Anniversary & Birthday Event Ideas

We’ve recently celebrated our four-year anniversary at Eventify. An opportunity to say cheers to the return of live events and international travel. Also, to praise our personal successes, including the arrival of Rebecca’s gorgeous baby George and Sarah Womack joining our team.

The occasion got us thinking – why do we love birthday and anniversaries events so much? And how do we make them go pop?!

What is an anniversary event?

It is customary to recognise birthdays and anniversaries, a symbol of the successful completion of another year, a milestone worthy of celebration.

For this reason, the sentiment should apply to the professional world too. Achieving another year in business is a big deal and shouldn’t go unrecognised. Certainly, this is a brilliant opportunity to thank the people involved in your success and mark the occasion in style.

Before moving to our party ideas, here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning a company anniversary.

? Tie the anniversary to the business goal

Don’t miss the opportunity to communicate important information such as strategic messages or announce new initiatives, products and services.

Corporates all have visions, missions, and targets. An annual event can be a great ‘mark in the sand’ to measure and recognise employee and organisational achievements. Read our case study about a stunning staff recognition ball held at the sumptuous Proud Embankment.

? Detailed planning is essential

Anniversary celebrations grab attention, therefore, plan every detail so that nothing goes wrong. The venue should reflect your business style and ethos. Likewise, the content of speeches and presentations needs to be engaging to capture the attention of stakeholders, customers, and prospective customers. Don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to event planning? Have a look at our free venue finding service to save you time and money. Eventify can find you the perfect venue and broker excellent deals, often better than if you went direct.

? Not the only celebration

Having a party once a year followed by radio silence can be missed opportunity. A corporate anniversary is a chance to scope out other occasions and parties throughout the year.

Involve employees in decision making to test out ideas and gain team buy-in. Set up a suggestion box, physical or online, and put the best proposals to a company-wide vote.

So, what makes a good party? Well, to answer this, we brainstormed ideas. Time and time again, we returned to memories of classic children’s birthday parties. A trusted template of decorations + entertainment + music + cake = best party ever! It’s a classic formula for a reason. With a few tweaks, this model can be brought bang up-to-date and relevant for corporate anniversary celebrations. Read on to learn our top ideas for making your event go pop!

Decorations

Achieving an instant wow when guests arrive definitely sets the tone for the rest of the event. Dress your venue to impress with awe-inspiring décor to transform your party.

There are many aspects to consider when designing an important affair: lighting, florals, season, and colour palette are among the top considerations. Lighting can completely transform a room. How about guests mingling under dazzling strung lights or dancing the night away in an array of bold beams and light-reflecting disco balls.

When you think stunning décor, think florals. Floral centrepieces, living walls, remarkable arches, and suspended ceiling greenery will take your event to the next level – you can even incorporate your company colours and logo into the designs.

Use décor to compliment the style of your event as well. For example, if you’re hosting a product launch, be sure to include items that are representative of your new commodity. Use themes, colour schemes, and displays to creatively incorporate your brand and have guests thinking about your product all night long. Read our case study from a recent networking event held at the Hoxton Hotel in their trendy Apartment space. In keeping with the ‘House Party’ theme, we suggested subtle branding elements were added throughout the Apartment space, including fridge magnets, beer mats, book covers, and picture frames.

And finally, who doesn’t love a balloon at an event? If you thought balloons were just for children’s parties, think again. Over the years, we’ve worked with Bubblegum Balloons several times, who have taken the humble balloon and given it a new lease of life, transforming it into the ultimate feel-good accessory. With handmade tassels, tails, confetti and the occasional dash of glitter, the simplest of balloons can be transformed into a show-stopping party piece. From luxurious wedding ranges to loud summer party madness, they are connoisseurs of everything big, bold and beautiful. Plus, they now stock an extensive range of biodegradable balloons that are kinder to the planet.

Cake

Last but certainly not least, cake. Nothing says celebration more than a sweet treat to top off an occasion. We’re certainly no cake snobs, and there is nothing wrong with a simple sponge with sprinkles and a candle. Hell no. However, just wait until you see the incredible creations available from some of London’s finest bakers.

GC Couture is a luxury cake brand situated in Mayfair with a reputation for high-end, top-level cake design for the most exquisite weddings and events. For those wanting to put on a truly lavish dessert display, their amazing Indulgence Bars® are a thing of pure culinary beauty. Filled with a huge selection of sweet treats to go with your cake, such as personalised cookies, cupcakes, macarons, brownies and cake pops.

So, there you have it, some of our favourite anniversary and birthday event ideas. We’re already excited to start planning Eventify’s five-year celebrations!

Diary of a Party Girl x

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