
As summer draws to a close, you may want to throw one last hurrah to say goodbye to those amazing summer nights you will start to miss as the nights start to get longer and the days get colder. You may now be overwhelmed in trying to think of what kind of party to throw and how to do it…
Well, do not worry! Even though summer has been and gone, there are many reasons coming up to host an event for such as Halloween, bonfire night, thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Year!
In this blog, we will delve into what you should include in your plan for the best post-summer soiree as well as giving you some examples for inspiration and ideas. So read on for our advice and tips!
Choose your theme
Simple and effective but is the most important step in planning your party as it will pave the way for everything else to fall into place.
Holidays are great themes in themselves but in order to make them unique to your party, you need to plan what you want to be doing with your chosen theme. For instance, if you are having a Halloween party you need to decide if you want people dressing up as anything, in particular, perhaps to fit the theme like Cartoon shows of the 90s, or a theme like iconic duos. Having something like this that revolves around your theme then gives you more control over the planning of music, invitations, decorations and even food!
Location, location, location
You need to consider where you want to be hosting your post-summer soiree. Will it be at your house, are you hiring somewhere, or do you have a specific location in mind? The location is a key factor to plan around as it will bring your party together to make it a truly unforgettable experience.
The weather is also something to consider when planning your event as now that summer has ended it will be getting colder and unfortunately, the rain and snow will be coming in more often. Therefore you should consider hiring a marquee that comes with heating or venues that are completely covered and that are big enough to accommodate all of your guests including yourself as you want to be a guest at your own party in order to fully enjoy yourself!
Food and Drink catered for you and your guests
The thing on everyone’s mind is what will be there to eat and drink. Hence why having a menu that fully caters for you and your guests especially those with dietary requirements is so important as then your event will be inclusive of everyone.
Speaking of being inclusive if there will be kids at your event then why not let them have their own menu as not only will they be just like the grown-ups but then there is no confusion about what they can and can’t have.
As this may be the most important part of planning your post-summer soiree you need to make sure that all your food and beverages are eye-catching and showstopping while being absolutely delicious.
To add a wow factor to your event why not consider hiring a mixologist or having a cocktail-making class as an activity for you and your guests.
An Element of Surprise
What better way to wow your guests than by creating an element of surprise. Here are a number of ideas that you could implement at your event to surprise your guests and wow them such as:
- A Photobooth
- Performance
- Wine Tasting
- Activity
- Announcement
- Specific themed surprises (For bonfire night everyone will expect a fireworks display but if you do this right then you will still be able to impress and surprise your guests)
This is the best way to create an exciting atmosphere for your guests and let’s be real who doesn’t love surprises?!
Choosing the right entertainment
A party is measured by how entertained your guests are therefore you may decide to hire entertainers so that you can enjoy yourself as well and not have to worry about running around making sure everyone is having a good time
It really comes down to what your event theme is. A kid’s birthday? Everyone loves a magician! For Halloween, why not hire scare actors to really make that spooky atmosphere come to life. As for Christmas, the obvious entertainment would be to have Santa pay everyone a visit (with or without the slay and reindeer).
When choosing the music for the event it should not only fit your theme but also create the atmosphere you want to achieve and have for the duration of the party. For instance, a live band is an amazing way to engage all of your guests and get everyone up and on that dance floor!
Speaking of dancing the night away, you will need to take into consideration if you would like to have a dance area at your event as when those drinks begin to flow and everyone is having a good time they will want to let loose and have a boogie. This is also a great way for you as the party host to let your hair down and enjoy your night.
Decorating done right
This doesn’t need to be costing you an arm and a leg but it is important to your event as it’ll contribute to your guest’s first impressions and gives you the chance to wow them straight off the bat.
Therefore here are some things to consider when choosing your events decorations:
- Colour scheme
- What best suits your chosen theme
- Make sure the decorations are eye-catching and creative
- Interactive to keep your guests entertained
If you implement all of these factors then it is sure to be a memorable event that no one will be able to forget.
Make your post-summer soiree unique
Everyone want to make their party one of a kind but how is this possible? Surely everything has already been done tenfold? Wrong.
It can be as simple as your choice in theme or even the candles on your birthday cake as long as it is unique to you and your event then everyone will remember it.
Our advice would be to do your research, and see what themes people have done to death in the past so that through that, you will be able to pick a tailored theme that suits you and what you want to celebrate.
What about party favours? Giving something to your guests that they can keep forever is a lovely touch to make the event memorable and one they won’t forget anytime soon. Examples of this could be a polaroid camera picture of you and that guest, a little trinket that fits in with the theme of the party or even a thank you card for each guest.
Planning takes time
It may seem like the most obvious tip we could give you but it will make the difference between having a good event to an amazing one. Planning something like a post-summer soiree could take months from the initial idea and brainstorming to inviting all your guests and getting everything in order.
So take your time, listen to our advice and get started on everything as soon as you can as this will make it as hassle-free as possible for you and your guests so that you can all enjoy the event as much as possible.
Don’t forget!
It is your event so you should only invite the people who you want to be there. It may sound like the most obvious advice we could give you but having someone show up who isn’t invited could be disastrous to your party.
No one likes a party crasher so plan who you want to invite, make a list and stick to it. If anyone has an issue with that, remind them that it is your event and you have the only say on who is allowed to come to it.
Remember that the best parties are those full of your nearest and dearest friends and family who want to be there with you to celebrate your event and contribute to making those lasting memories.
How can Vanilla Bean help you?
Here at Vanilla Bean Events, we specialise in premium-level event catering for private parties, weddings and corporate events. Our team uses their initiative and full event management services in order to create innovative, bespoke menus and creative venue styling. We step in to take the stress out of event organisation while delivering the WOW factor with our incredible food and unique and original event designs. Our goal is to make sure that everything is handled in the best way possible so that you are left stress-free to enjoy your event from start to finish without having to lift a single finger.
So why not get in touch with us today to begin planning your dream post-summer soiree? Click here to enquire with our team about your party idea!