamplight, collected furniture and a gallery wall of gold frames. The room where guests gather, and where the team photo looks best.

The dining room. The long table under tall windows holds chef stations or a seated dinner, with the kitchen and prep area close by.

The yard. An open lawn with a red pavilion and murals for the overflow, the music and the toast. On a cold night a tent and heaters go over the yard.

35 seated or up to 100 standing inside, with 12 more on the porch, 25 on the patio and 50 to 60 in the yard. Catering and bar service are available through our licensed vendor partners. You can also bring your own licensed caterer, or bring your own drinks served by a TABC-certified bartender. Holiday packages from $69 per guest, $2,500 minimum. 701 Montana St, Dignowity Hill, San Antonio.

See current rates online. Golden hour runs a little more.

Holiday parties at The Gallery on Montana

Holiday packages run $69, $99 and $149 per guest with a $2,500 minimum, and the $149 Gala package has a 30 guest minimum. A 30 percent deposit holds the date. See the rooms, the yard and the packages on the holiday parties page, or build your party and send us your picks.

See it first. December dates are first come, first served. Book a tour to walk the rooms and the yard, or read the San Antonio holiday party overview for the quick version.

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About The Gallery on Montana

A curated event space, photo and film location, and vintage gallery at 701 Montana Street on the East Side of San Antonio, one block from the Alamodome. Built around a twenty year collection of vintage furniture and objects, rented by the hour or the day for photo shoots, private dinners, podcasts, workshops and pop-up markets.

Capacity: 35 seated indoors, 12 on the porch, 25 on the patio under the art arch, 50 to 60 in the yard, and up to 100 standing inside.

The Gallery on Montana, 701 Montana St, San Antonio, TX 78203. Events, shoots and meetings book on our booking page. Explore: Home · The space · Private events · Holiday parties · Weddings · Photo and video shoots · Workshops · Planning guides · Book a tour