The Place

As soon as you have a solid starting point with the number of attendees you can expect and a budget to follow, you can secure your venue. You should start scouting for appropriate places for consideration as early as possible, as booking availability can be limited. If you have a certain venue in mind, you may have to work around their bookings, so it’s important to know whether your event dates are set in stone.

Location is important. You want to choose a venue that is easy for your guests to get to. It should have plenty of parking available. If you have out-of-town-guests, it should be near accommodations and convenient to the airports. Take into consideration whether transportation for guests will be required to take them to/from planned activities or their accommodations to the event venue.

Make sure the venue has the capacity and size to accommodate your guests. This can be a bit

Beautiful bride Rebecca Gabriel descends the stairs at LaughingHouse Manor.

like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, because you want your venue size to be just right. If the room is too small, it will seem crowded; but if it’s too big, it will seem empty and underattended. Book a venue that has a capacity limit just slightly over your target attendance number. If possible, choose a venue that has multiple room size options so that if you need to move to a different sized room based on registrations, you have that option. Consider open air venues or expanding with an outdoor tent to accommodate larger groups without feeling crowded. A venue with experience hosting the same or similar types of events to yours is always preferable. They know what you need and how to supply it. As mentioned above, if a venue has their own event planner or staff, they can work through the details of menus, technical needs, and more with you. Venues that provide in-house catering and have their own audio-visual system are ideal, as they have everything on-site, know the space inside and out, and can usually provide creative solutions on the fly if something arises on the day of the event and you or your guests need something that you didn’t anticipate. And don’t underestimate the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff! Having to work with an overly bossy planner or event staff that are inattentive or seem annoyed when approached about details or requests can put a damper on the party.

Of course, price is always going to be one of the biggest considerations. Look for venues with competitive rental rates that include room setups, linens, and other basics. Always be sure to ask what’s included when booking a room, so you’re not surprised by extra charges for things you thought were standard. Some venues require food and beverage minimums, venues that don’t allow you more flexibility to create the type of menu you want while staying within your budget.

Don’t be afraid to buck convention when choosing a place to hold an event or host a meeting. Instead of a country club or a beachfront wedding, opt for the rustic barn or country setting. A venue like the lovingly renovated 1895 farmhouse, LaughingHouse Manor, not only offers guest accommodations but has beautiful grounds to exchange vows and celebrate nuptials. You need a productive work weekend for your team? Bring them to the beach! Work in the conference room or offices at The Sandbox and then enjoy an outing on a shrimp boat. Hold your brainstorming sessions after (or maybe during!) a morning walk at Gould’s Inlet. Break the ice with new employees or have fun with your monthly investors meeting in an unconventional way at Matted Ox Axe Throwing or a meditation break in the salt room at Salt Aer Studios.

Your Outdoor Lighting Specialists

Make it personal! Incorporate your branding wherever possible when hosting corporate or non-profit events. If it’s a family party, add special touches that are meaningful to family members, like your great-grandmother’s apron design or a sketch of the beach cottage where you spent your summers together.

If you’re setting aside a photo area, use your brand on the backdrop. At Elegant Island Living’s 10-year anniversary party, we had guests pose for fun photos with props and gave them each their own magazine “cover shot” to keep. Decorate using the brand colors with balloons, linens, florals, centerpieces, and place settings. Is your company’s signature color green? Hold a “green tie” event and request that guests include green in their attire. Serve a green signature cocktail.

Not a corporate function? The suggestions above work equally well for school colors and mascots. Use old photos from school yearbooks, church directories, family photo albums and the like to identify people on nametags or place cards for tables. Create a menu inspired by favorite family recipes and give each guest a book with the original recipes printed or copies of the actual handwritten recipe cards.

If you want to go that extra step and get everyone in your group personalized shirts, hats, cups, beach towels or something else, Tonya’s Treasures has got you covered. Whether it’s “You Wouldn’t Understand, It’s a Butler Thing” matching t-shirts or insulated tumblers for a family golf outing that say “The Greens Know Their Greens,” they can print, etch, or carve any name, date, occasion, or message you’d like on a wide range of products that are available from their three Golden Isles locations. Be creative!

OPPOSITE PAGE: Not only can you use a signature drink to tie in to your brand, you could create a drink to solicit donations for a charity. Some examples would be a Purple Passion Fizz for Alzheimer’s Disease with proceeds going to Georgia Alzheimer’s Foundation or Memory Matters, a Pink Flamingo to support Southeast Georgia Health Systems’ breast cancer care programs, or a Golden Sunrise dedicated to local efforts in order to raise awareness about childhood cancer. When considering a corporate meeting place, cocktail hour gathering, or special event venue, Embassy Suites in Brunswick might just surprise you with its serene and sophisticated bar and spacious event rooms. Here, Jen Ranger grabs a drink from bartender Nikki Lewis.

Your Stylefor all Seasons

Music is important in creating atmosphere and ambiance at an event. It influences your guests’ moods and makes them feel comfortable in the space. The right music helps people relax and enjoy a memorable event experience. The wrong music may have them headed for the door. Set aside your personal music preferences and consider your guests and their age range when choosing entertainment. When in doubt, go with a playlist of classic hits from across the decades.

Music should be appropriate for the size, type, and tone of the event. If you’re encouraging conversation or creating a more intimate setting, music should be something light and calm playing in the background. For a company picnic or outdoor party, lively upbeat music is a better choice. Be aware that you may need to adjust your music over the course of the event based on what’s happening at the moment. The piano music suitable during cocktail hour won’t get people up on the dance floor after dinner.

Do you want to play pre-recorded music over a sound system, hire a DJ, or have live music? Live music adds a visual element and typically engages an audience with more energy. However, it’s also more expensive, requires more equipment, and songs are limited to the band’s repertoire. A DJ, depending on their experience and skill, can perform with as much or as little energy as you like. Many act as emcees for an event and actively interact with the crowd. We’re looking at you, Island Sound! It’s usually cheaper to hire a DJ than a band or musician, and they can play anything you and your guests want to hear. If you don’t want or need crowd interaction and simply want music to play, you may want to consider skipping the DJ and hooking up a pre-set playlist to a sound system. It’s important to check with your venue about whether they have a built-in sound system or one will need to be supplied, what room there is for equipment, load in/load out requirements for bands, and any rules about volume levels. The best rule of thumb, don’t consider music an afterthought, start planning it early!

THREE PRIVATE DINING ROOMS AVAILABLE Call us for your next wedding, baby shower, rehearsal dinner, anniversary, or any celebration!

Burnside’s & Co.

912.264.2646 1908 Gloucester St. Brunswick, GA burnsidesandco@gmail.com burnsidesco.com

When planning your party, don’t dismiss the morning hours for an event. Bridal breakfasts and baby shower brunches are a perfect way to start a festive day! What better excuse to enjoy a Mimosa or Bloody Mary Bar?! Set out your favorite juices or mixers and go all out on possible garnishes to let your guests craft their own concoctions to go with your favorite breakfast pastries, a platter of bagels from Sandy Bottom Bagels. They can do egg casseroles too! Most local caterers offer breakfast/brunch options.

Kids love breakfast too! Make their next birthday party a pancake PJ party! Set up their breakfast bar with pancakes, waffles, and hot cocoa, and supply all the whipped cream, chocolate chips, fruit, syrup, sprinkles, and any other toppings you can think of to rock their world. If you’re brave, you can do this the night after hosting a special birthday sleepover.

A “well-dressed” bagel with lox and cream cheese from Sandy Bottom Bagels is tasty, but the real focus is this ring from the estate collection at Joseph Jewelers. It features a 4 carat natural garnet surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds set in rose gold.