Image by Pablo Lancaster Jones

The holiday season is in full swing!

Are you hosting a holiday event this year, or want to show off your hosting skills with an unforgettable holiday experience? We’ve got the perfect tips for you! 

The holiday season is exactly that. A span of a few months packed full with a number of holidays and seasonal festivities, odds are if you aren’t planning on hosting at least one event this year, you likely will in the future! Whether you are a seasoned host with a ton of experience, or you are new to event planning and hosting, there is always room to improve and find new ways of making every experience remarkable! 

At Table & Thyme, we specialize in elevating the experiences we help create. Because of our dedication to excellence, we’ve learned what it takes to achieve those spectacular moments at events. Whatever particular event you may have in your planner or in your mind, we have a number of useful tips to help make your event an unforgettable one!

Here are 5 key components to planning the perfect holiday event in 2021! 

 

Image by Keenan Barber 

Choosing the Right Location

Where you choose to plan your event is one of the most important factors to keep in mind while planning. The event can set you up for success, but it can also make things even more difficult if it’s not taken into consideration. Depending on the type of event you may be planning, there are a variety of venues to consider. Maybe you are planning a birthday party, why not opt for a rooftop cityscape venue? Perhaps you need to plan a relaxing bridal shower, an open design event space will have plenty of decorating options and seating space! Or maybe you have invited friends and family for an eventful dinner soirée, rental properties and even personal homes can be the perfect setting for a holiday event! To choose the right location to host your event, evaluate the type of event you will be hosting and what kind of environment would best suit that type of event! For even more help on choosing the right space, check out this article, 9 Tips for Choosing a Venue! 

 

 

Setting an Event Theme

Every good event falls within a specific theme. Themes can be as broad or as narrow in scope as you prefer, but having a set theme helps to guide the tone and many aspects of the event along a congruent path. Themes help to dictate everything from decor to food choice and even guest attire, which can bring your event from good to incredible instantly! Have you ever walked into an event where absolutely everything, every detail, has been curated to liven the experience? It creates an experience that is so enthralling; it is unable to be recreated. That’s the goal for anyone hoping to host a great event, and having a good theme is one of the key ways of achieving that goal! There are so many themes to choose from as well to elevate your event, from boho chic to rose gold charm to sunset garden! For more tips about how to choose the best theme for your event, visit the article How to Choose an Event Theme for more tips! 

 

 

Deciding on Decor

After choosing the right space to set up the event and narrowing down on an event theme, the next thing to decide on is the decor. Decor is what creates the environment you should be envisioning for your event. The right decor is the gateway to the perfect experience! It may not seem like a big deal to most, but setting aside the time and effort to cater even the most minute of details for the event can be what elevates it to the next level of grand. If you are having trouble thinking of what kinds of decorations may compliment your event’s theme and goal, there are some that almost always work. Florals and botanicals are a wonderful addition to any event, and matching them in style and color to the event’s theme is going to make the experience so much better! A fun balloon arrangement or even a display of food in-theme with the event can be fun and entertaining twists for more lighthearted events! To learn more about how to choose the best decor, visit the article Choosing Event Decorations, or checkout Table & Thyme’s Letter & Number Graze Boxes! 

 

 

Figuring out the Food

Food can be one of the trickiest components to planning the perfect party, but it does not have to be! Since you will have already selected the venue, theme, and even decorations, the choice of food options to serve should be much easier. The type of food served should complement the event itself. For example, if it is a more laid back and informal event, a picnic spread may be more appropriate. Or, for events like cocktail parties and open houses, grazing tables are a great practical and aesthetic choice! You can see how wonderful grazing tables can be in the right environments by scrolling through our blog or even browsing our grazing table gallery! Or, for formal, seated events, plated and course meals may be the perfect choice! For more inspiration on selecting a menu, you can visit the article Selecting the Perfect Food Options for Your Event!

 

 

Top Off Your Perfect Holiday Event with Delicious Drinks!

Just like the menu, deciding on the drinks for an event may seem like a pretty daunting task. Each event is going to have a different character and aura that should be amplified by the choice of drinks, but achieving that is an entirely different story. Leaving the drinks to be selected after the menu is often in the realm of better practices, since you can easily pair the wine and other drinks with the food and dishes being served! You can also create signature drink cocktails to be a highlight of your event and even act as a conversation starter! For the holiday season, opting for seasonal flavors will add the perfect festive touch to your event! To explore more about how to choose the right drinks for your event, check out the article Our 4-Step Guide to Choosing the Right Beverage for Your Event! 

 

We hope this guide has granted you some inspiration for your upcoming holiday event, or has inspired you to host one yourself! 

For more information on Table and Thyme, contact them today! Follow us on our social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest to see the other amazing events, lavishing grazing tables and beautiful graze boxes we have created.