By Jessica Bowler

Source: Print Some

Just about everybody enjoys some type of music. The right song can get you feeling in the right mood. That’s why the type of soundtrack you choose for an event (just like personalised merchandise) can set the tone and either make or break the occasion. Whether it’s subtle background music at a conference, or rock and roll at an anniversary party, choosing the right tunes is essential.

We’ve put together some ideas for music at events that are guaranteed to bring in that feel good factor.

Music for corporate events

Background music works best here. You’ll generally want something subtle that guests hardly notice, but that makes them feel calm at the same time. You can use music at meetings, business dinners, conferences and trade shows to enhance the atmosphere. Soundtracks help smooth over mingling and chatting, and can give a corporate event an air of sophistication.

Instrumental music works well at business events too, especially during breaks or pauses while people move from one event to the next. A string quartet, a solo piano player, or even a live singer can all work, just so long as they’re quiet enough that people can hear their conversations.

You might think live music equals stages and high volume speakers, but this needn’t be the case. There are many musicians available for corporate events whose singing will not make attendees run away to the nearest toilet whenever they need to answer a call. Music is also a great option for a break between talks – I don’t understand why events don’t do this more often – it gives you a chance to relax and take your mind off work.

For example, TED Talks! They’re always a good one to look to when you’re talking about event planning, as their series of short but engaging talks have spread like wildfire online. They actually have a whole set of events dedicated to music, which includes speeches about music and performances. You can see some examples here.

Party music

As with weddings, the possibilities for a party soundtrack are endless. They can range anywhere from the house going through K-Pop to classical. It’ll definitely depend on the theme of the party, as well as who’s going! Some popular party themes and music are:

• Songs from the era – 20’s through to current day
• Love songs – great for anniversaries (what about playing the couple’s first dance song from their wedding?)
• Caribbean – reggae, calypso, steel bands…
• Dance – salsa, Latin, tango, merengue, cha-cha, waltz, flamenco, ballroom, twist, swing, rock ‘n’ roll…
• Country and western – bring on the line dancing, y’all!
• Sports – official anthems, pop, commercial…

You don’t need a band or a DJ to have an unforgettable party. Create your very own playlist using music platforms like Spotify, Pandora or Apple Music. And if you don’t have the time to put one together yourself, choose one of the many that are already featured. Just remember to get a good stereo system!

Playlists.net has two great resources for people hoping to put together an awesome party playlist with minimal effort. First, they have a “Playlist Generator”, where you can enter how many tracks you want and up to three artists you like. Their program will create the perfect playlist for you.

Award events

Music isn’t just played at awards shows like the Oscars for fun. It also helps keep the event running by letting people know when it’s time to come up to the stage — or to wrap up those thank you’s sharpish.

It’s also great for creating tension and excitement. For example, during the build-up to the announcement of the award anticipating music can be played, followed by a blast and fanfare on the announcement. This theme can also be used at corporate events.Your music choices will be dictated by what sort of awards you’re passing out.

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Source: The Confused Millennial

When it comes to choosing a wedding venue, people typically tell you to think about the basics, such as rates and capacity. But choosing a good wedding venue can really make or break your planning experience. The venue sets the tone for your entire wedding and should be a place that leaves you feeling totally confident about your big day. Everything and everyone come together and centers around the wedding venue, so keep these things in mind when choosing yours:

1.Ask your “must have” vendors first.

I chose my photographers from Pinterest before I chose anything else. I saw their photos and became totally obsessed with them. They are the sweetest husband-wife duo and every review I read swore up and down that you would want to be friends with them after your wedding and they would leave you feeling totally comfortable and at ease throughout the planning process and on the big day, which couldn’t have been more spot on. I knew I had to have them as my photographers without a doubt. We planned on having a destination wedding since 80% of our guests would be flying in from out of town if we did it local to where we live, and there was no way I was having a wedding in NY (unless it was at this super cool hippie-dippie place in the Catskills). So I turned to my must have vendor I asked them for suggestions. They gave me a list of places they enjoyed working with in the past so I set meetings up from there. The thing is, if you get a good vibe from your vendor, chances are they are only going to recommend venues that are easy to work with – which in turn not only makes your life easier but theirs too. At the end of the day, having a team of vendors who has worked well together in the past makes the day run a lot smoother if anything comes up.

