Planning your Engagement, Wedding or Anniversary
Party!
Well, firstly, CONGRATULATIONS!!
Engagements & Anniversaries
You’re on the way to Wedded bliss, or are celebrating having done the
hard work of getting married, so what better reason to celebrate your
nuptials than throwing a Party for all your closest friends and family!
Firstly, decide on who to invite so that you can organise entertainments
that are appropriate; if you are inviting children do ensure that there
are suitable facilities to keep them entertained. A circus act such as a
clown or a juggler would keep them amused! Select your choice of
entertainment for the adults; such as a live band, disco or karaoke.
Remember to send invites out as soon as possible to ensure that more
guests are able to book your do into their diaries. Book a local hall,
function room or restaurant and a caterer and bar.
For your Engagement party, there is no need to go wild
with a massive do, as you will need to be saving up for your Wedding,
and don’t forget your Stag or Hen party too. Your Anniversaries should
be celebrated as often as possible in our eyes!
Stag & Hen
This is where the fun is! Your Stag or Hen party can be as wild, or
indeed as tame, as you like. There are a massive range of activities
available, from Bungee Jumping, Paint-balling and Driving Adventures
through to relaxing Pamper Days. Don’t be alarmed by the vast array of
18+ gifts that you will undoubtedly receive from friends, and do join in
the fun by wearing L-plates, personalised printed T-shirts or giant
chicken outfits so that everyone knows who you all are! This party,
whether it be an evening out in your local town or a weekend in a
European Capital, is your chance to let your hair down and do what you
really want to do. If you are bewildered by the choices available,
contact a Party Organiser who can help you narrow down your options to
find something suitable.
Wedding
This should be your dream day to be fondly remembered for the rest of
your life, so ensure that you don’t settle for second best. Select a
venue (if you wish to have a civil ceremony and reception in the same
place, check that the venue is Licensed for Civil Ceremonies). For your
reception party, the choice is endless. It’s up to you whether you
choose to celebrate your Wedding on a Riverboat cruise with 50
handpicked companions or hire out the worlds biggest Hotel and invite
everyone you have ever met. Marquees are used more and more frequently;
long gone are the days of ratty old smelly tents used by the Scouts,
options now include a varied assortment of colours and styles, lighting,
with optional furniture, stages and dance-floors. Don’t forget portable
toilets!
If your Ceremony and Reception are in different
venues, you will need to decide on transport between the two for
yourselves and your guests. You may wish to use the same vehicle that
took you to your ceremony, for example a horse & carriage, vintage car
or limousine. You may also wish to consider hiring taxi’s, a mini bus or
a coach to ferry your bridesmaids, close family members and elderly or
disabled guests.
Capture the day professionally; good photographs and
videos may seem expensive but are something that you really will
treasure for years to come. And just incase, get Insurance. This doesn’t
cover you if your spouse fails to show, but can save the day if one of
your suppliers goes bust in the run up to your big day…
The theme of your Wedding is initially shown to your
guests by your choice of invites and other stationery. You should ensure
that your venue is suitably decorated to continue your theme, and there
is a plethora of ways in which to do this. From magnificent Balloon
Arches and Ice Sculptures to Floral Decorations and Favours, there are
many many ways of decorating your venue to your taste. Don’t forget that
there are Venue Decorators who can book everything for you, giving you
one less thing to worry about!
The food you choose to provide will also add to the
atmosphere of your Reception; do you wish to have a formal A La Carte
sit down meal, or a more relaxed Buffet style supper, or indeed both –
one for daytime and one for the evening? Also consider whether you need
to hire additional linens, crockery, cutlery or glassware. You will need
to ensure that there are drinks available for everyone; alcoholic
beverages can be supplied by a Mobile Bar if your venue doesn’t provide
one. Don’t forget soft drinks for children and designated drivers; you
could even provide a Mobile Juice Bar to really impress the kids! When
choosing your Wedding Cake you will need to decide whether you wish to
serve it as a dessert. There are many options available as well as the
traditional fruit cake, including chocolate cakes, croquembouches
(traditional French profiterole towers) and chocolate fountains.
Continue your theme by your choice of Entertainment.
Organise a Crèche for the little ones so that Mums and Dads can enjoy
your big day too. Whilst you’re eating consider having some background
music – a soloist, or duet such as harpists or pipers can create a
beautiful ambience without being too intrusive. Wandering Entertainers
are a brilliant way of keeping guests entertained during a lull, for
example between the day and evening entertainment, whilst the bride and
groom get changed or during the meal. Choose from many many options
including caricaturists, hypnotists, mind readers, look-a-likes,
magicians, stilt-walkers, fire-eaters, or even tarot or psychic readers.
In the evening, remember that you will be pretty busy chatting to
guests, but don’t let that take over.
Make sure that some time is spent
with your new spouse, not just the first dance! Choose a suitable
entertainment such a Country & Western or Celilidh Band to get guests
dancing. Remember that if you are having live performers, they will
require a rest from singing or playing so you may need a Disco to play
all your favourite classic records or another form of entertainment to
fill in the interim periods. Jazz or Blues bands are frequently booked
to add to atmosphere, and Tribute or Original Bands are brilliant for
die-hard music fans. Why not draw the evening to an end with an
impressive firework or laser display?
Your Wedding Night suite; if your Reception is at a
Hotel, do ask to see if you can book the Bridal Suite and see if they
will allow you to book rooms for your Guests. You may wish to add Guest
Accommodation details, such as local hotels and B&B’s to your Wedding
Invitations. If you are spending your Wedding Night away from your
reception, you will need to have booked suitable transport, and have
contact details of local taxi firms available for your Guests.
Consider booking a Toastmaster. As well as adding some
glamour to your day, your Toastmaster is also an invaluable source of
Wedding Etiquette will help with speech writing and will make the day
run smoothly. If it all looks too daunting, book a Wedding Planner!
These guys are brilliant and most will do as little or as much as you
require.
