Whether you’re hosting a corporate networking event or a small gathering at home to celebrate a new promotion, every event needs to have some exciting elements to keep guests engaged and show a little charm. There are so many tips and tricks you can use that are inexpensive and effective, and we’ve listed a few below. You can use these celebration ideas to charm up almost any event.
Add an Eco-friendly Element to your Event
Climate change and the ongoing concern about the environment have created a desire (and need) for gatherings to adhere to greener alternatives for planning events. If you’re hosting an event, guests will appreciate little details that allow them to reduce their carbon footprint indirectly. Our friends at CVENT have offered a list of things you can do to make your event green:
- Select Green Event Venues – Some venues have a Certification for Sustainable Events. Even if they don’t have the certificate, if the venue is close to public transportation (less smog) and has energy-saving installations and electronic signage (less paper), it is considered a green venue.
- Say No to Single-Use Plastic & Use Biodegradable Utensils – Reusable glassware and plant-based straws are great to have on hand. Biodegradable plastics and utensils are made of renewable raw materials, and many brands make them a little more chic these days, so they may match your decor.
- Have a Proper Waste Management System – Grab an extra trash can and label it ‘Recycling” so guests can recycle their trash during your event.
- Provide Shuttle Services – This is a two for one service because you can reduce your carbon footprint and ensure guests make it home safely if you serve alcohol.
Choose one or all of these options as a way to charm up your event and help save the planet.
Host a Cultural Affair
In a time where the world needs to embrace inclusion and celebrate diversity, hosting an event with an added flair of culture is a great idea. Depending on your theme or your guests’ preferences, you can highlight your own culture, celebrate the guest of honor’s culture or introduce several different cultural themes to the event. Take precautionary measures with this idea, though. It is essential to respect other cultures, so do your research or get an expert to assist you with your plans. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and we are sure most people aren’t going into planning to offend others, but it can happen by accident.
Hire a Cultural Entertainment Act
If you want to bring some extra pizzazz to your culture-themed celebration, you can hire an entertainment act that compliments the occasion. Our talent agents book a variety of acts throughout the year. Let us assist you with finding the right entertainment act. Entertainment Exchange currently has the following cultural performers on our roster:
- African Dancers
- Chinese Dragon-Lion Dancers
- Native American Dancers
- Latin Dancers
- South Pacific Dancers
- Brazilian Dancers
- Chinese Fan Dancers
- Thai Dancers
- Chinese Paper Cutters
- Carnival Dancers
Plan Tributes Throughout the Night
Finding ways to surprise guests with a special tribute or recognition is always a win when it comes to adding some charm to your event. Over the years, we’ve seen tons of creative ways that clients have paid tribute to a guest or several guests during a special celebration. Most people are familiar with wedding tributes like the Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dance in the traditional sense. But we’ve also seen beautiful tributes like the Generations Dance. This is a dance that celebrates married couples and reminds others about the love they share. The DJ invites all married couples to the dance floor and asks couples who have been married less than a year to leave the dance floor after a minute or so. The DJ continues to ask couples to exit the dance floor based on the length of time they’ve been married until the couple that has been married the longest is left standing. The last couple(s) are usually elders of the bride and groom, and it is a happy moment when all guests acknowledge and congratulate them. The Generations Dance is always a hit with guests.
Make Your Tribute Charitable
While it may be hard to top a stirring tribute like the Generations Dance, there are other impactful ways to pay homage to guests. You can take a moment of silence if you want to honor a loved one who has passed on. We’ve also seen clients make a donation to charity on behalf of guests or orchestrate a scholarship fund in the name of a family or family member. Just think about the personalities or interests of the people you want to honor and tailor your tribute to what would be endearing and memorable to them. It will take your celebration to the next level.
Invite Guests to a Golden Sunset Gathering
The atmosphere of your celebration has a significant impact on your guests’ experience. You can captivate guests by switching things up, and instead of holding your event in your home or a “normal” venue, it can be at a very scenic location. We recommend inviting your guests to a Golden Sunset gathering where everyone can enjoy what photographers call the “Golden Hour” of the day.
In photography, the golden hour is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset, during which daylight is redder and softer than when the Sun is higher in the sky. The period of time right before sunrise and shortly after sunset is called the “magic hour,” especially by cinematographers.
If this scenic view is suitable for photographers and cinematographers, we doubt you will have trouble with your guests enjoying and appreciating the view. They will indeed consider it an extra special touch to the night’s events. You can either make the Golden Sunset hour a part of your event or host your event outside altogether. Depending on the time of year and location, you will have the flexibility to choose what works best for you. Even a cocktail named “The Golden Sunset” would be an excellent addition to this theme.
Do you have any additional tips on how to add charm to your celebration? Comment below to share them with us!
SOURCES
www.sacredspacememorial.com
www.Wikipedia.com
www.ClubFoody.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF
Green Event Ninjas
Katie Corrine Photography
Resident Advisor