You don’t really people to be standing with a drink waiting to break the ice.

Here are a couple of ideas to avoid this:

- A photo gallery – you may be surprised how many people want to look at photos from old parties, shots of the children growing up, family members and embarrassing pictures.
- A projector running a DVD – e.g. a hobby, extreme sports, a classic film with out sound (otherwise it may dominate the event)
- A casino can work well with chips given out that have no monetary value

I am sure you will have your own ideas of what makes a good party – the number one rule is – there are no rules.

Why not try a planning session with a friend over a drink?

You can then throw a few ideas around and see what you come up with – it is always good to get someone else’s point of view before making bookings. Consider having the band / disco away from bar area, there may be people that haven’t seen eachother for years – and they will want somewhere to talk!

Some questions you may want to ask yourself are:

How many people will you invite?
How will you go about inviting them?
Do you want a theme?
If so, do the guests need to know about it?
Do you need a small marquee / tent for children to play in, with supervision?
Will the car park need lighting with tower lights?
Will you need a cloakroom?
Will the guests need an accommodation list?

There are many things to consider when planning an event. The key is thorough planning!

An article by Taylor Made Events

Well let’s start from the beginning…

Venue (Resident)

You have picked a venue for your party, your venue may tell you that the “resident DJ” is in with the cost, or must be used.

At this point most people just accept that this is a good deal and it may well be as there are some excellent resident DJ outfits, but you should make sure that what you are getting, is value for your hard earned money and not just a venue supplying music and a few lights for your event.

If you have a preferred mobile disco then insist that you want your own, but make sure they are fully accredited with…

• In date public liability insurance
• In date PAT test certificate

There is nothing worse than on the day of the party the venue asks for these from a DJ and they do not have them – Party over before it starts and believe me this happens.

Venue (Private)

If your party is in your own venue then you have all the control and you can pick the disco YOU want based on your criteria, but as above you really MUST ensure that your disco is accredited with…

• Hold a P.P.L. Public Performance License (MAY be required)
• P.L.I. Public Liability Insurance, £10,000,000,
• All equipment holding a current PAT tested certificate,

Don’t forget if your disco has a problem on your property are you insured? So make sure they are fully covered.

Choosing your Disco

This is easy – hit the internet and pick a disco… WRONG this is a decision that you need to think about. You ask for quotations and you will get tones of e-mails from mobile DJs offering there service.

As an example if you are having a party in your house or at a venue from say 18:00 to 23:30, you will receive quotes from £60 to £200+ so how do you choose?

A few simple pointers to help you pick your disco….

• Do they have the correct IN DATE accreditation (you can ask to see this at any time)
• Contact details should be a private & mobile number (not just a mobile)
• Do they have a web site where you can see what you are getting? (Not just a few or a lot of pictures of people dancing).
• Ensure the DJ has equipment big enough for your party or venue…
• Ensue they pay as much attention to your event as they would to their own.
• Make sure you get a booking form, complete it and return it to the disco (this can protect you if something goes wrong).
• Some Discos will request a non-refundable deposit, as a rule we don’t, but there is neither a right nor wrong here.

So there are a few basics so what can go wrong?

1. Your Disco is a no show or cancels.
2. They have no accreditation.
3. The equipment is not as good as you thought.

Let’s look at this in further detail

1. The “no show” now let’s be fair like anything in life things can go wrong, emergencies, accidents (god forbid) but it pains me to say that the “double booked” or “I am sick” is common place for no shows. So why and how can this happen – well again it pains me to say that some people will do this, but you have booked you “£60 – £80” disco and do not have all the quotations and paperwork along with accreditation and they get a booking for more £££ on that date! SOME people will just let you down for a quick earner so use a DJ who you can reference (See references).

2. If they say they are accredited and you have reason to doubt it ask to see there certificates.

3. If you have a venue that is for 100 to 150 people you want to fill the room with music and light not necessarily thumping but quality sound at a nice level – check out what you are getting for the cost and let’s not forget the aesthetics, not only should your DJ look smart but the set up should be (you don’t want to see wires all over the place or a tatty setup).
Time

You book your disco and your party is from 18:00 to 23:30 so you would think that lets say £100 is fare… Things to take into account from a quality larger set mobile disco…

• Pre event planning.
• Test & load equipment 30 to 60 min.
• Travel Time.
• Set up time & sound check. (We can do ours in about an hour, 90 min is better).
• Pack up time (30 to 45 min).
• Travel time & unload

So when you add this up the show is not from 18:00, but from 16:30; and will not end at 23:30, but more like 02:00.
Something to think about when you book a cheap disco, get the best you can afford.

References

Ok so you have narrowed down your options and want to know more… You will visit their web site and they will have a few well-chosen references or comments on their page and why not… most companies do that, but let’s be fare these are good but don’t count for a lot unless they are willing to back this up with actual references if you request them. Don’t be afraid to ask after all it’s your party.

Feedback

Good providers should ask all our clients the chance to give honest feedback after all their events. This is good for the operator and good for the client, as the event starts when it’s booked and ends when the feedback is received. Be honest with your feedback.

In Summary

There are mobile and resident disco operators out there that just want to play the tunes and take your money, so remember the cheapest are not necessarily the worst and the most expensive are not necessarily the best. When you book you want a disco that gives you “light and sound” to fill your room; with equipment that looks and sounds good; with a DJ that you can talk to; who plans for your event and is customer focused.

