Tag Archives: venue

Party themes to consider

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If you’re prepared to do a bit of decorative work (or have the budget to hire a party organiser) then you can theme your venue or marquee to look like a beach bar, a scene from the Arabian nights or even the Wild West! Fancy dress is optional though it does help bring the whole thing together.

Possible theme locations include The Wild West, Beach/Tropical/Hawaiian, New York, Las Vegas, African/Safari, Ancient Egypt, Atlantis, Ancient Rome, Mardi Gras/New Orleans, the list goes on

In terms of making your party venue look the part, you can choose from a wide range of props and accessories. For example, for a Hawaiian themed party you can hire a bamboo beach bar, free standing & table top palm trees, hula hoops, flower garlands, surf boards, fishing nets and sand pits!

Remember to ensure you have plenty of ice breakers to keep guests chatting and mixing. Close up magicians, caricaturists, meet and greet all work well, as do Chocolate Fountains! For something a bit different, try singing waiters who will really bring the house down!

Live Music. For a Las Vegas or New York themed party, have a look at Frank Sinatra or Rat Pack singers or celebrity lookalike singers. Use your imagination and your themed evening will be a real treat!!

Plan wisely

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When you’re first deciding how to plan an event there are many things you need to do.
There’s an overwhelming amount of information and action to take – especially if you’re looking online.

Event planning is the process of budgeting, scheduling, choosing a venue for your event, coordinating permits and licenses, arranging entertainment including bands and speakers, and meeting with caterers to choose a menu. The term event planning is used when planning party and event venues.

Event Management is the process of overseeing and managing the entire event from start to finish, including the event team and/or volunteers. Typically, event managers have more experience than a planner and manage the entire project. The term event management is usually used when referring to large-scale events like festivals, conferences, or concerts.

Regardless of which title you choose to give yourself, there are 3 key qualities that an event planner must have to succeed.

Time Management – you must be able to coordinate multiple schedules at once, in order to be a successful event planner.

Resourcefulness – thinking quickly on your feet is critical to planning events – no matter what size – because even the best laid plans don’t always go as planned and you’ll need to know how to seamlessly fix issues without your client or the event guests knowing.

Budgeting – one of the most important skills to have as an event planner, yet often ignored because many of us like the creative side of event planning more than dealing with the bottom line. However, in order to be a successful event planner and make a profit, you must know your numbers. If budgeting scares you, sign up for a class at a local college to learn the basics.

Knowing how to schedule and organise correctly can make for a wiser selection, and have better organisation at your event.

Fail Proof Entertainment

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If you choose a great event venue you won’t need to spend as much time dressing it up to look good. There are loads of interesting venues out there to suit a wide variety of styles and themes. Have a look at websites like www.venuefinder.com for venues in your area and visit before you hire. Remember that if guests are travelling from out of the area, it helps if the venue is easy to find. Consider how easy it is to find parking, and also how much accommodation is available near by.

Most people are happy to have a party DJ, but anyone who’s been to a party with a live band will tell you how much better the night was. We’ve even had brides tell us that the band ended up being the most crucial part of their whole wedding day, simply because they made the evening so unforgettable.

You need something to really get guests excited and live party bands do exactly that. They’re interactive, energetic and fun. Not everyone likes to dance, but with a great live band, performing the best classic and modern wedding party songs, even the most ardent anti-dancers will be rocking out, arm in arm, singing along on the dance floor with guests they only met a few hours ago.

It’s a small touch that really shows you care about welcoming your guests, and it ensures everyone feels positive as soon as they arrive. It’s your way to thank people for coming, and it gets people in the mood to party. In a practical sense, it also helps to alleviate the early queues at the bar, something which is sure to dampen spirits and cause frustration.

Some event venues will arrange for a member of staff to personally serve drinks as your guests arrive, or you can choose to have a selection of drinks available on tables near the entrance.

Where to have your party

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When your corporate event or private party has come to a close, the food’s finished and it’s time to crack open another bottle of bubbly and get the party started. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy. Get a function in a town hall and you might not have anywhere to set up a party band; have an event in a hotel and you might find your night winding to a rather quick close when the music is turned off at eleven to accommodate the other guests. Here are some venues below that would be perfect for an all night party..

