Corporate events, especially Christmas parties, are one of the most awaited events throughout the year in almost every company. It has to be well-organized from the basics like date, venue, time, and theme. It has to be successful for everyone’s convenience and enjoyment. That’s why the importance of every basic detail cannot be taken for granted.

One of the many asked questions prior to corporate events is, “Anong theme?” The ‘theme’ is the central motif or concept of an event that is adapted all through the visual designs, the dress code, the duration of the program, and etc. Without it, the corporate event will just end up as another ordinary gathering. That’s why it’s important to come up with the theme of the event before anything else because it determines the flow and the “DNA” of the event. It sets the tone and mood of everything that transpires during the event, including your guests. It gives life to the party.

But after coming up with the ideas for a corporate event theme, it’s also important to ask which theme is the most appropriate. How will you know if your theme is “the one”?  Here are a few questions to ask to help you figure that out:

This is the first question that you have to answer. Your budget is the total sum of money set aside for the theme. If you have a supplier that will set up the theme for you, then your budget is your payment to them. If not, then your budget would be for the materials need to decorate the venue of your event like the backdrop, the facade of the entrance, ceiling treatment, table setting (i.e., underlay, centrepieces, etc), printable, and other accessories. That’s why it’s important that before going for the theme you have in mind, you need to consider if it fits your budget because a grander theme would definitely cost quite a fortune. If you’re counting on for suppliers to provide the theme setup for your event, canvassing from several of them first would be a good idea.

A timely theme for your corporate event is a theme that is appropriate with the season. If your corporate event is scheduled during the summer months, then it would be more appropriate if your theme would have the light colors like orange, yellow, green, or ocean blue. If your corporate event is scheduled during the Oscars or the Golden Globes season, then you could go with a theme that has darker accents, specifically black and red—and don’t forget the red carpet!

Being timely with your theme doesn’t only mean that you go with the season of time. It also means having a theme that is appropriate with the occasion. If it is a Christmas party, choosing a costume party would be appropriate. But if your corporate event is a conference, a seminar, a business dinner, an opening ceremony, or a product launch, then it would be more appropriate to go with a formal theme.

The defining elements of your theme are the colors, patterns, and the iconic items. For example, a nautical-themed event would have the colors navy blue, white, and red. For patterns, it would have stripes and geometric shapes. For icons, it would have life rings, ropes, sails, flags, naval hat, anchors, and etc. Finding out the elements of your theme not only helps it to look more attractive and creative, it also helps your event to be timely. It doesn’t only help setting the tone of the party, but it also helps to give the mood that you want to impress on your guests. A theme with well-planned elements is definitely a sight for sore eyes.

The answers to these questions are up to you. Knowing if a theme is “the one” for an occasion is a recipe for a successful event. It’s like the basic structure and it affects the entirety of the program as it sets the ambiance and the mood of your guests. And remember that before considering anything else, you need to consider the participants. The theme should at least be a comfortable idea to them, if not something to be excited about. Make sure that it is enjoyable by the majority. Keep those in mind and you will have delighted guests and a successful corporate event.

Co-author: Mr. Ronaldo “Bars” Datiles–a professional freelance events stylist, specializing in children’s parties. Spanning 18 years experience in hands-on Styro artworks, production of centerpieces and balloon decoration. CONTACT INFO: 0917.205.5852; [email protected]

Image credits: Frugal-Mama.com | BrandonSteiner.com | BLovelyEvents.com