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Gel-Staff

Rock any party

Module 11

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11. Module 11: Party planning

Table of Contents

11. Module 11: Party planning .................................................................................................................................... 1

11.1 Making Your Party Memorable ............................................................................................................ 2

11.2 Creating a great theme and following it ............................................................................................... 3

11.2.1 Types of parties ............................................................................................................................... 4

11.2.2 Attention to details .......................................................................................................................... 6

11.3 Deciding on the appropriate tone of the party ..................................................................................... 7

11.4 Wowing the guests ............................................................................................................................. 9

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11.1 Making Your Party Memorable

As a professional party planner you will become the expert on creating special moments that your clients and

guests will remember for years to come. It’s one thing to be able to throw an engaging and entertaining event,

but it’s another thing altogether when a party you’ve planned turns into the most talked about day of the year.

From weddings, birthdays, and anniversary parties to cocktail parties, corporate events, and holiday galas, it’s

the special attention to details, a cohesive theme carried out, and an impressive spread of cocktails and fare

that will keep your guests talking. Every single party will need to be carefully outlined in a way that allows

for the theme and tone of the event to be projected through every single thread that is woven throughout the

event.

Throughout this module you will learn how, as a party planner, to take an initial concept and bring it to life

through all of the tiny details and effects that will wow the guests and identify your business as a place to turn

for impressive party needs.

What you’ll learn in this module:

Creating a great theme and following it

Deciding on the appropriate tone of the party

Wowing the guests

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11.2 Creating a great theme and following it

When some people hear “theme” and “party” mentioned together, they tend to panic and think that their adult

cocktail affair is going to play out like a 3-year olds birthday party.

The truth is, that the theme of an event simply identifies the overall feel and ambiance. While some themes

may encompass a superhero party, another party theme might be surrounding the colors white and silver or

the overall concept of a garden party.

The idea of a theme can reach far and wide, allowing you, as the party planner and organizer, to design an

event that makes sense. An example of a party that demonstrates a disconnected theme might be a young girl’s

princess party having black and gray balloons and a cake with pirates on it. In order to keep to a princess

theme, you’d want to include elements to highlight that particular concept in a visual and emotional way.

For instance, a bouncy blow up castle for entertainment, tiaras and crowns for the guests and birthday girl,

and pink and white balloons adorning the chairs. The cake might include Disney princess characters or cookies

shaped like crowns, scepters and thrones. Throughout this module we will explore some popular theme ideas

for various types of parties and how to include elements that highlight that particular theme throughout every

aspect of the event.

Allow the following outlines to inspire your future party designs.

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11.2.1 Types of parties

Children, teens, adults, and seniors all celebrate birthdays and other events and are often the guest-of-honor

at a number of celebrations throughout their lifetime.

kids’ parties – younger children are often drawn to colorful, eventful, and exciting themes. Basic

concepts like the aforementioned princess party, tea parties, pirate parties, train parties, superhero

or other character parties and more are very popular. In addition to highly focused ideas, concepts

like a rainbow theme, a glitter concept, a candy party, or a celebration focused on a particular

color scheme like purple, orange, blue, or whatever the child’s favorite one might be. For the most

part, kids’ parties will be thrown for birthdays; however, there will be moments of milestone

events like christenings, school graduations, and so on where themes can be drawn from and gain

inspiration.

teens’ parties – adolescents will experience birthdays, graduations, proms, confirmations, bat

and bar mitzvahs and more. Themes might range from a slumber party concept for teen girls to a

football party for young adult boys. From highly specialized and focused themes like an 80’s

dance party, karaoke singing party, Hunger Games or other movie or character parties to themes

like neon colored parties, paint parties, or scavenger hunts. Depending on the personality of the

honored guest and client, you can establish a color scheme, props, favors, and décor to match the

desired idea.

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adults – grown ups of various ages appreciate a good party and a good theme. As we get older,

alcohol becomes central during our party needs and events like typical cocktail parties, bachelor

and bachelorettes, weddings, showers, and the usual birthday or anniversary soirees are

celebrated. For adults, themes can be as simple as the theme of a wedding being traditional

romance or as specialized as the wedding theme becoming 1940’s Hollywood glamour.

