When the lights go out and the guests trail off to their cars laughing and chatting about what a great night they just had, we know we have done our job well. After all, what is the purpose of a gala if it isn’t to completely blow away guests and have them committed to your company or cause?
Although gala events can have many purposes, they have become known as successful fundraising events because the guests have such a good time that they feel inspired to donate. If you are trying to make an impression and want to make your guests wonder what they did to get invited to the most epic event of the year, you will want to put on a gala event.
A gala is more than an ordinary party. It’s a glamorous, elegant event that takes a lot of planning and coordination. Here are some ideas to transform your gala planning so that your event is exactly what you hoped it would be with the help of Premier Sound and Lighting.
Clarify Your Goal and Mission for Your Event
The first and most important part of putting on a successful gala is determining a clear goal or mission for the event. You should decide what you hope to achieve at the end of the event. Is it a fundraising target, sales leads, or simply satisfied guests?
Our event planners at Premier Sound and Lighting are here to keep your mission at the forefront of the planning process, ensuring every detail aligns with your objective. From the initial concept to the final execution, we make sure your gala remains focused, cohesive, and impactful.
Once we understand the purpose of your event, our team can assist you in selecting the ideal venue, choosing a theme, and planning engaging activities like singing, dancing, a raffle, or an auction.
Innovative Ideas to Pull Off a Successful Event
Every event, no matter the purpose, must be planned from start to finish, minute by minute. Any moment unaccounted for will be noticed by the guests. Although we will take this part off your plate as much as we can, there are a few key ideas that could assist us in filling out the event schedule.
Speakers
The only time we have ever seen an event go slightly awry hasn’t been from our team, but from the poor planning of speakers. Imagine sitting in a wonderful event with great music and then the music dies down, and someone swaggers up to the podium and delivers a poor, ranting speech. Or worse, they start saying things that make the company or group look bad. To put this to rest, we wanted to share how to properly plan for speakers so that your event is a huge success.
First, you want to determine who might speak at the event. You could consider the owner, CEO, or executive—someone who knows the most about the purpose of the gala you are hosting. You could also have people who benefitted from your company or group share their successes and testimonials, too. Essentially, you want to find people that will help articulate the purpose of your event—and adding key speakers is the best thing to add to that purpose.
Once you decide what type of speakers you want, plan out when you’d like them to speak at your event. Typically, it is a good idea to have several backup speakers. You can ask each to send their speeches far ahead of time, accepting the ones that are the best. Then, invite all the backup speakers to also attend the event. On event day, you’ll have plenty of backup speakers if anyone ends up sick or otherwise unable to make it. This ultimately creates a seamless event experience for all!
Activities
Now that the hard part is over, we can start talking about all the activities you can do to pull off this event! Pair a financially focused activity, like a silent auction, with something entertaining, like a comedy performance, to balance fundraising with fun. Another example of this is having live performers in-between stage fundraising.
Most galas also include catered food, so while guests are being served, consider using this time to have live performers or singers. Make sure the live performers aren’t too distracting so that the guests can talk with one another. This moment can also be a great time to introduce stage fundraising, too. You can seat large donors with others who have contributed more toward your cause or next to individuals who could assist in closing them on certain aspects of the company or a particular project.
After meals have been served, you can begin the fundraising, speeches, and introducing the purpose behind the event itself. Be sure to ensure that guests can feel the presence of your group and that you are reminding them why they are there.
After all the main fundraising is done, incorporate games and dancing that allow people to continue to be involved in the event. This can be done by making announcements throughout the event of what is coming. This also serves to increase recognition of larger donations, as a bigger audience remains throughout the event.
Themes
A well-chosen theme sets the tone for the entire event, influencing everything from the venue selection to the menu. At Premier Sound and Lighting, we specialize in creating memorable and creative themes that make your gala stand out. Here are some of our favorite themes:
- Disco party: Bring back the 70s with vibrant lighting and a groovy atmosphere.
- Broadway show: Immerse your guests in the glitz and glamour of Broadway with theatrical elements.
- Location party: Transport your guests to Paris, Italy, or another exotic location with themed décor and entertainment.
- Famous people in history: Celebrate icons from history with period costumes and themed activities.
- Different eras or time periods: Choose a specific decade or era and design your event around it.
- Black and white event: A timeless, elegant theme that never goes out of style.
- Masquerade: Add an air of mystery and sophistication with a masquerade ball.
- New Year’s Eve or Christmas: Celebrate the holidays in style with festive decorations and entertainment.
Whatever theme you choose, Premier Sound and Lighting can bring it to life with the finest detail from the seating arrangements, to the decor, to the lighting itself. Each component will be hand-picked by our designers to perfectly communicate your theme and message.
Ultimately, galas are a time to don your finest attire, indulge in gourmet cuisine, dance the night away, and support a worthy cause. Creating such a memorable experience requires meticulous planning and flawless execution. That’s where Premier Sound and Lighting steps in! Contact us today to help bring you an event for the history books.