Gibson Hall
For those of you who would love an outdoor reception, finding one in London can be tricky – unlike an isolated country venue in London you run into the risk of the surrounding neighbours putting in a noise complaint and getting the party shut down. Fortunately, Gibson Hall, a former bank transformed into a beautiful venue for hire, boasts a stunning courtyard garden and no noise restrictions – you can host a magical garden wedding beneath the stars without having to worry that you’re about to get told to ‘turn it down’.

Smiths of Smithfield

This venue is perfect right next to the City of London it’s conveniently located in the bustling hub of the city. The restaurant’s two private rooms can be opened out for larger parties and – most importantly – it is licenced for live music right up until 1am, so you can keep dancing as long as you’d like. The restaurant is even a short walk away from some amazing London clubs so, if you really aren’t ready to stop, you can head on over to keep the night going.

Southbank Centre
Ideal for any celebration – This world famous multi-art centre is known for its unparalleled festival programme, reaching 6.25 million people a year and featuring 5000 events by world-class artists.

The Level 5 Function Room is the largest of their events rooms; it comes with free Wifi, a fully integrated PA system and can be opened out onto a balcony for incredible views of the London skyline.

The room is accessible by lift – so you won’t have to worry about lugging heavy speakers up and down stairs – and comes with a variety of optional hired extras. These include: A sound technician to set up, two radio mics, a plug in and play system for background music. The room is licenced for entertainment until 2am, so the party doesn’t have to end.

Madame Tussauds

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Situated right in the heart of London, the venues offers five themed areas that can host events with up to 1,000 guests. Each event space can be adapted to suit your events exact requirements making it an ideal location for corporate events, private parties, presentations, gala events and press conferences.

Madame Tussauds Famous for its incredible wax works of celebrities and royalty from around the world, Madame Tussauds is also an award winning themed venue that has been hosting high-profile events for over fifty years.

The World Stage Ballroom was designed to impress with a grand stage, back projected screen, full lighting rig and plasma screens. LED lighting can be programmed to display specific colours to suit your corporate identity or theme. The largest space in Madame Tussauds, it is perfect for a whole host of corporate events and can even accommodate smaller events with adjustable and removable walls that can be used to create a more intimate space.

Not forgetting that this venue’s main attraction is its spectacular collection of wax works, guests can walk through over 200 years of history and with the museum-style ropes and poles gone they can also get up close and personal with historical icons, A-list celebrities and sporting legends. Not only is Madame Tussauds a great venue for corporate events but it also offers team building exercises and incentives: staff also have the chance to go behind the scenes and see how a waxwork is made at Madame Tussauds, ride through London’s history in a mini black cab and battle with Marvel Super Heroes in a 4D movie experience!

A popular choice for high-profile celebrity launches, Madame Tussauds is an impressive event space twice voted the UK’s number 1 favourite venue! No entertainment is more apt to accompany your event at this exclusive venue than one of our lookalike tribute bands. Alternatively why not invite 007 to entertain guests, as he poses for photos and suavely mingles with guests.

Ice Venue

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The Ice bar will give your guests an experience that will be a talking point for months to come. Ideal for receptions, hen and stag parties and even team building exercises as staff brave the environment with an icy cocktail in hand! After the 40 minute session you can recline in warmer areas outside of Ice bar. They can dine on delicious dishes in the restaurant which has a capacity of up to 180 guests standing. Enjoy drinks and canapés in the smaller lounge with space for 45 guests or the ground floor cocktail bar for up to 70 guests.

This is one of the most unique party venues that London has to offer; just off Regent Street. As the name suggests this stunning venue is made completely out of ice – the walls, bar, tables and even the glasses – kept at -5 degrees all year round, this venue isn’t just a seasonal occurrence.
Using the clearest ice, a team of skilled ice designers and sculptors create this stunning ice landscape, which is completely reinvented once a year. Sessions are booked in 40 minute time slots due to the low temperature inside the venue and guests are given thermal gloves and capes to wear when experiencing this amazing environment!

