September snuck up on us so quickly! The days are getting shorter, the air is getting colder, and events are turning from weddings to parties as we enter the season of celebration. October, November and December are jam-packed with reasons to celebrate, and we are here for all of it. No matter how big or small the occasion, we’ve got you covered!
We know the process of planning an event can be stressful. But it can also be fun! Choosing your venue, planning the decor, your guest list and all the details that make your event magical. Have you heard about the five senses of event planning? A little something that can turn your event from “That was nice” to “Wow, that was epic”.
Engage the Senses
Research has proven that engaging multiple senses at once is a great way to make an experience memorable. Think of any memorable experience, perhaps when you went on holiday to a fantastic destination. You remember the place but also the views, smells, food, taste, and sounds around you. That is the key; that is exactly what you want your guests to experience at your event.
Sight is the easiest sense to appease when planning an event. Choose an aesthetically pleasing venue that matches your event vibes. Pay close attention to the lighting. Is it cosy? Is it romantic? What are you going for? Then, think of your decor and how you set the tables, the colours and the textures. Do you need a centrepiece? Do you want to add anything on the table for guests to interact with?
Scents can be memorable. They can transport you back to a place in time. However, smell tends to be one of those things many people forget about. Two things to consider: You want to provide a memorable scent, but you don’t want to overload your guests. If your table centrepieces are floral, make sure that the scent of the flowers you select isn’t overpowering. This is particularly important if you’ll be serving hot food. It’s harder to enjoy the taste of a great meal when you can’t smell it!
Touch is relatively easy to engage during event planning. It is all in the small details. For example, you can enhance this sense by adding tablecloths and cloth napkins for a formal affair or keeping it casual with table runners and paper napkins for a more informal event such as a BBQ. Your choice of linen, cutlery and plates can change the ambience of your party.
Sounds, is the music too loud? Can your guests hear each other when they are talking? Does the venue have good acoustics? Consider playing low background music during service, and remember to have a microphone for speakers. You want to cover all areas to make sure the whole hearing process is natural and seamless. If your event has a theme, like, let’s say, Halloween, can you add complementary background sounds to bring people closer to the experience?
Last but not least, taste. Our favourite.
Taste might be the single most important sense for your event. Everyone remembers the food. And the type of food you serve will profoundly impact your event dynamics. For example, if you are only serving canapes and finger foods, you don’t necessarily need to have sitting arrangements. If you are serving a three-course meal, you do. If you have grazing tables, people will gather around the main table, and so on.
If your event is too short to need full-service catering, consider offering drinks, light refreshments, grazing tables or even an edible centrepiece.
Need help with developing the taste sense for your event? Our Epic team of skilled and experienced chefs will roll with your vision, plan your menu, cook and prep your dishes and wow your guests.
Whichever the occasion to celebrate this autumn/winter, remember to keep the five senses in mind.
