host a social event

How to Host a Social Event Safely During the Pandemic

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

Summer is a popular time for parties and get-togethers, but the party season will be a bit different this year. Now that many people have some immunity and COVID-19 rates are down, some people are completely comfortable gathering with family and friends in person, while others are not so comfortable. If you plan to host a social event you must also take into consideration the susceptibility of older loved ones to coronavirus, as well as others who may be vulnerable in other ways.

Fortunately, there are ways to gather safely in the wake of the pandemic, whether you do it in-person or virtually. In that spirit, here are some practical tips to keep in mind if you plan
to host a social event or holiday gathering this year.

Be Intentional About Who You Invite

Probably the toughest part of planning a social event during the COVID-19 pandemic is choosing who can and cannot come. After all, no one wants to turn down family members or close friends.
However, being careful with who you invite is essential to protecting everyone involved.

For instance, if someone has been diagnosed with COVID-19, is showing symptoms of the disease, or has been exposed to a positive case within the last 14 days, they probably shouldn’t come to your event. Moreover, Visiting Angels suggests that if seniors or those with underlying medical conditions want to attend the event, they should do so with caution.

Gather Virtually

You don’t have to host a social event in-person to enjoy friends and family this year. Take advantage of apps like Zoom and Google Hangouts to get people together from afar. These apps can also be used for those who cannot attend your in-person event. CNN points out there are many ways to make a live stream holiday event fun, such as holding a costume contest, playing games
digitally, having group discussions, sharing traditional family recipes, and blessing the food.

A virtual party is also a good idea when you plan a holiday party for work. Chances are, employees are already used to having meetings and working remotely. Whether it’s virtual or in-person (at the workplace), you can skip the high-priced venue and do it during the day. Also, keep it low-cost by nixing the booze and not overdoing it on decorations.

Opt for Outdoors (if Possible)

Though we are still learning about COVID-19 and probably will be for a long time, we know that the coronavirus doesn’t spread as rapidly in outdoor settings. If at all possible, keep your event outdoors. Colder weather may mean getting creative, like setting out space heaters or creating a DIY fire pit in your yard. There are beautiful designs that can make your outdoor space more usable and aesthetically pleasing throughout the year, and they don’t have to take more than a day to make.

Clean Your Home

If you plan to host a social event and inside is the only option, make sure your home is thoroughly decluttered, cleaned, and disinfected. Tidying up can only do so much. The important thing is killing the germs that hide in everyday spaces, like on counters, furniture, and appliances. You don’t want your guests worrying about what they can and cannot touch. It’s best to clean and disinfect as thoroughly as possible before and after your party.

Establish (and Encourage) Safety Precautions

If you plan to host a social event in-person this year, taking precautions is critical. Encourage everyone to stay at least one meter apart. One way to add some fun to the mix is to hold a contest for the best mask. Make sure people wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently throughout the event, particularly before and after preparing or eating food.

Streamline Dining

Another step you can take towards safety is to have one person serve pre-plated food to all of the guests, as opposed to offering buffet-style dining. Or you can prepare single-use containers of foods and treats for people to grab from a table. Be sure to furnish individually-packaged condiments and seasonings as well.

Just because it’s going to look different doesn’t mean that you can’t make this summer’s social season special. Remember to consider the tips listed here, and continue to research other ways that you can safely celebrate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most important thing is that you take any necessary precautions to keep all of your loved ones and yourself safe.

 

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

Should I Create an Event App?

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

Whether you’re planning a 10,000 attendee trade show or a 20 person corporate leadership conference, you’ve probably thought about how you could create an event app.

When should you make the leap? What should you expect to get from the investment? How do you create an event app?

We found a lot of event professionals were asking those questions, so DoubleDutch (the leading mobile event app provider) teamed up with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) to get some answers.

In September 2014, MPI conducted a survey to their event professionals to determine who uses mobile event apps and why. The data revealed that 63% of meeting planners are currently using mobile apps at events. Of those not currently using a mobile app, 60% expect to be in the next 1-2 years.

Are you currently using a mobile app at your events?

phillips celebrations create an event app

 

 

For Non-App Users: Do you plan to use a mobile app in the future?

phillips celebrations create an event app

 

Why does your event need an app?

Event success is largely determined by attendee satisfaction. Typically, this is done through post-event evaluation surveys, tracking early bird registrations, and other ad hoc data points.

