How to organise the perfect gatherings: a step-by-step guide
Are you frustrated by how difficult it is to get your friends together? Tired of going weeks without seeing each other, or of putting in the work to organise the perfect event only for it to fall flat or not happen?
gather is a social planning app that organises fun group activities and gatherings for your social groups, with none of the hassle. We’ve written an eight-step guide to organising gatherings based on our own approach. If you sign up to the app, we’ll do it all for you, taking no more than three minutes of your time per gathering. Alternatively, if you want to do it yourself, you can follow the guide below - if done properly, it should take about an hour of your time from start to end each time.
If you're still keen to do it yourself, here's our guide, along with how long each step should take you - happy gathering!
Step 1: Find a Date and Time (20 minutes)
Start by finding a suitable date and time that works for everyone you want to invite. You should start this at least two weeks before you plan to meet, otherwise you’ll find that people have plans already and none of the dates work.
You can use a Doodle poll and ask people to vote on dates that work for them - you’ll have to send some reminders, because people will forget. You could also use an app like Howbout which integrates with people’s calendars and helps you pick a date.
If none of the dates do work, decide whether you want to push it back by a week (and start the whole process again) or go ahead without the whole group. A good rule of thumb is that you should aim for a minimum 75% attendance for groups of 6-8 people - for higher attendance, organise further in advance.
Step 2: Decide on an Activity (5 minutes)
You could go for a meal together, meet for drinks, or try some other fun activity. The right activity depends on your group, how long you’ve known each other and how often you see each other. For example, if you’ve known each other a long time and already see a lot of each other, you want to add some variety - maybe a pub quiz or a fun activity bar like Flight Club or Clays. If you haven’t known each other for so long and don’t see each other that often, casual drinks are a nice way to break the ice and catch up.
Step 3: Pick a Location (5-10 minutes)
Now you need to choose a part of town to meet in. This should be convenient for as many people as possible (taking into account where people live, where they work, where they’ll be on the chosen date) and also somewhere with a good number of venues in case you want to continue on afterwards (more on that in step 6).
You might need to ask people where they will be on the day and then look at a map, or you can just default to somewhere central like Soho. If you’ve known each other a long time, it could be nice to pick someone’s neighbourhood to explore together.
Step 4: Pick a Venue (15 minutes)
Once you’ve decided an activity and a location, decide on your venue. The main things you need to consider now are:
Venue type (e.g. if you’re going for a meal, which cuisine)
Budget
Dietary requirements and preferences
Vibe (e.g. casual vs. quirky vs. refined, etc.)
If you know your group well, you might have a sense of this, but be careful not to pick a pizza place if someone in the group has a gluten allergy, or to pick something pricey if some group members are on a budget. If you're less sure, you can ask, and try and remember for next time!
If you know what you’re looking for, you can browse Google Maps in your chosen location (filter for places with good ratings), take a look on OpenTable and see what’s available, or use a curated list like The Nudge for inspiration. The sheer number of possible venues can be overwhelming, so it helps to narrow it down first (with venue type, budget, etc.).
Step 5: Confirm who is Attending and Book the Venue (5 mins)
Try and get confirmation from the people attending. You could do this over WhatsApp or send a calendar invite and ask people to hit ‘attending’. Once you know numbers, book the venue. If there’s anyone who’s unsure or not responsive, add them to the booking, but be sure to confirm a week or so before the gathering, so you can update the venue. You want to avoid turning up to a booking for eight people with only four attendees if possible, it’s not fair on the business and can be a bit awkward.
Double-check the booking details a week before the gathering (correct venue, date and time, number of attendees).
Step 6: Find some Options for Before and After (10 mins)
This is important! If your meal finishes at 9:30pm and people want to go on to another venue, have at least a couple of options for where you could go. You want to avoid wandering around (especially if it’s cold outside!) and losing momentum.
Similarly, people might be ready earlier than the agreed time; you could find a relaxed pub around the corner where people can gather.
Step 7: Remind Everybody a Few Days Before
Send a friendly reminder over WhatsApp - nice and easy, just don’t forget!
Step 8: Go Have Fun!
Finally, it’s time to go see your friends. You’ve done a lot of work to get here and you might feel responsible for everybody having a good time - but try to relax and enjoy yourself. The important thing is that you’re all in the same place, at the same time, catching up and making new memories together.
We hope you find that helpful. If it’s all too time-consuming and stressful, then gather can help. We take care of every step for you, from finding a suitable date and time, to curating a shortlist of suitable venues, and even suggesting before and after options. Plus, we make sure everyone is kept in the loop, so there's no need to worry about reminders or confirmations. With gather, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the perfect gathering - not just once, but regularly, as often as you want to see each other.