Depending on the individual, some adults may throw parties with more specific themes like a

masquerade ball, murder mystery event, or costume party. Other individuals will need a theme

that is more general, like black and white attire, glitz and glam, or retro night. Whatever the case

may be, finding ways to weave intricate details into every corner of the event will create a highly

memorable experience.

seniors – older adults tend to have birthday and anniversary celebrations held for them by their

children, grandchildren, or friends. Humorous “over the hill” themes might be present, as would

a theme that highlights the decade in which the individual was born, such as a 1920’s speakeasy

birthday or an anniversary party that highlights the many destinations a couple has traveled

together throughout the years. Whether it’s a Parisian brunch or a Tuscan style dinner get together,

as a party planner, it’s your job to consider how to make the theme cohesive and make sense from

beginning to end.

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11.2.2 Attention to details

Having a theme doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is showing up to the party in costumes. Consider the

various ways to sneak in elements that define a clear theme for each party you throw. Here are some general

concepts and tips of how to carry that theme throughout the entire event, from invitations to the tiniest of

details.

dress code – whether you identify black tie, formal or informal or a particular color scheme to

wear, establishing a dress code helps make guests become a central part of the overall feel of the

event.

invitations – the invite establishes the beginning message being delivered to guests as to a theme.

Whether it’s color hues, a type of floral scheme arrangement, or an eccentric approach, the

invitation allows guests to know the general concept of what they’re in for.

colors – perhaps a business requests that their company colors be emphasized at the event, or a

graduation party exemplifies the school colors, or perhaps, a favorite color palette of the host is

used to designate the them. From the linens to plates, and balloons to center pieces, having a

complimentary color scheme helps to bring a theme together.

decorations and décor – this is where your creativity can run rampant, from red velvet curtains

and jeweled center pieces for a glamorous event to black and white stripes with pink details and

Eiffel Tower center pieces for a Paris theme, keeping the décor in line with the overall theme is a

great way to make an impression.

food and beverages – yet another place to portray the theme of any party is through the types and

styles of food and beverage. From finger foods to signature drinks, keeping every offering to be

in line with the party concept will be the type of detail that allows guests to truly feel like they’ve

been transported into a special affair.

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11.3 Deciding on the appropriate tone of the party

Every client will not be a candidate for any type of party. It is going to be at your and your clients’ discretion

that you are able to adapt a theme or create a particular tone that is appropriate for their event. In working with

clients, you’ll have to get to them their likes, dislikes, aesthetic preferences, and what they believe will be the

type of event that is personalized and represents them. When considering the term “tone,” consider the visual

aspects of the party that will highlight the atmosphere and influence the overall mood of an event.

Consider the following items to help you decide on what type of tone would suit each event you plan:

type of event – the type of party you are planning plays a large role in deciding on the tone. For

instance, a birthday party might be lighthearted and joyous, a corporate Christmas party will have

an element of professionalism and decorum that reflects the company’s purpose, and a bachelor

party might center on a party atmosphere surrounded by beer, cocktails, and scandalously clad

women. The tone of each party will depend on the type of event that you are hired to plan.

age range – children’s parties are innocent, whimsical, and fun whereas a teens might be light-

hearted and easy going, and an adults might be sexy and flirty. Furthermore, an elderly client’s

party might be classy or take on a humorous tone. There is no guaranteed answer to the type of

party tone related to age range, but the age and personality of your customer will certainly steer

the tone of the event in one direction or another

day or evening – time of day plays a large role in how formal or informal an event is and what

types of dress code, décor, and food might be served. A daytime garden party in a backyard will

have a different tone than an evening cocktail party at a restaurant.

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location – you’ve got to know the general setting to develop a clear understanding of the

atmosphere that must be created, given what you have to work with. Narrowing your concept to

specific location types will help guide your planning in terms of setting a tone and mood for each

event.

personality and aesthetic – get to know your clients and the types of things they visually respect

positively toward. Ask questions about colors, designs, and things that fall in line with their

personalities in order to get a feel for the type of tone that will compliment their event.

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11.4 Wowing the guests

It’s one thing to throw a great and exceptional party, it’s another thing altogether to have guests walk away

from an event so impressed that they will recommend your services to friends and use your business for their

future party needs. The idea of “wowing” the guests and your client can best be described as exceeding

expectations and bringing the population at the party something they haven’t seen before or something familiar

presented in a new, exciting way.