Mobile event apps like the ones DoubleDutch provides can help significantly here. With a branded mobile app for their event, enable planners can improve the experience for attendees, solicit feedback seamlessly, and capture many never-before-seen data points that can help demonstrate success to leadership.

To summarize, mobile event applications help planners and organizers answer the age-old question: How was the event?

Here are a few reasons why planners are adopting mobile so avidly…

Which statement best describes your event app use?

phillips celebrations create an event app

 

Let us elaborate on some of these answers in more detail.

A Central Hub for Event Content & Information

Gone are the days of carrying around large printed guides from session to session. By giving attendees mobile access to the most up-to-date event details, applications create a convenient hub for all event-critical information.

Thanks to cloud configuration, planners have the ability to update content on the fly. If a session runs over time or a speaker’s flight has been delayed, organizers can notify attendees in the moment to avoid confusion and frustration. Because printed guides are often outdated the moment they return from the printer, these problems are more difficult to overcome without the help of a mobile application that is accessible for instant content updates.

Give your event participants access to important resources. Resources like presentation decks, PDFs, videos, and more) in the mobile application is really helpful. This affords planners an opportunity to create a central hub for all event content from beginning to end.

Replacing the printed guide with a mobile app gives incredible flexibility for content changes and can reduce printing costs significantly, making it a win-win for attendees and planners alike.

An Engaging Social Community

Many people attend events because of the networking opportunities available to them. An event application creates a community environment for attendees to engage with content and each other in meaningful ways. By giving conference attendees a platform to communicate with one another (and the organizers) through status updates and private messaging, planners are able to create a deeper bond between attendees and the event, ultimately leading to greater brand loyalty and attendee retention.

Event apps can be used to open up lines of communication between attendees, exhibitors, speakers, and planners. As each event stakeholder is given a voice in the app, the event becomes a more collaborative, participatory experience.

Generate Data to Fuel Your Business

The first question every planner is faced with upon returning to the office is, “how was the event?” An event application can help you answer this question with confidence.

From a high level, planners are looking at the number of app downloads, active users, and activities per user to determine the success (ROI) of the application. These numbers provide a basic understanding of the value of the mobile application, and can also give some strong signals around content performance.

Mobile applications with native, in-app polling and survey features give planners a second layer of data to better comprehend and react to event performance. Using contextual triggers, like time and location, mobile applications have the ability to prompt attendees to give honest feedback in the moment. This in comparison gathering data days or weeks after the event. Because of this, planners can increase response rates significantly and quickly, empowering them to make smart, data-driven decisions in the moment and for future events.

The Time for Mobile is Now

While these are just a handful of reasons why events need mobile applications, the possibilities are truly endless. From internal corporate meetings, like sales kick offs, to large user conferences, planners around the world are leveraging the power of mobile to create award-winning event experiences. Find out how you can create an event app for your events today.

Ready to create a mobile strategy for your next event?

This guest article was written by Justin Gonzalez of DoubleDutch.

If you are party planning a company event for your company, great! Visit Phillips Meetings & Events for on-site corporate planning options.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

10 Party Planning Mistakes Commonly Made

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

No matter how many parties you’ve thrown, or how hard you try to predict the unpredictable, some party planning fouls just can’t be avoided. Maybe a guest forgets to turn off the bathroom sink and you now have a flood in your basement. Or the private wine fridge was raided and you’re out a few very expensive bottles of vino.

However, there are some common mistakes made by guests that are totally preventable, and we can tell you how. Not only that, but if you keep these party planning tips in mind when the tables are turned and you’re the invitee, you’ll be the best guest in attendance.

From birthday celebrations to anniversary parties, below are the 10 most common party planning mistakes made by guests and the fixes to prevent them.

Guest Mistake #1: Inviting people without asking.

The fix: If you need an accurate headcount for your event (or just don’t want uninvited guests), send out a real invitation rather than a casual alternative, like a Facebook event page or group text. Old-fashioned snail mail or even a digital evite does the trick. Either way, an invitation says: “I’ve put thought into this party, and here are the details that should be respected.”

Now, the RSVP wording is your opportunity to make a clear point about guest list flexibility (or lack thereof). Something like, “RSVP by [insert a date]. Due to limited space, please note that extra guests cannot be accommodated.” If you think that’s a buzz kill, add a nod to your theme to loosen it up. “RSVP by [insert date] so we can program the time machine accordingly. We can’t take everyone back to the ‘90s, you know.”

