In some ways, you can consider whether a service provider is “professional” by which organizations they belong to. But I think that being “a professional” is far more than that: I think it’s about meeting your clients’ expectations & delivering work that you can be proud of.

So why should things be any different in the entertainment industry? Remember that when your company hosts an event or function, everything about that party creates an impression on your clients & customers. That means that if you are considering bringing in an entertainer, that person (or group) can influence how your clients (or prospective clients) feel about doing business with you.

Even if the event is an internal one, like a year-end ‘staff appreciation’ party, what message do you send if you use an amateur performer? Or if the performance is offensive? Or if it’s just plain inappropriate? I’d go as far as to suggest that if you’re hiring the ‘cheapest’ entertainer you can, then you should save the money and rather give your staff a small cash bonus – they’ll appreciate that more than having to sit through bad entertainment.

The fact is, a good entertainer is going to cost you – how do you know that he or she is going to be worth it?

So let’s assume you want to use the services of a performer or entertainer who is ‘worth his/her salt’ – what should you look out for?

Here are some key indicators that indicate that the entertainer you’re speaking to will deliver a professional, consistent & reliable service:

• The entertainer is a full-time performer. In order to make a living in the entertainment world (especially in South Africa), you need to be consistently performing & working. A part-time performer may not be able to give you 100% commitment, nor may they have enough enquiries to keep working. Caveat: I know several professional entertainers who choose to have a full-time job in a different industry – this does not mean they’re not fantastic!
• The entertainer has an extensive list of corporate clients. If the performer is good, he/she will keep getting referrals & will continue to work for big companies. 
• The entertainer has a collection of testimonial letters. A true professional asks his clients to send their feedback. The fact that a client has taken the time to put a recommendation on paper proves that they found the performance to be satisfactory (at least). 
• The entertainer’s marketing material is up-to-date. You should be able to watch videos or view photographs to get a sense of what the performance is like. Expect to receive brochures or a ‘one sheet’ with updated biographical information, recent clients, comments and feedback. Bonus – is his/her website up-to-date, and is it comprehensive?
• The entertainer belongs to professional industry associations. Association membership indicates that he/she wishes to grow & improv their business or standing within the industry. Examples are the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa and the Performing Arts Network of South Africa.  
• The entertainer is represented by a reputable agent. A reputable agency will do all the checks to make sure the performer actually delivers consistently professional service. Caveat : beware that there are great agents and there are terrible agents! Similar indicators apply.
• If the entertainer is self-represented, he/she owns a registered company. This means that you will get proper invoices and that you’re working with someone who takes their professional seriously. Bonus – if the performer is VAT-registered!
• The performer has a good contract. Because an entertainer can make or break an event, how can you ensure that you are protected against injuries, damage or even if he/she doesn’t pitch up? The contract is super important as it covers the details of your agreement – be vary wary if the performer does not at least send you a document with the terms of your agreement.  Bonus – does the entertainer offer you a “money back” satisfaction guarantee?
• “The Devil’s in the details”. Are your calls returned? Do you receive prompt replies to questions? Does the marketing material give you a sense of confidence? Does he/she really understand your needs and answer your questions? Do you get a sense of confidence? A large component of your decision has to come down to your ‘gut’!

In our experience of working with first-time clients who rarely hire entertainment, they’re often surprised that it takes a little bit of time to make the right decision! However, there is absolutely no doubt that if you work with an enthusiastic and committed professional entertainer that people will remember how much they enjoyed your enjoyed and thank you for choosing the perfect corporate event entertainment!

These table centre-pieces look amazing but sometimes they can be totally impractical for communication.

The event has started, and the guests enter into the venue.  So far, things have gone rather well: the guests, many of who are meeting for the first time, are chatting with one another and the evening seems promising.  The doors open and everyone is dazzled as they enter the room: there’s good lighting, music, the stage is set and everything looks stunning.  Everyone finds their assigned tables, they pull out their seats, sit down … and that’s when the problem becomes apparent.

Smack-bang in the middle of the table, exactly at eye-level, is the world’s largest bunch of flowers. Or a candelabra big enough to light-up the entire venue. On the odd occasion, I’ve even seen a towering fish tank that would put the Two Oceans Aquarium Shark Exhibit to shame.

