Tag Archives: parties

Great ideas for the oldies

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Someone special in your life is about to turn 80 years old or even 90. It’s a milestone! They’ve lived a long life and you’re ready to celebrate. Here are a few party ideas to make your loved one’s birthday special.

Know the difference between surprising and startling.

Many older people like quiet, calm surroundings. It’s very sweet to throw them a surprise party, but you don’t want to alarm them. Instead of leaping out from behind furniture and shouting “SURPRISE!” just assemble the guests in a room with balloons and party hats. The surprise will speak for itself.

Select your guest list carefully.

You know your loved one best. Would they prefer a small, intimate gathering of close family and friends, or a big surprise party with extended family? Make sure the guest list works well with the environment they favour.

Opt for daytime over the evening.

Chances are, at the age of 80/90, they’re early to bed, early to rise. You don’t want to plan a party for them in the evening hours when they may be tired or not up for it. Instead, opt for a midday party or luncheon. That way, they’ll have plenty of energy to keep up with their guests!

Get sentimental.

One of the most important things you can give someone for their 80th/90th birthday is your appreciation for the memories shared. Collect photos from other family members and friends to create a slideshow. Pair it with a beautiful song and you’ve got yourself an unforgettable birthday gift. Just don’t forget the tissues!

Take photos.

This is a big moment in your loved one’s life and you’ll want to look back on it someday. This is a great opportunity to get a photo of multiple generations if you have extended family present. Ask your Photographer for advice on staging your photos and make sure to get some candid shots as well!

Celebrate with a custom cake.

This is a special birthday! Ask your Cake Decorator to create a cake that celebrates the occasion and ties in the birthday gal or guy’s interests. You could get a cake inspired by one of the activities they love like crossword puzzles, gardening, knitting, painting, or card games.

Serve their favourite foods.

You probably know them pretty well by now. Whip up some of their favourite dishes or hire a Caterer to do the cooking for you. Nothing says “special birthday” like a buffet in your honour!

Entertainment is a nice touch for some.

For many, entertainment is a great way to celebrate a birthday. Some older folks don’t always have the energy to go out to a concert, but you can bring the show to them as an alternative! If they love music, search for an act you think they’d like. Opera, Jazz, Barbershop Quartets, and Singing Telegrams are all great options! On the other hand, if your loved one has a great sense of humour, you may want to hire a Comedian to entertain your family instead. You could even fill them in on some of your family secrets for a special roast – all in good fun, of course!

At the end of the day, you just want to make sure that the birthday boy/girl is feeling loved and appreciated. They’ve made it this far with the help of wonderful family and friends like you. Now go give them the birthday party of a lifetime!

Unforgettable Stag Weekends

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Your best mate is getting married and you’re on the prowl for ideas to make his Stag party unforgettable. As hard to believe as it may be, not every man’s dream Stag party involves a stripper jumping out of a cake. For the men looking for something different for their parties, here are five unique suggestions.

Explore.

If there’s a place within driving distance that your friend has always wanted to go to, now’s the time to do it! Get your best friends together and explore. Go on a hiking expedition and climb that mountain he’s been talking about, or go white water rafting, rock climbing, or kayaking. Have some fun in the great outdoors

Viva Las Vegas

If Vegas is too far for you to travel, bring the excitement of the casino to you by hosting your very own Casino Party Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, and other games will get the competition started. Don’t forget to hire a cocktail waiter to whip up delicious drinks and Las Vegas Style Entertainers for the live show!

Go for a beach holiday weekend

Spend the weekend at the beach with your best friends! Take advantage of the waves by surfing or playing water sports. Have your very own party on the beach, complete with a pig roast!

Night Out On the Town!

Treat your friend to a night out on the town with his best mates. Grab dinner at that new restaurant he’s been dying to try, go to a wine tasting, and then finish the night off with a burlesque show! If there aren’t any burlesque clubs near you, you can hire Burlesque Dancers for a private party.