Guest Mistake #2: Ignoring the “respond by” date, or not RSVP’ing at all.

The fix: Okay, you did the whole invitation thing, and some people haven’t responded. Unfortunately, this happens. Set your RSVP date a week earlier than you actually need to know a headcount. Then, once that date has passed, reach out to outstanding invitees asking whether or not they received the invitation and if they’ll be able to make it.

Guest Mistake #3: Asking who else is coming—before RSVP’ing.

The fix: One of the worst guest faux pas is trying to feel out the guest list before confirming attendance. Which is why it made the list, but unfortunately, it’s unavoidable. You don’t have to answer the question directly, simply respond with something along the lines of: “Only the best of the best got the invite. It’s going to be a blast!” Or, send a GIF.

phillips celebrations common party planning mistakes

Guest Mistake #4: Taking it upon themselves to invent new parking spaces.

The fix: Whether you’re hosting at home or at a venue, think about the car-to-guest ratio and parking capacity. If there might be confusion that results in people getting blocked in—or worse, parking on a lawn—give explicit instructions with overflow areas.

If parking is too tight for comfort, encourage carpooling and volunteer yourself. You can help make introductions between guests who live in each other’s driving routes. There are a few pros to this: Guests can make new friends even before the party starts, Mother Nature will appreciate it and it reduces parking congestion.

Guest Mistake #5: Not dressing to match the theme.

The fix: There are a few reasons why guests discard theme-related instructions. Sometimes they just don’t know where to get the stuff, and even if they do, they don’t want to spend money on a one-time wear. Here’s what you do: Incentivize with raffle-style costume prizes. The more elaborate the costume, the more entry tickets you get. Include the contest details on the invitation so guests can excited about putting their outfit together.

Guest Mistake #6: Not mingling with people outside their circles.

The fix: The easiest way to encourage mingling between friend groups is to plant ice breakers around the party. Think: interactive games (life-size Jenga or cornhole), a photo booth area, conversational tabletop card games or coloring books (yes, grown-up coloring books—put out crayons and adult coloring books and watch the magic happen).

Another trick to encourage meeting new people is to display names. Obviously name tags are too lame for a party. Opt for cocktail swizzle sticks that can be written on with permanent marker, or some kind of drink tag. Guests can write their name on the cocktail stick or tag and it will double as a way to tell drinks apart and learn someone’s name at a glance.

You can also tee-up conversations for a seated meal. Write the guest’s name on the outside and a prompt on the inside using tented place cards. Think: “Ask Dave, on your left, about his recent trip to Africa.”

phillips celebrations common party planning mistakes

Guest Mistake #7: Congregating in one area.

The fix: Guest clusters form around three main areas: by the cocktails, by the food and in a bathroom line. If possible, set up the cocktails and a main food station on opposite sides of the party space. You can further prevent crowding by dispersing light finger foods on available tabletop surfaces or opting for passed appetizers, that way food comes to guests as they’re mingling.

Guest Mistake #8: Appointing themselves to play DJ.

The fix: The easiest fix to this problem is to hire a proper DJ or live music to manage the tunes. You may be thinking that’s way out of budget, but you’d be surprised how affordable some party services are—so don’t count it out just yet.

Guest Mistake #9: Getting a little too drunk.

The fix: Supplement the beverage menu with two or three tasty nonalcoholic options. Soda and flavored sparkling water are great, but a cocktail is even better. Also set out pitchers of water so it’s easily accessible, that way staying hydrated is just one convenient pour away.

Guest Mistake #10: Overstaying the welcome.

The fix: No matter how much you love your guests, there comes a point at the end of the party where you’re ready to call it a night. You can be proactive about avoiding this by clearly printing an end time on your event’s invitation. If you’re at a venue, usually the staff can take care of nudging people out the door. But, if you’re at home, just start easing into the clean-up process—they’ll get the hint.

If you are party planning a company party for your co-workers, great! Visit Phillips Meetings & Events for on-site corporate planning options.

