Plan to Party in London

Not the greatest job in the world, is it – when you get designated the office party planner? Office parties – whether Christmas or otherwise – often seem to bring out the worst in everyone, even long before the event has started.

Perhaps that’s because office parties have so much expectation attached to them – but people know, from bitter experience, that their cherished dreams often end up in horrific hangover embarrassment.

As a party planner, there’s not a lot you can do about that, but if you’ve been landed with the task of coming up with London-based office party ideas the good news is that there’s plenty of help out there to call on.

London has more than its fair share of great party venues, from underground dungeons to medieval castles, classic banqueting halls, themed bars, pubs and clubs of all kinds – and even the ubiquitous riverboat cruise. Whatever floats your boat, finding a unique location can be a great place to start, when you are trying to put together a party to remember. London has lots of intriguing options to consider.

More more more

Yet a great venue is never sufficient to guarantee a great party on its own. Food, drink, entertainment and attitude all have a key role to play too. Before making any definite decisions on this front, stop and have a think about what you want from the party you are planning:

• Is it a key milestone in the history of the company – like a 20^th anniversary party for instance? If you’ve got distinguished guests coming along, and a budget to match, it could be worth taking advantage of a full party package, from a prestige venue like The Hurlingham Club.
• Is it a regular annual event – like a summer party for instance? You might want to try sprucing up a tired event by holding it in an unusual spot – like Frank’s cafe – the summer pop-up bar on the roof of a car park.
• Does your party have another purpose – like team building, or rewarding sales performance? You’ll find lots of companies and venues that cater to such events more specifically.

Dance hall days

Along with the venue, the choice of entertainment can make or break a party too. Do you want a sedate affair where people sit about chatting – or do you want everyone up on the dance floor? Many companies will find they have one or more budding DJS on the staff, who’ll happily load up an evening of tracks for you to play – but have a listen first, to make sure their own personal tastes are not dominating. Aim for a mix of crowd-pleasers and classics, and make sure the atmosphere builds during the evening.

If you want a truly musical evening – where people can also dance to their favourites, hiring a live band provides a great party centrepiece. Bands come in all shapes and sizes, but for party purposes, a cover band is often a good idea. Nobody wants to hear their favourites mangled, so it’s worth finding a professional outfit like the pitch-perfect Vintage Vandals.

Other party entertainment options include close-up table magicians after-dinner speakers or even mind-reading. For a fun and memorable addition, consider hiring a London party photo booth supplier to capture candid moments and keep guests entertained throughout the night.

Drink to this

Sounds like your party is coming along nicely, now you’ve got the venue and the entertainment sorted. If you haven’t chosen in-house catering or bar options, how much booze should you provide to make things go with a swing? Obviously it’ll depend on your company. Just remember, as a party organiser it’s probably best not to overdo it yourself in case anything comes up during the event itself. Enjoy!

What’s your top party planning tip?

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