When planning an approaching special event, event planners need to properly organize everything and make sure that they're legally protected. If you won't follow and implement the right course of actions and strategies, then you may end up with plenty of legal problems to manage. Don't get yourself into legal trouble as this may affect your name and reputation as an event planner. Small business owners and event planners must know how to protect the expenditure they make on each project. 

Here are tips and tricks to throw a successful event without getting yourself into any legal trouble: 

1. Get a permit or license 

Before you plan any events, you must obtain permits and a license first. However, you must take note that every county, state, and city has a different set of laws with regards to permits and licensing. Most of the time, planning an event or one of a particular size requires special permission from the government. Do your homework and look at the local laws to make sure everything is in accordance with them before you pick a location. 

Don't be hesitant to ask a lawyer if ever you have questions about legal requirements and the laws. These professionals can guide you through the correct steps. 

2. Consider the noise annoyance for outdoor events 

Outdoor events can have huge problems which are troublesome to the neighbourhood. When it comes to loud music, the interests of residents and guests are totally different. If you want to avoid getting complaints because of noise annoyance, you need to ask an authority for a permit and make sure that local residents get informed about the event and the possible loud sound. 

3. Obtain permits for selling food or drinks 

If you plan to sell food or drinks at your event, it requires a permit also. Having approval on this, you are dedicating yourself to work in line with state laws about hygiene and cleanness in handling food. Meanwhile, if you wish to sell alcohol or liquor, you must be licensed to do so. You may contact your local liquor control board to acquire a license, but take note that the license itself is not enough. Aside from that, you have to be insured for selling alcohol. 

You're the operator here so you'll be responsible for any waste disposal and accessibility of sanitation facilities. 

4. Let attendees sign waivers 

Any type of special event will have some activities that may pose risk and cause accidents, which is why it's important that you make a waiver and have them sign it. This is one of the rules of events management, otherwise, you'll be liable and people may sue you for it. Remember that you can't be sure that everything will be fine. You can't control what may or may not happen, especially if your event has some risky activities. 

Although not all parties will require this type of protection, any type of injury or problem can haunt you if you don't have them signed, and they have the right to sue. 

5. Acquire alcohol permits 

For instance, if you're in court and they brought up that the event you had arranged officially permitted alcohol, you can be in huge legal trouble if you forget or neglect best practices for serving alcohol. When people drink too much and drive after, they usually say that it's the fault of the bartender for serving them too much. Meanwhile, if you hire that type of bartender, the liability is in your hands too. Make sure that you have the right permits to serve alcohol, otherwise, you'll be facing hefty fines. 

6. Set rules for minors 

Involving minors in every aspect of life can bring harsher penalties if special legal regulations are not met. Just like in events, you need to make sure that in your contracts you state that parents will be responsible for their children at all times. If not, you'll be responsible for these minors. Having this rule will eliminate the possibilities of injuries, underage drinking, and other issues that may arise from the event. 

You can save a designated place in the event where minors are not allowed to enter or limit where drinking is allowed in order to avoid legal complications. Provide children with their own entertainment so they won't go looking for the adult areas to lessen the risk. For instance, most kids love water slides in the summer, and in winter, some painting and crafts activities can keep them satisfied and entertained. 

Careful and thorough event planning is a must because nothing is worse than finding yourself getting involved in legal trouble. Don't even think of taking the risk of being out of a job or worse. Rather, consider our advice  we've shared above and enjoy the best even without having problems