Five Tips For Planning The Perfect Party

Five Tips For Planning The Perfect Party

Party Entertainment Ideas.

Based on feedback from more than 50,000 customers over the last 15 years, Alive Network has compiled a list of the top five tips for planning the perfect party. Interestingly enough, each tip is affordable and easy to achieve, so there's no excuse for putting off that next big celebration. For more wedding entertainment tips and inspiration, check out our 'Ultimate Guide to Wedding Entertainment' here

Choose A Great Venue That's Easy To Access

If you choose a great venue you won't need to spend as much time dressing it up to look good. There are loads of interesting venues out there to suit a wide variety of styles and themes. Have a look at web sites like www.venuefinder.com for venues in your area and visit before you hire. 

Remember that if guests are travelling from out of the area, it helps if the venue is easy to find. Consider how easy it is to find parking, and also how much accommodation is available near by.

The easier it is for your guests to attend, the more likely they are to come.

Entertain Your Guests, Book A Live Band

Now we know what you're thinking; Alive Network is a music & entertainment agency, of course they'll say we should book a party band. Remember, these tips are based on previous customer feedback, and lots of it.

Most people are happy to have a party DJ, but anyone who's been to a party with a live band will tell you how much better the night was. We've even had brides tell us that the band ended up being the most crucial part of their whole wedding day, simply because they made the evening so unforgettable.

The Nameless Three Book A Live Band

You need something to really get guests excited and live party bands do exactly that. They're interactive, energetic and fun. Not everyone likes to dance, but with a great live band, performing the best classic and modern wedding party songs, even the most ardent anti-dancers will be rocking out, arm in arm, singing along on the dance floor with guests they only met a few hours ago.

Book a live band and they'll make the party. It's a sound investment and your guests will love you for it.

Party Entertainment Ideas: Live Party Bands

  • Happy Hour Function Band Kent

    Happy Hour

    5 stars - Happy Hour are Highly Recommended 484 Rock & Pop Function Bands Kent

    Our #1 best selling party band, you'll be blown away by the Happy Hour experience! With over 500 five star reviews, Happy Hour are available as a 4-piece line-up or a power trio. Experience high-energy, non-stop dance floor filling hits, with incredible vocal harmonies and face melting guitar solos. Previous clients include some of the world's biggest names including Pinewood Studios, Microsoft, Budweiser, ITV & many more.
    Price from £2,197

  • Hipster Function Band Cheshire

    Hipster

    5 stars - Hipster are Highly Recommended 543 Rock & Pop Function Bands Cheshire

    With more than 2000 bookings to date, and over 500 five-star reviews, Hipster are one of the most well established and best loved party bands in the UK. Their repertoire contains classic Beatles, Fleetwood Mac & The Rolling Stones through to modern indie & pop from Kings of Leon, The Killers & Pharrell. Previous clients include NSPCC, Channel 5, HSBC, Wella, Savilles, Deloitte, KPMG, RBC, Lloyds, M&S, Unileaver, BAE Systems and many more.
    Price from £1,933

  • Party Starters Function Band East Sussex

    Party Starters

    5 stars - Party Starters are Highly Recommended 151 Rock & Pop Function Bands East Sussex

    Party Starters are a cool & contemporary pop & rock band that know what a great party is all about! Energetic & exciting, Party Starters live sets are guaranteed to fill your dance floor & include music from Bruno Mars, Rudimental, The Beatles, Arctic Monkeys, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder & much more!
    Price from £1,517

Drinks On Arrival To Welcome Guests

It's a small touch that really shows you care about welcoming your guests, and it ensures everyone feels positive as soon as they arrive. It's your way to thank people for coming, and it gets people in the mood to party.

In a practical sense, it also helps to alleviate the early queues at the bar, something which is sure to dampen spirits and cause frustration.

Some venues will arrange for a member of staff to personally serve drinks as your guests arrive, or you can choose to have a selection of drinks available on tables near the entrance.

As a side note, when you book your venue, get a confirmation of how many bar staff are included. Make sure you'll get enough bar staff to ensure a fast turn around of drinks at the bar, otherwise guests will spend the whole night there. 