The rest of the evening is spent with the guests limited to speaking to those to the immediate left and right, and occasionally you see a head leaning to the side as someone opposite tries to join the conversation. When the speeches and presentations start, people shuffle around trying to at least get a glimpse of the speaker between the vegetation (or the candles or goldfish). If you’re a waiter, or wish to get the attention of everyone at the table, good luck!  Inevitably, towards the end of the evening, one person takes the initiative to remove the obstacle … and all the tables follow suit.

What was the decor designer thinking? I understand that you’re trying to make the venue look fantastic, but why must this happen to the detriment of the guests’ enjoyment? I suspect the reason is that the decor designer hasn’t actually seen things from the guests’ perspective. As the father of a 2-year-old daughter, the parenting books suggested that once your child starts walking, you need to crawl around your house on your hands and knees.  That way, you can see things from your child’s perspective and find potential dangers that would see from an adult-height point of view. Similarly, it’s vital that the event planner imagine what the guests see from their seats. That way, you can avoid plonking a vase containing the entire fynbos family on the table!

Remember, the success of an event is not defined by how well the theme was displayed, nor by the gourmet food, or the number of fine wines available.  The important qualities of a successful event are the connections, relationships and memories created by the guests, through their interaction.  You could have the most amazing venue and fantastic food, but if the guests aren’t socializing, it’s all pretty pointless.

I’m not for a moment suggesting that a part of the budget shouldn’t be spent on decor and centre-pieces; I’ve seen some amazing decorations that really added a very special touch to the theme and were also great conversation-starters.  But when the implementation of the decor detracts from the original purpose of the event – which is to create a comfortable and fun atmosphere so that guests will socialize – then it’s time to put your foot down.  Besides being a waste of money (and cruel, when you have a school of guppies floating around in an oversized vase), preventing people from interacting will detract from the overall experience that you want people remember.

An event is an opportunity for people to meet, connect and create relationships.  It’s not the time to demonstrate your abilities to place a Chelsea Flower Show exhibit on the middle of a table! Of course, I’m exaggerating, but you’d be surprised how frequently I’m eventually forced to pick up the centre-piece and place it next to the table – just so that I can get eye-contact with everyone. As beautiful and elegant as the centre-piece is, once I’ve removed it from the middle of the table, it’s never put back.

So the next time you’re working on the decor of your event, consider the practicalities from your guests’ perspective and make the table decorations no higher than about 30cm.  Alternatively, provide a machete to each guest to “interact with the decor” and slash the table flora to a manageable level.

George Carlin: Brilliant comedian. Foul language. Inappropriate for corporate events

With so many year-end functions, Christmas parties & corporate events happening around this time of year, I thought I’d share something that’s been irritating me.  If you’re an event co-ordinator, or a party planner, you may have experienced this kind of frustration with corporate event entertainers before.

Occasionally I get the honour of sharing the stage with some of South Africa’s most well-know MCs, comedians, singers & other performance ‘artistes’, & so I relish to opportunity to watch their performances & learn from their experience & techniques.  However, I find it absolutely shocking that some of them use foul language or risqué material at the most inappropriate times.

I’d agree that in certain circumstances this may be considered acceptable by the audience – comedy club audiences have completely different level of tolerance for sexist, racist or sexual jokes & material.  But all performers at a client’s company event should be fully aware that they are not only damaging their own reputation (with potential repercussions) but the reputation of their client.

Corporate event entertainers are expected to assume that inappropriate language, humor or materials will not be tolerated; except under situations where the client’s representative has cleared this during the event briefing process.  In my humble opinion, even performers – particularly comedians – who have become established because of their extreme behaviour should be very careful when they consider what material they will be performing.

Foul language is ‘easy humour’ – but a true professional understands that event is not ‘about them’ & they are not the main feature of the event. The client’s guests are to be treated with the utmost respect, since it’s because of the guests’ support that event is happening at all.

If you have had the misfortune of working with an entertainer that made you cover your eyes out of embarresment, or had to deal with guests’ complaints, please comment & tell me your story.  Please do not mention the entertainer’s name: rather, let this be an opportunity to share your experience & what you learnt with other event planners & corporate function coordinators.

