Glossary of Event Terms
Below is a list of terms we think may be useful for you when using our website and booking corporate hospitality packages and tickets for events in general. Please feel free to contact us if there are any other terms you need clarifying!
a la Carte: French term which means "from the menu." As each item is individually priced “a la Carte” menus are not usually used for larger conferences and events.
Appetiser: Small, bite-size food served before a gala dinner, usually whilst seated, to whet and excite the palate.
Advance Deposit: Amount of money paid to secure a hospitality package or tickets in advance.
Amenity: Often complimentary items in bedrooms such as writing supplies, bathrobes, fruit baskets, shower caps, shampoo and shoe shine mitt provided by facility for guests. Be careful though, some hotels will be charging for these items!
Act of God: An extraordinary natural event such as extreme weather, flood, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake or similar natural disaster that cannot be reasonably foreseen or prevented over which a contracting party has no reasonable control, making performance of the contract illegal, impracticable or impossible, thus the parties have no legal responsibility to continue performance of the contract.
After dinner entertainment: Exciting entertainment to engage your guests after the formalities.
Business Attire: Business suits or jackets with shirts and ties for men and day dresses or suits for women; usually taken to mean office and not recreational wear. Can include informal forms of national dress.
Banquet Set-Up: Seating arrangement where typically a grouping of rounds is set in such a way as to facilitate the serving of food.
Coeliac: Medical condition which requires a gluten-free diet.
Cabaret Style Seating: Seating around tables with a gap closest to the stage so that no delegates have their backs to the front.
Caterer: A mobile supplier of food and beverage who provides their service at various venues on request. Can also be contracted to provide services exclusively to a particular venue
Catering: The provision of food and beverage.
Client: The individual, company, firm, body, agent or person booking the event.
Contract: Legally binding document in which the client agrees to the terms and conditions set by a venue.
Cancellation Clause: Terms by which a contract may be cancelled and the subsequent penalties incurred by the cancelling party
Cash Bar: Private bar at which guests are required to make individual payment for drinks ordered.
Confirmation: The oral or written verification by a client that a booking is to go ahead. Usually followed by a contract.
Compensation: A form of recompense to make up for some sort of loss or shortfall to contract.
Canapés: A small appetiser often served before a meal and eaten with the fingers. Can be hot or cold.
Commission: A payment made to an individual or organisation for bringing business to another individual or organisation. This is standard procedure in the events industry. You will never pay more to a venue as a result of using Euro Events.
Complimentary: Comp. Service, or item provided free of charge
DB&B: Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.
Dress Code: Preferred style of dress for an event usually requested by event organiser
Departure Time: Time at which individuals plan to leave a venue
Deposit: A partial payment made in advance of a booking in order to secure.
Data Protection Act: UK Law regarding the rights and responsibilities of those dealing with personal data.
Exclusive Use: Hire of a venue or area of venue for your private use.
Entertainment: A show or performance of some kind designed to amuse and entertain an audience.
Event: An arranged occasion, examples include meeting, convention, exhibition, conference, special event, gala dinner, etc. All of which can be professionally organised by The Euro Events Management Team.
Fork Buffet: Food served at an event that requires only a fork and not a knife. Often used during a conference for speed of service.
Food & Beverage (F & B): Any catering service provided by a venue during an event i.e. refreshment breaks, lunch, drinks reception.
Feedback: The process of sharing thoughts and observations – can be positive or negative. A useful event management tool to improve events.
Full English Breakfast: A traditionally British breakfast consisting of tea, coffee, juices, toast and hot foods such as fried eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes.
Full Onsite Event Management: When The Euro Events team are at an event then our event management team really come into their own. Our experienced event staff will plan your event in the finest detail, producing an Event Operations Programme to ensure every eventuality is covered, and on the occasion when the unexpected happens, we are masters at responding quickly, responsibly and creatively.
Gala Dinner: Primary social function of an event, usually in the evening and often on the last day of the event. Typically includes entertainment or speeches following a formal meal.
Halal Food: Catering prepared according to Islamic Law including meat slaughtered in a particular manner and permissible food.
House Wine: Wine selected by a hotel or restaurant to be their standard product when no particular brand is specified. Often the lowest price wine on the menu.
Incentive Travel: A travel reward given by companies to employees to stimulate productivity.
Invoice: An itemised bill, including prices, of goods and services sold or provided.
Incidentals: Expenses other than room and tax, billed to a guest’s account (e.g. phone, room service, etc.).
Incentive: Reward offered by employers to stimulate greater effort.
Kosher: Food prepared according to Jewish dietary laws.
Keynote: The underlying theme of an event. Keynote is a term often used in literature and public speaking
Lead Time: The time between the initial enquiry and when an event actually happens.
Master of Ceremonies or Toastmaster: A link between the venue, client and guests who will organise the formalities of your event. Eg calling guests to dinner and announcing speeches.
Maximum Capacity: Maximum number of people allowed in any given area.
Minimum Guaranteed Numbers: Means the lowest number of chargeable guests/delegates for the accommodation and food and beverage as specified in the contract for the event
Nouvelle Cuisine: French for ‘new cooking’, referring to a culinary style, which moved away from the rich, heavy style of classic French cuisine toward fresher, lighter food served in much smaller portions.
On Consumption: Amount on the invoice which details what was actually used, for example how many bottles of wine were consumed or how many internet minutes were used.
On-Site Event Manager: Means the venue’s or Euro Events’ Event Manager.
Pro Forma Invoice: An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the provision of the service.
Proposal: Produced in response to an enquiry, it would match all the clients requirements and detail costs, availability and venue specifications. Our team of venue finding specialists would turn an enquiry into a detailed proposal as quickly as possible, and aim to respond to all enquiries the same day.
Q&A: Dedicated time after an event set aside for guests to ask the celebrities/players in attendance any questions.
Restaurant Lunch: Lunch which is taken in the venue’s restaurant.
Site: The location for an event
Site Visit: Visitation of event site/venue to check layout, facilities and safety features
Theatre Style: A layout of a room where rows of chairs are facing a stage
Unusual Venues: Can include such as museums, castles, tunnels, stately homes, boats, vineyards and many more.
VAT: Value Added Tax. In any Euro Events proposal clients will always be informed as to what items include or exclude VAT.
Vegan: An individual who does not eat any foods of animal origins. This includes meat, fish and dairy foods.
VIP: This can include a Managing Director / CEO of a company, who may get additional benefits i.e upgrade to suite for overnight Accommodation on a complimentary basis.
Welcome Reception: The opening of an event where welcome drinks and canapés etc are served.
Xtraordinary Service: By Euro Events..
Yes: Please send me your latest What's On Guide.
Zero: What it costs you to receive a quote for an event!
