3 Tips for Planning Your First Themed Event
As an event planner for many years, I have planned numerous themed events including birthday parties, Diner en Blanc (2019), Alberta Health & Safety Conference (since 2015), and many more! Whether you are planning for one of your little’s birthdays, or a large company event, I’ve got some tips that will help save you time and hopefully some money too!
Pick a Theme & Stick to it
Some might say the most challenging part of a themed event is choosing a theme. Why? The theme is the center of the event and you need to ensure that:
- The audience will participate
- It isn’t too complicated for the audience
- It’s easy to understand
- It’s fun and suitable for the event and audience
It’s always important to brainstorm first. Before you jump to a theme, exhaust all other ideas first (unless your little one says they want a Paw Patrol party- because that means you are having a Paw Patrol party). After you’ve tentatively chosen a theme, think about how you will make the event themed. Ask yourself the following questions to get started:
- How will you decorate? Are there any special decorations that will add to the theme?
- Will the food/catering be themed as well?
- What are the musts to making this event themed just as you have envisioned?
- And what are the key takeaways from the event? Sometimes it’s as simple as having fun, or sometimes it more in depth and you need your attendees to be engaged and take ideas and motivation back to say their workplaces.
If you are able to answer the questions above and believe you can attain them, it’s time to start moving forward with your themed event!
Outline the Must-Haves
Since the theme is the central idea of the event, what must you have in order to ensure the theme is well-known and sticks?
For themed events think about including the following:
- Themed catering, cake, cupcakes, sugar cookies, drinks etc.
- Themed decorations
- Themed dress up ideas for you and the guests
- Themed entertainment that the audience will enjoy
If you don’t know where to start, consider ordering a themed package! At Planit Events Inc., we offer Decor Crate which can be customized to your event. We provide everything from the banner, table decorations, the backdrop, balloons and much more! To learn more about how Decor Crate can make your next themed event easier, check out our page!
Share the Theme with the Guests
Once you have chosen the theme, it’s important to let your guests know as soon as possible, especially if it involves them dressing the part! It’s best to send invitations out anywhere from three to six weeks in advance for general events. Some larger events may require guests to have more notice. Ensure that the invitations specify the theme, and are even themed themselves! If you would like guest participation in any way, it’s important that they are well informed ahead of time so that they can do some planning of their own. If you’re sending e-invitations perhaps consider adding some helpful costume idea links (where applicable). Need some tips on event invitations? Check out the Planit Event Inc. infographic below!
Planning themed events takes time, dedication and passion. If you’re looking for an extra sparkle to add to your event, contact Planit Event Inc. and we would be happy to help!
-Courtney
