If you’re holding an event, be it a wedding, christening, family BBQ or birthday party, it can be challenging to shop for everything you need. We have put together a handy check list for anybody hosting an event, and we’ve asked our experts for a few tips to help you along the way:

• Have a complete guest list to hand at all times. Work on the basis of the maximum number possible – it’s better to have too much than to have too little. This can end in embarrassment and can mean lots of hungry people at your christening or party.
• Plan your outfit well in advance. Once this is sorted, it will be a big weight off your mind. You can then begin to concentrate on the finer details.
• Have lots of lists. Not so many that you lose them all and need a list to keep track of your lists, but enough that you can be confident you haven’t forgotten anything.
• Budget. Have rough estimates of costs along every step of the way. Then, once you know actual costs, put them into a spreadsheet to keep track of how your budget is looking.
• Take into account all dietary requirements. When purchasing food for an event, you need to know that everybody will be able to eat something. Covering all bases is very important.