What does a Graphic Designer have to do with event planning you say? Well, a lot actually.
I am a graphic designer who has a process background and also enjoy planning events making visions come alive. I have planned events for small business luncheons to black tie events for 300+ people. This gives me a unique perspective on event planning. I bring a creative mind and designer's eye along with planned structured thinking of the left brain. With that said, I'd like to tell you to plan your event like a graphic designer. In other words, BRAND your event and all the details that go into it.
I'm not saying brand your event using cheesy party store themes (however, you can find some great items at those stores to help you carry out your decorating details...that's different story for another time). I'm talking about taking a theme and making it classy. You can make anything look good if you think like a designer. Get away from the cheese balls people, and make your event beautiful!
Take your event and treat it like a designer would treat clients. Find out what the event wants: its needs, demographic, mood, what the event shouldn't have, etc. Branding your event can be done with color, forms, icons, images, typography, style, theme...the list goes on. Carry these elements into the items you choose to display at your event.
Whatever you do, take the aesthetic element you choose and put into the
smallest details. The details will then make up the whole and will give
the event its identity. The style and theme should be consistent with
everything in sight. If an item can be seen, it should have an aesthetic
REASON for being there. When you are searching for items for your
event, ask yourself "Is this item serving an aesthetic purpose along
with a functional one"?
If you need printed materials, enlist the help of a graphic designer to help you brand your items. If hiring a designer and/or having beautiful letter pressed invitations is not in your budget, create the materials yourself. Printed materials don't need to be expensive to bring a cohesive look to your event. Create labels, table items, signs, food decorations and what not with consistent designs. Hike over to your local printer, and have them printed on the cheap. You can then adorn and jazz those babies up with embellishments. Inexpensive embellishments are around if you hunt for them. If printed materials are not your thing, brand your event with large and small physical items of complimentary aesthetics.
With a little thought, creativity, sale hunting, and cohesive elements and designs, you can create a classy and beautiful event. Your event is your client-think like a graphic designer.
