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Creating a Thrilling New Year’s Party

The Holidays are quickly approaching, which means events and gatherings of all kinds for you to either host or attend. One holiday in particular is New Year’s Eve, which is always accompanied by the year’s biggest parties. New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the past year’s successes and new beginnings of the upcoming year.

As a host, you always want to put your best foot forward. Have fun brainstorming fun ideas, but most importantly make sure you are prepared for the task at hand. Whether you are hosting a celebration for friends and family or having a huge blowout party with celebrity performers, we have some ideas on how to create a thrilling New Year’s Eve party!

Whether you want to WOW! your guests with festive food, interactive games or a themed atmosphere, we came up with ideas to make your guests leave in awe:

Light Up the Night with an Interactive Activity

Instead of fireworks, surprise your guests with Chinese lanterns! This subtle, yet beautiful custom is a great interactive entertainment option. Guests will enjoy being this hands on activity where they can write their wishes for the year on the lantern and watch them float into the sky. Make sure that this activity is legal in your state, as several have acted to ban it.

Use a Bubbly Twist on Decor

Champagne is a MUST for NYE parties. Since you’ll already have bought champagne for the party, use empty or full bottles for decorations as well. Add glitter and decorate them for centerpieces or place them around the room! Pinterest has some great ideas on how to repurpose the bottles.Have Bite-sized SweetsAs midnight nears, guests will likely be standing and walking around more than before as the party comes into full swing. For dessert, try festive Cake Pops! These are easy to grab and are hard to resist.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Another great option for a late-night snack is personal popcorn boxes. Make this easy and loveable snack pop at your party by placing them in a printable box, perfect for sponsorship at large parties or a personal message for more intimate gatherings.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Theme It Up

For those looking for a unique NYE party theme consider a ‘Black and White Ball’ or a ‘One Last Hurrah’. Check out the details here! Other popular options include prohibition parties, masquerade mystique, or even black light. Just be sure that your theme aligns with interests of the guests you are inviting.

Share the Year’s Highlights

NYE is also about reflecting on the past year. For smaller parties, have guests write their favorite memory of the year on fun colored paper and place them in a mason jar. Read these aloud to relive great memories. For large parties, have guests tweet or share a post on Instagram and portray them on a screen inside. Guests will love to see themselves on a big screen!

Make it Memorable with Photo Opportunities

At any fabulous party people are going to want pictures. Who doesn’t love capturing a memory of when they are dressed to the nines or having a blast with friends? Set up a photo booth or create a space with a festive backdrop. Encourage guests to strike a pose by having fun props to pose with. Include props with the upcoming and past year, fancy glasses (stars, sparkles, & funky spectacles), mustaches & lips, and printed phrases like the one below!

 Photo Source: Uncommon Designs Online

These are just a few ideas to get your NYE party started! Anything with glitter, champagne and finger foods are always a hit, but try to think outside of the box for your party this year! What unique twist are you planning on using or have you seen in the past? We’d love to hear!

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Creative Venue Spaces

We’ve all been to great events in standard venues like hotels, convention centers, churches, event halls but the events that really stand out in our memories are the ones that are held in non-traditional venues.

When you begin planning your event and you want to make sure you add that WOW factor, start by thinking about a creative and unusual venue that will give your event a fresh and exciting bang right from the start.

Some possible options you might consider are:

  • Museums
  • Art Galleries
  • Country Clubs
  • Private Yachts
  • Wineries
  • Tents
  • Libraries
  • Airplanes
  • Restaurants
  • Airport Lounges
  • Theme Parks
  • Aquariums
  • Entertainment Complexes
  • Covered Swimming Pools
  • Theatre Stages
  • Retail or Specialty Stores
  • Soundstages
  • Sports Stadiums
  • Practice Fields
  • Rooftops
  • Private Clubs
  • Equestrian Clubs
  • Golf Clubs
  • Spas

Don’t let traditional spaces limit your imagination, but do take into consideration your event needs when booking your space. Some questions to ask yourself are, Do you need IT capabilities? Are restrooms readily available and suitable to your attendees? Will your attendees be comfortable in the space? Will the weather be appropriate for the event in the space you are choosing?Be creative with your event space choice, but make sure it fits with your event objectives and meets all of your clients and attendee needs.

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Event Technology: Snapchat

Social media has become so important to events that some would flop without it. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram capture important event moments and let people know details at the drop of a hat. But what about Snapchat?

Most people think of snapchat as an app that features a disappearing picture, solely used by young adults and teenagers. However, some fail to see the significance snapchat can bring to an event!

According to an article written by Nick Borelli on EventMB “Having a platform that pushes people to watch the content they initially signed up for or forever losing the chance to see it has made Snapchat second only to Facebook in average time spent on the platform by users”.

