Planning a party is exciting - but how do you make sure that everyone has a great time? You want your party to stand out from the crowd, and be talked about for months (if not, years) to come! One way to do this, is to really think about the entertainment that you're putting on for your guests. You need to think carefully about the guest experience; how will the celebration flow? Will guests be entertained? Will there be interactive elements to get guests involved? This blog will give you a few examples of party entertainment ideas, to get you started when planning your next celebration!
Games Arcades - Taking people back to their childhood is a great way to inject fun into your celebration, and games arcades are a great way to do this! You can hire in anything from a basketball hoop to table football or even a dance machine!
Roaming Musicians - Live music always adds something to any occasion; however, make it that little bit more special by having musicians roaming amongst your guests. Whether that is a saxophonist during a drinks reception, or a solo artist during dinner - bringing the live music up, close and personal to your guests will certainly elevate their experience.
Digital Experiences - Photobooths may have been around for a while now, but they are still a great way to entertain your guests and to create lasting memories. There are 360 cameras that are an upgrade on the traditional photo booth and add an extra element of fun for your guests. If you're having a personal celebration, then you could have an audio guestbook - usually an old fashioned style phone/phone box, where your guests can record personal messages just for you!
Illusionists - They can wow your guests at any point of your celebration - whether it's during a reception, whilst having dinner, or in the bar after the main activities. Illusionists will keep your guests minds' whirring, trying to work out what they have just experienced. It's a great way to get guests talking, whilst they all try to suss out the performance!
Performances - Like live music, live performances will always add a wow factor to your celebration. There are so many different options; from hiring hosts to fire performers to classical dancers. Depending on your budget and style of event, there is something out there to wow your guests!
Live Art - This could be any number of experiences, from a caricaturist to a live event artist. Depending on the style of party that you're hosting you could opt for the former, more light-hearted option; or choose a live artist to capture the cherished moment in a piece of art work for your home. You could even have a piece of artwork that your guests create themselves throughout the evening.
Activities - It sounds obvious, but make sure that there are plenty of activities for your guests to participate in throughout your party. You may opt for something physical like a bouncy castle, a casino, or something more creative like flower crown making. Choose something that your guests will enjoy, and even better if it is something that they can take away as a little keepsake too!
Food stations - Ok, this isn't techincally entertainment; but if you're anything like me and LOVE food, then a food station does count! We've seen chocolate fountains, sweet carts, doughnut walls etc before; but why not think of something a little different. You can pick a mac'n'cheese station, where your guests can add their own toppings; or what about a cereal station for the perfect late night snack? Something I'd love to see at an event is a gravy fondue - imagine dunking yorkshire puddings, roasties or chunks of your favourite meat into scrummy gravy!!
Games - Games have been around at parties for a while now, but there is a reason why they're so popular - guests love to get involved. Depending on the type of party/what time of year it is, you could have classic garden games such as croquet; if you have a larger budget then perhaps traditional fair ground stalls like hook-a-duck and the coconut shy.
Interactive Displays - At a celebration, there is often a lot of moving around, guests being shepherded into certain areas etc - so why not think outside the box and create something memorable. Seating plans are an easy way to add an element of interaction into your celebration - you can have a wall of your favourite shot with your guests names/table numbers on, or even little flower pots for the guests to keep afterwards.
These are just a few ways that you can inject a bit of fun into your party - the more unique you can be, the more memorable your celebration will be for your guests!
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Photograph 1 - Duntons Photography
Photograph 2 - Emma Hall Photography
Photograph 3 - Courtesy of Forever Beta
Photograph 4 - D&J Photography - please note, this image was not taken at one of my events. Credit to - Your Wedding, Your Way.
Photograph 5 - Ashleigh Britten Media