How to Plan an Event Without Losing Your Mind
Organizing the perfect event can keep even the most experienced of event planners, whether professional or amateur, awake at night. From arranging a sophisticated and intimate wedding to planning the ideal birthday party for a one year old prince or princess, eventing is all about understanding your focus and the guests that will be attending. Here are a few tips to help you avoid sleepless nights and have guests saying “wow”!
Children’s birthday parties are becoming increasingly sophisticated and often over the top as families try to outdo each other. This can become very costly and still end up with an unhappy birthday girl or boy because the dream was not quite realized. The first thing to consider is what type of party you are planning. For example, many families look for smaller, more intimate options when their children are young using the “age plus one” rule. In this scenario then a party for a four year old will have five guests. Fewer guests mean greater opportunity to stretch the budget to exciting experiences from dance floor rental for an 11-year-olds disco party to chocolate fountain arrangements for an eight year olds theme party. There are a variety of interesting chocolate fountain recipe ideas around that can suit almost any theme.
Weddings on the other hand are usually much larger affairs, needing to balance the desires of both bride and groom and their families. Beyond venue and dance floor rental, wedding parties should consider the overall look and feel of their wedding event, the different components such as the ceremony itself, the cocktail hour, and the reception as well as any peripheral events that will complement the main events. One overarching theme can be adapted for each wedding component, so while the ceremony might be a formal version of the theme, the reception might be quirkier and more relaxed, allowing the bride and groom’s personalities to shine through.
You might for example think that bounce houses are only rented for children’s events, but increasingly couples are opting to ditch the dance floor rental and splurge on bounce house options for their adult guests. A bounce house measuring 15 x 15 can take four adults — or 10 children. There are even a variety of bounce house game ideas available to add even more mad fun to the wedding experience. Another fun idea to make your wedding shine is to opt for a dessert buffet or a sweet shop option during the cocktail hour. Bespoke custom desserts or sweets can be created to represent the bride and groom and their love. Sweet shop tables allow guests not only to sample some options at the wedding but also to take some home as wedding favors too.
The reality is that an event is about showcasing the personalities of the people involved while also ensuring that all your guests are entertained, well fed and amused for the entire duration of the event. From the pickiest three year old to great aunt Thelma, event guests know what they want and will let you know if they don’t get it. The best advice for planning an event is to to do your homework, recognize that you need to balance your own likes with those of your guests and keep a firm grip on the big picture. Happy planning!