2. Think in terms of ease & practicality for your guests and for you.

Granted it is your wedding day, so asking people to go to your church or temple then drive an hour to a reception is fairly common and people will obviously do it; but will this give you more stress? It’s definitely going to take away from your guests experience. How will the guests get from the multiple locations? Will it cost your more money? Are the added variables of what could go wrong (for example if your wedding is in the winter, will a long drive between venues potential lead to travel hazards?). There really is no right or wrong answer to this, it depends on time of year, weather, costs, size of the wedding, and so on. Just something to consider.

We opted to do everything in one place since it was a destination wedding, we wanted people to feel like they were on vacation and we did not want to worry about coordinating additional details.

3. Get clear on your vision before the wedding venue visits.

Go H.A.M. on Pinterest. Seriously, get on it ASAP. This is my personal Pinterest page, and you can see I have a board for everything (which made planning SO easy, because for the florist I just gave her my board, I had a “wedding bites” board for the chef, a “wedding love” board for all the decor and details for the planners, and so on). When it came time to actually visit wedding venues I knew what I was trying to envision. Our florist pointed out that I had re-pinned the same bouquet multiple times without realizing it, which in turn, became my bouquet the day of. I also knew that I wanted everything to be at one location, but I did not want a wedding at a hotel with a million of the hotel patrons watching from their balconies, so finding a hotel/resort that could offer some privacy was a big deal. Think about what you do and do not want on your big day.

4. Check reviews on multiple platforms.

Check WeddingWire, The Knot, Facebook, Instagram, Google Reviews, AND Yelp! I know this may sound excessive, but ICYMI people buy reviews! Seriously, it’s a thing. Chances are they are not buying reviews on ALL of the above platforms though. So make sure you get as clear of a picture as possible. Also, don’t be afraid to skip over friends recommendations. They may have different tastes or budgets than you, so do you own due diligence. Do this before visiting the wedding venues too, because it will give you more knowledge on questions to ask or warning signs to be wary of.

5. Keep your eyes open for red flags during the initial visit.

I can not stress this enough. The first wedding venue we officially visited left us feeling totally frustrated and depleted about making our vision come to life. We kept asking questions about customizing the locations of the ceremony, cocktail, and reception and kept being met with some variation of ‘no.’ Every question was met with: “well we can only do that if you have 180 guests or more or you are willing to pay as if you have 180 guests” or “well we could do that but we won’t be able to guarantee it until a week before the big day if no one else uses that space” or simply, “we can’t do that.”  During your initial visit you should be asking tough and specific questions, and if you don’t feel like you are in the honeymoon phase of it all, then get out.

Also – as a side note, if you are doing a hotel/resort wedding (or even just getting a block of rooms somewhere but doing your wedding somewhere else), I highly recommend actually staying at the location and seeing all the rooms your guests may experience prior to booking.

Some back story: Our first night staying at venue option 1 the water was out in our hotel room. Our room was gorgeous, newly upgraded, so I didn’t want to switch rooms, but I hadn’t showered since 8 am that morning and spent the whole day traveling and doing site visits. I wanted to shower at 9 pm. I was cranky. When we kept calling the front desk they couldn’t tell us when the water would be back on, if at all that night. They kept sending us on a wild goose chasing from person to person with long waits. I asked if I could shower at the spa or a vacant room and come back to my room and they said no. I was livid. They said they would call when the water came back on, which they never did. Eventually an hour or so later I heard water running in another room so I checked ours for the hundredth time and saw I could shower. The corporate offices made everything right with us in the end, but I was way too nervous about our guests experience from there.

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By Caroline Picard and Lauren Smith

Source: Good Housekeeping

Summer calls for amazing drinks, delicious food, and great company. Whether it’s the first BBQ of the season or a weekly gathering, host guests in style with these crowd-pleasing dinner recipes, DIY decor projects, and party-planning tips. Your friends and family will keep coming back for more all summer long.

Hang a backyard swing.

Hang a backyard swing.

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By Nancy Rones

Source: The Knot

There’s a lot to be mindful of if you’re having a summer wedding. (Hint: heat, insects and UV rays.)

