Events have the ability to make lasting impressions on people’s lives. Personalizing your event helps ensure it’s an experience to be remembered. What speaks to you? What would make a difference in your overall experience?
Behind the scenes at Always Yours Occasions, we talk often about helping our clients cultivate lavish community at their events. When we have the opportunity to help plan, particularly starting from the beginning, we want to know our client’s heartbeat for their event. The elements you choose to incorporate can be a beautiful reflection of your mission, shared history, or hopes for the future.
When planning an event, personalizing your event is vital to reflect who you are and the heart of the event. This is true no matter what type of event you are planning. Bring your own flair with specific, meaningful elements which offer extra enrichment.
Here are a few areas where personalizing your event can have impact:
1 Food.
From the beginning of human history, food has been an important part of community. You can embrace this by selecting favorite dishes that are part of your history or culture. A cultural or traditional dish will give your guests something to connect with. In the case of a destination event, you could choose indigenous cuisine as an element of creating an authentic local experience. Live food stations and food art are also ways to enhance the overall guest experience.
Photo credit: Roxy and Jon Photography, Donna’s Kreative Kitchen and Crafts, Gettysvue Polo, Golf, and Country Club, White Table
2 Branding.
Now before this looks super complicated, here’s what we mean: decide your event’s personality and create specific elements to reflect it. What type of feel do you want your event to have? Choose 3-4 colors in line with your vision and pull in complementary colors as needed. Think of the atmosphere you want to cultivate as you make the event timeline. One method of cohesively personalizing your event is to design a logo to use in your stationery. Check out Fiverr for options starting at $5 if creating one yourself isn’t in your wheelhouse. Add a luxe continuity of your graphics or logo during the event itself with a gobo and some sweet uplighting. Additionally, you might use branding to give a nod to activities that are important to attendees or, if you’re getting married, to you as a couple.
3 Specially designed favors or gifts.
Do something unexpected such as beverage bottles with your own designer label or specially created candies on each table. One of the sweetest examples we’ve seen of this was at a wedding that Kate attended right after college. The wine during the reception was provided by the bride’s family vineyard and bottled with a customized wedding label. It added a meaningful touch that connected to family history.
More recently, our bride, Crystal, added a fun twist on favors at her wedding. She ordered boxed doughnuts and added a personalized sticker. A bride and groom centerpiece on the favor table tied in her colors and aesthetic. She knew her tribe was *addicted* to donuts and, sure enough, every single box disappeared.
Photo credit: Roxy and Jon Photography, Donna’s Kreative Kitchen and Crafts, Gettysvue Polo, Golf, and Country Club, White Table, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
4 Entertainment.
Whether you choose a live band, a caricature artist, or a painter, your choice of entertainment is a fun way to surprise your guests. It provides a unique experience in harmony with your event. Including a nod to one or both of your hobbies is another way to create a personalized flair.
5 Activities.
If you are planning a destination wedding, retreat, or conference, you might book tours of local attractions that fit the ambience of the event. More frequently, destination weddings also are doubling as family vacations prior to the ceremony. This takes a lot of the stress off and provides a sweet time to slow things down and enjoy your family and friends. Classes or workshops are other unique opportunities to surprise your attendee and bring in related activities to whatever you are teaching.
6 Include a moving narrative.
Storytelling is a powerful way to connect people. Consider offering a tribute or anecdote that is emotionally compelling for those attending. If your event is a professional one, a group activity might be appropriate. For instance, attendees could work together to create art that tells a story.
7 A showstopper.
Art and floral showstoppers arrest attention and are a dramatic way to make a statement. For weddings and family events, incorporating flowers that have particular meaning is a personal way to tell a story. You could include blooms of the same kind as the first bouquet of flowers your fiancé gave you. Or, maybe he always gives you a particular flower and it’s grown to have significance between the two of you.
Here’s another showstopper idea to get your guests interacting: set up a unique photo opportunity that wows them. Or, you could commission a work of art for an event. Personalizing your event through your general decor is another good option. If you want a homey atmosphere, for example, bring in furniture to create sitting areas for guests to relax and chat.
Personalizing your event increases the potential of creating an emotionally compelling and cohesive experience. Picture your handcrafted one-of-a kind piece of art in your design class. Showcase a piece a furniture you purchased for your new home as part of your wedding decor. Choose a destination spot for your honeymoon that includes a favorite hobby the two of you share. Include those meaningful touches that bring joy to your heart and a smile to your face, connecting you with those you love.
Remember–It’s your occasion. Make it Always Yours!
Cover photo credits- Venue: The Bleak House Photographer: Derek Halkett Photography Florist: Melissa Timm Designs Planner: Always Yours Occasions Decor: Unique Settings Rentals Cake Design: Custom Cakes by Gail