No matter what you decide, make sure that your last hoorah before the wedding is memorable and leaves the groom feeling lucky to have such great friends at his side!

Plan a party for your little princess

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A Frozen Birthday Party is what most little girls want at the moment and were are here to help with inspiration on how to decorate your home or venue to make it that extra bit special.

Costumed characters are always a big hit with children’s parties; these characters call also entertain the children whilst you get on organising the food.

Make sure you have table cloths that look ‘Frozen’ for example you could have silver foil laid out with blue plates and don’t forget to have plenty of ice in jugs for decoration to really make it look authentic, or if your budget allows why not hire an Ice Sculpture for your centrepiece.

If you know of any singers in the family or friends, then they could sing a few ‘Frozen songs’ but if you don’t then why not hire a solo singer preferably one that can be Elsa or Ana for a few hours.

It’s all about the ‘wow’ factor when your little girl walks into the venue you’ve booked, she and her friends want to be transported into the world of ‘Frozen’.

Fairy lights can transform any dull church hall into something magical if it’s done in the right way. Battery powered tea lights are also very effective and safer!!

Tissue paper pompoms, honeycomb balls and paper rosettes also offer a great cost-effective solution to decorating any space. They pack the wow factor without much effort or cost.

Why not hire or make a Sledge where a photo opportunity would be great keepsake for all your guests.

For DIY party decor, a few tissue paper pompoms can help bring life to any table or theme.

When it comes to budget-friendly favours, we believe a party activity where guests create something to take home is ideal! It’s not only practical, but it’s also a lot less work for the hostess. And the kids will love something they actually made as opposed to something shop-bought. A jewellery- or snow globe-making station would be a great way to incorporate the theme into your activities.

​Another cool idea is to use white Christmas lights you may already have at home to create the “Frozen” atmosphere. And don’t forget the cute goodie bags or packaging to match your theme!”

Hosting a Private Party

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Hosting a private party can be a lot of pressure. A lot of love and careful planning goes into making an event a success, so it’s important to start early to get the best of the best. Here are some tips to help you put on the party of the year.

Set Your Budget

Your budget will help you determine many things, from what venue you choose and how many guests to invite, to what kind of party entertainment and services to hire. It’s best to determine your budget as early as possible and adhere to it with every step.

Set The Date & Secure a Venue

One of the first (and most important) details that you need to figure out is when to host your party. Typically, it’s best to select a date that falls on the weekend, as many people don’t work on the weekend. However, you know your guests best! Choose a date that will work for the majority of them. Depending on the size and formality of your event, you will want to select a date and have booked a venue anywhere from 6 weeks to 1 year ahead of time. It’s important to secure your venue early so that you can begin planning your event and send out detailed invitations.

Book Entertainment & Services

Depending on the occasion and/or theme of your party, this will vary quite a bit. Peruse other Party Ideas for more specific examples. However, you have plenty of entertainment to choose from – from Rock Bands, Jazz Bands, and String Quartets to Aerialists, Clowns and Stilt Walkers. Once you know your party’s theme, it will be easier to determine what kind of entertainment would best suit your event.

If you plan on having food and drinks at your party, you may want to consider hiring a Caterer, Cake Decorator, party Waiters or Bartenders to enhance the quality of your event and take some of the pressure off!

Invite Your Guests

Again, depending on your event, the timing for invitations will vary. But, generally speaking, it’s best to send invitations out 4-6 weeks in advance. For informal events, an e-mail invitation or group event on Facebook may be a sufficient way to get the word out. However, for more formal events, or just to add a nice touch, send customized invitations that fit your theme or occasion.

Decorate

It’s best to plan out your decorating scheme ahead of time and buy all non-perishable decorations in advance. Wait until the day before or morning of to purchase any fresh flowers or helium balloons so that they’re still standing strong at your party. Ask a Party Decorator to help you plan your party decor with colours that complement your event’s theme. For outdoor events, you might consider renting Marquees, Tables & Chairs, or Portable Dance Floors to add to the atmosphere.

