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Dinner Timeline

Here’s a detailed timeline so you’re in the loop and moving forward with your dinner plans.

End of September

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Send the city you wish for us to promote to ashley@bravelove.org
  • Be looking for your venue – preferably a private room or quiet corner of a restaurant.
  • Read through the entire Dinner Host Kit so you know what to expect.
  • Send your mailing address to ashley@bravelove.org so we know where to mail your Dinner Party in a Box. If you are co-hosting, provide only one mailing address!
  • Brainstorm the menu and decorations.

BONUS POINTS!

  • If you’re hosting alone, find a friend or fellow birth mom to co-host with you; divide and conquer the tasks together!

October 3rd

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Confirm dinner location and time with ashley@bravelove.org
  • Confirm menu and decorations — are you making your own flower arrangements, asking a friend for help or purchasing?

BONUS POINTS!

  • Get an in-kind donation of food and drinks from a local restaurant, grocery store, or caterer
  • Maybe you want to go the extra mile and hang some string lights or tie balloons

Week of
October 6th

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • You (the hostess) will be emailed a link with RSVP information and your city-specific digital invitation.
  • Be on the lookout! Your Dinner Party in a Box will be mailed to you this week.

BONUS POINTS!

  • Add a few extra gifts for the birth moms to take home

October 21st

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • On October 21st, BraveLove will announce all locations as well as send an email out to birth moms with a link to register.
  • Once your city is announced on social media, then you can start announcing publicly on social media, too.
  • You will start receiving RSVPs this week! Ashley will be adding new RSVPs to the shared Google Spreadsheet daily, so please check regularly to keep up to date.
  • If you are co-hosting, delegate one person to correspond with guests.
  • Ideally, Ashley will send an introduction email within 24 hours of receiving an RSVP. This email serves as a way to connect you with your guest. After this initial email, you will be the main point of contact to correspond with that guest, introduce yourself, share dinner location, and any other details.
  • Note: BraveLove does not publicly advertise the address of any dinner location. That information is passed through you directly to your guests.

BONUS POINTS!

  • Be sure to share your digital invitation with local agencies, support groups, or birth moms you know!

November 6th

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Registration will close on November 6th. By this time, your Ramp card will have funds available based on your number of RSVPs. Each guest who has RSVP’d will be allocated $60. Therefore, if you have a full table, you will have $600 available. If you have six RSVPs, you will have $360. Your Ramp card will be deactivated on November 14th. Please keep all receipts and email to ramp receipts@ramp.com

Week of the dinner

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Touch base with all of your birth moms either by text, email, or phone to confirm that they’re still attending. Resend the address and remind about the parking situation, along with any other notes you wish to provide.
  • Re-read the Guide for the Night.

BONUS POINTS!

  • Look outside and make it clear where the dinner is happening – hang a sign, tie balloons, etc.

Day of Dinner

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Set your table(s) – don’t forget the place cards!
  • Set out BraveLove gifts (either at each place setting or grouped together in a designated spot so people won’t leave without them).
  • If you prefer to have guests sign in on a sheet rather than the QR code on the place cards, find a visible spot for guests to sign in.
  • Set up food and drinks – are you doing buffet or family-style?

BONUS POINTS!

  • Send an individual text to all those who have RSVP’d reminding them of the time and location and that you’re so excited they’re coming! This will help ease anxiety for some and may help encourage those who were contemplating canceling.

Night of the dinner (Thursday, November 13th)

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • To avoid feeling flustered as the host, be ready early because some of your guests will arrive early and you want to be prepared to chat rather than running around.
  • Welcome your guests!
  • Once most guests have arrived, get started by welcoming everyone as a group or letting people get food (and then welcome).
  • Don’t forget to remind guests to sign in using the QR code on their place card.
  • Remember to snap photos throughout the night – don’t forget the group photo!

A few days later (Monday, November 17th)

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Email any shareable pictures from the dinner directly to ashley@bravelove.org
  • Communicate to those who didn’t show up that they were missed and that you’ll keep them posted on future meet-ups or events.

BONUS POINTS!

  • Send a personal communication to all of those who attended with something like “Thank you for coming! I loved meeting you… I hope you had an enjoyable evening.”

A week later

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Update the shared Google spreadsheet by marking those who attended, those who canceled, and those who were no-shows.
  • BraveLove will send out an email communication to all of those who attended and RSVP’d.
  • By November 24th, please submit all receipts via Ramp.
  • Respond to feedback email sent by Ashley.

A month or so later

FOR A GREAT DINNER

  • Start thinking about a meet-up, possibly over the summer. You pick the date and place and then spread the word to all of those who attended this date to your guests.

BONUS POINTS!

  • Coordinate this meet-up with your co-host or someone else that attended the dinner.