Plan capacity around the realistic total attendance and any different service arrangements for each area. If public guests and invited groups overlap, they can create simultaneous demand even when their programmes look separate on paper.
Show the full event, not just the invitation list
Provide expected numbers, arrival patterns, access rules and the drinks offered in each area. Explain any restricted hospitality or presentation duties that could pull staff away from the main counter.
Agree who handles entry decisions and programme changes, keeping those separate from bar service. Confirm replenishment, glass collection and cover across the serving points. Do not reduce the declared attendance to the invited group alone or assume one team can move between busy areas without affecting the service left behind.
- Include public and invited attendance in the operational brief.
- Confirm separate service duties and coverage during overlapping peaks.