HOW TO: Make your next big event feel personal

Large-scale event planning is stressful, and making sure all your guests feel special is an art within itself. The secret is adding personal finishing touches that a) don’t break the bank and b) don’t take up too much of your time organising.

Having an event planner who can take on the more important tasks will, of course, free up more time, meaning you’ll be able to have more of these tasteful touches throughout your event.

Here at the Ellerslie Events we can take on the admin of the ‘non-negotiables’ such as food, bevvies and decorations so you can spend more time on the things that will make your guests feel special.

Here are a few simple and effective ways of personalising your next big event…

With its elegant open-beamed ceiling, crisp whitewashed walls and new oak floors our Tote on Ascot space will set a beautiful scene for your next event.

Communication is key

Communicate, communicate, communicate. The first step to any successful event, no matter the size, is to get your date locked down early.

Once you’ve sent out your invitations or save the dates, the communication shouldn’t stop there.

Basically, the more you get in touch with your guests, the more included they’ll feel. Ensure they know where to be and at what time if you’ve organised transport, for example, and let them know the dress code well in advance so they can plan accordingly.

Also – be sure to discuss your guest’s dietary requirements before the event. This way, you can rest easy knowing that everything will run smoothly – and your guests will feel organised too!

Choose your venue wisely

Make sure the venue you choose fits the event goal. For example, if it’s a large corporate function make sure there is a mix of large spaces and smaller rooms for ‘break out’ sessions. This will allow for the larger-scale presentations to take place in one area while also allowing for learning sessions and meet-and-greets for smaller groups.

If it’s for a birthday, try to source a venue that is close and accessible for people (like Ellerslie *cough cough*) so people can get there easily and it won’t cost an arm and a leg if you need to taxi.

You also want to choose a venue that has some form of x-factor, whether it be harbour views of a panoramic vista or New Zealand’s most famous racecourse, something that adds a little pizazz will go a long way.

For larger events, you definitely want somewhere that can cater on-site to avoid any mishaps. There is NOTHING worse than being at an event hungry! This will give you one less thing to worry about on the day as well (and arguably, the food is the most important aspect of any great event).

With the huge array of different rooms for hire at Ellerslie Events, you are bound to find the perfect space to fit your event.

Add a hand-written element

Never neglect the finer details or underestimate the power they can have on the overall vibe and success of your event.

Whether it be a short personal note to each guest (or each table), or even just a hand-written table setting, a hand-written element no matter the scale is a quick and effective way to add a personalised touch to your event. It may seem like a small thing, but these types of additions will be the kind of thing your guests will talk about after!

Choose your seating plan thoughtfully

Where people are sitting and with who will quite often dictate whether or not they have a good time. This being said, choose your table seating wisely – even if you are hosting a large event!

A fun way of personalising your seating arrangements is to put your groups into categories, for example, if it’s a wedding you can put your groups together according to when you met them in your life. You can have a ‘Dunedin’ table if you met your friends at university there, and can put a fun graphic to go alongside it. This could be a drawing of something that all your guests will be familiar with. Make sure you pair groups who you know will get along and have fun together! This will show your guests that you know them and their interests, with minimal effort on the day.

Have a big (or small) event on the horizon? Get in touch with the expert team at Ellerslie Events to see how they can make it come to life! They have spaces for all sizes and all occasions so there is bound to be an option that suits you.