It's also worth trying to book a venue where the bar is in the same room as the party, otherwise your dance floor will only ever be half full. If the bar's in another room, people will hang around talking when they go out to get a drink, and the reduced numbers can make the party room feel empty.

Party Entertainment Ideas: Entertaining Drinks Servers

  • Living Tables Street Performer East Sussex

    Living Tables

    5 stars - Living Tables are Highly Recommended 2 Street Entertainers East Sussex

    Living tables make a unique centre piece for you and your guests. Entertaining in the character of your choice, the table will create an exciting buzz whilst meeting and greeting all your guests!
    Price from £588

  • Light Up Living Tables Street Performer East Sussex

    Light Up Living Tables

    5 stars - Living Tables are Highly Recommended 2 Street Entertainers East Sussex

    Our stunning light up living tables are perfect to meet, greet and mingle with your guests whilst adding a unique, electric and exciting ambience to your event!
    Price from £583

  • Champagne Dress Street Performer East Yorkshire

    Champagne Dress

    5 stars - Living Tables are Highly Recommended 2 Street Entertainers East Yorkshire

    A different, elegant and stylish way to serve champagne at your special event! Our stunning Champagne Dress comes complete with a silver service waitress and can be tailored to match the colour and theme of your night. Perfect for drinks receptions!
    Price from £327

Break The Ice With A Magician/Caricaturist

Before the band kicks off (which is always better happening half way into the evening) you can ramp up the atmosphere with mix and mingle party entertainers such as a close-up magician, caricaturist, look-a-like or dancers.

The reason these types of entertainment are so popular is due to the way they break the ice between guests. They create a talking point that draws guests together, getting them interacting and making friends for the evening.

In the case of caricaturists, each guest can take their caricature home, so they double up as creators of impromptu party favours.

Party Entertainment Ideas for Breaking the Ice

  • Mathew Knight Magician Nottinghamshire

    Mathew Knight

    5 stars - Mathew Knight are Highly Recommended 220 Magicians Nottinghamshire

    With a warm approach & the talent to amaze & astound, it's no wonder Mathew is such a popular magician! His prowess comes from years as a full time pro, performing at numerous events from small parties to big celebrity weddings. Mathew's unique style of modern magic builds moments of wonder that are talked about & remembered.
    Price from £429

  • Draw A Crowd Caricatures Caricaturist London

    Draw A Crowd Caricatures

    5 stars - Draw A Crowd Caricatures are Highly Recommended 119 Caricaturists London

    Draw A Crowd Caricatures is an award-winning caricaturist & an expert at keeping your guests thoroughly entertained. With a wealth of experience, Draw A Crowd has entertained at events for the Olympic Athlete's Village, Vauxhall, Arcadia Group & more!
    Price from £327

  • Marilyn Monroe  (Suzie Kennedy) Lookalike London

    Suzie Kennedy as Marilyn Monroe

    5 stars - Marilyn Monroe (Suzie Kennedy) are Highly Recommended 20 Look-a-likes & Impersonators London

    Suzie is one of the world's most famous Marilyn lookalikes. Playing Marilyn opposite Angelina Jolie, she has starred in numerous Hollywood films as Marilyn and Britain Got Talent and West End theatre. Her performance brings the legend to life.
    Price from £657

Planning a party? Need help hiring amazing live entertainment?

If you would like help selecting the perfect entertainment for your event, simply give us a call or submit the quick enquiry form below and one of our talented entertainment coordinators will be happy to assist.

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Have Fun - Friends & Family Will Follow You!

The number one pearl of wisdom from thousands of previous clients...........

Have fun!

It's your party, so you need to be there with your guests having fun. Whatever happens, don't get stressed out and spend the evening running around organising everybody else. Your guests will follow you, so if you're determined to have a good time and enjoy yourself, everybody else will follow suit.

Don't sweat the small stuff. If things don't go exactly as you expected, try to go with the flow. Parties don't always run to plan, guests can be late, speeches can run over, unforeseen technical issues can happen. The important thing is to remember that a party is usually a celebration, and nothing will kill the atmosphere faster than the host losing it.

Have fun, and your friends and family will follow you.

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