Make Memories

Your party is a hit, so of course it will be memorable. Hire a Photographer to make the rounds at your party and take photos of the guests as they celebrate. Later, when you’re sending out thank you cards, you can include a few of your favourite shots of each guest! Alternatively, you could set up a Photo Booth so that your guests can pose as silly or serious as they’d like and take home the photo strips as party favours.

How to do a Prom in style!!

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Lights, camera, prom! It’s the night you’ve been waiting for. From finding the perfect dress or suit to stressing about who’s going with whom, you’ve got enough on your plate without planning the big night itself. But never fear! We’ve come up with a few tips to make planning the perfect prom as easy as class with a substitute teacher!

Form a Committee

First things first, you’ve got to put together a Prom-Planning Committee of around 10-15 people who are reliable and enthusiastic about your event. Appoint one leader to oversee the planning process and delegate roles to the rest of your team. This way, the great plans your committee forms will actually get put into action! Get your class Head Girl/Boy involved and be sure to include the appropriate faculty member(s) in your decision-making.

Early Decisions

One of the first decisions your committee should make is choosing a date for your event. Check your calendars and try to find a day that doesn’t conflict with other school events and also works for the majority of your guests.

Once you’ve set the date, it’s time to secure a venue. Depending on your budget, an outside venue may not be an option. If you’re looking for a change of scenery from your school, start the search for a perfect venue by first finding locations that are able to accommodate the size of your guest list. Next, check to see which ones are in your price range and are free to be booked on the day of your event. Remember to find somewhere with a dance floor or somewhere with a space for you to add one you’ve rented. Visit a few to see if they’ve got the atmosphere you’re shooting for and if they’d be easy to decorate.

Pick a Theme

Now for the fun stuff! A big part of planning a prom is choosing a theme around which you can build the rest of your event. From the more traditional black tie formal, to festive atmospheres like Casino Night or a masked Ball, the options are endless. Have fun with it! Worried about pleasing the masses? Poll your students with 2-4 themes to choose from and find out which one gets people most excited!

Entertainment

While your party decorations may be some of the best in the biz, chances are your guests will need a little more to get their party started. Prom is all about the dancing, so prepare to use a large chunk of your budget on booking a great band or DJ.

Consider hiring a photographer to capture the memories everyone will be making at the fantastic event you’ve put together. Another fun addition to take your prom to the next level is having a photo booth! Not only does it set the mood for fun, it also gives your guests a party favour to take home and remind them of their amazing night (all thanks to you)!

Food & Drink

With your music booked, your guests will be ready to dance the night away! Set them up for success by providing refreshments to keep them fuelled for a night to remember. If your budget allows, hire a Caterer to provide delicious food your students won’t forget. For a less costly option, ask parent volunteers to provide snack options.

All that great food combined with those killer dance moves will leave your guests thirsty so don’t forget the drinks! Booking a Bartender to whip up.

Get the Word Out!

This is going to be the best prom your school has ever seen, so let the tickets and invitations show it! Coordinate them with your theme and make sure they have all of the important info like time and location. The more excitement the better, so start advertising your event early on with posters, emails, or even t-shirts!

With these party-planning tips and tricks we’re confident you’re ready to pull off the best prom ever!

Back to the 1950’s

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The ’50s were a time when America was finally recovering from the war, rock ‘n’ roll was emerging, Hollywood ruled, and screaming teenage girls were swooning over Elvis. Are there better reasons to throw a party? Ladies, break out your poodle skirts, and guys, slick back your hair. It’s time for a 1950s Party!

Decorations and Costumes

Vintage diners can provide inspiration for a great backdrop for your ’50s party. Think black and white checkered floors, and bold, retro fonts on your invitations and signs. Pink, aqua, and black are also traditional “diner” colours but feel free to be creative!

