Social media ‘admin’ pages tell us a lot of background information of what people like to see, what is shared, re tweeted and indeed what in some cases goes viral.

We try not to be too ‘sales-y’ with our posts, trying to be creative and sometimes humorous in our output and seeing the results of our labor can be amusing in itself. We have found that lots of beautiful event images get average views however posting a picture, during a very hot spell, of an ice-cream van melted into a road gets a gazillion views!

What people do like to see are before and afters, the admin pages tell us that. Transformation is a key ingredient; sometimes clients have trouble seeing in their minds eye what an empty room on a cold February day could look like dressed for a Summer Ball. Even if the before and after pictures are not of the same venue it gives the client confidence that we CAN transform things.

The gradual build of an event is quite interesting. For a long long time during the build it appears chaotic and looks like it can’t possibly come together but from the picture below you’ll see that over a 9-hour period the venue went from empty room to full on ‘Rio Carnival’.

Sometimes a before and after picture doesn’t give an idea of quite the effort that had gone into creating the final look, for example putting a set of indoor dodgems upstairs in a hotel took 12 men and a forklift truck!

Before and afters don’t have to be on a large scale monetarily to be impressive, sometimes turning a dusty Church hall into a lively party venue is a great transformation in itself.

Look out on our social media for more before and after images and of course the occasional funny cat picture too because of course we know that that’s what people really want to see!

With the football underway ‘Rio’ Is everywhere!

Whether you’re thinking team-building fun for your staff for The World Cup or perhaps you’re starting to think about the 2016 Olympics for Hospitality for your clients (or even if your wondering about the rumour thatBrazil won’t be ready and The Olympics might, just might, have to return to UK).  Or simply that all of the images of Brazil’s vibrancy are making you think of Rio Carnival as a party theming idea.  The Rio Carnival theme is filled with a vast array of sounds, lights & colours. Drumming bands, festival lighting & girls in stunning feather costumes all immediately set the ‘Rio Carnival’ theme. Another great idea is to interject humour with items such as a stilt walking Carmen Miranda with her dancing palm tree. Adding entertainment high in audience participation is also a great way to really get that party started and a Samba dance workshop is a fantastic way to do this. These are just a few ideas which put together are the makings of a truly spectacular event. For a complete shopping list of ideas and prices for a Rio Carnival event.  Please call the Theme Team on 01628 526782  or get in touch through our contact us page!

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Firstly - what? Indoor Dodgems ?? What does this mean?! 

Anyone who has done events for a while will know how much Dodgems are
yearned over! They are ever popular, a statement at a private event and will
be packed from the moment they open. 
There are of course so many reasons that you ultimately have to exclude them
from many of the events you'd love to put them into. 
Space is obviously one. The smallest dodgem track is 40feet by 60feet and
this alone precludes them from many venues. Height is also an issue. Any set
of Dodgems can be taken inside but the complicated ceiling required means
that you need a clearance of at least 16ft - bit something your acreage
conference room has. Not least is the complexity and time it takes to set
them up and de rig them. They arrive on an a lorry and take around 8-12
hours to construct 

BUT 

There is a solution! Hurrah I hear you cry...
Indoor Dodgems don't require the overhead connection to be above the cars.
These clever indoor sets only require the specially designed metal track to
power the cars. 
This may seem a small point to you now but the other tremendous advantage
is that the dodgems are clean and just some plastic sheeting placed under
the track to protect the carpet of your venue and these fabulous crowd
pullers can be the star attraction of your event after all.

The pictures attached are of an innovative event we did for our client Coca
Cola where we used the indoor dodgem track as a 'venue' for a video
presentation in the style of a 'drive in movie'. Guests climbed in the cars
whizzed around the track for a few minutes then drew the cars up to watch
the screen for an 8 minute presentation guests then had a 'driving skills
test game' and a final few minutes whizzing around the track. This
presentation sequence was repeated through the event so all delegates
attending the conference got to take part - that's a presentation they're
not going to forget in a hurry!

For more information about how to get dodgers at your next event give the Theme Team a call on 01628 526782 or get in touch via our contact us page!

  

This has to be the question that I am asked most frequently and the answer really depends on your age and experience.

Yep, those two old chestnuts but read on because I might be able to shed a different light on what appears to a standard, if not glib, answer.

If you’re looking into further education there are a number of 3 year degree courses available and if you are doing one of these I would strongly recommend you consider being an intern throughout your entire course be it paid or unpaid. Imagine you leave university with both a degree and 2-3 years work experience under your belt? this is such a huge advantage. I see a constant stream of university leavers stuck between a rock and a hard place as they have no ‘experience’ and are over looked by employers as the market is saturated.

Events degrees are run at the following universities. Bournemouth, Bucks, Birmingham and London to name but a few.

If you’re aged somewhere between 16 and 24 and want to get straight into the market place and 3 years of university debt does not appeal to you. Consider being an apprentice. You work (and are paid for) 30hrs a week and your course framework is built around the job you are actually doing – making assignments so much easier to complete. The pay isn’t great but your gaining invaluable experience and if you’re not taken on by the company you have been the apprentice to, you are more attractive to potential employers because of your ‘on the job’ experience.

