Tag Archive: smooth event

  1. Outdoor Event Planning Tips

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    We have put together a list of tips that will help you make your outdoor event a success.

    When it comes to planning an event, whether it’s a festival, exhibition, corporate function, wedding, private party or any other type of celebration or showcase, we’re considered experts in the field. So, believe us when we tell you that outdoor events are taking over the events industry by storm.

    Why you ask?

    It’s simple, the aesthetics for one, there’s nothing more pleasing to the eye than being surrounded by natures beautiful scenery. With outdoor events, you’re often working with a blank canvas, making the event set up both practical and fun. Unlike inside venues, there’s no quirky spaces or odd floor layouts to take into consideration – amazing! This means that you can plan the seating, tables, podiums, and mingling areas where you see fit. That being said, hosting an outdoor event isn’t without its flaws, from permits to bad weather, it takes advanced planning in order to execute an outdoor event successfully.

    Location is key

    When you’re looking for the perfect outdoor venue there are a few factors to consider, the first being the time of year. If your event is in the winter months then you can expect to have rain, therefore choosing a field as your outdoor space wouldn’t be a great choice because let’s face it, who wants to be walking on wet, muddy and potentially stodgy grass? Although if your event is in the summer or even Autumn then by all means go ahead, there’s nothing better than a day at the park when the weather is beautiful.

    Another thing to consider…

    If you’re hosting a kids party then it wouldn’t be smart to host it where the floor is hard and jagged for obvious reasons – injuries. Kids like to roam around and be wild and have absolutely no concept of coordination, so it’s best to have some sort of soft surface for them to land on in case they fall. With so many different outdoor spaces, you will definitely find something that will suit your needs.

    Don’t forget about permits

    Once you’ve decided on the perfect outdoor space, you then need to determine what permits you need in order to be able to host your event on that site. The worst thing you could do is not do your research on permits and site regulations and go ahead with your event anyway because not only will it get shut down, but you could also face legal consequences. If your event includes selling alcohol or live music, then you must get a premise licence. It is always good to apply for any licenses at least a month in advance in case any problems arise. If your outdoor venue is privately owned, then the owner could already have a premise licence that they might let you use – it can’t hurt to ask.

    Check the weather

    Unless you have a crystal ball to hand, you will never know what the weather is going to be like on the day of your event. We’ve had people tell us that they’ve had countless sleepless nights because they’ve been too worried about the weather ruining the day. Don’t let the worry of the weather stop you from hosting your event outside as there are many things you can do to make sure your attendees stay dry, cool or warm.

    The first being to always have a backup plan, yes that’s right, it all comes down to a plan B, which is to have an alternative venue indoors in case the weather turns bad. Before it gets to plan B though, you should hire a gazebo or multiple shelter areas for people to stay dry or cool (depending on the weather) because you never know, the weather could change at any time. You may even want to purchase or hire portable outdoor heaters to keep people warm when it’s windy or purchase portable fans to keep people cool when it’s hot. There are many ways to manage the weather, so don’t let it stop you from hosting a stellar event outdoors.

    Theme ideas

    One thing we can all agree on is that anyone who hosts an event wants it to be memorable – for all the right reasons that is. And one of those reasons is the décor, which is a huge part of your theme. Often, the theme is the first thing that makes people interested in your event, so it has to spectacular.

    You could choose to dust of that old cowboy hat you’ve been hiding and host a good old-fashioned hoedown, or even better, get your dancing shoes on as you get into the swing of things with a 1960’s disco. Why not go a little left field and go down the rabbit hole to find the mad hatter, the queen of hearts and Alice? Get excited with a Dinosaur themed party, or steal that naughty list from Santa himself as you host a winter wonderland extravaganza. It’s your event, you can choose whatever theme you like and with so many to choose from, the sky really is the limit.

    Don’t forget the entertainment

    It’s time for the best part – entertainment! This is one area that we can confidently say we excel at, which is providing the highest quality entertainment that is suitable for any event or function. We have over 25 years’ experience and knowledge running live music events, festivals and providing specialist entertainment to venues, resorts and military events. This means that we know what works, and we know what kind of entertainment will be right for your event. From spectacular, out of this world street performers, world-renowned tribute acts, state-of-the-art interactive entertainment to celebrities and lookalikes – the list is endless!

    Ideas…

    Wanting a party to remember? Book one of our popular club night packages which range from UV paint parties, foam parties, laser shows and live music with the best DJ’s in town. Hosting a summer street fair? We have a fantastic range of outdoor inflatables ranging from bouncy castles to obstacle courses, inflatable football and much more. We also have various food stalls that can be set up easily and provide scrumptious street food. If you’re wanting to add a little luxuriousness to your event, then hire our flair bartenders for an alternative source of entertainment. Watch as they flawlessly perform choreographed performances while serving everyone’s favourite drinks. Like we said before, entertainment is a huge part of any party, event or function so it’s important you make sure it’s something that everyone will enjoy.