Pound shops are a great place to find old records that can be re-purposed for all kinds of things. Create cupcake stands or mould them into serving bowls for crisps. You can also stick them on the wall for quick and easy decor! Look for old Coca Cola crates to use for serving drinks, or antique tin ad signs to use in your decor.

You could also go more Hollywood glam, and decorate with silver, crystal beads, ostrich feathers, and red carpet. Fill martini glasses with crystals, or tall vases with white ostrich feathers for easy centrepieces. Leave feather boas or beaded necklaces on the tables for guests to try on. Old Marilyn Monroe movies are perfect for inspiration, or just surf the web for images from that era.

Wondering what to wear? Think Grease. For ladies, the ’50s look was longer skirts with collared blouses or T-shirts, a coordinating scarf tied around the neck or ponytail, and bobby socks with sandal shoes. High ponytails with tightly curled locks are a classic girly hairstyle. For guys who want a tough look, pair a leather jacket with tight jeans and a plain white T-shirt. Don’t forget the greased pompadour! For a more conservative look, tuck a short-sleeved collared shirt into slacks and add a bow tie. Part your hair to the side and you’re set.

Old Hollywood costumes are all about the sparkle. Beads, sequins, glitter, and form-fitting dresses were “in” as women started embracing their curves. Throw on a feathered boa or sheer shawl to top it off. For guys, tuxedos are perfect. If not, a tailored suit will also work!

Food and Drink

Serve the classics! Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and milkshakes are great for a retro menu and fab party food. Toss some glass soda bottles in ice, and don’t forget the red and white striped straws! Fill old candy jars with classic candy like gobstoppers or liquorice, and set up a ginger beer station to complete the vintage vibe.

Entertainment

Keep your guests talking about your party long after it’s over with a little 1950’s entertainment, Celebrity lookalikes like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley will add excitement to the party, while a Big Band or try a 1950’s Tribute Band for hire to can get your guests up and dancing!

Hire a Photo Booth and provide some ’50s-themed props. You could also provide photo ops with larger cut-outs, like convertibles, Hollywood premiers, or vintage signs.

Games like the limbo, hula-hooping contests, and hopscotch were all popular back then, so set up a space to hold some friendly competitions

Fit for a Princess

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Make your daughter’s dreams come true by throwing her an amazing princess party! You bring the enthusiasm, Red Masque will provide the tips, and together we can plan the party your princess has always imagined!

Before you can dive into planning this fantastic party, you’ll want to pick a theme. Although a princess party may seem pretty self-explanatory, there are still decisions to be made! Will this be a fancy dress party? Or maybe centred around your daughter’s favourite princess? There are lots of options to choose from! Talk to your princess to find out which theme will work the best for her.

Your next step will be to set a date. Check your calendar and try to find a date that works for the birthday girl’s friends and family. If nothing conflicts with her actual birthday, you’ve got yourself a date! If not, try to pick a day as close to your daughter’s birthday as possible and make it an extended celebration.

Finding the Castle​

​Now that you’ve got a theme and date, it’s time to find a perfect venue for your party. A budget friendly option for location is to transform your home into the princess castle. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, start the search for a local venue that is large enough to accommodate all of your guests and free of commitments on your party date. Keep in mind your potential party decorations when choosing your location to make sure set up will be as easy as possible.

The Royal Announcement

With the major details in place, you’re ready to announce the royal event by sending out invitations. These will get your guests excited about your theme even before the party begins! If crafting isn’t your thing, order custom invitations. Whatever your method, be sure to include the basic event info, including the date, time, and location. If you’ve decided on a fancy dress and would like the guests to arrive in their princess gowns, add this information to the invitation. Give it the royal touch by using language such as, “Princess Sofia invites you to attend her 6th birthday party” or “Join us in celebrating a royal affair…the birthday of Princess Sarah.” Send the invitations well in advance (around 3-4 weeks) to give your fellow parents time to RSVP between helping with homework and driving to soccer practice.