 

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

Entertaining Your Bar or Bat Mitzvah

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

Jewish children have a bar (or bat for a girl) mitzvah at the age of 13 (or 12 for some girls). The religious ceremony is a “coming of age” ritual and traditionally marks the child’s entrance into the Jewish community. After the bar/bat mitzvah the child is responsible for keeping (or not) all the rules of Judaism. Although there’s no religious reason for the party, it’s become a pretty big deal for most Jewish kids!

phillips celebrations bar or bat mitzvah

Photo courtesy of Mango Studio

The party has no religious basis or rules, so it can take many forms. Many people simply celebrate after Saturday services with a luncheon at the synagogue. But, many hold big parties on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. The parties can be small events held in someone’s house. Some larger events are held in a “kid friendly” venue such as a bowling alley, or even a hotel. Many bar/mitzvah parties take on elements of a “mini wedding” similar in some ways to the Latin tradition of the quinceañara.

As with weddings, having a “theme” for the bar mitzvah party has become a popular trend. Consider planning entertainment and decorations around the theme. The parties are multi-age events, with the majority of guests being around the age of 13! For this reason, DJs with a wide range of music are the most popular entertainment choice. Because 13 year olds are notoriously shy and awkward about dancing, many people like to hire DJs with a dance team or other entertainment. A great DJ can get even the most awkward adolescent on the floor. Of course, 13 year olds are also extremely hard to please. So it’s best to make sure the guest of honor is included in decisions to prevent anyone “lame” from being hired.

phillips celebrations bar or bat mitzvah

Photo courtesy of Mclean’s

Entertainment options

Because so many of the guests are so young, a long reception generally needs more than one form of entertainment. Magicians, balloon twisters, stilt walkers, caricature artists and other “strolling” forms of entertainment are good choices for mingling in the crowd. Other more stationary things like face painters, photo booths and bounce houses are great options too. Make sure that any entertainer you hire is aware of the primary age group of the guests, and of any restrictions. For example, if the reception is being held in a synagogue and he or she won’t be able to get in to set up until after the sabbath.

The popularity of bar mitzvah parties means that the stress involved in planning one is high. It doesn’t have to be though. Just like with a wedding, it’s not about how much you spend or everything being perfect. It’s about celebrating moments and honoring the important people in your life. Are you planning a bar or bat mitzvah? What sorts of things have you seen done? What unique ideas do you have?

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services. We feature DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

6 Tips for Planning Your Office Holiday Party

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

Mingling and laughing with coworkers at the holiday office party is a highlight of the year for many employees. It’s a chance to relax, have fun, celebrate a year’s work well done, and enjoy delicious food together. Get the scoop on planning your office holiday party for yourself and your colleagues. 

phillips celebrations planning your office holiday party

Select a Planning Committee 

Don’t try to plan everything yourself! You’ll be stressed out when you should be able to enjoy yourself at the party as well. Instead, recruit some savvy colleagues as your party planning committee, and work together to pull off the best event your company has seen. 

Think of a Theme 

Selecting a theme can make it easier to decide on decor, food, games, dress code, and more. Plus, a themed party is more fun! Why not try a theme like the Grammy’s, the Oscars, black and white, casino, or Broadway?  

Since your party takes place during the holidays, you can always adopt related colors and elements as part of your theme. Your guests will love attending a party with a “holiday gala” theme that incorporates traditional celebrations, but with a new level of elegance. 

Choose the Holiday Office Party Venue 

Nothing says “You’re special” to your employees like taking them to an incredible venue for the holiday party. Select a venue featuring gardens and grounds that are even beautiful in the winter months. Consider elegant indoor spaces that form the perfect setting for a memorable event.  

Explore the gardens, ballroom, interior rooms, cuisine, and other offerings via our online photo gallery. You’ll get a sense of the rich furnishings and traditional decor, mixed with modern details that make our event space a prized destination for corporate events and weddings.  

phillips celebrations planning your office holiday party

Double Up on Invitations 

Sending out invitations in both paper and online form is the surest way to get the RSVPs you need for a proper head count. Have a company designer or a local artist design both the online and hard copy versions, and send them out to your guests well in advance.  

If you’d like to go the extra mile, create a simple website where guests can see the theme, respond to the invitation, and start getting in the party spirit. 

Order More Food than You Think 

It’s always better to have too much food and drink than too little. Hiring a great chef can help you get as close as possible to the amount of food you’ll need, with a comfortable buffer in place just in case some of your guests show up without having sent an RSVP.  

You can preview  buffet options, maybe even create an office themed menu.  

