Choosing a party theme is a great way to bring all the elements of your party together, keeping everything unified, and create a professional impression. It’s also an opportunity to introduce some fun to the festivities and let your imagination take over when it comes to decoration, entertainment and more. Whether it’s as simple as matching the colour and design of your invitation to your table linen or something more elaborate, here’s how you can find the perfect theme for your party.
Do I really need a theme?
Not necessarily. Whether or not you have a themed event depends on the type of celebration you have in mind. Small parties or gatherings of friends probably don’t need one – the fabulous company and scintillating conversation will be enough to keep everyone entertained, although a theme could be fun! Larger events tend to flow better if there is a theme. A brilliant party theme will get people excited, and provide inspiration for everything from decorations and music, to what’s on the menu.
Choosing the perfect theme for your celebration
Sometimes when you’re planning an event, the theme is obvious:
- Drinks party in December? Christmas themed!
- Birthday at the zoo? Animal costume party!
- Dinner and dancing event? Why not make it a casino party?!
Party themes are often thought of as childlike – think Disney Princesses or Pirates for a kids’ birthday celebration – but with a bit of thought and creativity you can come up with a sophisticated and stylish way to celebrate with a theme! If you want to host the most talked-about party in town, a winning theme is essential.
When you’re first brainstorming theme ideas, think about the kind of event you’re hosting and the type of guests you’re inviting. Will people get into the spirit of dressing up? Can you easily think of food, drink and music that fits with your chosen theme? Is there something particular about the date that you could tie in with, for example Halloween, Christmas, Independence Day, Football World Cup, Olympics, Oscars, Eurovision – the list goes on!
If you can’t find seasonal inspiration for your theme, there’s still plenty of scope to be creative. Cinematic heroes, 80s fashion, a black and white ball, rock and roll legends, the seaside, murder mystery, and more: there really is no limit to what you can use as a party theme! Steer clear of anything that could be found offensive or inappropriate, particularly if you’re hosting a corporate event. We’ve even written a blog article with 32 party theme ideas for you to choose from!
Making your theme seamless
Once you’ve decided on the ideal theme to impress and inspire your guests, you can use it to help you with the rest of the party planning…
- Invitations: Design an invitation or save the date card that lets your guests know what to expect from your event. From the text style, images and layout, you can convey whether you’re hosting a carnival-themed fiesta or a formal masked ball. If you’re expecting guests to get into the spirit of things and dress up for the occasion, now’s the time to let them know.
- Decoration: If you’re hiring a hotel function room, marquee or similar, you can use it as a blank canvas to craft the perfect backdrop for your celebrations. Lighting, wall decorations and more can be themed to fit in with the unique ambiance and atmosphere you want to create. Think of candlelit medieval banquets or a 70s party with a huge disco ball as a dancefloor centrepiece. Depending on your budget, the sky’s the limit when it comes to themed party décor and if you’re using an events planner you’ll find their enthusiasm for specular decorations and show-stopping centrepieces knows no bounds!
- Food and drink: A quick online search should provide plenty of inspiration for themed party food, from dinners with multiple courses to unique cocktails, nibbles or canapes. Go for the obvious choices, e.g. mince pies and sherry at Christmas, or get a little more creative – there’s lots of fun to be had here! Your caterer may have some ideas of their own, so ask them to work with you in putting together the perfect themed menu.
- Music: Your theme can definitely be used to inspire your party playlist, whether that’s number one hits from the decade of your choice, or something more subtle. A Mexican themed party should be alive with Latin beats, while a traditional English wedding would suit classical music. Providing live music is a great way to combine music and entertainment while fitting in with your theme.
- Entertainment: Musicians, dancers, magicians and more! Depending on your event, you might have a guest speaker, comedian or musician, or activities for your guests to enjoy, such as a casino, photo booth or party games.
If you’re in need of inspiration or ideas, get in touch with our team of party planners. We thrive on creating unique, memorable events for our clients, so if you’d like your event to be a show-stopping spectacular, talk to us today!