London is one of the world’s most multicultural cities offering a whole host of exciting attractions and activities that you won’t find anywhere else. Amongst the bustling streets is a treasure trove of unique venues perfect for hosting corporate events and private functions. You can look forward to venues with stunning Birds Eye views across the city, boudoir-style cabaret clubs, a floating cinema and the UK’s only permanent ice bar and to name only a few…

No corporate event is complete without entertainment to impress and engage staff. Red Masque entertainment directory has a number of walkabout acts that would fit perfectly with this cool venue. Our canapé girls will look right at home wrapped in elegant furs handing out mini oeuvres will add to the winter atmosphere and create a great talking point.

Keep the party going

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The ceremony has come to a close, the food’s finished and it’s time to crack open another bottle of bubbly and get the party started. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy having late night private or corporate events in a hired venue. Even having an event in a hotel, you might find your night winding to a rather quick close when the music is turned off to accommodate the other guests.

First things first, you need to pick the right party location. Here at Red Masque we can recommend some top music friendly wedding and party venues in London.

Smiths of Smithfield
This venue is perfect and is only ten minutes away from Chancery Lane station. Right next to the City of London it’s conveniently located in the bustling hub of the city. The restaurant’s two private rooms can be opened out for larger parties and – most importantly – it is licenced for live music right up until 1am, so you can keep dancing as long as you’d like. The restaurant is even a short walk away from some amazing London clubs so, if you really aren’t ready to stop, you can head on over to keep the night going.

Southbank Centre
Ideal for any celebration – This world famous multi-art centre is known for its unparalleled festival programme, reaching 6.25 million people a year and featuring 5000 events by world-class artists.

The Level 5 Function Room is the largest of their events rooms; it comes with free Wi-Fi, a fully integrated PA system and can be opened out onto a balcony for incredible views of the London skyline.

The room is accessible by lift – so you won’t have to worry about lugging heavy speakers up and down stairs – and comes with a variety of optional hired extras. These include: A sound technician to set up, two radio mics, a plug in and play system for background music. The room is licenced for entertainment until 2am, so the party doesn’t have to end.

Islington Assembly Hall
Outside of weddings, this venue serves as a live music hall so is a great place for any concert lovers or festival fans to throw their big celebration. The hall has a wide range of technology available, for those of you who want to really amp up your wedding entertainment, and their incredible grand stage serves as the perfect place for your band or DJ to set up.

Unlike many other festival halls, they don’t insist on you using their in-house entertainers or DJ, so you have complete freedom when it comes to picking out your party band. Whether you’re into classical rock or are planning to book a world renowned DJ there’s no doubt that this venue will have all you need to accommodate your music tastes.

Bush Hall
The talking point of this venue is definitely the famous faces that have graced it in the past. The venue has hosted such music legends as Adele, Amy Winehouse and The Killers. The hall’s curtained stage is an ideal place for your band and, if you’re planning on using the stage during speeches, the backstage area is perfect for storing the band equipment until you’re ready for them to setup.

The quiet room

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When it comes to booking event entertainment, guests normally want something that produces a bit of a sound and has people reacting with one of any number of emotions – smiling, laughing and being amazed – but it turns out that in order to be entertained in the US, you might not need any sounds at all. That brings us to this rather curious venue in Minnesota, a room that the Guinness Book of Records’ has dubbed the World’s Quietest Room.

The so-called ‘anechoic chamber’ at Orfield Laboratories in South Minneapolis is 99.9% sound absorbing. Created from 3.3-foot-thick fibreglass acoustic wedges and with walls made out of insulated steel that are surrounded by a foot of concrete on every side, you might be forgiven for thinking the space has been envisaged and built from a mad scientist. You’d only be halfway right – the company behind the room are involved in design, research and testing for various companies with both Whirlpool and Harley Davidson using the anechoic chamber to evaluate sound quality of their products and assess just how loud they may be. NASA have also taken to using the room, with astronauts experiencing a ‘simulation’ of what they can expect once in space.