Check out www.apprenticeships.org.uk

If you’re already in the market place and on the career ladder recruitment agencies can help. However many of my clients, all seasoned events organisers in their own roles, within positions in marketing, PR or as executive PA’s would love to switch to an events position but find the salary drop just too much to bear.

Salaries in the events industry are equivilant to retail salaries. So you really have to do it for the love! There are specialist recruitment agencies for this industry such as Reagan & Dean and Live Recruitment and they are certainly worth talking to.

Lastly don’t forget social media too! LinkedIn obviously but twitter feeds and Facebook pages often have jobs posted on them.

If you’ve read this far it just remains for me to say, you seem keen, which is a great advantage in this industry – good luck with your search!

Booking a Christmas Party in March is actually not as crazy as it sounds……

Clients may do this for two reasons:-

1. There maybe few venues that will take their numbers of guests and they have to ensure that they get the date & space they want.

Or

2. They want to get the best choice and the best deal.

Booking a Christmas event in March is pretty much like booking a package summer holiday over a year in advance – there are offers and there are discounts and the venues, delighted, to be getting business sewn up early in the year are much more flexible!

Most hotels will not have worked out their pricing for the coming year and will therefore honour the package price from last year.

Minimum numbers can be negotiated, especially when dealing with venues in March, as there is very little business in this month and that ‘insecurity’ if you like means that they are likely to reduce your minimum numbers to secure the Christmas booking.

It’s certainly worth checking the inclusions too. You’re much more likely for the hotel to add a disco to the package at no extra charge if you ask for it in March rather than if you ask in October when every second enquiry that a hotel gets is about their Christmas parties.

In the events industry Christmas never leaves us but in March it’s a buyers market and a savvy buyer at that!

Contact the Theme Team on 01926 813550 or get in touch on our contact us page!

Utilising an iconic monument as a venue is something very different and very exciting! Dubbed the most ‘famous bridge in the world’ Tower Bridge is an iconic building that as an event organiser I’ve always, always, always wanted to do an event at!

The venue amazingly has 3 very different events spaces considering its a ‘bridge’. The Engine Rooms in the bowels of the river powering the mechanics to open and close the bridge. A dark, brick arched space with gleaming machinery great for an evening dinner with night club feel.

The Bridge Masters Dining Room, situated halfway up the South Tower a Victorian room with knocks, crannies and refined history which is very interesting venue for a small meeting.

But it’s the walkways that have always held such allure. Panoramic views of London in an event space that offers two 10ft wide, 180ft Long glass and metal horizontal struts basically!

By day the venue is a tourist attraction so It’s a huge challenge for the caterers who how to bring in every oven, every teaspoon, every chair and every sip of drink that anyone might want throughout the evening.

Being only 10ft wide, creating a dinner space is very different from a standard venue. One long line of tables or indeed one long table the length of the bridge. Cleverly the venue use one walkway for drinks reception and then seat you in the other for dinner.

Imagine looking east to Canary Wharf and west to both the Shard and St Paul’s. The views are staggering.

Envelop the venue in beautiful lighting, add nothing more than a jazz trio and the scene is set……

Last night I finally was able to do the event I’ve always wanted and it was even more than I hoped for in terms of feel good factor for the guests. Tough on the caterer in terms of logistics but wow what a pay off! If you want to ‘show off’ London to your guests I don’t think you can beat it.

Contact us on 01926 813550 or get in touch through our contact us page!

In the office this week we have been discussing How to make a corporate Christmas card more interesting.

A number of our clients (and suppliers) say they just don’t bother sending a corporate Christmas card these days but why? Is it just so much easier to send an e-card? Is it difficult to tell whether a ‘real life’ card brings about any return on investment at all?

The answer to the above is probably yes In both cases but what if the Christmas card was more interesting and would be talked about or thought about or kept by your clients?……

There are a number of really creative ways to send a Christmas card (or gentle reminder to your clients to keep you on their Radar).

• A growing Christmas tree sapling, packaged in a tube and sent through the post, is unusual, ‘green’ and something to keep.
• A corporate Christmas Cracker is fun to receive and can contain literally anything that will fit!
• Beautiful porcelain baubles with your company logo on can shout individuality
• Or a bespoke corporate chocolate advent calendar will be a welcome surprise and sit on your clients desk for a month.

We have lots of ideas for under £3 an item so please give us a call on 01628 526782 or get in touch via our contact us page to help you stand out from the crowd this Christmas.

Ever wished that driving to work could be a little more exciting? Well now it can! Transform your office car park into a Summertime Drive Thru Cinema Experience. A throwback cinematic experience has not only arrived in back in town but can be set up almost anywhere!