Plan Some Entertainment 

Whether it’s a DJ and dancing, a truly impressive magician, a comedian, or live music and company awards, you’ll need some form of entertainment during the party. Our event specialists can recommend vendors and entertainment that will make the night even more memorable. 

If you’d like to take your holiday office party to the next level this year, contact us at Phillips Celebrations. We’d be happy to schedule a consultation so you can see local venue options and amenities for yourself. Don’t wait to book your holiday office party.

If you are planning your office holiday party for your co-workers, great! Visit Phillips Meetings & Events for on-site corporate planning options.

What ideas do you have for planning your office holiday party? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

 

5 Office Holiday Party Ideas

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

Many companies hold office holiday parties to celebrate the season and reward employees for a years’ worth of hard work. The changing economy has really made in-office parties more popular, as they can be more affordable than an offsite event. The challenge with an in-office party is making it more fun than a typical day at work. If you are planning an office holiday party, we have some ideas to help make thinks exciting and festive.

phillips celebrations office holiday party

Ugly Holiday Sweater

Make it a themed party and find ideas from Phillips Celebrations! Last year at our Phillips holiday party, we were all asked to wear our favorite (but not attractive) holiday sweater. With everyone in gaudy holiday attire, it made for some great laughs, and the office felt more festive. The awful sweaters also made for great conversation starters (you know sometimes the beginning of office parties can be a bit awkward). We suggest offering a prize for the ugliest sweater – a little competition always motivates people to get more involved.

Door Prizes

Offer each employee a ticket when the party begins. Throughout the event, call out random winners and let them claim their door prizes. Be creative with the prizes – how about a half day off work, free lunch on the company, or a better parking space for a month? Offering affordable work-related perks as prizes is a great way to brighten your employees’ holiday season.

Cookie/Baked Goods Swap

The holidays are one time of the year where people feel like it’s okay to loosen their belts a little and indulge. There are many different kinds of delicious holiday treats and everyone has their favorites. Why not encourage everyone in their office to bring in their favorite holiday cookie or baked good. Then, you can put out a buffet of scrumptious sweets for everyone to enjoy.

Yankee Swap

Of course, you can go the traditional route of a Secret Santa gift exchange where each person picks a name out of a hat and buys a gift for a co-worker. But, we suggest you spice things up and try a Yankee Swap. Here’s how it works – ask each guest to bring a funny gift to the party. Then, assign each guest a number. Once numbers are distributed, the first person will pick a gift from the pile and open it. The second person can either “steal” the first gift or open a new one. Continue until all the gifts are gone. You should limit it so each gift can only be “stolen” twice. A Yankee Swap can definitely liven up the party and each guest will get to leave with a wacky souvenir of your office holiday party.

Entertainment

The easiest way to liven up your holiday party is to include entertainment! Adding karaoke could could really increase the energy of your office party. But, if you don’t want to hear your co-workers’ renditions of Dominic the Donkey, you could hire a DJ to play music and keep the flow of the party going. You could also invite a very special guest to the party – Santa Claus! Your co-workers may get a kick out of getting their pictures taken with old St. Nick. It’s not every day you get to party with Santa! If you are planning a office holiday party for your co-workers, great! Visit Phillips Meetings & Events for on-site corporate planning options.

What ideas do you have for planning an office holiday party? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

How to Plan a Retirement Party

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

A retirement party is an event to celebrate a coworker’s career and achievements. It is a great opportunity to show appreciation in a fun and respectful way. Similarly to any other party, there’s a ton involved in planning a party to present an individuals accomplishments. Whether it’s a party for your spouse, parent, friend or colleague, make your life easier, plan a retirement party with Phillips Celebrations. We’ll assist in keeping you organized and guests informed and involved in all the details of the event.

Here are a some good ideas on how to plan a retirement party that the retiree will remember forever:

Establish a budget

Establishing a budget for the retirement party should be one of the first planning steps. It should take into account venue, food, decor, entertainment and a nice gift. Your budget will determine the number of guests you can invite and the price per ticket if you are selling tickets to the party. Your retirement party planner will help you keep track of all your expenses, when to make bookings and when payments are due.

Select a location

The party can be held at the office, at someone’s home, in a restaurant, hotel, club, art gallery, or casino. Your budget, how many guests, when the event will take place (day or evening,) and what time of year all need to be taken into account. You should also consider the preferences of the retiree, whether they want a big or small or traditional event. To choose the best location, you should ask co-workers for their suggestions.