There’s nothing more idyllic than a summer wedding. Between the warm weather and the late sunset, we can’t think of many reasons not to host your nuptials at a sun-soaked outdoor venue. But don’t forget—when it comes to heat, UV rays and insects, you need to be a little extra mindful of protecting your guests from the elements. Read these essential dos and don’ts to make planning and enjoying your summer wedding as easy, breezy as possible.

1. Do provide heat relief.

No matter how much you love the sun, your guests will appreciate a few ways to escape the heat. Make sure an outdoor venue offers some form of shade or air-conditioning (tent rentals can include portable air-conditioning systems). Prevenet guests from overheating during the ceremony and have an usher pass out small ice-cold hand towels across the rows before it starts. Scatter decorative ice buckets or baskets filled with bottles of water near the ceremony site—and once the dancing begins, place water in close proximity to the action. And don’t forget your vendors: Set up an area where they can grab cold refreshments as well.

2. Don’t forgo save-the-dates.

Summer is prime vacation time, especially when it comes to families with school-age kids. Send an announcement in advance (we always recommend sending them at least six to eight months before your wedding) so everyone can mark your wedding on their calendars early and plan accordingly.

3. Do serve lighter fare.

Heavy food and heat don’t mix. Choose a seasonal menu that includes grilled entrées and local, fresh produce. Gazpacho shooters and grilled fruit skewers make tempting appetizers, and for dessert, consider fruit pies or tarts in lieu of (or in addition to) cake. Frozen cocktails (mint, cucumber or watermelon are popular flavors) or even ice pops (use the sticks that catch drips) can be festive touches too.

4. Don’t begin your outdoor wedding midday.

With the sun at its strongest, sweltering guests won’t be in the mood to party. Shoot for a late afternoon or early evening start time. The ideal plan: Schedule dinner for sunset (provided the sun isn’t setting too late on your date), then work the rest of the event around that timing. This way you’ll also guarantee the ideal lighting for photos.

5. Do wear cool, breathable attire.

You should feel comfortable and confident—not stifling and sticky. For brides, choose a wedding dress made of light fabric that breathes, such as silk. You could also opt for a shorter skirt if you’re feeling modern and adventurous. If you can’t resist the heavy traditional ball gown, wear it during the ceremony, then change into a lightweight sheath or cocktail dress for dancing. Grooms will look dapper in a fair-toned suit (think: light gray or beige), a crisp linen suit or, for the ultimate beach-casual look, khakis and a button-down.

6. Don’t forget sun and bug protection.

Sunburn can give the term “blushing bride” a whole new meaning. Prior to getting dressed, the couple and attendants should apply sunscreen to any exposed skin. Consider wearing a moisturizer and foundation or powder that contains SPF (just give it a test-drive for allergies weeks beforehand, either on your own or with your makeup artist). In the guest bathroom, include a basket with sunblock wipes as well as bug spray (which should also be available at the ceremony site).

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By Jamillah Warner

Source: Small Business Trends

Memorable events don’t just happen.  Organizing and holding an event takes planning. Whether it’s a conference, seminar or a customer appreciation day, and whether you have three weeks to plan or an entire year, your event’s success is in the details. We’ve collected 42 small business event planning tips from the experts experienced at planning for small business events.

Small Business Event Planning: What to Do First

1. Decide upon your target audience before anything else.  The first step — before you do anything else — should be to clearly define who your target audience is. From this all the other decisions will fall into place. Format, content, prices, location, etc. will all flow from the first decision. This structured approach will also help you to stay focused on achieving specific goals. That way you are less likely to allow the scope to become too broad or watered down.

2. Make a list of details — everything including lighting and public transportation, to content and refreshments.  When you decide to have an event, everything matters. From program content and lighting to transportation and parking — everything counts. And your audience will attribute everything to you and…your brand.  Making a list will ensure you don’t overlook things.

3. Have a clear business purpose for holding the event.  Before you can begin planning a successful event, be clear on why you are doing it in the first place. Why? Because every decision after that should support your main goal. Is it lead generation? Is your goal to create awareness of your company or a particular product?  Do you see the main purpose as one to  develop customer loyalty? Or do you simply want to make money (which is okay too)?  And make sure the team is aware of the purpose, so that you don’t have “scope creep.”

4. Watch out for other industry events when scheduling.  Check the calendar. Make sure you don’t schedule your event on or too close to holidays or popular vacation times. It’s just as important to check for other events that your target attendees might be going to.