• Are you or a colleague planning your company’s year-end events?
• Would you like your guests to walk away with fantatic memories of the event?
• Do you prefer to work with a fun, versatile and reliable presenter who’ll keep everyone captivated, laughing and talking about you & your company for months to come?

Because of our experience in providing world-class “corporate friendly” entertainment for over 150 companies in 10 years, we believe that we can work together to make your event extra special in 2010!

How Can We Help?

Start off by reading our free event planning advice articles:

• Year-End Functions – Good Marketing Opportunity, or Waste of Money?
• Advice for Hiring Live Entertainment For Your Corporate Event Or Party
• Advice For Hiring Corporate Event Entertainment
• Sound Advice For Event & Meeting Planners
• … and so much more!

Or download our FREE “Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”!

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements and you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Included in the “Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Need more information before you make a decision? Visit our comprehensive website for more information about …

• Our entertainment & speaking services : regardless of where your event is large or small, our services will help you get everyone laughing and having a great time!
• Testimonial videos & letters: Because what our previous clients have to say is so much more important than what we say!
• Video demonstrations, video galleries & media reports: See for yourself why so many of our clients rave about our services!
• Profile information & documentation: Download & share the right information with your event planning committee or key decision maker!

Contact us today & we’ll give you a FREE 20min Event Planning Consultation!

Regardless of the size of the event, the purpose and objective of your year-end party must be clearly defined, or you won’t be able to judge the success (or failure) of your event. If the purpose is “to show the staff how much we appreciate their hard work“, then make sure that this message is made clear not only on the invitation, but also by the quality of the food and the venue.  Or perhaps you want to introduce your company to new prospective customers – does the decor, venue, hors d’œuvres, etc, give a good “first impression” of your company?

Of course, it would be easy if you were given an unlimited event budget!  The reality is that even the biggest, most outrageous events in the world are planned well in advance and the budget forms an integral part of that plan.  But is it the correct approach to plan the function exclusively around your budget? In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic “NO!”

There should always be an opportunity to meet your customers – and prospects – as often as possible. As marketing expert Joel Bauer says, “No matter how many times you click from place to place, it will never replace face to face”.  The fact is that you should never forget that an event or function, just like a meeting, is an opportunity for you to communicate a message, spread an idea, and strengthen a relationship with someone personally.

Here are 7 reasons how a year-end event can be beneficial to your company:

1. You have an opportunity to learn more about people outside of the typical ‘work’ environment.  This means you can get to understand the person better and have a better chance of relating to him or her in the future. (This is true for both staff and clients)
2. You can really show people how much you really appreciate their work or their support.  Even though you can say “thank you” on the ‘phone or via an email, demonstrating your appreciation is very powerful.
3. Your guests have the opportunity to discuss ideas, give feedback or make suggestions in an environment that is normally more ‘open’ than at ‘the office’.  When people are relaxed and having fun they’re more likely to offer an honest opinion, so keep your ears open for things that person would not normally say. You may learn a thing or two!
4. Use the event to re-affirm your company’s dedication to it’s purpose by ensuring that everyone is made aware of what you offer, and what the benefits of working with you are.  This can take the form of a speech, presentation or even a video.  Don’t waste this opportunity to capitalize on your audiences’ attention! Since you’ve already spent the money on hosting the event, you must make sure that everyone not only remembers how much they enjoyed themselves, but also who you are and the reason for the event.
5. Celebrate your achievements!  Use the opportunity to share results, like your sales figures, special projects you’ve completed, or client video testimonials.  Inspire your staff and clients by demonstrating the advantages of working with your company.  Remember that we live vicariously through others, so a few honest testimonials from satisfied customers will encourage clients to continue their relationship with you, prospects will see the value of doing business, and your staff will see the ‘bigger picture’ of how their work impacts on their customers.
6. Differentiate your company from your competition by making a special effort to give something personal and entertaining, so that everyone has fond memories of the event.  “Same is lame” and if you don’t make the effort to make your function at least a bit special, your guests are unlikely to have any recollection of even having attended.  Considering how much money you’re probably spending, you’ll agree that it is of utmost importance that everyone leaves with a special reason to remember you and your company.
7. Being part of an event is FUN! We know that happy employees are more productive and the idea of having a ‘company-sponsored celebration’ can be a good motivator for you and your staff.  It’s something to look forward to, and the promise of being able to experience something fun and different can be a good reason to reach your sales targets or to cut unnecessary expenses.  Remember, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”!