According to the man in charge, Steve Orfield, the record for time spent in the room in one go is only around 45 minutes because anybody inside actually becomes the sound. You’d be able to hear your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and your stomach processing the lunch that you ate earlier that day. Standing up isn’t an option either; humans use sound to help with their orientation and movements, which naturally become impossible when there is no sound to hear at all. As Orfield explains, “In the anechoic chamber, you don’t have any cues. You take away the perceptual cues that allow you to balance and manoeuvre.”

There are actually a few anechoic chambers in the UK – once again used by companies and academic institutions – but they aren’t generally available to the public and haven’t yet been designated as being ‘the quietest in the world’. The Faculty of Brain Science at UCL use theirs to study how the brain reacts to a lack of sound, which is probably more interesting and useful than what we would want to do with one…

The Postal Museum Venue

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If there’s one thing we love about London it’s the fact that there are always new and exciting things going on within its bustling confines. One of the hottest openings this year is undoubtedly The Postal Museum, a unique look at how London’s postal services have been ran for over 100 years. We don’t want to hype it too much but you do get to ride a two mile train underneath London so… Let’s see what we know!

The Postal Museum will offer a fascinating and often surprising look at the very first social network. London’s letters and parcels used to manoeuvred from place to place via a special train line, which has now been modified for guests to enjoy as they travel through this subterranean landscape. We ourselves have not ridden it yet, but we are pretty certain this will be cool as hell. And the best bit? You can book it for events!

We love providing ideas for entertainment for events but naturally having your very own private train is probably the best entertainment of all. What else can you get when you hire the Postal Museum for your event? Available for both corporate and private hire, the venue’s spaces include the Mail Rail depot and the Postal Museum itself.

The Mail Rail depot is a must-see for your exclusive party! Within captivating architectural features, guests will be able to dine and drink to their heart’s content and there can even be an opportunity to ride the train! A hugely adaptable space, you could hire a band for a dance or make use of the vaulted brick arches in a completely unique way. From receptions to product launches and even award ceremonies, this is a truly exciting new space in London’s event world and holds up to 275 people!

Perhaps you’d prefer your guests to stay above ground? No problem! The Postal Museum itself offers a contemporary space that’s light, bright and perfect for a stunning summer’s night. Featuring a private courtyard and innovative living wall, it’s ideal for cocktail receptions or summer parties. Looking to enhance the space by booking some entertainment? No problem! Holding up to 140 people, you may even like to enjoy a private museum tour whilst in attendance.

The house of Wax

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Madame Tussauds Famous for its incredible wax works of celebrities and royalty from around the world, Madame Tussauds is also an award winning themed venue that has been hosting high-profile events for over fifty years.

Situated right in the heart of London, the venues offers five themed areas that can host events with up to 1,000 guests. Each event space can be adapted to suit your events exact requirements making it an ideal location for corporate events, private parties, presentations, gala events and press conferences.

The World Stage Ballroom was designed to impress with a grand stage, back projected screen, full lighting rig and plasma screens. LED lighting can be programmed to display specific colours to suit your corporate identity or theme. The largest space in Madame Tussauds, it is perfect for a whole host of corporate events and can even accommodate smaller events with adjustable and removable walls that can be used to create a more intimate space.

Not forgetting that this venue’s main attraction is its spectacular collection of wax works, guests can walk through over 200 years of history and with the museum-style ropes and poles gone they can also get up close and personal with historical icons, A-list celebrities and sporting legends. Not only is Madame Tussauds a great venue for corporate events but it also offers team building exercises and incentives: staff also have the chance to go behind the scenes and see how a waxwork is made at Madame Tussauds, ride through London’s history in a mini black cab and battle with Marvel Super Heroes in a 4D movie experience!

A popular choice for high-profile celebrity launches, Madame Tussauds is an impressive event space twice voted the UK’s number 1 favourite venue! No entertainment is more apt to accompany your event at this exclusive venue than one of our lookalike tribute bands. Alternatively why not invite 007 to entertain guests, as he poses for photos and suavely mingles with guests.