Popular theme ideas for Christmas Parties 2014

The aim on our blog is always to inspire and dazzle with new event ideas and creative touches. That’s why we thought we’d encourage you to start thinking about this years’ Christmas Party with some top tips and trends for themed events throughout 2014.

The classic traditions for Christmas parties tend to be our Secret Agent, Hollywood, Masquerade Ball and Hollywood themes.  These all capture a wide range of audiences and are flexible to the needs of everyone – they’re not about crazy dressing up (unless you really want to) and can just be about glamour! Don your tuxedo and dance the night away with a Live Band or DJ. A classic Christmas Party suitable for everyone.

The most popular Christmas theme is always the classic Winter Wonderland – elegant, twinkling and oh so festive, this theme oozes beauty, creativity and really brings the true meaning of the Christmas Party.  We have a shed load (literally – more like a warehouse) full of Winter themed props including Sparkling White Star Cloth, Huge Stalagmite Props and Silver Flying Reindeer. They hang around (really, the reindeers really do hang!) all year waiting for this special time of year - our Winter themed props really do set the scene! Our Winter Wonderland Performers are the icing on the cake when it comes to this festive theme – Ice Pixie Living Statues and Candy Cane Stilt Walkers are just the start!

Of course, there is always plenty of room to be outlandish at Christmas, and why the heavens not! A trendy theme for Christmas 2013 and indeed 2014 is definitely our Willy Wonka themed events.  Linking back to Christmas with Giant Oversized Candy Props and bright colours – this theme really does stand out to us as one of the front runners this year!  Great entertainment in the form of Parma Violet Hostesses and Oompa Loompas will really bring this theme to life.

Dates are filling up for December but we still have plenty of availability to accommodate you and your colleagues – give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll send you over some ideas that are sure to whip last years’ festivities into shape! 

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

Or you can follow us on twitter @steelcitypromo or facebook!

Bespoke Conference Sets!

A tailored conference and bespoke team building event saw us head to Reading a couple of weeks ago.  This event had been in the pipeline for quite a while and certainly took some head scratching.  The conference part – a straight forward daytime business meeting with AV, Back Projection Screens, (lots of) microphones and a stage and set.  We had to set off the day before so we could gain access to the venue super early for the conference build.  With the conference starting mid-afternoon, it meant we had plenty of time to iron out any niggling problems and tweak the AV so it was perfect.

The Team Building event was the tricky part – an evening Deal or no Deal type set up complete with Brick Wall effect backdrops, AV graphics, the bankers phone and a whole load of red boxes that could be used for 3 different rounds.   With real cash prizes up for grabs courtesy of the client, the attendees and chosen contestants loved this unique team building exercise.

A recent Hawaiian themed event back in March followed on from their afternoon Surf themed conference – we designed and printed some cool set pieces to include the company’s logo and make it personal to them. 

We can design and print pretty much any logo / themed requirement onto our great and unique crease-free backdrop systems. This enables you to jazz up any conference or build a magnificent themed event using your own designs. Recent designs include bespoke logo boards for conferences, the Brick Wall Effect Backdrops mentioned earlier, some fantastic Shoji Screens (great for conference sets or Dragons Den style team builds) and a great new Las Vegas themed backdrop.

More themed events and exciting news still to come – we’ll keep you updated over the coming weeks of all our happenings! In the meantime, if you have an event enquiry, give us a call on 0800 840 2114 or drop us an email: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

007 Stunt Team brings it to Guildford!

My oh my we’ve been super busy bees these last few weeks – moving warehousing space, moving offices alongside a heap load of crazy eventing! We’re back in business now though with some serious news and blogging catch ups…

A recent 007 themed event has reinforced our love for this great theme choice!  Working in a fabulous venue in Guildford – G-LIVE, meant we had heaps of space for fabulous props, lighting and our fabulous 007 Stunt Show.  The event kicked off to a great start with our stunt men doubling up as security personnel and checking in guests as they entered the building; standing under our huge Golden Gun archway really set the scene and created a wonderful photo opportunity and first impression.  As guests entered the main reception room that we had filled with Backlit 007 Silhouettes, cool lighting and of course our striking and ever so popular 007 backdrop, there were ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ a plenty! Illuminated Martini Glasses were present on each table, adding extra depth to the lighting effects in the room.  Once dinner was coming to an end, in burst our 007 Stunt Team – a fantastic addition to any 007 themed event and such a crowd pleaser! The guests loved every minute and we’ve had some glorious feedback:

‘I just wanted to say a very big thank you to you, Matt and your team for providing such a fantastic service and helping to make the evening a great success.

The props were all great and the stunt team put on a really great show. I really liked the way they wrote the key facts about Mike our victim into the script.

Please pass my thanks to Matt who did a great job at orchestrating the whole evening and ensuring everything went well.