Snapchat updates can be posted in seconds, in many different forms, including pictures and videos with unique features. This allows events to showcase many different points of view: from other attendees, the band, the event planner and everyone else at the event!

Snapchats can be sent to individuals or the masses! Blast out your event every step of the way and show guests things they normally wouldn’t see! This can be used pre-event, during and post-event.

Use exclusivity to your advantage, only send certain content to VIP guests and let them know it! Unlike a Facebook event, others will never know, and those receiving it will feel extra special.

If you plan far enough ahead, make your own snapchat filter and encourage others to use it. This will be uniquely yours and anyone in the area will be able to use it! Talk about capitalizing on FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) – only those who attended the event are able to use the filter to share with their followers.

A filter is an extension of the photo or video. For instance once the picture is taken different features can be added. From a black a white photo to the time you took it! Locations or event names can also be added and show where/what that person is doing. The branding opportunities using these filters are not to be missed and can spread very fast!

The best part about Snapchat is that once your event gets enough attention, the attendees will be doing all the work! They will be sharing your event with everyone and you can sit back and admire a job well done!

Snapchat is still underrated in some circles, but you can use this as an opportunity to show the amazing experiences you create for attendees at your events!

Share your thoughts and experiences with snapchat with us as well!

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Music Licensing for Events

So, you have an event and you plan on playing some music in the background…No biggie right? Not quite. Before you plug in your iPhone to play your favorite tunes, you need to know a little bit about music licensing and how it affects your events.

Licensing for music is as big of a deal as using someone else’s artwork on your PowerPoints and not paying for it. If you don’t get the proper licenses, the penalty can be huge. As event planners, this is all very confusing and time consuming; trying to figure out who, what, and when of the music licenses – plus how they work!

Although getting licensing isn’t the most convenient task on your event planning checklist, it beats the alternative. The alternative to purchasing a license is to contact each artist who’s music you intend to play and get their written permission. You may also have to ask your band to play original material only. We all know that when we hire a band to play covers, that having them only play their original tunes might not be the best request.

Can you image trying to track down the correct people and having them respond to this request? It would take one person dedicated to this specific task many hours and many weeks to complete. This would require you knowing your playlist well in advance. Doesn’t sound like a task I want to take on. I am sure the hours I would spend research, making phone calls and sending emails would be more than the cost of the license itself.

When researching licenses you might find that the responsibility falls to the venue to purchase and hold the licenses for music. However, many venues are now passing on that responsibility to the entity holding the event. Check in with both the facility and licensing bureaus to make sure you are covered in order to avoid the high penalties if you aren’t.

We searched the internet to locate the best descriptors of ‘what’ license you need and ‘when’ you need a license. Here’s what we’ve found:

  1. There are three different licensing entities (ASCAP, BMI, & SESAC). Each one is a little different.
  2. For just ASCAP alone there are over 100 different license types and each one has pretty strict usage rules.
  3. For each event type, there are different rules which can get fairly specific
  4. Pricing for the license depends on the type of the event and how many attendees you will have at the event.
  5. Charity events are NOT excluded from needing a license for events (usually they are covered under a one-time event license)
  6. Copyright law says events for only friends and family do not need a license – Hey wedding planners, you’re in the clear! Based on a chat conversation with Frank at ASCAP online. Connect Here .
  7. Licenses are based on the TYPE of event, not who is hosting the event.
  8. There are 3 licensing entities that you need to consult with on your event.

CAUTION: Pay for only one license from one licensing bureau and any song used that doesn’t fall under their license is susceptible to a fine. I suggest playing it safe and getting a license from all 3 entities so that you don’t have to waste time figuring out which songs are covered by a specific entity. Whereas if you get all three, you’re covered no matter what.Here are the links to all three licensing agencies:

Although music licensing can be quite confusing, I found the online chat to be most helpful. ‘Frank’ from ASCAP answered all my questions and was very courteous. I didn’t find an online chat at BMI or SESAC, but both have phone numbers for you to contact them.

**Event Heroes, having this event knowledge in your arsenal will keep your clients abreast important information and prevent them from having to pay heavy fees for something they weren’t aware of.

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Event Setup: Gaff Tape

When doing event setup you need to take good care of the venue. Tracy Fuller gives a short tip how to do just that! Watch below!

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Throwing an Outdoor Event Inside

Problem: How to throw an outdoor event indoors

Solution: Use video screens to display the environment you want

Planning a festive outdoor event in Iowa (or any Midwest state) can be tricky because the weather is so unpredictable especially during the months of November through February, it is almost impossible. You can throw your event indoors and still make it feel like an outdoor event by strategically placing large video screens around the room and projecting video of outdoor scenes and images. Video screens can transport guests to different places and environments. They can even provide them with a very realistic outdoor experience from the climate-controlled comfort of their indoor seat.

