The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all countries across the globe, disrupting lives, routines, and livelihoods. It created such a huge impact, making people isolate themselves, stop going to school, take extra precautions when it comes to cleanliness, and push back important events to next year. However, a lot of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies are racing to create a vaccine and most of them are on their final stages. Thus, it’s only a matter of time before this virus finally comes to an end.
So for the meantime, while the vaccine isn’t available yet, you can take this waiting period to plan for the things you had to postpone due to the virus – such as your next party! This is so when everything transitions into the “New Normal” or post COVID-19, you will be prepared and able to pull off a fun and safe gathering for you and your loved ones.
Don’t know how and where to begin? Let us help you. Here’s a guide on planning your next party for post COVID-19.
Party Planning Basics
1. What type of party are you throwing?
Try to answer these questions: Why are you having a party? Is it for your wedding, birthday, anniversary, corporate event or a a Christmas party? What kind of party should it be – a lunch, brunch, dinner, buffet, or sit-down meals?
2. Pick a theme
After setting the type of party you want, you have to pick a theme that will be applied to every aspect of your event.
3. Set a date and time
When you’ve already chosen a date and time, make sure to inform your guests beforehand so they can save it.
4. Complete your guest list
Who are you inviting and how many people are you planning to invite? When completing your guest list, make sure to keep it small since social distancing is still expected to be part of the new normal in post COVID-19. So along with these lines, expect a party that won’t have hugs, kisses, or handshakes.
5. Choose a venue
When choosing a venue, you should consider if it is spacious enough to allow your guests to keep a safe distance and sit apart without feeling forced.
Planning a Party for Post COVID-19
- Send your invitations through phone, email, or social media. This is a much safer and more affordable approach than giving traditional paper invitations.
- Plan your meal. Depending on your guest list, you can either find a caterer or prepare the meals yourself.
- List down your party needs. If you’re hosting the party at home, you will need to purchase food, decorations, and utensils.
- List down all the equipment you need. If your venue does not provide them, you need to look for rentals such as tables, chairs, and speakers too. When arranging the seats and tables, make sure to give each one ample space.
- Plan your lighting. Lights are great for setting the mood. Thus, choose your lighting carefully. Avoid fluorescent lights as they are too bright for a party.
- Plan your entertainment. Having a playlist just isn’t enough to keep your party going. To make sure it’ll be fun for everyone, consider adding a photo booth from Snappy Photobooths. We have safety protocols in place, making sure you and your guests will feel safe while having a great time. Also, you can hire a band of musicians and DJ as part of your entertainment.
- Hire other vendors: Depending on your event, you may need to look for more service providers such as a florist, photographer, videographer, bartender, barista, hair and makeup artist, baker, and an officiant. If you’re planning for a wedding and would want to showcase your beautiful location, you can also hire a drone photographer (such as one from Raw Edits) for those breathtaking shots from above.
Planning a party post COVID-19 is similar to planning one at a regular time. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind, including:
- Social distancing will still be part of the new world after COVID-19. But that’s just temporary.
- Some people won’t attend your event unless they are certain that it is safe. So don’t feel bad when they don’t show up.
- You may have to downsize your event due to safety and financial considerations.
- You may need to put more effort and budget for safety, including keeping the restroom clean, disinfecting, and putting sanitizers and alcohols all over your venue.
- Guests who are exhibiting symptoms similar to COVID-19 may not be welcomed by your other guests.
You may also feel that some of your guests will push back from engaging with others, especially the elderly. This is an expected outcome from the coronavirus induced lockdowns and isolations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it’s better to keep your guest list small. By doing so, you won’t catch them off guard and they won’t feel overwhelmed. Having a smaller party also encourages your guests to interact and reconnect with each other – which is what people need most post-COVID-19.
Always remember that regardless of whatever supplier you are scoping out, ensure that they are a registered COVID Safe business.