I would be very pleased to endorse your company should you like us to and I hope we can use your team again next year.’

Always lovely to hear great feedback from our clients – makes our day so it does!!!

So among all the Bond madness, we’ve had some other great themes going on too.  We produced a great New York / Wall Street themed event a couple of weeks ago down in Guildford (again, actually!).  Our Statue of Liberty stood pride of place and we personalised up our Illuminated Martini Glass Table Centre Pieces with iridescent Dollar Signs to match in with the theme – we’ll do anything to go that extra mile!

We also managed a large Willy Wonka themed event down in Brighton towards the end of April 2014 – this was a fantastic event where we provided heaps of Chocolate Factory props, Confectionery Stalls and Willy Wonka entertainers.  Our Oompa Loompa Characters were a sight to behold, causing mischief throughout the event with our Willy Wonka Look-a-Like (Johnny Depp) hosting the night. A wonderful theme and definitely one of our favourites – looking a popular choice for this year’s festivities too!

We’ve had a massive range of performers out and about over recent weeks too – Pirate Stilt Walkers in Cambridge, Contact Jugglers and Masquerade Living Tables in Manchester and Bouncing Bunnies in Sheffield just to name a few – all bringing joy and entertainment to the masses!

So, just a little update from recent weeks – there's plenty more we could talk about too but must get on…in the next couple of days we’ll tell you all about a bespoke conference and team build that we produced this week just gone – watch this space!

Havi

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

Or you can follow us on twitter @steelcitypromo or facebook!

Ideas for a Summer Event!

Ok, so after yesterdays’ Christmassy reminder, we thought today we needed some summering fun! Here are some great ideas for a Summer Ball or BBQ over the coming months…

The Circus Theme

Roll up, Roll up – the Circus is in town – a great theme for all sorts of Summer Balls as the Circus just oozes outdoor-ness and brings back wonderful childhood memories.  Create a Big Top effect with the use of a marquee or ceiling drapes, incorporate quirky over-sized Circus props such as our rather magnificent Cannons (did we tell you they were recently featured on The Muppets Most Wanted film?).  This theme can be packed full of entertainment from the gregarious host that is the Ringmaster himself to Dancing Girls, Contact Jugglers, Contortionists and Stilt Walkers – the list is endless.

Western Theme

Yeehaaaa! Whether you’re organising an indoor or an outdoor event, this theme will suit either.  Our rustic props and theming will create the authentic Western feel needed for an event down in the Wild Wild West. Entertainment wise, Can Can Dancers are the perfect choice and plenty of fun too – they’ll meet and greet guests and perform a routine for everyone’s entertainment a little later on.

Alice in Wonderland Theme

Quirky, Kitsch and oh so beautiful – a contrast to the entertainment packed themes above, the Alice in Wonderland theme is elegant and sophisticated.  Perfect for a garden party or afternoon tea party in the Summer sun, this theme lends itself to the Summer months.  Our range of over-sized props and funky room dressing will transform your venue space into your very own Mad Hatters Tea Party.  We have some rather fabulous entertainers for this theme too – what Alice in Wonderland themed event would be complete without a Mad Hatter Look-a-Like, the Queen of Hearts in the form of a Contortionist and a pair of lively Bouncing Bunny Stilt Walkers?!

Brazilian Theme

Wonderfully apt for the next couple of years due to the Rio 2014 World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympics our Brazilian theme is sure to tickle your fancy over the coming months.  Choose from a range of great Brazilian themed backdrops and props and a stunning selection of Carnival performers.  This theme is set to be vibrant, colourful and musical and a whole lot of fun!

For more themed inspiration visit the themed events section on our website or click here! We’d love to chat through some ideas for your event so feel free to get in touch.

Havi

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

Or you can follow us on twitter @steelcitypromo or facebook!

The 'C' Word

I know we all hate thinking too far in advance about Christmas, but trust me when I say it’s much better to get in there early, plan your Christmas Party, then you can sit back and relax in the knowledge that it’s all done and dusted.  Many people are left disappointed when they plan a last minute Christmas Party and find that availability is limited for their chosen date – especially if the theme they’ve chosen is a popular Christmas theme.

So, what are our top tips for organising the most fantastical Christmas Party that is bound to top last year….

Top Tip Number 1 – Be Unique

Christmas is renowned for being one of the busiest times in the event industry, which unfortunately means that as much as we’d like to accommodate every single event we get approached about, our props only stretch so far.  How about picking a mid-week date or even a Sunday – these are much less popular so availability on props and performers is much greater than on a Friday or Saturday evening. If you’re tied to a weekend date, never fear, but why not choose a theme that is a little less Christmassy and a little more quirky for the time of year. Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory or a Wild West themed event would certainly create a bit of a buzz around the event, much less popular in December than the Winter Wonderland or the Traditional Christmas theme and your guests will love it! Remember, be unique!