    Clean up

    Your event is over – which, if you followed our tips, was a huge success! It’s time to clean up. Making sure that you have cleaned up the area is extremely important because it will affect your reputation. Someone was nice enough to rent you their space, so it is only fair that you give it back to them the same way you got it.  You can plan with the local sanitation department to clean up afterwards or have a hauling firm on hand to clean up and remove unwanted items once the event is over.

  2. Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Event

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    Plan, pester and perform!

    Ensuring everything is organised nice and early is essential; you don’t want to be getting to the last few days before your event and panicking because you haven’t booked a party band, or you’re having to scroll through google messaging every man and his dog to see if they have a piece of equipment you’ve missed off!

    We have lost count of the number of last-minute calls from clients who have forgotten to book their live entertainment and haven’t thought about the venue décor, so here is our guide to preparing for a smooth-running, stress-free event:

    • Create a timeline for your event; run through the key elements in detail and write a list of every requirement.
    • Research each element; this takes time so make sure you allow plenty!
    • Refer to your checklist daily; tick things off as they are confirmed and contracted and stay on top of people you’re relying on to ensure they fulfill your brief. Don’t be afraid to pester!
    • LEAD! If you have a team or a network of suppliers working on your event, show them what it takes to knock an event out of the park!

    Preparation well in advance will reduce stress, so that when it comes to the final days before the event, you can start to get excited about it!

    Use an Event Planner

    Don’t be put off by the idea of outsourcing someone to do the work for you; by utilising their expertise, knowledge, experience, network of suppliers and vast resources, they will save you time and pressure. Event professionals are the single, most effective way to reduce stress when planning your event. Here’s why:

    They will save you money!
    An established Event Company has ‘buying power’; they use tried and trusted suppliers and artistes whom they regularly work hand in hand with so they can get the most competitive rate available.  Knowing your budget and the purpose of your event, they can match you with the perfect entertainment, theming and décor and their solution won’t burden you financially because, well let’s face it, they’re good at what they do!

    Contracting is taken care of!
    The stresses of contacting people, getting quotes, figuring out the timing of the event, making sure all the minor details have been seen to, and practically anything else you think may be a hair-pulling task, is in their hands. AND they will keep you in the loop as things progress and start to fit into place. All paperwork is dealt with under one roof which makes it easier for you.

    Knowledge & Experience!
    An experienced Event Company can tweak, refine and execute events to a tee. They not only have an infinite selection of event staff, prop suppliers and live entertainment, they know WHO to choose and HOW to get them at the right price, for you.

    Overall, it makes sense financially to use an event planner. And if not for saving money, do it to save yourself. Planning an event is stressful, so you may as well leave it to the professionals.

Testimonials

  • Just a quick one to say how amazing everything went at our function thanks to Big Foot Events! From the very beginning they were extremely helpful and made sure everything was looked after without giving me too much hassle either! The Photo Booth, Candy Floss Cart and Popcorn Cart were all fantastic and a great hit with all of our family and friends and the staff running them were absolutely amazing! They were all set up and ready to go well before the event started and made sure they were always helpful! So a massive thank you to you all!

    Megan Chungh – Park Hotel, Newcastle
  • I just wanted to say a big thank you for being a part of our snapdragon festival this year. Once again Rex was a massive hit and the children and adults loved him. The two members of staff that came to the event were very professional and catered to any requests we had.

    Amy Casey – Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
  • We absolutely love having Noughty 90’s here, such lovely people and amazing sets! They had everyone up and dancing on the dance floor.

    George – Golden Sands Holiday Park
  • It was absolutely incredible, I cannot thank you guys enough for how amazing it all was. The Ranger and Rex were outstanding, every single guest loved them to pieces and we certainly had the wow factor for our wedding. Just the idea of having a dinosaur is one thing, but the way Rex, Trixxie and the Ranger worked tirelessly to entertain the entire wedding party just added to the overall effect. We've had non-stop comments from those who attended saying it was pure magic, videos of the experience have gone viral and we even had guests from the hotel desperate to catch a glimpse of Rex. I cannot overstate how incredible you all have been, from the day a weirdo messaged Lauren asking for a dinosaur at their wedding, to speaking with Jade to coordinate everything and then finally meeting Rex and the Ranger on the big day. Everything worked out a million times better than I ever thought possible, and my dad was very pleased to see Rex was appropriately dressed with his bow tie. Amazing, amazing, amazing, thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts.

    Mr & Mrs Pravitt – Private Wedding, Stoke On Trent
  • Both acts went down a storm at the weekend. Really pleased with everything! Madonna did all the hits and even included some iconic costume changes! She had the audience up Voguing at the front! ABBA Fever had the crowd on their feet from the start and would be a worthy headliner in the future.

    Andrew Edmeads – Frimley Lodge, Surrey
  • The evening on Saturday was wonderful, Planet Abba we're superb and also so welcoming to the audience. As you know this is the 3rd year in a row I have used your agency and as always you have given me a wonderful evening, thank you.

    Barry Herridge – Ely Beet Sports & Social Club

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