Create a guest list

You’ll need to decide who and how many people to invite to the party. Do you want an employee only event or one that includes close friends and family? Your budget will help determine the number of guests you can have.

Choose a theme

Themed parties are always a lot of fun and should reflect the retirees character, career, interests or hobbies. The type of theme can be determined by co-workers using an online poll. A theme will establish the decor, invitation design, dress code, music and entertainment at the retirement party.

Send out invitation online

Inviting guests to your retirement party by email is simple, it also saves time and money. The invitation should specify the location, time, date, purpose of the event, and how to RSVP. The invitation can direct guests to the party website where they can learn more about the details of the event. This can include directions, parking instruction, travelers information and about any special guests.

Ticket purchase online

If you choose to plan a retirement party that requires tickets to be sold, it will be convenient for guests to be able to purchased them online. It’s much easier to purchase tickets directly from a website, using their credit card. This is simpler than writing a check and mailing it in.

phillips celebrations plan a retirement party

Courtesy of Buzzle.com

Festive ambiance

You want to create a fun atmosphere for the party while at the same time really focusing on the guest of honor. Aside from balloons, banners and streamers, decorations should emphasize the retiree’s life, accomplishments, and interests. You can blow up photos of the retiree through the years and place them throughout the venue. Each table can have a centerpiece with a specific theme relating to a part of the retiree’s life or their hobbies.

Plan entertainment

Plan a retirement party that differs from other celebratory parties. You should still have music and hire a photographer to take pictures and video. Consider hiring a photographer, videographer or have a co-worker do it.) Photos and videos of the party can be uploaded onto the website for the retiree and guests to browse after the event.

Seeing as the party is centered on the person’s career, the entertainment should also focus on the retirees profession and accomplishments. Guests can make speeches sharing stories, experiences and what they’ve learned from the retiree. They can also offer toasts expressing how the retiree has impacted their lives. Having a roast is also always entertaining and a comical way to show admiration. The guest of honor may also want to make a speech expressing his gratitude to all those involved in helping make is professional career a success. All can be recorded and the videos can be uploaded on the website to remember all the kind words that were said at the party.

phillips celebrations plan a retirement party slideshow

Stay in touch

The website is an excellent way to foster communication before and after the party. It is a great way to make suggestions and share stories and photos. Guests and the retiree can visit the website even after the party and continue to correspond with one another as the website acts as a private communication hub. The website will help with sharing and recalling happy memories about the retirees career before and after the party. If you are planning a retirement party for a co-worker at your office, great! Visit Phillips Meetings & Events for on-site corporate planning options.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

How to Find and Hire a Party Planner

PC Team Articles, Party Planning

When planning a party, there are lots of things you need to consider. The party may be for a birthday, anniversary, business, family or wedding event. Whichever the event, one of the critical decisions to consider is whether or not you should hire a party planner. Will it be a perfect event? How will it be memorable? Will guests arrive on time? Will the food and drinks be enough? What if it rains? These are among the issues that bother people when planning an event. However, you can avoid this stress by hiring a professional party planner.

We offer several party planners in your area. Although all of these companies claim to offer the best party planning services, you need to settle for one party planner. How do you determine the best for you? Here is a guideline to hire a party planner.

hire a party planner phillips celebrations

Research

Take your time to research available party planners. Don’t be in a hurry to choose a party planner. The best way to research is to search online. With just a single click, you will find lots of party planners in your area. You can visit our website to know about the services available.

Check on experience

It is advisable that you choose a professional and experienced party planner. These professionals will add value to your party. An experienced party planner knows when to order items, what to do in case of an emergency and has solutions to unforeseeable challenges. You can go through the website to determine the experience of the party planner.

Interview party planners

The next thing is to interview potential candidates. Have a list of at least three professional party planners. You can engage the party planners in an interview conversation online by inquiring about their skills, experience, and services offered. You can also request a quote and compare it to other party planner quotes.

hire a party planner phillips celebrations

Plan your first meeting

Arrange a meeting with your ideal party planner. Share your party ideas. Suggest your theme and needs. How does the party planner respond to your party ideas? Does the planner listen to your opinion? Are they ready to work with your choices? A reliable party planner should be enthusiastic about your choice of party.

