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There are many ways to incorporate entertainment into your event, without breaking the bank. These helpful tips offer solutions that will inspire other money saving ideas.

1.  Local Celebrities

Why not ask a local celebrity to make an appearance or co-host the event? Local celebrities are often willing to donate some of their time to an event, particularly if it benefits the community. By eliminating this expense, more money goes towards your cause, which is particularly important for charity events. What's more, the appearance of a local celebrity will help boost ticket sales.

2.  Hire Local Talent

There are many benefits to hiring local talent including, but not limited to, substantial savings. Local singers or bands welcome the opportunity to gain the exposure that comes from performing at events. In exchange for the experience and publicity, they are often more than willing to perform at a reduced rate.

It is very important to give proper credit, and help promote them as performers. Pay careful attention to the preparation of your introduction, as you want to support them, as they are supporting you. It all helps to bolster the community spirit with mutual encouragement. They'll likely give you the performance of their lives.

3.  Big Name Celebrities

If you're convinced that you really need a big name celebrity, you could request that they donate a few minutes of their time. In exchange for a few minutes of their time for a special appearance, they would receive a tax deduction. As the saying goes, time is money.

An alternate plan would be to raise additional funds to hire a big name celebrity. This would be best handled by a special committee as; it will need to be a focused effort, which may require substantial funds. However, if you choose the right celebrity for your event, it will definitely be worth the time and effort.

4.  Shared Expenses

We all know that time is precious and some of us have very little to spare. Once you have established a committee, you have a few options. As mentioned earlier, a committee that is focused on raising funds to acquire entertainment is probably the best solution, if you are hiring established talent. The committee can either raise the funds by having a mini fundraiser; they can each contribute a portion of the funding needed; or, they use a combination of both methods.

When you think outside the box, you get amazing results.  Instead of competing with another event, consider collaborating.  Are you able to work together to host one event, which will benefit both of you?  Pooled resources can get you more bang for your buck, resulting in more seats filled, which means a successful event for both groups. 

5.  Should you hire a DJ or Band?

While a live band definitely has appeal, keep in mind that you have to pay all of the band mates. Typically, when you hire a DJ, you're paying one or two people to entertain at your event. While DJs typically come with their own permits, you may be required to get a permit for the band's performance, which is also an added expense. Finally, if space is an issue, a DJ is the clear choice, as many bands can take up a sizeable area.

6.  How can you afford a live band?

If your committee already has their hearts set on a live performer, you can cut costs substantially by having them play for an hour or two. Rather than paying for the entire event, you can pare this down to a few hours to help reduce your entertainment costs. This is a good solution when you have a limited budget; but still need to offer something to sell tickets and get people into the seats.

7.  Make it Memorable

Don't limit yourself to musical entertainment. There are so many other options out there that are both affordable and entertaining. Consider comedians, magic acts or, better yet, why not contact a local school or group about a drama performance. Keep it interesting and fresh. Whatever type of entertainment you choose, try to put your own twist on it. The more lively conversation the performance generates, the more it will help your cause.

8.  Connections

As always, it boils down to connections. . If you've got favors to call in, now is the time to do it. Who do you know? Who do they know? What do they know that can help? Can you barter with someone? These are the types of questions your committee will need to ask, in order to pool together the best possible resources. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how well equipped you really are.

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Related Links:

Event Planning How To: 8 Steps to a Successful Event

Event Planning How To: Your Guide to an Entertaining, Educational, and Memorable Fundraising Event!

Fundraising Products

Awareness Ribbons Colors and Causes

Whether you're planning a wedding, fundraising event, corporate event, or even a birthday party, it is sometimes difficult to know where to begin. To help make your next event a success, we've prepared a series of articles to walk you through the process. 8 Steps to a Successful Event is the first of our Event Planning How To series.

1. Be prepared for the "What if...?" Play out different scenarios in your head and jot them down. Once you've compiled your list, prepare a backup plan for each situation you've listed. Try to take as many things into consideration as possible. What is the worst thing that can happen? Address that first, and then work on those of lesser impact.

2. Stay organized. This is vital to a successful event and it really can't be overdone. Keep everything in one place. First, you will need to designate a specific location to keep plans and documents and ensure that everyone involved in the planning process knows the location, for example, the top shelf of the book case in your office. Invest in a quality binder, with tabs. You may also wish to invest in a white board and multi colored white board markers. Pick up a large 3 ring pencil case, which is color coordinated to the binder. Clearly label the binder spine and the front of the binder.

Now the magic begins. If you are dealing with multiple projects, you can color code the binder and pencil case with a matching color of white board marker. This method gives you the advantage of making notes on the white board in the appropriate color. You can prepare a color key on the white board so that everyone on the team knows which project the notes pertain to, which is an excellent way to map progress.

The binder will be divided into various stages of the planning process - one tab or each. You will include planning details, price quotes, contracts, ideas, contact information, and anything else you might need. The pencil case will hold any smaller receipts to ensure that they don't get misplaced. When you have something to contribute to the binder, you'll want to do so right away to avoid misplacing important documents or plans.

3. Match the venue to the event. Actually, there is some controversy over which step should come first. Should you choose the venue or the theme first? I'm flexible on these points and believe it is a matter of personal preference. Some find it easier to match a theme to a venue, while others prefer to choose a theme, and then find the most suitable venue to support that theme.

When choosing the venue, these are some of the questions you should ask yourself:
     Does the venue support the theme?
     Is it easily accessible for the guests?
     Do they have ample parking?
     How many guests can they accommodate?
     Does the venue compliment the theme?
     Will the guests be comfortable there?
     Is it within our budget?
I could go on and on.

