/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

so maybe this is more suited to the stupid questions thread but i wanted to start planning my own meets to help take some of the planning load off of my comm leader. i've only been in a comm for a few months, but as someone who grew up in a family who LOVES entertaining and planning silly stuff like this i think i should be able to pull it off properly.

a few questions:
What are the best venues to keep an eye on? Are some places better for bringing your own food or is it easier to order outside catering? are goodie bags a typical thing or is it just for bigger events? The meet i want to plan would be for Christmas, would setting up a secret santa be a fun idea or would it flop in a smaller comm? How far ahead should you start planning a meet? i know most meets require an rsvp or you have to buy a ticket in advance, but what's the easiest way to make sure people can commit to coming? is there a sweet spot of time in advance to ask people about dates?

i've planned tea parties before but never for lolitas, let alone planning a whole meet. Any advice would be super helpful!