Guide
Planning a corporate awards night
A good awards night makes people feel recognised long after the evening ends, and the award they take home is a big part of that. Here’s a simple timeline, how many awards you need, and the mistakes to avoid, from engravers who make awards for company events every season.
A simple awards night timeline
- 1
8 weeks before
Fix the date and venue, and agree your award categories.
- 2
6 weeks before
Choose your award designs and budget, and send us your logo. We quote within 24 hours.
- 3
4 weeks before
Approve the proof of the layout. Close nominations or voting.
- 4
3 weeks before
Send the winners’ names. Awards are ready 10–14 working days after the final proof.
- 5
The week before
Awards delivered, checked and boxed. Lay them out in presentation order.
The most common mistake is leaving the awards until the week before. Engraved awards are made to order, so allow at least 3–4 weeks. Awards nights are busiest from November to March.
How many categories and awards?
Most company awards nights have between 8 and 15 categories: enough to recognise every team without the evening dragging. A popular set-up is one headline award, such as Employee of the Year, plus a matching smaller design for each category. Need ideas? See our list of staff award categories.
Headline award
A taller star, column or award on a base gives the top prize real presence on stage.
Crystal awards on bases →Category awards
One design in a smaller size keeps the whole set consistent and the budget predictable.
Staff & employee awards →Long service
Present milestone awards on the night too, so years of service get the applause they deserve.
Long service awards →Glass or crystal?
Many companies use jade or clear glass for category winners and optical crystal for the headline award, with the same logo and layout on both. Read our guide to glass vs crystal awards.
What goes on each award
Your logo, the event (for example “Staff Awards 2026”), the category, the winner’s name and, if you like, a short line. Keep the logo and event the same on every award and only change the category and name. We send a proof of the layout before anything is engraved.
Keeping winners secret
If winners are announced on the night, you can approve the designs and categories early and send the names later. Names are only used to engrave your awards.
Find awards for your night → Browse all glass & crystal awards →
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should we order awards for an awards night?
Allow at least 3–4 weeks before the event. We quote within 24 hours on working days, and awards are ready 10–14 working days after you approve the proof.
How many award categories should an awards night have?
Most company awards nights have between 8 and 15 categories, so the evening keeps moving and each award still feels special.
We don’t know the winners yet. Can we still order?
Yes. Approve the award designs and categories now, then send the winners’ names when you have them.
Should every award be the same design?
Many companies use one design for category winners and a larger or more premium award for the headline prize, such as Employee of the Year.
Planning this year’s awards?
Tell us the date, how many awards and your budget, and we’ll quote within 24 hours on working days.