5. Be flexible with changes in size, location and other details.  As you get into the event planning process, you may find that your event changes in size, location, and many other ways than you originally envisioned. This is natural and perfectly fine as long as you don’t lose sight of the reason you’re doing all this work in the first place.  Some flexibility is necessary.

6. Know your limitations. We all know the goal is to throw a great live event. To that end, we also have to be aware of what we can or cannot realistically do — be it budget … or time-wise. If you decide to throw a live event in a week’s time, plan for a more intimate affair. For a big event, you should prepare several months ahead. If the budget is small, you may have to counterbalance with creativity and a lot of do-it-yourself work.

7. Create SMART goals. Always start with strategy. Just like building any business, great events start with a strong, thoughtful and measurable strategy. Live events are an amazing way to share your brand, connect with your target market, get feedback on your product (and more!). But you need to know what you are trying to achieve. Stick with SMART goals and outline what you are aiming for. Then make sure that you proceed in line with reaching these goals.

Budget: How to Pay For Your Event

8. Develop a “financing plan” for your event, and estimate the numbers. Know how you are going to pay for the event. Most events are funded by sponsorships, ticket sales, internal marketing budgets — or a combination of all three. When you create your budget for the event, you’ll need to estimate how much money you can realistically raise from each area. Before you book your venue or sign any contracts, it’s a good idea to start signing sponsors first. Or start selling advance tickets to make sure there is enough interest in your idea to fund it.

9. Create an expense budget  – and save money through “in-kind” sponsor donations.  Events tend to cost more than the average small business owner thinks — primarily in regards to the venue and food and beverage. Remember to price out all the permits and licenses you will need as well. (This is where an event planner can help you avoid headaches.)  Make a comprehensive list of all the expenses and then highlight areas where you think sponsors can play a role to offer something “in kind.” The more you work with other brands and partners to host your events, the more you can save.

10. Consider crowdfunding as a new option to raise money for an event.  If this is your first time running events, use crowdfunding platforms to ease the risk. By publishing your events on these platforms attendees will need to pledge for tickets for the event to take place. If the minimum number of attendees required is not met the event does not take place.

Marketing: Getting People to Attend

11. You’ll need a DETAILED marketing plan. Create a marketing plan for the event. The more organized you are, the more professional your event will be.

12. Be tireless in your efforts or your event will fail.  If you don’t want to be at your event alone … then market, market, market, market … and market some more.

14. Lay out in writing why your target market should attend – don’t assume the benefits are obvious. When promoting an event be sure to tell your target market what they will learn, who they will meet and why they should be there. Don’t assume your friends will tell their friends. If you are using speakers, give them advertising copy so that they can promote the event to their audiences.

15. Learn how to talk to the media. Journalists are very busy and always on deadline. They don’t have time to hear a sales pitch. Let them know that the information exists and — for future stories — that you are an expert in that field. Include that information when you reach out.

16. Use Twitter hashtags and Instagram hashtags. Twitter is terrific for promoting events and for creating a sense of online community around an event. Set up a unique hashtag early on. Search Twitter first to make sure it’s not already in use. Put the hashtag right on the event website, and if you use the Tweet button for sharing on the site, work the hashtag right into the premade verbiage. When people tweet, it promotes the event automatically on Twitter.  You can do something similar with Instagram for people to share photos about the event.

17. Use online social pre-events to promote the main event.  To build interest in your event, trying holding a Google Hangout or a Twitter chat a few weeks before the main event. Invite a few of your speakers to participate in the online social event. Give a preview of what’s to come at the main event. In other words, discuss what speakers will cover, or highlight the activities. It generates anticipation.

18. Buy advertising on social media networks.   Buying advertising on social networks is often overlooked by small events. Social advertising platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter above all) offer in depth targeting options that can significantly help to reach our target audience in our geographical location. The good news is that no large budgets are required and ticket sales can be easily measured.

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By Maggie Griswold

Source: Style Caster

There’s no question that a good theme can take a party from average to wildly creative, fun and jaw-dropping (if you’re handy with decorations). One of the hardest parts about planning a party, though, is coming up with the perfect theme in the first place—which is why we turned to the experts. StyleCaster asked party planners to give us their best theme party ideas, so all you have to focus on is actually throwing the perfect bash.

