Tips for Hosting A Royal Wedding Viewing Party

 

The Royal Wedding excitement continues! Recently we spoke with Meghan Ely (a true Royal Wedding enthusiast) of OFD Consulting to share her Royal Wedding Predictions in terms of the details and decor. She is back today to offer us tips for hosting a Royal Wedding Viewing Party!

Until last November, May 19, 2018, was just another busy weekend in the wedding season. 

But once it was announced that Prince Harry would be marrying American actress Megan Markel on that very day, suddenly that Saturday took on an entirely different meaning. If you have even an ounce of interest in what will be celebrated as one of the biggest weddings of the century, then now is the perfect time to decide whether you will be hosting THE royal wedding viewing party that friends and colleagues alike will be clamoring to attend. 

While the initial thought may seem overwhelming, the fact is it’s a great opportunity to have a little bit of fun break during this hectic time, while also allowing you to connect with your local event community. Additionally, hosting a royal wedding viewing party is a great catalyst for creating fresh content for your own channels.   

So what steps should you be taking to maximize the opportunity?

First, determine interest. It may seem fun to you to dress up and stay glued to your TV at six in the morning (even earlier if you’re on the West Coast!) but that may not but that sentiment may not be shared by your local friends, family and colleagues. Put a bug in people’s ears – asking if they were interested in joining you should the opportunity arise. 

Next, settle on a location. For smaller get-togethers, your home or office can be the perfect spot to host an intimate gathering. In 2011, I squeezed in 30 area wedding professionals along with cameramen from Good Morning America into my little living room, so it can be done. If you’re considering your home, be mindful of children as well as neighbors who may not like the early wake up time. In this instance, you may want to consider an office or partner with a local venue for the celebration.

Make the menu easy. At such an early time a day, most people will be interested in caffeine above anything else. With that in mind, don’t feel like you have to create a spread worthy of Queen Elizabeth. Instead, make it easy on yourself and your guests by sticking to grab and go breakfast items. People always appreciate a healthy choice and if you’re feeling creative, consider a few UK touches with scones and biscuits.

Set the time. The wedding is to take place at 12pm London time, so you have to work backwards to determine what’s going to make the most sense for you and your guests and your time zone.  Aim to start the party about an hour prior, and even earlier for true enthusiasts. If you’re on the West Coast, you may want to consider a fun slumber party while those on the East Coast will lean toward an early morning breakfast gathering.  

Partner with local event pros. Once word gets out, you were to find very quickly that it’s going to be easy to partner with area event pros eager to join in on the fun. Connect with local colleagues to see if anybody wants to go in on making this get together a little sassier. Of course, never hesitate to compensate your creative partners for their work and goods, although some may be open to partnering to mitigate costs.

Spread the word. I typically recommend a formal online RSVP so you can truly determine the number of people coming. If you’re committed to a maximum number of guests due to space restraints, then be clear with people in advance if they have to register. From there, if you haven’t filled seats and are eager to, take to social media to let your local industry friends and colleagues know.

Create content. Often times, we hear from event professionals how they run out of things to say on their social media platforms as well as their blog. The good news with royal wedding viewing parties is that it creates instant opportunities for you to engage your audience. Update with party plans and show off that Union Jack swag.   One of the top determinations for couples hiring their creative partners is personality so use this chance to give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at yours. 

Take it to the media. The royal wedding media cycle has been consistently feverish since the engagement was announced just after Thanksgiving. With that, consider reviewing your local media outlets to see who may have interest in covering your party. If you find that the news has not hit your region yet, run searches on the previous royal weddings to see if it was featured. More than likely, most local media outlets will cover it the week of the wedding, so send out custom emails to area media to let them know of your plans.  

And above all, have fun with it. It’s easy to put extra pressure on yourself as an event professional because this is what you do day in and day out. But be mindful of the fact that this is an incredibly busy weekend for the wedding industry so frankly, your guests are going to be happy for a cuppa and the ability to have a bit of fun before they clock 25,000 steps for the day.