Decorating the Castle​

Now for the real fun, decorating your princess castle! Make a list of supplies you’ll need and start shopping early to make sure you’re able to find everything you need. From balloons and streamers to piñatas and tiaras, the party design and decorations ​make the party. Talk to the birthday girl or take her shopping with you to find the perfect decor for your ideal princess atmosphere!

Entertaining Royalty​

​Treat your guests like royalty with princess-themed activities! To really wow your guests, have your daughter’s favourite Princess attend the party. Set up a craft table or the princesses to make their very own tiaras. If your guests didn’t arrive in their own princess attire, having a dress up area with gowns and accessories is a great addition to the party! For the full princess transformation, have a royal makeover station complete with faux jewellery, makeup and, of course, glitter! To take the makeover to the next level, book a Makeup Artist or Face Painter to run the station. A favourite babysitter is another great option and budget friendly!

​If your location allows, bring in the big guns with a castle bouncy house, princess carriage rides, or pony rides. You could also look for a local farm that hosts pony parties with carriages, as this will generally be a cheaper alternative. Whatever the activities, priceless memories will no doubt be made. Be sure to capture them with lots of pictures! If you’d rather not be on photo duty, book a photographer so that you can kick back and enjoy the fantastic party you’ve put together!

Party Bags

​Send your guests home with princess-themed treat bags to remind them of your amazing party! Fill them with everything a princess could need, from tiaras and wands to a makeup or jewellery sets. Bring the birthday girl in on the party bag fun and have her pick out all the treats she’d love to receive at a party.

Let there be cake!

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The cake is quite often the thing most people look forward to at a wedding or birthday celebration. After all, it’s not a reception without a cake cutting ceremony! These days though there are so many options for cakes. You can have red velvet, lemon meringue, chocolate, marble, carrot, or maybe traditional vanilla. Others may choose to divert from the traditional cake, choosing cupcakes, truffles, chocolate confections, cookies, or a dessert buffet (for those who just can’t decide!). With all these options how does one even begin?

1. Search for the Right Bakery

Choosing a bakery is tough. It can be even tougher if you have a special need – glucose-free, lactose-free, vegan, Kosher, organic, etc. Luckily more bakeries are becoming aware of allergies or special needs and offer delicious alternatives. Do a quick search for a cake designer in your area who makes a product to your specification.

2. Choose Your Style

Are you a cupcake fan? Or are you a chocolate lover at heart? Or does a traditional tiered cake tickle your fancy? Cupcake towers are becoming more and more popular at birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and more. This takes the hassle out of cutting the cake into equal-sized pieces! Cakes can come in all shapes and sizes these days. Bakeries and cake designers can sculpt a cake into a castle, sports arena, animal, musical instrument, and anything else you can come up with! You can go this route for a birthday cake to match the cake with the birthday person’s favourite hobby. A designer’s ability to do this also is beneficial for groom’s cakes. A dessert buffet is always a fun route to go, as well. You can have all your favourite goodies in one place from a chocolate fountain and truffles to fruit tart and pastries.

3. Find Your Filling

Whether you go with a cake or cupcakes, you then must decide the type, filling, and frosting. So many decisions! However, this is where the yummy part begins – cake tastings! On top of the type of cake, such as red velvet, chocolate, or carrot, you also have the option of having a filling. Fillings can be in the form of fruit, mousse, and cream cheese, just to name a few. Schedule a tasting with your baker to decide which one is just right for you.

Above all, have fun with your cake! A little indulgence never hurt anyone, especially on a day of celebration!

Father’s day ideas

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It’s important to keep an eye on the calendar for any event but although it’s only January Father’s day will be here quicker than you know it! Here at Red Masque, we’re committed to making everything just a little more unique, and that means it’s time for some great Father’s Day entertainment ideas.