Of course, your event should not have to cost more than you’ve budgeted!  If you are particularly experienced in event planning, or are meticulous about planning a budget, you may very well work within the estimated figures; however, it is not unreasonable to plan for a 10 – 15% variance on your original budget.

Here are some ways that you can save money:

• Don’t overestimate the value of the venue: as long as everyone is comfortable, and the venue is professional, clean and appropriate, then you should be fine.  Unless your event is being hosted at a particularly exclusive venue, your guests are unlikely to rave about your event because of the venue.  The reality is that within 1 hour of arriving, most people “tune out” to the physical environment and it does not play a major role when recalling the event from memory.  This does not mean you should not demand great customer service! Rather, you probably shouldn’t be spending the bulk of your event planning budget on the venue.
• Don’t offer an open bar for all available liquor! There’s no need for your guests to be drinking expensive alcohol on your company’s bill.  You should be able to offer a range of soft drinks, beers, wine and perhaps a choice of whiskey and brandy (in South Africa).  A cash bar should prevent your guests from ‘abusing’ your bar tab.  Remember that the law is becoming much stricter about driving under the influence of alcohol: don’t encourage drinking to be a central part of your function.
• Book your service suppliers early and offer to pay the full amount ‘up front’.  This encourages them to give you a better rate than they normally would.  Last minute bookings are often quoted a slightly higher than normal fee because the provider knows that you’re desperate.
• Rather host a smaller, intimate event for a specially selected group of guests and spend more per person, than inviting everyone you know and hoping to make your event work on a limited budget.  The rule applies: quality over quantity.

Hosting an event can one of the most rewarding ways of marketing your company – just remember to set a realistic budget and spend it on the things that matter, while avoiding unnessary spending.

And what’s the best way to find a corporate event entertainer in South Africa?

Here is an article I wrote that was published in the March/April 2010 edition of”Meetings SA” magazine that should help you answer these questions.

Launch of new health, safety guide for event organisers

The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) will launch the second edition of the standards guide — Health and safety at events — requirements at the Development Bank of South Africa in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Thursday, 21 January 2010, at 3.30pm.

This edition expands on the current edition and is a critical resource for all event organisers wishing to organise events that conform to legal requirements. Printed copies, normally R295, will be made available for attendees at a discounted price of R200 per issue.

“The presentations will cover the need for the new issue and overviews of the standard and various health and risk management issues,” explains Petro du Plessis, standards writer at the SABS. “The evening will end with entertainment and cocktails but bookings are essential as places are limited.”

For bookings contact Petro du Plessis on +27 (0)12 428 6011 or email duplesep@sabs.co.za.

Originally posted on bizcommunity.com

Over the past few years, I’ve observed the difference between a successful event planner & someone who is clearly not a regular event organizer.  What is becoming apparent is that many people are looking for the ”secret” online. They’re like the many people who approach me after a show, telling me that they’ve tried Googling for the methods to my magic, but could not find a suitable solution!

Well, here’s what I’ve learnt from my experiences: the biggest & best events are planned & organised early, from the early budget stages right down to the last minute.  Events can be planned & held in a very short time, but unfortunately most people can experience quite a lot of stress if they forget how vital the planning stage is.

So I decided to create a basic tool to help initiate the planning stage so that an event planner, just like you, would be able to know that you’re getting off to a good start.  It’s a basic guide for how to plan a function,  and will definitely help you avoid the common mistake that most event planners make!

A few years back, I posted a short list of free event planning software and templatesdiscovered that many people would like an event planning template manual that would making planning an event easier: a simple, easy to use, “connect the dots & fill-in the blanks” guide that will get your successful event started!

Best of all, I wanted to make this shareable so I’ve licensed it under Creative Commons so that it’s open-source.

This free manual includes 9 basic event planning templates that you can print as many times as you require — just mark what is appropriate to your function requirements & you’ve got a basic event proposal!

