Banquet Halls
From LoveToKnow Party
Banquet halls can be an economical, convenient solution to host your large gathering. The only downside? Sometimes they lack flair and can potentially inhibit the intimate, unique feel you want for your special event. Let's talk about some simple, inexpensive ideas to overcome that!
Transforming Banquet Halls
How do you take a banquet hall and turn it into a lively, unique venue for your event? You personalize it. Think of ways to create an environment that reflect your specific event. Create a "theme" or idea of how you would like it to feel for your guests, then go from there. To get started, ask yourself a few questions:
- What are you celebrating? A birthday, graduation, awards ceremony, etc.
- Who are you celebrating? A group or an individual?
- What makes this person(s) unique? Are they from another country, musically gifted, retiring from service?
From there, consider creating a "personality" for your occasion. Now take that personality and compare it to your banquet room. What do you need to do to turn that hall into something that represents your celebration or gathering?
Lights, Music, Action!
Using lights, music and action are the first three things to look at in transforming banquet halls. They are the key to creating your unique environment.
Music
Use party music that fits the theme or feel that you're going for: Old Beach Boys music for the surfing graduate, jazz standards or music of the era for class reunions, love songs for a wedding reception. The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. Choose something meaningful and relevant.
Lights
Designers know that light can make or break a space. Light comes in many forms. There is natural light, spot light, and candle light. There are disco balls, night lights, lamps, overheads, and more. Don't underestimate the power of this simple element. Candles certainly create a different mood than a disco ball. Use that to your advantage!
Action
What are your guests going to actually do once they arrive? There are lots of ideas out there for party games. With that in mind, how about playing old time games like "clothespin in a bottle" or "marbles" to spark youthful memories of the 80 year old you're celebrating? Since you've heard his crewmates used to pass the time playing cards, you could set up a black jack table for guests honoring the retired Navy vet. Think about sharing words of wisdom in a special handmade book for the newlywed or asking guests to put together their favorite cooking tips for the graduate heading off to college. The idea is to create moments that reflect the person(s) of honor through participation from the guests. Creating this sort of connection gives an element of intimacy and personal bond among those coming together.
Don't Forget the Cameras!
Sometimes the greatest pleasure of an event is looking back at the photos! In the age of digital photography sharing a collection of photos is easier than ever. In your invitation make a note in the wording asking guests to bring their digital cameras. After the event folks can send images to you via email that you can put into one giant digital album to give the guest(s) of honor.
With a little creativity there's no reason you can't transform banquet rooms into appropriate and fun venues for everything from Christenings to rowdy bachelorette parties. Next time there's cause for celebration, don't let the impersonal feel of banquet halls deter you. For the price and ease, they can be the perfect solution to hosting a large group of people.
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