From tips on how to turn classic theme parties (like James Bond) into truly memorable displays, to some seriously creative theme ideas (like a ‘Come as your favorite SNL character’ theme), you’re sure to find the most epic theme for your next party. Below are 51 different theme party ideas guaranteed to make any soiree the talk of the town.

1. Pop Art

Party Planner: Carrie Baker of Carrie Baker Events

“I did a Pop Art themed baby shower and we used tons of Campbell’s soup cans for flowers,” says Baker.

2. Flamingo Luau

Party Planner: The Bash

The Bash recommends using a fire dancer to make your flamingo luau extra special.

3. Arabian Nights

Party Planner: Kristie Linda Meluso of KMA Events

4. 1980s

Party Planner: Lynne Goldberg

To make the theme extra fun, Goldberg suggests: “Send an invitation that includes a pair of shoulder pads with the invitation and tell them they must wear them to the party.”

5. Burning Man Meets Coachella

Party Planner: Brian Worley of B. Worley Productions

“It has a very carefree, relaxed decor vibe, and with these two events getting so much coverage these days through social media and just how creative they are in terms of visuals, it can really be a fun event,” says Worley.

6. Barbie’s Dream House

Party Planner: Kristie Linda Meluso of KMA Events

7. Superheroes

Party Planner: Lucy Harris of Hello Baby Bump

Harris suggests: “Use theme songs of villains and heroes as music. Food could be cookies in the shapes of insignias, the colors that are common with superheroes, etc.”

8. Couture Balloons

Party Planner: Richard O’Malley of The How Behind the WOW!

“We have all see the clown make a balloon animal and helium filled orbs drop from the ceiling,  but here I am talking about balloons as couture fashion. Make your arrival in one of these and Instagram just might crash,” says O’Malley

9. Bubbles in Boca (Boca Retirement Theme)

Party Planner: Molly Sinsheimer

Have everyone dress up as individuals who retired in Boca. According to one of the attendees of this party, “People dyed their hair silver, bought fake dentures, wore bright colors, glasses on chains, etc. The decor had homemade palm trees, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, pool floats…with a creative spin on AARP advertisements posted on the walls…” Sinsheimer even filled empty pill bottles with tequila shots and told everyone to “take their meds.”

10. Game of Thrones

Party Planner: Piera Pizzo, Evite Party Specialist

“Channel your inner Hot Pie and whip up some meat pies for your guests,” suggests Pizo.

11. Car Theme

Party Planner: Carrie Baker of Carrie Baker Events

“I once did a ‘car’ themed event. Only it wasn’t for kids! It was a gentleman’s 40th birthday. We held the event at a car museum and had access to a secret vault of vintage collection cars for the cocktail hour followed by a seated dinner in the museums Porsche exhibit. It was such a great conversation starter for guests. We kept with the theme from beginning to end – from the invites to the limited edition hot wheel cars that I did for place cards!”

12. Masks & Mimosas

Party Planner: Lori Hulshof of SPL

“The underlying theme is ‘Pamper Yourself’,” says Hulshof. “And the ladies who attend are always in a good mood and ready to laugh. The best part about a pampering theme is that you don’t need to reserve a formal location; someone’s home will work just fine.”

13. Tropical Party

Party Planner: The Bash

The Bash suggests using hula dancers to add a wow-factor to your tropical theme party.

14. James Bond

Party Planner: Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs

“We had a client who celebrated his 60^th Birthday as James Bond. His entrance to his blow-out birthday bash included sliding down a 40ft steel fireman’s pole, landed sitting down and was served a perfectly made dirty martini by a masked waiter,” says Correale.

15. Silver Soiree

Party Planner: Lynne Goldberg

16. Glow in the Dark

Party Planner: Brian Worley of B. Worley Productions

17. Basic B*tch

Party Planner: Kristie Linda Meluso of KMA Events

Meluso suggests: “Incorporate all the basic things from Instagram that everyone secretly loves—i.e. brunching (Supply everyone favorite brunch bites and bottomless mimosas, pizza, froyo, photo booth, a designated hashtag for the event…”

18. Seven Deadly Sins

Party Planner: Kristie Linda Meluso of KMA Events

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Source: DJ Tech Tools

DJs who are new to playing clubs are sure to experience a variety of hurdles when first starting off. Today, DJTT contributor Tom Hricik shares five of the most common mistakes new club DJs make, as well as great tips for avoiding making them at all.

