This is a guest post by Katie Howe Browne, Head of Bespoke at Mask Events, a bespoke events agency. Their team is a hand-picked collective of innovative inventors and curators who strive to break the mould of traditional events.
With summer slowly but surely creeping up on us, it can only mean one thing: party time is almost here! With everyone looking forward to summer parties filled with barbecues, cocktails and sunshine, it’s time to utilise this excitement by planning the perfect summer event.
Here are the most important things you need to consider when planning your summer party.
Location, location, location
Be sure to choose a venue that has stellar views, outdoor space, or is flooded with natural light – but always make sure there’s a wet weather option. We always hope for the best but the great British summer is unpredictable, and has potential to be wet.
Money isn’t everything, but knowing your budget is
Find out your budget as soon as possible as this will set you in good stead for the rest of the planning process, knowing where you can splash out and where you can make savings.
Related: Download Your Own Event Budget Template
Understand your guests
You might love the idea of an afternoon of crazy golf, but it might not appeal to everyone. Knowing your audience and what your guests are expecting will help create an event that perfectly caters to your needs and surpasses their expectations.
What is the event in aid of
If you’re incorporating a theme then always consider what the event is in honour of. If it’s an austere occasion then a circus themed event in an East London warehouse probably won’t work.
Prioritise
If you know that your guests expect nothing but the best in food and wine then make sure you that is where you focus your budget. Delicious and stylish food can always be served in a humble venue – in fact it will make it stand out even more. If your guests are looking for a serious party then make sure that your book great entertainment and a late finish – you can always add in extras like flowers later in the day when you know what budget you have left over.
Once you’ve done the above then the fun can really start and you’re ready to get creative.
Below are some of the things the Mask team are loving right now.
CATERING
Margarita anyone?
Nothing is as refreshing on a hot summers evening than a delicious frozen drink and these make a nice change from the normal cocktail served at most summer parties. For something a little different why not look at serving alcoholic poptails (alcoholic popsicles) from POPS; they are proving to be a huge hit with our clients this summer and they can even craft a bespoke boozy treat just for your event.
Experimental food installations
Creative food will make any event more entertaining and memorable. Think liquid nitrogen, edible mist, logo pops for corporate events and candyfloss whizzers. There are some wonderfully creative suppliers out these who have their own machines which are easy to set up, deliver a fabulous experience, and are a great conversation starter too.
Only relaxed food vibes allowed
Summer gives you an opportunity to be more informal so consider opting for more relaxed theming, consisting of happy vibes, street food, cocktails and music – in this case, less is more. Already a huge trend for summertime socialising (who hasn’t been to Street Feast?) street food markets allow people to feel at ease and enjoy themselves with friends.
Here at Mask Towers we are massive fans of KERB – they love to deliver such food and believe in creating exciting, independent and diverse foodscapes on the streets of London.
STYLING AND DECORATION
Feeling floral?
For many events, especially summer, flowers are used frequently as decoration – they are brilliant for adding a dash of colour, keeping things fresh and of course they are very appealing to the eye.
Why not turn the same old flower arrangement on its head? Florist Rebeca Louise Law does exactly this – she finds new and innovative ways to showcase a range of flowers, from streams of them hanging from tall ceilings and trailing them down to others on the ground. The breath-taking presentation of flowers is a simple but extremely effective way to amaze your guests and give your summer event that WOW factor. For small scale arrangements our go to florist is TUFF who’s creativity and imagination knows no boundaries.
The devil is in the detail
When we are working with our clients to style the event, we really like to get under the skin of them and their company so that we can tailor every aspect of the party for them. This means thinking about the experience from the moment you invite your guests. We always encourage our clients to create bespoke or unusual invitations to pique guests’ interest and create excitement and hype.
A specially designed micro-site can act as a RSVP system (integrated with Eventbrite of course), and information hub which allows you to easily track who is able to make it and all the important information like who is bringing a guest, dietary requirements and more.
You should also think about the arrival moment for clients, so you can wow guests from the moment they step through the door until they leave. Thinking about small touches like having your company logo, a specially created cocktail or creating a name for the event will also show the care and attention that you’ve put into your guests experience.
Finally, the party doesn’t have to stop when your guests leave the venue. Why not deliver a recovery pack to your guests the next day, bacon sandwiches for the office, or even a personalised snap of them from the photo booth to keep the memories alive?
THEMING
Make a weekend of it
We’re seeing the demand, more and more, for small scale festivals for our clients. Rather than a one day party, why not create a weekend full of memories and experiences for your guests? From bespoke Yurts for luxury glamping, to one of a kind team building events, you can ensure that your summer party is like nothing they’ve ever experienced and will have your guests talking about the party for month’s to come.
From branded lanyards with site maps, through to amazing live music and VIP areas, this type of event is gaining in popularity and shows no signs of stopping.
Back to the future
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and we know that some people would like to pretend it never happened, but we think the Eighties is a fun and bold theme for a summer event. Embrace your leg warmers and ‘Choose Life’ for an evening of classic music and retro styling.
Look to the silver screen
It’s been a busy year and everyone is looking forward to a holiday. Rather than an all-out party why not treat guests to something a little more relaxed and leisurely. Creating an immersive cinema experience just became a whole lot more exciting thanks to Landing 42 in London’s famous ‘Cheesegrater’ building, which is a unique event space that can be transformed into the world’s highest cinema.
You then just need to bring the film to life with themed food and decoration, through to key characters from the film who can engage with your audience. Keep it as comfortable as possible and encourage your guests to dress up if they want to. All this can be incorporated with the usual cinema treats, from pick ‘n’ mix to usherettes serving ice cream.
Related: Set the Screen: How to Create a Great Film Event
The secret garden
Mask is obsessed with finding new, cool and unique venues for their clients to host events in. We always have our ears to the ground for new venues which are a little more creative and a little less ordinary. These unusual and magical venues are perfect for anything from secret garden parties where guests can be taken away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to delight in a warm summers’ evening, through to a formal seated dinner for 100 people.
For us, the most important thing is creating a beautiful backdrop for our clients to relax and enjoy the event, safe in the knowledge that we have every aspect of the event covered. A theme like this lends itself perfectly to creating a wonderfully immersive experience, with starters served straight from the vegetable patch (edible soil anyone?).
Related: 20 Wild Ideas From Nature to Inspire Your Events
Back to the Victorian ages
Nothing screams summer like a day trip to the beach, where you can sunbathe and build sandcastles. Creating your very own beach is the ultimate summer party theme for 2016, especially with the added twist of Victoriana.
Fill your venue with sand, play wave sound effects along with music from the Victorian era to fully create that Victorian beach atmosphere. Don’t forget the classics of a Victorian beach day; Aunt Sally boards, fortune tellers, vintage photo booths and disguised heaters. Acrobatic strong men are a fun addition to any event, especially if they double up as waiters before springing in to action at the perfectly planned moment.
The Mask Team love receiving new and unusual briefs so if you would like help bringing your next event to life then what are you waiting for, get in touch! hello@mask.co.uk