4. Choose a theme. Think of your theme as the anchor for your event. All of the other details will hinge on this decision. The theme will determine your colors, table favors, centerpieces, menu, entertainment, etc. As mentioned earlier, it is particularly important that your theme and venue support each other. These two points should receive equal consideration, as they contribute to the atmosphere of the event. The atmosphere needs to create the desired result, which is the best possible experience for your guests.

5. Preparing a menu and choosing refreshments. This can be a source of stress for some event planners. The choice of food and drink can make or break an event.  If you want rave reviews from your guests, always consider their comforts. One of the most important comforts is food.

The best advice I can give you is to shop around for a caterer. If you've attended a function in the past, where the food was particularly good, contact the hosts for a reference. Talk to friends and colleagues for recommendations. Ask prospective caterers for references and be sure to personally sample the food before choosing a menu. Do you need to offer a vegetarian option? Is there food peanut-free? Once you've made a selection, form a contract with the best candidate.

Refreshments are also an important consideration. Aside from selection, you'll need to decide on a cash bar or open bar. This is sometimes determined by the venue itself, as they may have restrictions that do not allow for an open bar. If this could be a deal breaker for you, it is best to inquire about this, before choosing the venue.

6. Choose the entertainment.  Your selection will depend largely on the type of event and the theme. What do you want to accomplish? Are you hoping to entertain, educate, or both? In any case, you want it to be fun.

Music comes in many shapes and forms. You can have a live band or a DJ. It may even be appropriate to hire a cellist.

While not necessarily suitable for every event, one of my favorites is a photo collection or home video on a big screen. This can be ideal for weddings and graduations; but you can also consider it for other events. I had great fun at a fundraiser, which showed baby photos of the board of directors. Each guest had to match the subject of the photo to the appropriate name. To make it more challenging, they included some celebrity baby photos in the mix.

If you are hosting a fundraising event, you'll want to utilize that captive audience to promote your cause and reinforce the importance of their support, which includes donations.

7. Choose the best vendors. Price should not always be your determining factor. Yes, we all have to work within a budget; but consider what kind of value you are getting for your dollar.

Are you comfortable with the vendor? Do you feel an instant rapport? Are they helpful? Do you trust them? Follow your instincts.

If you are planning a fundraising event, your vendors can also be your sponsors. This arrangement is ideal. It helps your bottom line, while providing valuable advertising for the vendor. They will want to do their utmost to ensure that they go above and beyond, because their name and reputation are  important to repeat business as well as new business referrals. It is a win-win situation.

Once you've found vendors that you are comfortable working with, treat them well. Yes, they need your business and they should treat you well. More importantly, they can hold the fate of your event in their hands. If you want successful events to be a part of your future, you'll want vendors to support that vision. The more you work together, the better your events will be. Loyalty plays an important part and it works both ways. On more than one occasion, a vendor has bailed out a client, due to some unforeseen problem. Wouldn't it be nice to have that kind of support when you need it the most?

8. Keep your cool. Yes, planning an event can be overwhelming at times. That's why it is important to try to include others in the process. Brainstorming and teamwork is an important part of successful event planning. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to help you tackle all those to do lists? If you have a team, or even one person to support you, your event will be that much better for it.

Now that you have the tools, this step by step process will help to make your event a huge success. When all is said and done, your guests are always your most important consideration. If they are happy, you've succeeded.

 Related Links:

Event Planning How To: Your Guide to an Entertaining, Educational, and Memorable Fundraising Event!

Event Planning How To: 8 Affordable Entertainment Tips for your Event

Your Backyard Wedding

Christmas Weddings

Green Office Parties

Earth Day Activities

Be A Good Corporate Citizen

Resources:

Special Event Favors

Event Centerpieces

Wedding Guest Favors

Wedding Planning Links

Corporate Gifts

Fundraiser Favors

Earth Day Seedlings

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Pierre de Coubertin initiated the revival of the Olympic Games.  His enthusiasm for the games inspired him to create the official olympic symbol, which is easily recognized throughout the world.  That enthusiasm, as contagious as the common cold, is the reason why the Olympic Games are the most widely celebrated athletic events in history.  Why not join in on the fun and be the first in your circle of friends to host a 2010 Olympic Games party? 

The olympic ring colors (shown above) are representative of the five continents of our world:  Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia.  This olympic symbol will be the basis of your color scheme.  Use them throughout your decorations, olympic party favors, and prizes. 

Don't forget to include the olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Swifter, Higher, Stronger".  As a door prize contest, you can provide the Latin version on a ballot and, as people arrive, as them to provide the translation.  The correct guesses will go into a draw for door prizes.  In keeping with your olympic theme, you can award three prizes in the levels of gold, silver, and bronze.   

Organizing games are relatively easy.  Try to ensure that you have something for every skill level, if possible.  One option is an olympic game system for wii.  This will enable you to host an indoor competition that can include all ages. 

A fun idea for olympic medals are oversized cookies with a hole to lace a piece of ribbon through.  You can bake your own or pick them up at your local bakery.  Use a small round cutter to make the hole towards the top of the "medal".  In keeping with the olympic color theme, cookies baked with smarties are great.  Match the ribbon color to the color of the medal:  Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

Other than game challenges, you'll want to include additional entertainment, which may include a viewing of some of the olympic game events.  You can also prepare an olympic trivia challenge.

Once the creative juices get flowing, you'll have enough ideas for a full day or evening of fun.