What do you get for the dad that has everything? What is the best type of entertainment to get Dad for Father’s Day? Well, why not get him a burlesque dancer? Perhaps a burlesque dancer might not be the best Father’s Day gift. So, maybe we should look at some other great options.

Fathers put a lot of energy into raising their children, so why not celebrate Father’s Day by surprising them with breakfast in bed? For a fancy breakfast, hire a personal chef to get everything ready. Although when it comes to delivering breakfast in bed, we’re not sure that we would recommend sending a stranger into his bedroom, but there’s a good chance that Dad is always out of bed at least a few hours before you, so here are a few options for celebrations a bit later in the day.

What kind of music did Dad really love back in his younger days; back when he would whisk mum away to a concert, stay out well into the night, and wake up without a screaming baby demanding food? Why not surprise him with a blast from the past by a 60’s tribute band to come and play just for him? How amazing would that be?!

But if your dad doesn’t listen to music, we mean not the same kind of music we listen to, at least. But he still loves to be surprised and entertained, so there are other choices. Singing telegrams are certainly music, and we believe they would help to bridge the gap between your music and your father’s music. Everyone loves a great jingle, and if you hurry and book a singing telegram now, they’ll have more time to create a customized message. For an extra treat, you can even go for a singing telegram or special birthday message delivered by a celebrity impersonator. Maybe “Happy Father’s Day, Mr. President” isn’t quite as sultry and scandalous as the original Marilyn Monroe ditty, but it would certainly make a great surprise!

Whatever you decide to choose for the perfect Father’s Day gift, Red Masque is here to help. Take a look at all the great entertainment we have to offer.

Event Ideas to attract customers

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Customer events are outstanding ways to create excitement and attract new prospects and loyal customers to your business. But how do you come up with an event idea that people want to attend and then get the word out? Here are five ideas for customer-attracting events that any business can use:

1. Learning event – At this type of event you focus on teaching attendees “how-to” do something. Options are limitless and could include things like a winery having a food and wine pairing, a makeup artist could reveal the latest techniques in contouring and highlighting, a dermatologist could address the benefits of proper skincare and the effects of aging, a plumber could advise about the benefits of pipe maintenance and how much money people can save with proper upkeep.

2. Interactive/Hands-On event – Similar to a learning event, a hands-on event takes that learning and literally puts it into the hands of an attendee. It allows guests to roll up their sleeves to learn and do at the same time. Some interesting examples of a hands-on event could include a plant nursery showing how to pot plants in mini trees, a printer demonstrating how to create letterpress cards or invitations, or a software company allowing customers to create an app using their technology.

If you’ve ever stepped foot in an Apple store, you know the power of putting your product or service into people’s hands. When they see it, touch it, experience the results of using it and how it can help them, it’s priceless.

3. Charitable event – Events that have a cause tied to them are brilliant at attracting customers because there’s a “feel good, do good” element. Shopping or spending for a cause is something people take pride in and it’s what helps make these type of events successful. You can do a charitable event any time of year, just make sure you connect your theme and cause to something that is relevant to your audience and something they care about.

4. Special Guest event – Inviting a special guest, host and event speakers or MC your event can be a great crowd pleaser and get people to attend. Many local sports athletes will lend their name and presence to causes they support. A restaurant or cafe could get a celebrity chef to cook a special meal and sign cookbooks, a wedding consultant could get a well-known makeup artist to provide “big day” makeovers.

5. VIP event – People love to be part of exclusive, special things and a VIP event can help attract them like crazy. You can create a members-only event or a VIP event for your most loyal customers and offer them special shopping hours, a nice discount and great customer service. These types of events have been wildly popular for years and spawned the now well-known concept of Friends & Family day events, etc. The key to doing VIP events well is to keep it small and manageable so you can offer only the best experience since these are your best customers. You can base “best” on a number of things including amount spent, number of purchases, number of referrals, etc.