10 Must-Haves at Your Awards Evening

Posted by on Aug 24, 2017 in Blog

With so many different elements to think about when organising an awards ceremony, it can feel a little overwhelming.

To help take off some of that pressure we’ve put together a list of 10 things you should definitely consider having at your awards that will give your guests and winners a night to remember!

1.  Glamorous/Glitzy Backdrop

Once you have chosen your venue, the next thing to consider is how you can add that extra ‘wow factor’ to the proceedings. You want to make your awards as exciting and glamorous as possible and an impressive backdrop can transform any event space into a room fit for A-listers! With specific set branding for your awards, creative lighting and twinkling star cloth, the choices for your backdrop are endless if you have the right AV team on board…. Hint hint 😉

2.  Theme

Having a theme for your awards ceremony is another way to make your event stand out from the rest and to get your guests excited. As well as the decor, backdrop and music, your theme can help to inspire other areas of your event. For example your entertainment and Master of Ceremonies, but we’ll get to that later! We’ve seen many different themes used at awards over the years and one that stays in our mind was ‘Moulin Rouge’! Think cabaret, sparkles and french glamour!

3.  Pyrotechnics

To start or finish your event with a bang, stage pyrotechnics are the way to go with many variations to choose from. We would advise you to check with your venue about the use of pyrotechnics, many hotels will not allow them for health and safety purposes.

4.  Red Carpet

Roll out the royal treatment for your guests with a red carpet entrance into the room. This is a guaranteed way of making them feel special whilst adding that touch of glamour to the evening.

5.  Props

Enhance your event with giant props! We’ve found they provide great photo opportunities for your guests to share on social media as well as getting across your theme. Illuminated letters to brand your event, giant shoes, Oscars trophies, even Elvis statues… You name it, we’ve seen it! They’re really good fun and always go down well.

6.  Music

There are many great songs that you could choose for your awards but we would advise you to avoid any major cliches. Don’t be afraid to try something new with your music selection, mix some of the classics in with new choices to create a memorable experience for your audience. For music ideas why not check out our blog post of our top picks of the most popular music used at awards ceremonies here.

7.  MC for the evening

Choosing the right Master of Ceremonies for your awards evening can make or break your event. Keeping the evening flowing and ensuring the audience stay engaged is an art in itself. An industry figure with charisma can work but a professional MC or the right type of celebrity is usually the best medicine. Still stuck for who to choose? Our ‘10 Best Awards Evening MCs‘ should help you out.

8.  Table Centrepieces

To push your theme even further, centrepieces help tie your room decor together and create a visual atmosphere that sets the mood for your event.There are many great companies out their who can design eye-catching bespoke table art for your event.

9.  Entertainment

Your guests have come for a show, so be sure to give them one! Think back to the theme of your event and brainstorm a few ideas of entertainment that will help create a fun and exciting atmosphere. Bands, comedians, dance acts, magicians; go with whatever works best with your theme. One of the best acts we’ve seen was for our clients ‘Broadway’ themed Gala Dinner in Berlin, ‘The Other Guys’ are a Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons tribute act and performed all of the great songs from the hit musical ‘Jersey Boys’.

10. Lighting

Lighting is an important element of any award show as it truly brings your event to life. It plays a massive part in the overall look and ambience of your event. Our lighting specialists have years of industry experience within this field and can transform your event space to give your day that extra ‘wow factor’ for your audience.

 

We hope you found this post helpful and has given you food for though. Something that doesn’t require much thinking about though is hiring Istead to deliver your all of your AV needs, it’s a no brainer! Get in touch with us today to discuss your next event.

 

We are an audio visual company providing full AV support and conference production across the UK and Europe.

www.istead.co.uk

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