Making Time for Loved Ones - Making it Personal for You
Personalized Touches begin with a well-thought out Plan
When it comes to the holiday season where you have back-to-back parties marked on your calendar, it’s easy for experiences to blend and even forget what you did at the events you attended. What matters most is how you make your guests feel since this is what they’ll remember as they reminisce the holiday season.
To make your holiday event stand out, leverage the addition of personalized touches to make your guests feel special and celebrated.
However, First things first. Plan it Out and Plan it Well.
Define your Budget and Make a List of Items Needed.
Comparison Shop and Set Alerts for items of interest on Shop Aggregator sites. For items that are out of your budget, use what you can repurpose or spruce up existing items. Empty bottles can be spray painted in the event theme colors and repurposed as decorative pieces.
Inspiration or Ideas - Available on You Tube, Instagram and Tik Tok are several videos of creative ways to set up your space and also incorporate budget friendly items (cue in IKEA ). Pinterest and Google searches may also come up with helpful information.
“ Oversized pieces of art can double up as Conversation Starters.”
Add some Pop of Color and Elements of Interest– Your choice of paint color can be a mood booster and this is one of the least expensive ways to switch up a space. However it may be nerve wracking trying to settle on a color palette that works for you. Nervous about Paint colors? One way to ease into it is to experiment with throws and toss pillows. Try those out by laying it out in a manner that lines up with the mood you are trying to create with your space.
Wall paper is another way to add color and plants (Faux or Live) and statement pieces of art can also add some elements of interest. Moreover, art can double up as conversation starters. Create a Wall of Fame in key traffic areas or on an accent wall that displays art in a manner that draws groups of people together. This creates an opportunity for conversations amongst guests.
Tips to help you personalize your next event.
Size and Venue - Cozy home gathering or large rooftop party? Deep cleaning your living room or renting out a restaurant? With many options to choose from in terms of event location, you must consider how intimate you want the experience to be for your guests and whether you want to take charge of the décor.
If you’d like a more memorable, personalized event, then it may be worth it to use your home as the venue. By hosting at home, you can free up more of the designated budget towards gifts and experiences with a more personalized touch as discussed below.
On the other hand, you can add a nice twist by going for a nonconventional venue for your event. A beach house, rooftops, renting the restaurant space when it is closed to service during the day or on weekends, an art gallery or maybe an airplane hangar or barn. Even having your guests picked up from a central location in a coach bus or arranging a boat ride to the destination of choice gives people an opportunity to chat which helps break the ice and who knows they may have a new friend even before they make it to the venue.
Keep it Warm from Right out the gate - A Warm Welcome and Heart warming experience wins any day – Designating one or two people to receive your guests at the entrance can be reassuring even for the” my stomach is in knots” guest who is not sure why they thought it a good idea to still attend after their plus one cancelled last minute. Also having co-hosts cover for the primary host(ess) who may be attending to other matters or other guests, be it in engaging the lonesome (lost) looking outlier, the guest in the corner with the uncomfortable polite smile fixed on their face, can make a world of difference to the guest’s experience.
Our Guest’s. Their Time. A Gift. - It’s all in the details - Details like mailing “save the date” packages to your guests in advance can build up anticipation and take your event to another level. You can choose to curate invitation boxes. At DayMyLane we are glad to help out with suggestions for pairing together items for your guests’ packages. Options to choose from include mugs, t-shirts, scarves, and more!
Seating Options – Sometimes your guests do get weary from standing or walking around so make sure there are comfortable seats that are easily accessible. Customized place cards are a nice personal touch. Fresh flowers, colorful bottles or planters, vases and glass centerpieces are creative ways to decorate your space and for an intimate feel, votive candles to warm up the space. Clear signage to the powder room especially with the larger venues is helpful.
Keep the Entertainment Coming – Have on heavy rotation a music playlist that matches the mood. Know when to tone it down or kick it up a couple of notches. Activities such as charades, musical chairs, and board games with prizes rewarding the winners can create an air of excitement and amp up the energy in the room, and can be an excellent personalized touch to a house party or dinner game night. You can also set up a photo booth with a theme in which guests are gifted matching T-shirts. This adds a nifty touch to the holiday photos!
A Party with Flavor - Good Food and Drink make for good company. Food - You have a number of options to choose from: Cooking yourself, Arranging catering, or Hiring a personal chef to prepare gourmet meals. You can incorporate a signature dish or cocktail for the day. Taking the additional steps to protect the food including individually packaging deserts can make your guests feel much more safe and comfortable.
Gift Bar or Goodie Bags A nice touch is a token of appreciation for your guests. It could be something in line with the theme of your event. If host(ess) is a known avid traveler, it would not be far-fetched to give away luggage tags or a power bank.
Gift Bar - Arranging a gift bar can be an impressive way to offer your guests a memorable experience. If you remember what it’s like to be a kid in a candy shop when your parents gave you the green light to choose whatever you like, this is the type of emotion we’re trying to replicate here. You can set up a gift bar by displaying the gifts, retail style. The goal is to create a shop-like feel in which your guest can choose as many items as they like, or limit your guests to a few selections.
Goodie Bags - Alternatively, if you know your guests well enough and want to be more intimate and personal, you can create your surprise goodie bags they each guest as they leave the event. You can reach out to DayMyLane if you need help organizing your goodie bags or simply want a second opinion on what items pair well together.
Conclusion
For the the life of the party or the one in the corner cringing at the thought of having to approach total strangers, personal touches can speak to the thoughtfulness and care put in to make this a pleasant experience for your guests.
Planning your special event to make it stand out doesn’t have to be stressful. Give your self time to plan - From the choice of location and atmosphere to sending out “save the date” packages and goodie bags for guests, you’re sure to take your event from just that: an event, to a memorable experience.
