Theming in Event Management is so important, it brings the project to life and is a great starting point in organising the day. Here are some tips when starting the process of theming your event!

Get the Management Teams juices flowing

First things first, get the juices flowing. There is nothing better than throwing ideas around a room of creative people because it will only lead to good things. Schedule a time for members of the wider team to sit down and brainstorm topics & ideas that fit within the brief. Everyone will have their own take and opinion of what the event should look like, and you will more than likely end up with a really cool concept! Remember, it takes a village to run an event, and that’s including coming up with a theme

Give generic themes depth

A theme doesn’t need to be elaborate, sometimes it’s drawing on a generic idea and playing it off on a larger scale. i.e. starting off with a generic ‘Carnival’ and turning it into something like – ‘Vintage Circus’, ‘Quirky Carnival’. It’s using your creative skills to re-imagine an already existing theme that is going to give a sense of curiosity to the guest.

Current trends don’t always work.

Be careful when pulling ideas from the current trends circulating on social media. While it can be great to have a flower wall or a balloon arch at your event, it is likely when looking back on the day a couple of years (even months) down the line, those elements will have become dated. You want to keep the event in line with the thought process of choosing a wedding dress, going with your own unique style alongside keeping it traditional so your look will transcend time, this is how you want your event to look.

Consider all affairs

When theming an event/ activation/ conference, don’t get ahead of yourself.  You consistently need to remind yourself of budget, attendee numbers, the venue itself. Anything that’s going to affect the execution of the theme and overall event.

Sometimes certain themes will just not fit with the event. i.e you can’t have a large scale circus theme event if there are going to be 50 guests. So always be mindful of your key objectives and your demographic.

Research and Planning your Events Theme

When a theme has been decided, really do your homework, e.g. You can’t plan your theme around tennis if you don’t know anything about the sport! Put your best foot forward as it is important you have checked every box within the theme chosen so nothing is left out.

Overall, a theme should always reflect the brand/ organisation you are planning for. Always keep this at the heart of your brainstorms and decision making. A theme can make or break an event, and it usually (after the venue) one of the first decisions made, so it’s important you get it right!

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