Throw a Company Party: the Persily VIP Pavilion

Last week we were working to complete our design for a corporate party, the Persily VIP Pride Pavilion along the Parade Route.

It was pretty--- and turned-out well as you will see in the photographs (coming next post).
Our company owner rented a beautiful and classy restaurant---Silk, on Peachtree.
His plan was to use the space for a lovely Pride gift to his friends and clients.

My intern Jessica Studstill and I went to work on the design and event plans.

The company colors are navy blue, silver & white...which made a tasteful color palette.

We worked for a week on the contents of the invitation. The design called for an olde-world "ticket" which we used with a "Broadway" font. I used the cutting board to make each ticket, and a directions for parking card as well.

Three weeks before the party, with invitations mailed, we had a guarantee of 250 people to give the restaurant..

We had to order banners (2 x 12 feet) and spec the site for the auto poles we would use to hang the banners.

Blowing balloons is fun, and obnoxious depending on how you hold the balloon filler nipple!

To get around the cost of glass bowls for centerpieces we chose navy & silver to-go rice paper containers. We then added contrasting papers, the Persily Ferris Wheel ad, blow horns, hats, rings, and 3-4 balloons.

We bought various hats, like police, fire, construction, pirate, and top hats. Women wanted the visors and princess hats.

I wore different hats throughout and saw others doing the same. It's the cost of promoting your own party maybe!

By the time it was over we had clients walking around the place as the Village People! What a fun afternoon!

Here's some tips for throwing your own chic affair.

1. Always secure venue FIRST.

2.Ask for extras BEFORE a contract* is determined with the venue.

3.Create two Excel spreadsheets: TO DO LIST and INVITE lists.

4.Make sure everyone's address is listed in your Outlook Contacts.

5.Merge list of contacts from INVITE list and print address labels.

6.TO DO LIST should list responsibilities for staff. Post for everyone to see duties.

7. Encourage creativity during the entire process. Know when to stop.

8. A dab of this, a dab of that...gives the illusion of more. Get some kid toys for adults.

9.Something's missing rule: How important is the item? Can you do without it? Minutes before the party remember to Let it Go.

10. Make sure the event is staffed. This will help you to relax and enjoy marketing to your invited guests for future business.

*An insurance rider is required for most venue rentals. Especially during charity events. See if someone can sponsor this cost. In our company's case, the insurance waiver was covered by our owner.