Planning an event in 2018 can be tricky. You want to catch people’s attention so that they’re talking about your event weeks after it’s over. While it won’t happen with a snap of your fingers, you can certainly pull of the event of your dreams. There are a lot of big (and little) details that go into planning the perfect event, so dive right in and enjoy your time planning the event of the year!
Start the planning early
Planning an event takes time, so you'll want to begin the process as soon as you can—last minute can be stressful! A few things you'll want to jump on early:
- First, set a budget and figure out what you can afford for your event. Hosting a smashing hit of a party without breaking the bank is totally possible. Just get creative and stick to your budget so that you can make the event as successful as possible.
- Be sure to do your vendor research early, especially the venue, so that you can secure your top choices.
- Nail down the date, place and time so that you can send out invites and start promoting ticket sales.
- Marketing your event is a huge part of planning. Register your event online to help you with things like ticket sales and promoting your party to build up hype around it. There are plenty of useful event marketing resources out there to learn from to make sure your event is well-attended.
- When it comes to your events, you always want to make sure you’re making it as easy as possible for your guests, and setting up a place to buy tickets in advance will help!
Make sure your guests have fun
This sounds like an obvious, but really, have something planned. You’ll want to book entertainment for your event that adds to the vibe, so book a band or a DJ that fits what you’re looking for. But don’t stop there—book a magician or hire a flash mob for an unexpected flair. It’s important to give people things to do throughout the event.
Consider getting something like a photo booth so that everyone can dress up and take pictures! If you can, project the photos as they’re taken so that everyone can see themselves on the big screen as the night goes on. Photo booths double as an awesome party favor that everyone will love. If you don’t have the budget for an expensive photo booth, DIY one and buy your own props and backdrop. Whether it's time or money, you won't regret this investment, after all, it's trendy for a reason!
Integrate technology
Technology is a huge part of event planning, and a great way to interact with your guests. Be sure to promote your event on your social media platforms so that you get people excited for what’s to come! You want everyone talking about your event, and social media is the best way to do that. Create your own Snapchat filter so that everyone can use it during the event when they want to post the fun they’re having!
Come up with a hashtag for when people post on Instagram or Twitter, and make sure you designate someone to post on your social media accounts throughout the event as well! Any way you can include technology into your night will up the ante and make your event unforgettable. Once the event is over, hop back on social media to send out a thank you to everyone who attended, share more party pictures and thank any vendors who contributed. This will keep the party going and keep people excited for the next big event.
Make the food memorable
Food is a crucial aspect of any party. People are going to remember if your food was delicious or if it was just mediocre, and that could make or break your event. Great news, a pricey sit-down dinner, while beautiful, isn't totally necessary to make your food amazing! You can have finger foods like sliders or coconut shrimp passed around throughout the night, or even set up a cheese and fruit station. Easy to grab food will keep people moving and enjoying the event, and fewer tables will give more room for people to dance.
You’ll, of course, want to serve all of your tasty goodness in style. Impress your guests with easy-to-make foil stamped cocktail napkins that you can create to match your party theme perfectly. Have a midnight snack at the end of the night to give your guests something to feed their appetite after a fun time! And don’t forget dessert. You can skip the fancy cake and go for something like cupcakes or an ice cream bar—yum! A big trend right now is the candy bar. Set out fun custom printed party bags for guests to fill with the sweet treats of their choice.
Don’t forget to document
You can’t have a great party without pictures! Find a photographer in your area to take pictures throughout the night. A couple of tips for booking your event photographer:
- Do your research and look at their past work to make sure their photography style matches your preferences.
- Be sure to give a list of pictures you want them to capture during the event so they don’t miss anything, and make sure they take lots of candids of your guests having a wonderful time.
- Don’t forget to post the pictures online so your guests can see them. Create an album on Facebook, or post them on your website so they’re easy to find.
There’s a lot that goes into planning an extraordinary event, and you don’t want to miss a single thing. Give yourself enough time to get everything in order so that you’re not scrambling and stressing out as the event approaches. You can plan your ideal party, and it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think. Make a plan, set a budget and have fun—you’ll be a pro in no time!
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Posted in collaboration with Eventbrite
