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Personalize your party with a unique hashtag (Après Event Décor)
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Try a handwritten sign and glittery décor (Nothing Bundt Cakes).
Now Trending
Before 10-second snaps on Snapchat, there were foodie photos on Instagram. It’s a trend that has staying power for a reason—everyone loves a beautiful photo of delicious food and drinks.
Convenience is still key. Nothing Bundt Cakes has made a business of the idea with its popular bite-sized bundt cakes that fit in your hand. You can eat one while you mingle or toss a bocce ball across the lawn without a plate or fork. “Bundtinis are one of our most popular items,” says Jamie Cassens, manager at Nothing Bundt Cakes in Minnetonka. “People want something that’s easy so they’ll order a box of Bundtinis or Bundtlets, which are individual bundt cakes the size of a softball.”
Personalize your food and drink. Having alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at parties is a must so you can meet the needs of all your guests, so why not have fun with the concept?
“We’ve had an event that featured unique food stations spread throughout the venue with a specialty cocktail created to pair with each station,” says Helen O’Malley, events and sales manager at Punch Bowl Social. Customizing a drink menu can be as simple as renaming your favorite cocktails—a drink named after a newlywed couple or special kiddie cocktails named after Disney characters, like Snow White’s Apple Juice, make parties memorable.
Prop it up. Food and drinks stand out best when surrounded by lush, colorful décor and flower arrangements. “Succulents remain popular and orchids always cause a stir,” says Martha Gabler Lunde, owner of Martha’s Gardens. “The hottest bouquets are very artful with lots of textures, greens, and fresh, unusual floral.”
Pro Tip: Decorate a buffet table with loose blooms or have an arrangement at each table to add warmth to bland spaces.
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Space Exhibit Gala at the Science Museum of Minnesota (Lancer Hospitality).
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A striking backdrop for a private dinner at a library (Après Event Décor).
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Decorative accents at a rooftop dessert party (Après Event Décor).
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Colorful drinks (Punch Bowl Social).
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Balloon installation (Après Event Décor).
Atmosphere is Everything
Aside from location, capacity, and other party criteria—be sure you can decorate the space to achieve the look you want. A pro party planner can come in handy to offer tips and suggestions along the way.
Transport your guests. Lancer Hospitality turned the main lobby of the Science Museum of Minnesota into outer space for the Space Exhibit Gala. The darkened space was lit with dancing stars from a disco ball; a model dressed as a space woman walked around the party; and the food included dark matter cupcakes, coconut comet cookies, and zero gravity meringues.
“The space is crucial—especially for a themed event,” says Jamie Quickert, corporate director of catering at Lancer Hospitality. “Walking into a space transports you into another world and sets the expectation of what a party will be like or builds the anticipation of what’s to come.”
Book an all-in-one space. In St. Louis Park’s West End, Punch Bowl Social has colorful décor; plenty of activities, like bowling, bocce, ’80s arcade games, two private karaoke rooms, and a giant Scrabble wall; and more to keep the party alive. The most popular events held there are corporate events, birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and bat mitzvahs.
“Our experiences today aren’t just about going out but about capturing each moment on social media,” says O’Malley. “From ice luges to giant blow-up photo booths to themed parties, we do it all!”
Pro Tip: Gift party guests universal phone chargers so they can take videos and photos throughout the night without worrying about battery power.
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Guests enjoy live music (Après Event Décor).
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Iinteractive games, like bowling are great for groups.
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Create an Experience
Setting the tone of the party can be a challenge when not everyone knows one another—think a corporate retreat, wedding, or launch party—but there are ways to break the ice.
Interactive everything. Use the space to encourage communication. “Rent high-top cocktail tables to scatter around the space,” says Sheree Bochenek, creative director at Après Event Décor & Tent Rental. “It encourages guests to stand up and converse.”
And think about the action. Super Bowl week in downtown Minneapolis included lots of parties, some with an outdoor grill/cookout area and seafood stations. “Add interactive displays and games—it gets people who don’t know each other involved,” says Allie Gilbert, director of marketing at Lumber Exchange Event Center.
Next-level video. You’ve picked the place, hired an event planner, ordered the food and drinks, but now what? Adding an innovative element to your party will not only make it fun for guests, but it will create memories that can last forever.
“Photo booths will always be on trend,” says Quickert. “But now, most people are moving toward live-action photo booths that produce boomerangs or GIFs.” Finding a photo booth company that can upload these mini-movies makes it easy to share on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter.
Treat events like mini-performances. Hiring live talent for events is an emerging trend—multitasking an event within another event is the true measure of a party. “Think fire dancers, stilt walkers, poker tables, aerialists, bands, and DJs,” says Gilbert. These live performances amplify the excitement and take the pressure off guests to mingle when they may not know one another—and it’s a great buffer between trips to the dance floor or dessert bar.
Pro Tip: Hire an event planner. They can get discounts and deals, and save you money in the end, says Gilbert.