What makes our supplier so unique is that they are fully mobile and screens are available in five different sizes, which suits anything from 100 – 5000 + guests! The screens take hardly any time to set up and are all fitted with a theatrical grade screen surface optimized for outdoor viewing. They are so mobile that they can set up in different locations such as; parks, stadiums, school halls, car parks, exhibition conventions, by the lake, gardens, shopping malls, the list goes on….
What makes the experience so different from just going to the cinema or watching a film through your office projector is the fact you can watch the movie in the comfort of your own car whilst the film’s audio is played through an FM transmitter amongst your colleagues. This activity is great for office moral and will boost community spirit!
Our brilliant supplier is the UK’s leading supplier of Pop up Cinema and Drive Thru Cinemas who specialise in corporate events, live broadcasts, exhibitions, tradeshows and many more. Please Contact Theme Production on 01628 526782 or get in touch via our contact us page to talk about your next cinematic experience!

We know it seems crazy but Christmas party planning is well under way! Get some festive inspiration with our blog ‘Twelve venues of Christmas’!

At Theme Production we offer a free venue finding service and our extensive knowledge for both local and London venues means you’ll never have to worry about finding the perfect Christmas party venue ever again! Also keep your eyes peeled for an exclusive offer highlighted in this blog!

Venue 1: One of London’s ‘coolest’ party venues that will never fail to disappoint your Christmas party guests.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 110

Costs from: £64.00 Per Person

Venue 2: A Unique West End late night cocktail bar and cabaret restaurant. Wow your guests with a Cabaret Christmas!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 140

Costs from: £40.00 Per Person

Venue 3: Deck the halls… literally and impress your guests aboard this extraordinary venue!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 200

Costs from: £79.00 Per Person

Venue 4: Enjoy a Traditional Christmas theme in a beautiful chapel based at a secret location in Berkshire.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 120

Costs from: £39.00 Per Person

Venue 5: This iconic venue provides an interesting backdrop for guests to enjoy an atmospheric Christmas Party.Watch out for the Dinosaurs!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 550

Costs from: £140.00 Per Person

Venue 6: Explore the myth and mystery of this Moroccan themed Christmas party, where you can hire just a table of ten or hire out the entire venue.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 550

Costs from: £45.00 Per Person

Venue 7: Take a magical Christmas journey to the ‘Lost City of Atlantis’ and experience a Christmas with a twist!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 690

Costs from: £45.00 Per Person

Venue 8: Lights, Camera, Action, celebrate your Christmas party in style at a famous secret film location in Berkshire!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 250

Costs from: £55.00 Per Person

Venue 9: Set 100 ft up above a secret location, you and your guests can enjoy the festive season at one of the most unusual locations in London.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 140

Costs from: £90.00 Per Person

Venue 10: ‘Black tie with a hint of animal’ feathers, furs or fluffy tails, go all out and wild with your dress code or let the venue speak for itself!

Maximum Seated Capacity: 260

Cost from: £102.00 Per Person

Venue 11: A hidden venue, built in the 1550’s creates a simply stunning traditional Christmas party.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 180

Costs from: £66.00 Per Person

Venue 12: A unique backdrop to any event at this secret London venue showcasing Europe’s largest display of marine life.

Maximum Seated Capacity: 500

Costs from: £94.00 Per Person

Please contact us on 01628 526782 or get in touch via our contact us page to discuss your venue finding requirements!

When booking a new venue, quote TPCHRISTMAS to receive £100 off one our top 10 Christmas add in’s, such as our Tap Dancing Turkeys!

Please note all prices exclude VAT.

The Great British Routemaster is one of the world’s most iconic and beautiful vehicles. It is that rare thing – an elegant and brilliant piece of design that also served a useful function, transporting millions across London. Sadly, they were taken out of service and are now almost extinct… However, Theme Production has discovered a thing of beauty which has been restored and converted in the most remarkable way. The Hospitality Bus is unique: a chic cocktail bar downstairs with an elegant dining area upstairs that has a roof that rises up at the touch of a button.

The Hospitality bus has its own team of highly professional and experienced staff who make the experience enjoyable from start to finish. Seating eighteen guests in considerable comfort on the top deck with downstairs seating a further six – eight in the bar area. There is standing room for thirty on the top deck perfect for a drinks reception and canapés. With her own awning, and the capacity to sit within her own marquee if required, the Hospitality bus can cater for a broad variety of events!  From ten people having dinner in their office garden prepared by the country’s leading chefs such as Mark Hix or restaurants such as Zuma, to a cocktail party for 150 with music, canapés and a dance floor as she has a fully integrated sound system! Furthermore there is a Games Cupboard on board including Great British classics such as backgammon, cards, croquet, badminton, cricket and boules!

The Hospitality Bus provides a comprehensive food and drink service designed to fulfil the specific requirements of each client. This might be cocktails and canapés or brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or a three course dinner.

Theme Production highly recommends this bus for events in the peak of our English summer. Its’ a great incentive to reward staff members after day in conference or a seminar! This bus can be taken to corporate events and parties across Europe so please do contact us on 01628 526782 or get in touch through our contact us page with your requirements!