Top Tip Number 2 – Think About Lighting

At Steel City Promotions we don’t half love a bit of lighting and we cannot stress how much it can bring any event to life.  You can cram as many props and dressing in there as you like, but without the correct lighting it can fall a bit flat.  A simple up-lighting pack to highlight chosen props and pick out venue features will create a massive difference.  We have a huge stock of up-lighters in house as well as the more intelligent moving heads and special effect lighting that can really add the WOW factor.

Top Tip Number 3 – Get In There Early

I’m not exaggerating when I say people book their Christmas parties in January. I’m not suggesting you need to book in everything or even decide upon a theme this early but by all means you can pencil in the date with the venue and the suppliers you want to use.  If you’re not THAT keen on getting in there this early (it can be a little extreme for some), do start thinking about it by about June, even just compiling some ideas will help you get inspired.   By about September you should really be thinking about nailing down that date and getting the most part of your event booked in.

Just a few thoughts to get those creative juices flowing for the 2014 party season…give us a call if we can be of assistance this year! We’ve a great selection of themed props, lighting and entertainment options to choose from, for many many different themes.

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

Or you can follow us on twitter @steelcitypromo or facebook!

The Brazilian!

This weeks’ blog is dedicated to the wondrous theme that is our brand new Brazilian Carnival theme – it’s ‘Braziliant’! Sorry…dad joke…moving on!

With the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro all coming up, this theme is predicted to sky rocket in the popularity stakes and we’re already noticing a heavy interest in our range of Brazilian Carnival props and theming.

We can do magic things with drapes and lighting to transform even the most drab of venues into something completely unique and memorable.  Linen for tables and chairs will neutralise the look of the venue and create a great base to add in the Carnival themed props. These can then be used to dress entrance ways, drinks receptions and stage areas – you could even have yourself some funky Rio themed table centre pieces.  Props like our Giant Glitzy Eye Masks and Christ the Redeemer scream Rio Carnival and are the perfect addition up on stage.  If you’re not keen on these, our fabulous range of Rio themed backdrops will definitely whet your appetite.  

Our gregarious Carnival performers are definitely something to behold.  Stilt Walkers and our range of Feather Showgirls are a must have and will be talking point among your guests for a long time to come.

Whatever you do, whether it’s just a few props or a full themed room set…when it comes to theming any event – don’t forget the lighting! Perfect for washing the venue in colour, creating atmosphere and ambience as well as highlighting props and picking out venue features. 

Check out the other themes that we offer, listed on our website. Coming soon...Superhero, Narnia and American Diner.

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

A Winter Wonderland update...

We have been crazy busy with all sorts of things over the last few weeks, so much so that we’ve not even had a chance to update you!

We were part of a rather fabulous New York themed event down in London at the Langham Hotel.  This theme is a popular choice this year and we have a great range of props and entertainment options to choose from – suitable for all sorts of different events and New York themed parties.  Check out our magnificent Statue of Liberty Living Statue – she’s a must have for your drinks reception, a real stunner!

We’ve been getting stuck into Winter Wonderland throughout February – a few different events have taken place with this as the theme! It’s such a pretty theme to have for any event that we’d do it all year long if it was appropriate!! Hey, who needs appropriate – give us a call if you want a summer Winter Themed Ball!! One of the Winter events that we were part of was a huge charity ball for The Lullaby Trust – a wonderful charity.  We helped out with entertainment in the form of Casino Tables and dressed the drinks reception area with our icy props – our Ice Palace Entrance Arch was a real talking point! The event was an amalgamation help from different companies and it was a real pleasure to be a part of it.  You can view a short video of the event here!

In contrast to our Winter Wonderland theme, at the weekend, we did our very first Hawaiian themed party – a great theme to choose and as the weather has been beautiful for the last few days, this really added to the day.  The client had a conference during the day, with a surf themed message – their keynote speaker was shipped in from California and is a massive name in the Surfing industry.  We provided all the AV and technical support needed including a must have separate screening for the Ireland-Italy 6 Nations Rugby match in the afternoon.  The evening kicked off with Hawaiian themed cocktails and a whole load of room theming and entertainment.  We brought along a Surf Simulator which everyone had a ball on and the room was dressed in brightly coloured linen, Hawaiian themed props and unique Hawaiian table centre pieces. Look out for this fab theme - coming soon to the website! 

As well as all the events we have been doing we have been all over the UK, in meetings with clients about this years’ Christmas! I know, I know…we shouldn’t be mentioning the ‘C’ word in March but hey, you have to get in there early to get the best dates and the best props! If you’re thinking about a potential Christmas Party and need some ideas – just give us a call or an email and we’ll send over some ideas.

E: info@steelcitypromotions.co.uk

T: 0800 840 2114

Or you can follow us on twitter @steelcitypromo or facebook!