One of our clients recently treated their conference attendees to a fireworks display by projecting large, realistic fireworks on to several large screens. A sound system with bass helped complete the experience so guests felt as if they were really watching them outside!

Utilizing video screens to create different environments to help bring many event themes to life: bring the beach and ocean to the Midwest or transport your guests to the 70’s. Whatever the theme may be, video screens are one solution to help pull your event together.

Things may not always go smooth in the event industry, be resourceful with your solutions. If you do get stuck we have the answer for you! Book an hour with our CEO and President Tracy Fuller and she will use her book of tricks and work through the problem!

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5 Lighting Techniques To Set the Mood For Your Event

Lighting is one of the best elements to set the mood for your event. By changing the lighting in the room and taking out the florescent lights, you create the color, mood, and direct the audience’s attention to where you want.

Here are 5 techniques to set the mood with lighting:

1) Use uplighting around the room

Removing the florescent lighting in the room and replacing it with uplights around the wall or on the architectural elements in the room will create a dramatic and more creative look.

Imagine walking into a room washed in blue up-lights with your winter event, or a room glowing with red up-lighting with your Fire and Ice event. What if you changed the up-lighting on the walls depending on the timing of the programing? Say your event is Fire and Ice and you start with red lighting and move it to blue during the evening to signify the change from Fire to Ice. You will want to play with the colors and your theme to see what works best.

2). Use a Gobo for added decor

A gobo is a piece of metal that fits into a lighting instrument that has a negative cut of a logo or names. They also come in color and made of glass for more intricate designs or multicolor logos.

For large walls or lighting on the dance floor these make a wonderful impact and can help your theming or your branding of the event

3). Use a projector for lighting

Projectors are now being used for lighting and at times might be more economical than lighting. This is also a wonderful way to create a look of moving objects or changing looks on a large wall.Imagine covering a large ugly wall with moving snowflakes for a holiday show. This will save the cost of the drapery and labor to put it up.

4). Set the stage with lighting

Use lighting to direct your audiences’ attention to different areas in the room. Say you have a large new product you want to reveal and you have it hidden behind drapery until the big reveal. When the timing is right, the stage goes dark and the lighting all moves to direct everyone’s attention to the new product and the drape drops. This is a jaw dropping moment at events.

You will also want to use lighting on stage to highlight your speakers, especially if you are videotaping.

5). Pin spot lighting for your centerpieces

You’ve spent lots of time and money on those amazing centerpieces and you’ve removed all the overhead lighting and replaced it with up lighting around the room. You don’t want to loss the drama of the centerpieces when people enter the room or when they are at the tables for dinner.

Adding pin lighting, either from the ceiling and lighting each table centerpiece or lighting the centerpiece from below, will certainly add the element of drama you are looking for.

Lighting can drastically change the mood of your event, nothing is worse than a space with fluorescent lighting that flatters no one. Be creative with your light, and change the way the room feels.

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Trends in Meeting and Event Atmosphere

Recent trends in Audio Visual for meetings and events

With the technology boom that has occurred over the past couple of decades and continues to impress each year, it is important to stay up to date with the newest technologies and trends in audio/visual for your events.

A/V trends:

1. Out with PowerPoint, in with Gesture Media

What if you could command the screen with your hand gestures instead of using a mouse or slide advance? How much more control and how much more exciting could you make your presentations? Hand gesturing is used in the tech world, why not on stage for your presentations? If you choose to use this up-and-coming A/V trend, make sure you do some rehearsals with the equipment before show time.

2. Projection mapping

Projection mapping or video-mapping technologies allows you to project images on any multi-dimensional shape or form. Any object can become a display, leading to visual effects that make events memorable.

See it for yourself!

Building Projection Mapping in Abu Dhabi

Dallas, Texas Joulle Hotel 3D Mapping

We love this highly content driven video and look forward to using it wherever we can. You need to be aware of time frames for building out the content side and the very technical projection side of this amazing format. Allow time for the techs to have the room to make sure everything is working just as it should.

3. Multi-image display presentation software

Plasma Screens and Video walls allow A/V techs to create amazing graphics for your show. Fly in words and photos to make your information really stand out. Screen sizes are changing from the typical standard sizes to super sizes; some screens are running 20 foot tall by 40-60 and even 80 foot wide. This lays the foundation for an incredible presentation and can also replace your stage set.

4. LED lighting

Your A/V team can integrate LED lighting with video systems, allowing them to color-match LED lighting to suit screen content and themes, further branding the meeting and the experience.

LED lighting is much more energy efficient and “Green” for your meetings. LED lighting is also available using batteries for when cords are not ideal and takes a lot less power for those rooms that are older and don’t have the power grid you need for a lot of equipment. We love the under table lighting, battery operated pin and flood lighting to highlight things like a cake or a centerpiece and even lighting that installs using magnets!

5. Touch-screen technology

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