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Bring staff together with summer barbecues

A summer barbecue is a fantastic way to help you bring your employees closer together.

With spring coming soon and then the even hotter months to follow, now is the perfect time to look ahead and start planning a summer barbecue early. Is there an area at your workplace where you can hold a barbecue for all staff members or will you need to hire a venue for the event? Either way, getting the location arranged first is the best place to start. You should then consider contacting local butchers who may be able to supply real quality meat that your employees and their families will love. The warmer months often feel happier here in the UK and that’s why it presents the perfect opportunity to reward your employees, whilst giving them some down time to get to know each other on a more personal level, which is great for team bonding.

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Dress Fitting: Make it a day out

A dress fitting is not just an event which ‘has to be done’ for brides and bridesmaids, it can also be looked at as a fun day out.

If you have a wedding coming up and you haven’t thought much about the dress fitting, why not make a plan of action for the day? You can start off with the fitting, and then perhaps head for some lunch or even to a spa. You can even hire a photographer for your fitting as this too is part of the overall wedding story, and there are memories that could be beautifully captured. It’s about time more women started thinking of the dress fitting as much more than a task on the ever-growing planning list. It’s a time with your friends and family, and it certainly presents the perfect opportunity to make a day of it, so be sure to start thinking outside the box when it comes to your dress fitting.

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Planning a corporate team building event

Teamwork is extremely important in the workplace as it helps improve workers’ confidence, helps them enjoy working with their co-workers and boosts the overall morale of the group.

There are ways that you can bring your team together outside of the office environment. A corporate fun day is an area pack full of fun activity stations for workers to go around and have a bit of fun, these event can include:

  • Giant Slides
  • Velcro penalty shootout
  • Climbing wall
  • Archery
  • Bungee runs
  • Lawn croquet
  • Giant outdoor games & puzzles

Other ways to bring a team closer together is with an activity day, creating a task or puzzle that requires teamwork to solve. This type of team building helps encourage workers to use their skills and support each other through their problem solving. Skills that can be developed through a problem solving activity day is time management, planning, motivation, organisation, decision making, communication, teamwork, leadership, relationship building and so much more.

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‘Sweet 16’ birthdays in the UK

You’ve probably heard of the term ‘sweet 16’ but it’s not often mentioned in the UK unless you’re watching an American high school movie! That said, a teen’s 16th birthday is a big deal, and there are lots of ways to celebrate it in style. Most 16-year-olds opt for a disco or party and hire out a venue such as a bar or a club on a weekend. Others choose to have a meal with their friends, whilst there are some 16-year-olds who head to music gigs specifically aimed at under-18s. All of these are good options but parents should have caution with all of them. There are temptations to drink alcohol even at that age, and while the bar workers will not serve it to minors, perhaps a friend of a friend who is of age, is willing to buy it from a shop, so you do need to keep your wits about you as a parent. And don’t believe the term ‘sweet 16’.

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How important is music to an end of year work party?

With the cold weather now creeping up on us, we’re well beyond the halfway point of 2017 and more companies are looking to their winter parties. Planning starts now, and one of the most important aspects in our eyes is the music. Without music that your employees can relate to, you can have an evening that leaves people twitching in their chairs rather than enjoying themselves on the dance floor. If you take the time to ask for their song requests, you can create a list that your employees love.

Karaoke is another great option which can get people involved, but this will, of course, depend on the type of people who work for you. That said, you should always spend time planning the music, as it’s certainly one of the most important aspects to a fun work do. Why not hand out a sheet asking for their song requests now, and you can then tick this box for your Christmas work part already.

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Hen Parties: Why more brides to be are going abroad

Back in the day, your typical hen party was a night out in your local town centre, or the pub around the corner from your house. Nowadays it is a completely different story. Girls flock to beach locations like Benidorm, Magaluf or Malia for big nights out, while some will choose a trendy city like Berlin, Prague or Paris. Cheaper flights and trains have led more girls to choose to head abroad for their hen parties, and you may be surprised at how cheap three nights out in a different country can be, especially when you’re staying in budget accommodation.

The big part of a hen party is, of course, the night out, so cheaper accommodation, such as in a 2-star hotel, can be fine for the job but of course, if you wanted something more peaceful and relaxing there are many luxury resorts to choose from across the globe.

Themed party ideas

If you have an important birthday or event coming up, and want to organise a party to celebrate, why not try a themed party?

Themed parties can be great to organise and also be fun on the night too. The hardest task is choosing a theme, however there are many ideas if you do some research online. Themed parties could be movie based, such as James Bond or Disney themed, alternatively the theme could be a genre or year, such as a ‘70’s’ themed party.

The exciting part of a themed party is in the planning, from themed invites to room décor, themed foods and drinks and or course music or stage performers. Another important aspect to consider is the venue, making sure it is suitable for the theme and also the party size, too small and your guests won’t have room to show off their moves, whilst too big and the party can look empty.

Start planning your themed party in advance to make sure you can book and plan all that is needed to make it a party to be remembered.

60th Birthday Ideas

With retirement in sight, 60 is one of the most celebrated years. We feel every 60 year old deserves a big party to enjoy with their loved ones and here are just a few ideas if you’re planning a 60th for your parent or grandparent.

Classic Disco

Reliving those classic tunes from the 60s or 70s is a great idea. With the right music, you can feel like you’ve stepped back in time, and most of the classic hits are so popular the younger generations know them too.

Family Meal

A close-knit family meal in a lavish restaurant is always a good option for a 60th, especially those that include entertainment after. This is a nice option for any 60th birthday party.

Bowling

Not the first idea that comes to mind for a 60th birthday, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be considered. Bowling is a great way to interact with the family, and show that you’ve got plenty of energy and fun times ahead!

Birthday Parties – Why you should consider a marquee

With a marquee, you get a great deal of flexibility. You can add rooms, you can set it up in many different locations and you can also hire your own staff, rather than using the employees of a particular venue. In many ways, you get complete control over your party if you have a marquee; you just need to make sure you have enough space to set it up, whether that’s on hired land or your own property. Marquees are often used for corporate events and weddings, so they’re just right for birthdays too, and they can easily be decorated so it’s never too much of an issue to add personal touches. With a marquee you also get a great deal of control over the layout of the space. You can choose where you want the bar, the dance floor and the DJ, so it really is a top option if you’re planning a big birthday party.

Planning a work party: Can you really please everyone?

Though the next work party may not be the most important task on the list for hectic companies, one senior member of staff is often handed the burden and there are certain things you should know if you ever get asked to plan and execute a successful work do.

If you’re planning the Christmas work party for example, there may be a lot of pressure on you, especially if your organisation has over 50 employees. Some say you can’t please everyone all the time, and they may well be right. There will of course be people who don’t like your idea, find it boring or disapprove of the venue. Everyone has their own opinion, but to create a work party that lives long in the memory, you have to think about all of your employees and not just a select few.

Look around the room when you’re next in the office. Are they shy, outgoing, bubbly or wild? Think about their personalities try to visualise them in different situations, such as a 70s disco, a bowling night, dog racing, fancy restaurant or casino. You should also get feedback when you’re planning the event and run ideas past them. If it’s supposed to be a surprise you should try do this subtly, but the more ideas you have from the team, the better placed you’ll be create a successful work event.

Depending on the budget you’re given, you may want to bring another member of the team on board, so you can share the burden and each contact different suppliers to get the best prices. Managing a work party on your own is a big task so a bit of help will go a long way. In most cases, it’s best to keep the event local as you’ll more likely have higher turnout numbers, whilst you’re often able to get cheaper prices if you know local suppliers.