We’ve teamed up with event planning expert Liz Taylor of the Taylor Lynn Corporation, to create a series of articles designed to simplify your Christmas party planning this year. Each month Liz will share a bitesize task list of everything you need to do to keep your Christmas party planning on track. Allowing you to work through it systematically and hopefully enjoy the process…
“Planning a Christmas party can be overwhelming,” explains Liz, “but I’m here to help you keep on top of your to-do list and prevent the event from taking over your life. We always have a monthly schedule for Christmas events, those must-do actions that keep us focused on exactly what needs to be done and when. It’s the only way to manage multiple, large-scale events in tangent through our busiest season.”
“This month, it’s all about entertainment – arguably the most essential element of a party. It’s where we aim to spend a sizeable proportion of our budget as it’s the most memorable and impactful area. It’s also a lot of fun to plan.”
Firstly, a note on production professionals
If you want professional lighting and AV specialists, particularly with a bigger event in mind, you need to secure a production company this month. They get remarkably busy during the festive period, so this is a real priority.
As with any job, hiring a team with expertise will make your life so much easier, adding polish and professionalism. There’s nothing worse than microphone fails or sub-standard sound at an event, it makes everything feel amateur.
Similarly, professional lighting can add shine in more ways than one. Don’t just limit lighting to the staging area. We often use lighting as a versatile and changeable décor element to add atmosphere and ambiance.
Are you ready to be entertained?
Now – with the venue sorted and the theme decided, it’s time to experience your entertainment act firsthand. An unbreakable rule at my events company, the Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), is that we never, EVER, book an act without first seeing them perform.
Planning events is my full-time job, so of course I have time and the motivation to travel and see as many live entertainment acts as possible.
It’s understandable with time, budget, and work pressures if you aren’t able to go to an event and scout out your artists. However, you should at least have seen a video of them in full swing.
In an ideal world though, if circumstances permit, you should try to see them live. That atmosphere, the way they connect with the audience, the tone, the acoustics, the charisma – it’s difficult for that to translate on a small screen.
The type of act you choose can have a massive impact on your event so think about the ambiance and overall theme of your event when making a final decision. They need to fit in but also provide a wow moment.
At TLC we love acts that have something different. An element of surprise or intrigue. A band that wanders the audience and serenades them at their tables. An interactive act that poses as part of the service crew then jumps on the table and bursts into song.
We also try to layer our entertainment, it’s not just an after-dinner, afterthought. Often, we’ll employ actors at the entrance dressed in dazzling outfits to fit the theme. They welcome guests in character providing an immersive experience from the outset.
Perhaps there’s a taster of what’s to come at the drink’s reception, one or two surprise numbers as a prequel to the main show.
Or you could hire a magician or caricaturist to roam the crowds and engage guests on a more intimate level. A quieter and more sophisticated way to usher guests through your event stages.
One big name?
In contrast, you could impress by channelling most of your entertainment budget into a big-name artist that’s instantly recognisable. With finances and planning in mind, you can then keep the rest of the party really simple, allowing your star to shine.
So, in short, the key to August – entertainment! That’s all for this month, we’ll see you in September for the three-month countdown!
www.tlc-ltd.co.uk │ X: @taylorlynncorp │ Instagram: @taylorlynncorp │
Facebook: @taylorlynncorporation│ 0161 876 6266 │E taylor.lynn@tlc-ltd.co.uk