Introduction

I am a genuine believer in the truism: “Experience is the best teacher.” Starting as a club DJ as a teenager and spending most of the following weekends of my life in a DJ booth, I’ve had time to make plenty of mistakes when starting off as a club DJ.

New DJs are sure to experience a variety of hurdles when first starting out. Today, we explore five of the most common mistakes DJs new to the club scene make, and how to best avoid them.

1) Not Playing Enough Classic or Recurrent Music

Many new DJs wrongfully believe that it is of the utmost importance to constantly have full crates of all the latest music. While it is great to break new records and have a fresh collection of bootlegs, one should be realistic about the music that will elicit reactions on their dance floors.

The reality is that a majority of people at most nightclubs are not nearly as involved in music as we are. Much of the music made today is highly disposable. Most club DJs will be inevitably better off scouring around for records that have withstood the test of time instead of always looking for what is “new.”

Granted, most underground music scenes are an exception to this rule. But even within subgenres and unique club nights, few selectors can deny the power that a classic, time-tested record can deliver on any dance floor.

2) Not Reading The Crowd

When starting as a club DJ, I remember thinking I was “too cool for school.” I would pass on playing time-tested bangers to instead showcase all the hot new promos I had received that week. This might work in a variety of settings, but I look back on these times with a bit of ambivalence.

It really can depend on the venue – but for most clubs that edge towards mainstream, your new finds may go unnoticed entirely. The group of bridesmaids who order bottle service at your Saturday night residency probably do not care about your exclusive new jams. They probably just want to hear Ja Rule, and there is nothing wrong with that. Drawing the line between accessibility and tastefulness is no easy task. I find that the skill which will improve one’s set programming most is that of empathy.

Empathy (noun): “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another…”

Put yourself in the shoes of the person who works 40 hours a week and wants to get a bit loose at the club. For the majority of club DJs, we are there for the crowd, not the other way around.

3) Reckless Overhype + Improper Use of Social Media

It is not necessarily to the benefit of a new DJ to publicize all the details of their journey online. Sure, it can be fun to start DJ conversations on Facebook, do it in careful moderation.

Putting every aspect of your business on social media generally looks very unprofessional. Most successful DJs use these platforms to connect with audiences and promote their reputation as an artist. They do use them as opportunities to discuss their next “sick idea for a wordplay routine.” Be very weary of over-hyping yourself – don’t act like you’re headlining EDC if you’re throwing a monthly party. Your fans and friends will grow tired of hyperbole (read more on this here: Great Ways To Get No One To Come To Your DJ Set)

Another common issue: being obsessed with creating meta-content for social media (unrelated to what you actually do as a DJ/producer). Everyone knows a “DJ” who spends more time having photo shoots done than they do on music. Don’t be that guy.

4) Not Being Familiar With Industry Standard Gear

This is a big mistake that I was very guilty of when I began as a DJ. It is entirely reasonable for new selectors to start on budget controllers that may offer financial advantages. That said, club DJs should seriously consider how their choice of gear will impact their ability to play at certain venues. Not every venue has space for outboard gear or large controllers. At larger clubs, sound techs will rightfully be weary of letting new DJs move around the club’s gear and rearrange things in the booth.

From my experience, there tend to be standards that exist within various club gigs, classed by genre. Many open format DJs in both the United States and Europe use a Serato mixer and two turntables. For clubs that are more house and techno focused, Pioneer DJ’s CDJs reign supreme.

New DJs would be wise to be ready to work around the standard tech rider of their niche as quickly as possible. Having to switch DJ hardware can be a gigantic pain in a nightlife environment. Being needy and requiring special accommodation just so one can play a set can come off as unattractive to promoters, club owners, and resident DJs – making it harder to do that all important club gig networking.

5) Getting Taken Advantage of By Greedy Club Owners

I love playing a few charity events each year for good karma and tax advantages. Unfortunately, many new DJs are ready to accept playing for free as a regular occurrence.