Here’s what is included in the ”Event Planning Templates For Corporate Events”:

• Pre-Planning template,
• Guests, Venue & Catering template,
• Decor & Flowers template,
• Table Planner template,
• Entertainer quotation/service template,
• Presentations, Technical & Recording template,
• Delegation of Tasks template,
• Service Providers quotation/brief/service template, and
• Post-Event Evaluation template!

Whether you decide to use any other free event planning software or not, we hope that we can give you some inspiration to help you create the kind of event that your bosses, colleagues, friends and family will thank you for!

Update 20th September 2010:

I am involved in a small Valentine’s Day event estimated 200 people. I am ex-military with event planning experience, but none over the past ten years the first thought was a template for success. I have embedded in me that failure to plan is the reason most plans fail and your guide is an excellent planning tool. I viewed several on internet and yours is a true gift of exceptional value. I had minutes before the first meeting a quickly printed two copies. At the first meeting I provided them to to two key organisers they were estatic! A third wanted to know where his copy was! They have the complete printed copy with your contact information. One stated this was perfect for some other project – just what he needed! The categories are excellent the pitfalls to avoid are excellent. This is detailed and clear like military documents exactly formatted as I like it. I haven’t made a mark on this, but know it will lead to success. Thanks!
Benjamin H. Johnson III

I’ve just received this email & I thought it would be particularly interesting to year-end event coordinators …

The Pavilion Conference Centre
Deliberate Conferencing Pleasure

YEAR-END SPECIAL:
Zero Rand Venue Hire

“Looking for ideas for your year-end customer or staff party? This upcoming December and January [2009] we offer you any one of five beautiful rooms with stunning view for free when you book your dinner or evening cocktail party with us.  Experience our amazing cuisine and attentive service.

Minimum booking numbers and conditions apply. This offer excludes the Theatre, Exhibitions Floor and Atlantic Deck, valid for all 5 rooms on first floor.”

Contact:

Lindsay Goslett
Sales & Marketing Manager
The Pavilion Conference Centre
lindsay@thepavilion.co.za
http://www.thepavilion.co.za

What a fantastic special offer!  I’m sure you’ll agree that while some companies are cutting back on their entertainment budget these days, when there is the chance to use a free venue for their event — particularly one as stunning at The Pavilion — it means that practically anyone can host a staff party or client event this year.

As you consider all the benefits of not having an additional venue hire cost, then I’m sure you’ll agree that you can now afford to hire the world-class quality corporate entertainment services that we offer.  Remember that if you book my performance within 20km of Cape Town CBD, there are no additional tranport or accomodation charges to our performance quotation!

I’m certain that many companies will wish to take this opportunity — but dates are limited & it’s best that you book now to avoid disappointment.  Don’t think twice! Contact The Pavilion Conference Centre to book your “Zero Rand Venue” & use our Online Bookings Enquiry Wizard to receive a performance quotation ASAP.

A corporate event is the accepted way to show appreciation to either staff or clients, to provide an opportunity for your guests to get to know each other personally, and to create an unforgettable memory that your guests will not only remember fondly but also feel compelled to tell their friends and family.  Company functions should be considered to be a marketing opportunity since the success of your event can directly relate to the success of your business:  perhaps this why event co-ordinators are normally very nervous or stressed out during the planning stages of the function!

The key to a successful event is to ensure that your guests share an experience that is so fun, so personal & so completely unforgettable that they talk about your party for a long, long time afterwards. That’s why it’s so important to focus your attention on providing a comfortable environment to get your guests relaxed, talking to each other & laughing as quickly as possible! Be careful: many event co-ordinators make the mistake of spending too much attention, time and money organising things that are not going to make a considerable difference in making the function memorable.

Stop for a moment and think about the last corporate event you attended that you really enjoyed. Can you recall the venue and, if you can, was the venue the most important or memorable thing about the party?  Was it the food?  The drinks? I going to guess and say the most memorable thing about the entire event was how much you enjoyed the company of your friends around the table and possibly how much you talked and laughed, right?

So it’s not how elaborate the venue is, how ‘inventive’ the cuisine is, or how much there is to drink that defines the success of your event.  Yes, these things are still very important to ‘spark’ the kind of spirited atmosphere your guests need to have a great time – but I’m sure you have attended parties, both private and corporate, that were very simple but that were still tremendous amounts of fun!  A successful event is one where your guests are quickly able to create lively conversation that is fun and gets them relaxed and comfortable.