An Article by Four Js Entertainment – a Mobile Disco company based in Lancashire

A hire marquee can be the centre piece of any outdoor event, providing a practical and elegant solution to hosting an event in the unpredictable British climate. However there is an almost infinite combination of; size, style, flooring, lighting, decoration and linings for your marquee which help make it truly special. Choosing the marquee lining is a decision you will need to make that will affect the overall style of the marquee. Choosing the right lining based upon your event whether it is a wedding, summer garden party or a special birthday, will set the stage for the other aspects of your design. Explained below are the different types of lining and styles which can be achieved, to help you chose the appropriate lining for your event

Pleated Stock

Pleated stock linings can give a soft, traditional look to you hire marquee. They often come in a white or cream/ivory colour as this works very well to provide a backdrop for you centre pieces such as floral displays. The pleats help to soften what is a very angular structure helping to make the space more welcoming. They are the perfect lining for a wedding as they give a very traditional look. This lining can be hung lower than other types of lining which helps to make the space more intimate.

Flat Stock

Flat Stock Linings are for those that want to embrace the clean lines of a large clear span marquee, the flat stock lining is ideal. It gives a smart minimalist look with a crisp finish which can be used as a blank canvas with which you can stamp your own mark on. This can be done by introducing colour in a combination of swags or overlays to match the colour scheme of your event. They also work very well with specialist lighting such as LED wall washers and which can introduce dynamic lighting and colour.

Star Cloth

Star cloth interior adds thousands of twinkling lights to the marquee ceiling making the effect spectacular. The colour of the lining can be white, black or even red or blue. Black creates a night-club effect which works well when just used over the dance floor. This lining is also highly effective when used in conjunction with other lighting effects. It can also be used throughout the marquee in addition with dark wall linings to create a great venue for a wedding reception after party. This lining would be recommended for a night event as the lining would obstruct much of the light during the day.

Tack Off Lining

Tack off Lining produces the finest finish and is obtained by constructing a wooden frame, around which a fabric of your choice is pulled tight across and installed as panels. The fabric can be any design, colour or weight and creates a very crisp finish that looks as solid as a permanent structure. While this is more costly than flat stock lining the attention to detail is second to none when the finish needs to be the primary concern. Many commercial clients choose this lining as it allows them have a clean canvas like finish upon which branding can be added.

Article by Key Structures – a marquee hire company based in London

We are still waiting for the long hot summer, but when it arrives we need to make the most of it and one of the most enjoyable ways to celebrate the sunshine is a party with friends and family. Cold beers and chilled bottled wines are essential as well as some tasty food, but if you want to make your summer party or BBQ special, a selection of delicious cocktails is a great option to go for.

Mojito – a great cocktail

We would like to share some important tips to help you make the best cocktails you can when you host a summer party.

Cocktail equipment

If you do not have a sharp knife and chopping board you would struggle in the kitchen and in the same way, having the correct equipment for cocktail making makes the process run smoothly. The following are the minimum tools I would recommend you need to get your party rolling.

Shaker – This is the classic symbol of cocktail making- however a jam jar, although not quite so cool, would do the job almost as well as a shaker.

Jigger/measure- You will need to know how much you are pouring- until you learn the art of free-pouring.
Barspoon- You could use a long spoon but ideally a proper barspoon with a spoon on one end and a flat crush end on the other so that you can mix ingredients in crushed ice easily.
Ice scoops / Ice tongs – this is often forgotten but difficult to manage without.

Recipe book – Unless you or your guests are professional bartenders (who commit hundreds of recipes to memory) you will need a cocktail book. Everyone wants to have tasty drinks and it is also fun to choose interesting-sounding cocktails together.

Ingredients:-

White spirits (vodka, gin and white rum) are ideal for summer because of their clean and smooth flavour and they are also quite easy to mix. Lemon and lime juices, sugar syrup and other flavour syrups are very handy when it comes to balancing a drink. A variety of juices, fresh fruits and herbs provides you with plenty of taste options.

Glassware:-

When you invite lots of guests you probably won’t have enough glassware to serve everyone. One solution is to buy plastic cups – they do not look too bad if you are serving tall cocktails such as Mojitos. Plastic wine or champagne glasses are not very attractive but if you go to some major wine shops or supermarkets they often lend you glasses for free- with a charge for breakages.

Article courtesy of Kampai Cocktails

Whether it is a big event such as a wedding, a children’s party or even an intimate affair with friends and family, outdoor dining is a magical dining experience that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Festivals have become very adaptable to outdoor dining with the likes of ‘Latitude’ festival supplying the festival goers with a unique dining experience right next to the lake. Other festivals across the UK are constantly giving us a new, interesting outdoor dining experience.

The use of decorations, table layout, center pieces and lighting are all used to their best effect when teamed with natural lighting, peaceful settings, natural woods and surroundings.

Centre pieces can be bigger, lighting can hang higher and even the traditional buffet can be brought to life outside giving it an open, vibrant feel. The use of flowers and petals are able to simply bring the outdoors to the table.

Whether you are able to splash out or are on a tight budget, there are so many options to create a beautiful setting for your outside dining experience. You can hire vintage china, silver cutlery, or if the children are about? Plastic tableware now comes in a fantastic range and is very affordable.

In a cozy yurt, a tree lined field, or at a buzzing festival, the possibilities are endless with outdoor dining. The outside uses its magic to make every day ‘indoor’ objects spring to life.

We love the use of colour the outside can bring to outdoor dining, a setting with blue skies, green grass and even a bit of mud! Can really show-off the table decor. Clear glass ware, rustic tables and traditional flowers all add to the feel and buzz outdoor dining can create.

We think there is something quite beautiful about using freshly pressed quality linens and the best china outdoors. You can’t help but smile when dining outdoors, you can make a special occasion spectacular, especially when the sun is shining!

Adapted from an article sshh.uk.com Ltd