Theme Parties
Budgets
Theme parties should only be limited or constrained by budgets, as any good party designer or theming company will delight in creating more and more fantastic ideas and special effects to compliment and enhance your chosen theme. We appreciate that budgets are certainly not unlimited, so the skill tends to revolve around getting maximum effect within any given budget.
On this page we attempt to offer a few practical ideas for theme parties - do give us a ring if you need any additional advice.
Invitations
By designing fun and exclusive themed invitations you can provide the perfect backdrop for your party, and instil a sense of curiosity and excitement in your guests.
This is a service we regularly provide for our clients having themed parties.
Dress
Go to town! This can be
guests AND staff. However, be aware that if your theme is risqué and
you wish for the staff to 'join in' you will need to find the right
suppliers - some are less likely to partake than others.
Food
This is a very popular and fun area. Talk to your caterer, who should be able to come up with some proposals. Make sure your menu and tableware compliment your theme.
Even if the food itself cannot be incorporated within the theme (although it usually can) 'standard' food can be renamed to suit.
Drinks
First impressions are important. A well themed drinks reception area, with a themed bar and perhaps themed drinks immediately sends the required fun message to your guests.
Cocktails in particular are extremely flexible - your caterer or bar company should be able to provide a themed drinks menu for you. As with food, even if they are unable to design drinks specific to your theme, renaming traditional cocktails to suit can work very well.
Lighting
Good quality lighting can make a party - for themed parties this is certainly the case. Make sure all props are well (and appropriately) lit. Ensure that your marquee/lighting company understand the required ambience/mood.
If you are holding a Space or Futuristic themed event, for example, and your lighting supplier suggests chandeliers, then the alarm bells should ring! If your party is based on the colour red, make sure sufficient quantity of red lighting is proposed...
However, be aware that there may be areas where practical lighting is as important as themed lighting - ultra violet lighting for example, whilst very effective, does not usually make the most of buffet displays!
Whilst this all seems fairly obvious, it is often overlooked. Your lighting designer/supplier should come up with an effective and all-encompassing lighting plan.
Props
There are many companies
that can provide 'props', either bespoke or 'off the peg'. These can
often be excellent value and quality, but can also sometimes be tired
and expensive. Be very careful when hiring props. If possible get to see
them, or photos of them, before hiring.
The limit to what you can hire is infinite, from original props from
movies to hand painted backdrops and bespoke installations. However, as
mentioned on the previous page, be aware that the more obscure your
theme the harder it will be to find off the peg (usually the cheaper)
props to suit.
Many party hosts spend time, if available, making their own props. Not
only does this save money, but is always well received by guests - that
extra effort has been made by the host on their behalf. Assuming you as
the host are reasonably practical there is also no limit to what you can
make - perhaps an answer to finding props for an obscure theme.
Table Centres
Although not essential, there have been very few seated parties that do not have table centres, and they are particularly useful and fun when incorporated into a themed party. They can be grand and expensive, or cheap and simple but very effective.
Often your caterers will have good ideas for these. Alternatively, if you have a theming company involved then tap into them for ideas. Do not be afraid to make them yourself - you could save a great deal of money, but if you are not confident of achieving the right result then it is best to leave them to the professionals! After all, they will be looked at more than any other part of the theming.
Entertainment
There is an enormous variety of entertainers who either have specific looks/performances that will suit your theme (e.g. Bands that specialise in 70's dress and music, or Alien walkabouts) or who are very willing to tailor existing / write bespoke acts in accordance with your requirements.
For example there are an increasing quantity of 'Off the Wall' theatre companies who will add a great deal to your party by performing a number of skits / walkabout / mix and mingle activities that will have your guests crying with laughter.
The theme should most definitely be incorporated into the disco - speak to your DJ and ask for a list of appropriate tunes that he can play. Reception is obviously the best time for this, especially if your theme is 'strange' or obscure and the only tracks the DJ can suggest are not the best tunes to dance to later in the evening when the party is really swinging.
Video
Video monitors playing 'closed loop' tapes supporting your theme always go down well.