But hold on … how do you ‘break the ice’ so that your guests are keen to share an experience that creates this required level of personal interaction?

In my experience, working with professional event entertainers can be instrumental in creating the kind of atmosphere that will directly contribute your event’s success! By working with a performer who is dedicated to keeping your guests laughing, talking & relaxed, you will have the opportunity to sit down and also take part in the festivities.  The benefits of working with an entertainer who is a corporate event specialist far outweigh the potential problems you may encounter & need to deal with if you choose the ‘cheapest’ entertainment, or take on all the responsibility of interacting with the guests yourself.

Unfortunately, this is where an inexperienced event-planner starts making ‘rookie’ mistakes – mistakes that can cost your company time, money and the lost opportunity of a successful event.  Selecting and hiring professional entertainment can be quite daunting, particularly if you do not have a plan or enough information available.

How do you know if the entertainment will be value-for-money?  What if it’s inappropriate or the entertainment doesn’t arrive?  Selecting and hiring the right entertainment to ensure your event is a success can actually be very simple and easy.

Here are a few tips & suggestions to help you choose the right entertainment for your event:

• Have a plan for your event — even if it’s a rough plan.
  You must have a plan for your event – otherwise how will you know what you are trying to achieve?  Your plan can include the following information:

  
  

  • Date & time for your event
  • Venue
  • Theme
  • Rough budget (including allowing for at least 10% extra)
  • Timeline
  • Notes and special requests

• Start looking for entertainment options when you start your event planning.
  There are several good reasons for this: you can check if your choice of entertainer is available, advance bookings are often discounted, or you can create a theme that matches the entertainment.  The success of an event depends heavily on the quality of entertainment, yet many planners make the mistake of leave this important aspect to the last minute!

• Decide how important it is for your guests to interact with the entertainment.
  Do you want an entertainer that incorporates every guest into the performance, or do you want ‘background’ or ‘static’ entertainment?  Remember, since we can agree that interactivity is super important to create conversation, consider if you really need something that your audience will forget about after a few minutes.

• Be prepared to have several alternatives available.
  If your requested entertainers are not available, ask them who they recommend:  genuinely professional performers should know other entertainers who would be suitable for your event, & be able to give you suggestions & their recommendations.

• Credible & qualified entertainers will offer you testimonials & referral letters.
  Find these letters on your entertainer’s website and do a web search (e.g. Google their name) to find any additional positive or negative comments.  Taking a moment to read through your prospective entertainer’s list of previous clients gives you the best indication of the level of experience your entertainer has, and do not hesitate to call previous clients to ask them for a personal recommendation.  Or ask your friends & colleagues if they have recently seen an entertainer who they would recommend. Just doing this can save you a lot of time, money & trouble in the long run!

• Consider whether the entertainment is going to be suitable & appropriate for your guests.
  Not everyone enjoys listening to kwaito, has the same tolerance for ‘risqué’ humour, or wants to see an inexperienced or unskilled performer struggle & ‘die’ on stage!  Establish your company’s accepted policies with your performer very early in your enquiry process: if you need to short-list your entertainment, why not select entertainers that are certain to help you be remembered for all the right reasons?  Nobody wants their guests to tell their friends how rude or boring your entertainer was, and this can be prevented if you chose the right performer.

• How your prospective entertainer treats you will be a great indication how he or she will treat your guests.
  When meeting with your entertainer, or during a telephonic conversation, ask as many questions as you like – do not hesitate to make specific requests – since your performer is going to representing your company to your guests.  If you feel that the entertainer doesn’t care about you or your event, you’re probably right: keep looking around until you find someone you really feel comfortable with.

If you know what qualities you’re looking for then selecting & booking the right entertainment for your event or function can a lot of fun!  You’ll be interacting with interesting personalities who love to laugh, are passionate about their work, and who are eager to be in front of an audience.  So when you’ve confirmed the right person for your event, you will not only relax — knowing that you’ll be working with a professional — but you’ll be certain to have just as much fun as your guests. You also deserve the type of event that you will remember and talk about for a long, long time!  Just remember – aim to make your event fun, personal & unforgettable & you can be sure that your event will be talked about for a long, long time afterwards.