Take a look at these creative concepts and groundbreaking ideas to utilize at parties, adjust for a certain

occasion, and set your party business apart from the competitors by making the mark on innovation that strays

from the old “been there done that” and embraces fresher approaches.

seating areas – at parties guests are used to the traditional banquet style table and chairs or picnic

style folding chairs that can be easily rented from event to event. Why not create deluxe, chic

lounge space that creates a VIP vibe for breaks from the dance floor or during cocktail hour

socializing. Consider filling the space with comfy sofas and chairs and plenty of fluffy pillows

with a design element that compliments your theme. A romantic wedding event? Try Victorian

style furniture. A Halloween costume party? Large red velvet chairs might do the trick. Consider

your theme, style, and tone and utilize unique furniture elements for fun seating areas your guests

will enjoy.

guest transportation – we’ve all experienced the usual shuttle bus from the wedding ceremony to the

reception or the limo ride into the nearest city for a bachelorette weekend with the girls; however, think outside

the traditional vehicle box in ways to get guests from one point to another. Depending on your client’s budget,

why not bring in hot air balloon rides for adventure, horse and carriage rides for the romantic approach, or a

nostalgic yellow school bus that falls in line with a retro party theme.

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signature cocktails – a lot of parties highlight the bubbly decadence of champagne, but why not elevate the

impressiveness even more with a signature champagne cocktail passed around to guests as they await a

wedding ceremony or a mixed drink with a play off of a corporations name to be handed out as corporate

guests await a speaker at a convention you’ve planned. Highlighting one or two signature drinks at a party,

having them hand-passed or at “do it yourself” cocktail bars (armed with a trained bartender, of course) you

can really entertain guests, make the event interactive, or give them something they don’t get to indulge in

every day.

useful and thoughtful favors – a majority of parties nowadays, whether for a children’s birthday,

a sweet wedding, or a simple backyard barbeque bash will incorporate the concept of sending

guests home with a token of appreciation. For many years wedding guests’ favors have been

ordered in bulk from the back of party catalogues and tend to be items that get left behind, never

make it to the person’s home, or end up lost in the back of a closet or bottom of a drawer. Guests

really do appreciate the added thought and effort that goes into more personalized or useful items.

Consider the party theme, the personality of your client, and the types of guests who are attending

the party, and brainstorm ideas for useful favors such as fuzzy slippers at a teen girl’s slumber

party, on-theme color arrays of pashminas or scarves that can keep guests warm at an outdoor,

evening wedding, or soaps monogrammed with the guests’ initials rather than the wedding date

of the couple whose party they are attending. There are endless possibilities in impressing and

wowing guests so that they leave the party with something memorable and useful in their hands.

child entertainment – while it’s often a given there will be activities or crafts of some kind at

kids’ parties, nothing will be so positively received as stations to entertain the little ones at parties

catered to adults. Parents and even parent-less guests will greatly appreciate hiring babysitting

staff, setting up stations with on-theme crafts or entertainers that make the kids feel welcome

while mom and dad get to unwind and partake in the festivities targeting their own age range.

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unique guest books – it’s tradition at weddings and many anniversary and even birthday parties

to have guests leave messages of well wishes to the guest of honor or happy couple. Traditionally,

this is done in a book of some kind, but modern weddings have taken various approaches such as

signing a picture of the client or a board of some kind that they will display in their home. As a

party planner, consider unique takes you can apply to the concept of leaving a note behind for the

party hosts while in turn creating an activity for guests. One idea might be to create time capsules

for various anniversary years, which guests can put personalized notes into for the couple to open

on their 1st, 5th, or 10th anniversaries for instance. Another idea might be a “video book

confessional” where guests enter, much like a photo booth, and leave behind video recorded

messages to the person on the day of their party. Consider the overall theme of the event, and

present uniquely fun and interactive guest book ideas so that your guests will be wowed and

entertained.

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costume changes – whatever the celebration might be, integrated unexpected costume changes

to be performed by the client or guest of honor is one way to keep guests on their toes. Brides

who have one traditional gown for their ceremony, but show up at the reception in cocktail attire

will blow away the guests; birthday party hosts with several on-theme costume changes as well

as a master of ceremonies at a corporate event who highlights different aspects of a company’s

message through his or her attire will really make an overall impression on guests. You want

guests leaving each party asking, “who came up with that idea?” and utilizing meaningful, fun,

and unexpected costume changes is one way to do just that.