Many club owners are notorious for offering new, impressionable DJs respectable time slots if they agree to play for free. Some attempt to ensnare new DJs into playing for free initially, and eventually offer them a rate that is far below the market value. What these new DJs don’t see is the other transaction that might be happening: the club owner using them to undercut an established DJ in the process. New DJs will often see this as an opportunity, and their naïvety will be used against them.

Don’t fall for this trick! Value yourself. By volunteering to play for free or undercutting others, you’re also doing a massive disservice to every working DJ in their market. This is the same in every creative profession – just remember – “exposure” doesn’t pay the bills.

That doesn’t mean you can start asking for massive paychecks from your first gig. There are typically different tiers of nightclubs in every city that attract DJs at varying points in their development. There’s nothing wrong with playing a series of less-than-glamorous, albeit paid gigs to start.

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By Melanie Woodward

Source: The Balance Small Business

Not Getting Started Early Enough

Not Checking for Competing Events

Not Confirming Vendors

Not Having a “Plan B”

Not Hiring Enough Help

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Source: For Your Party

This summer brings more than sunshine and a break from school. Time to plan that graduation party! Your graduate worked hard for that degree. Now it’s time for you, the party planner, to do some homework of your own. Start by studying our complete party planning guide for throwing an A+ graduation bash. As you may know, planning the perfect party isn’t easy. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. By staying organized and following the recommended schedule below, you can throw a graduation party for your guest of honor that will make them feel loved and proud of their accomplishments.

ONE MONTH before the graduation party

[  ] Pick a date that works best—it doesn’t have to be the weekend of the graduation ceremony.
[  ] Finalize your guest list.
– Don’t be afraid to invite friends and family who live far away. Even if they can’t make it, they can still send a gift for the new grad!
– Ask the graduate for a list of school friends, teachers or professors he or she would like to invite.
[  ] Find a photo of the graduate for your custom party invitations. Try to get them in the mail with about three weeks to spare.
[  ] Reserve party tents, catering company, any big activity/entertainment pieces, etc.

THREE WEEKS before the graduation party

[  ] Assemble food and drinks menu/grocery list.
– Expect about 75% of invitees to actually attend.
– Hors-d’oeuvres should be easy to eat and easy to prepare ahead of time.
– Save a couple bucks with 2-liter bottles rather than a bunch of soda cans.
[  ] Let your party stand out from the rest by ordering custom cups, personalized napkins, coasters and plates.
– Not sure how many to order? See our Product Ordering Guidelines!
[  ] Plan party decorations and table centerpiece.

TWO WEEKS before the graduation party

[  ] Make music arrangements (speakers, iPod dock, playlist, karaoke, etc.).
[  ] Build a slideshow or frame a few of your favorite photos of the graduate.
[  ] Construct a giant card or buy a guest book for party guests to sign.
[  ] Get creative with personalized gift bags!
[  ] Pre-order a cake and other desserts—custom stir sticks make great cupcake toppers!

ONE WEEK before the graduation party

[  ] Prepare food that can be frozen and easily reheated.
[  ] Check the weather report and prepare as necessary.
[  ] Make a list of equipment you still need (chairs, tables, tent, etc.).
[  ] Find lawn games for entertaining (badminton set, Frisbee, croquet, bocce ball, etc.).

ONE—TWO DAYS before the graduation party

[  ] Thoroughly clean the house and manicure the yard.
[  ] Check the weather report again and make room inside if necessary.
[  ] Get out the tables, tent and decorations.
[  ] Charge your camera and make sure you have plenty of space for more photos/videos.
[  ] Notify the neighbors about the party and parking situation—or extend an invitation!
[  ] Set out several large trash bins with extra bags in the bottom.

IT’S GRADUATION PARTY TIME!

[  ] Prepare the remaining food.
[  ] Keep cold food in the fridge until the first guests arrive.
[  ] Prepare hot food last and hold in a warm oven.
[  ] Label coolers and fill with beverages and plenty of ice.
[  ] Establish table for graduation gifts, card box and party favors.
[  ] Check bathrooms for toilet paper, towels, custom matchbooks, toothpicks, etc.
[  ] Set out food, cups, napkins, plates and utensils.
[  ] Get lawn games ready for party guests.
[  ] Tie balloons or custom ribbons to the mailbox.
[  ] Turn on the music.
[  ] Give your graduate a big hug and try not to cry.

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