Work on a budget

The next step is to negotiate a deal. Have a budget in mind. Ask about party planning fees. Discuss the size of the party. The season may also influence your party budget. At this stage, make sure that you are working within your budget. Let your party planner know the amount you are willing to spend on the party.

Seal the deal

After agreeing on the budget, take time to go through the terms of the contract. Are there hidden fees? What are the terms of the contract termination? How much are you supposed to deposit as a down-payment? Once you are satisfied with the formal proposal, don’t hesitate to sign the deal.

By following these steps, you will find the best party planners in your area. Make sure that you start your search early. It is also best that you set the event date before finding a party planner, to allow for adequate preparation. If you are in search of corporate event planning, visit Phillips Meetings & Events.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

Ready to Laugh? How to Hire a Comedian

PC Team Articles, Comedians

Turn on the news, pick up the paper, pretty much wherever you turn, you’re hearing about the plummeting stock market, crazily tweeting politicians, or the latest job cuts. In times like these, we all need to laugh, which is probably why movies like Madea Family Funeral and Shazam are tops at the box office. When planning your event, consider bringing some relaxing laughter into the mix, hire a comedian.

phillips celebrations hire a comedian

So, if you’re planning a party or corporate event this year, consider bringing in some laughter. A comedian will certainly lighten things up. It may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you follow our guide on how to hire a comedian:

Consider your audience.

  • What kind of humor do you think they’d like? Political satire, everyday humor, sight gags, audience participation, etc.
  • What is the age range of your guests?

Determine the fit.

  • Where does the comedian fit into the event? Is he/she the main event or the opening ice-breaker?
  • How long would you like the act?
  • Would you like to hire a comedian to roast the guest(s) of honor?

Know where the line is.

  • If you’re planning a church fundraiser, you should probably look for a 100% clean, wholesome act. Clean comedians can be just as funny.
  • For a corporate event, you don’t want to offend anyone with sexist, racist or other off-color jokes.
  • And, for a 40th birthday party with your closest friends, well, the proverbial line is wherever you want it to be.

phillips celebrations hire a comedian

Get to know a handful of comedians.

  • Be sure the comedian understands exactly what you want – you can start by sharing your answers to the above questions.
  • Be sure to watch video clips of their act. If you’re not laughing out loud, your guests won’t be either.
  • A good comedian will spend time talking to you about the audience and walking you through their jokes. By the time you make your decision, you should feel 100% confident that the comedian’s act will be appropriate, and 90% confident that your guests will be rolling in the aisles (hey, there’s no guarantee!).
  • If you need to hire a comedian to clean up the act, and doing so makes it less funny, move on.
  • Talk to references from the comedian’s previous clients.
  • Consider price and time – you’re better off having a shorter act that is funny than a longer act that is dull.

If you get it right, your guests will definitely thank you for reminding them to laugh!

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

Estimating How Many Drinks to Provide

PC Team Articles, Cocktails

It’s one of the central questions of party planning, estimating drinks? How much should you buy? The most common estimate given for adults is 1 drink per hour, per person. So, if you’re having 20 guests for a three hour cocktail party you’ll need a total of 60 drinks.  Of course, you know your friends and their drinking habits best, and there are other things to consider.

phillips celebrations estimating drinks for party planning

Here’s how to estimate

The average bottle of wine should be five servings. So, for a three hour party with 20 wine drinking guests you would want 12 bottles of wine. But, if people are using non wine glasses or large wine glasses they will most likely over pour, so you may want extras on hand. As a general rule, more people drink white than red, and a few people will bring you bottles of wine as a gift.

If your party is casual and you expect a number of people to be drinking from cans or bottles you’ll need more beverages on hand as people are likely to put down their drink and then forgot where it went. For some strange reason, this happens more with soda or water than beer. Very few people lose track of their beer.

If you’re serving out of glasses or disposable cups, you’ll also want to have extra available for the same reason.

phillips celebrations estimating drinks for party planning

If children will also be at the party, consider estimating drinks at 2-3 per child (non alcoholic, obviously). Children are even more likely than adults to misplace water bottles or juice boxes, so buy the smaller sizes.

Of course, you can hire a bartending professional, who can ensure your party bar stays stocked!

What other basic party planning questions do you have? Let us know in the comments below.

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Event organizers nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.