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Personalise Your Civil Partnership

Expert:	Lester Gethings
Category:	Civil Partnership Advice

Posted 02/06/10

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Personalise Your Civil Partnership

Ok, so you’ve found the venue, worked out your guest list and booked the registrar. Now you want to put that signature stamp on the occasion. You want to create an event that says “you” to all your family and friends with an injection of your personalities. When it comes to creative design and styling for a civil partnership or wedding the skies really are the limit, and if you have the budget anything is possible and there has to be a theme! Seemingly endless possibilities suddenly present themselves and before you know it, you’ve arranged for your guests to be served their canapés by topless waiters, booked a troupe of burlesque artists to do an impromptu act before dessert and a Barbra Streisand impersonator to jump out of the cake! Obviously the real thing would be preferable! Before you do all this and more however, I’d like to give a word of advice and say remember who you’re actually doing all this for…your guests.

These are the people you’ve invited to share your day and you should want to make it special for them and show them how much you appreciate them being with you. I’ve been a guest at some wonderful civil partnership celebrations, where the hosts went out of their way to include everyone and make them feel welcome. I’ve also been to one where the hosts cut short lunch so that they could catch a plane and one where I was only invited in order to make up the numbers!!

The secret to a good party IS your guests! Without them you won’t have a celebration, and if you treat them as an after thought the whole event will fall flat on its face. So, for an affair to remember, here are some top tips for happy guests.

Choose the Right Venue

This may sound strange, but you’d be amazed at the number of couples who choose a venue without really thinking if it suits them, either in style or size. A busy hotel may be hosting several events at the same time and, while the price may be right you could end up feeling as though your reception is being rolled out on a conveyor belt! Similarly, you don’t want to hire a venue only to find that your 100 guests are rattling around because it's too big!

Seated or Standing Reception?

When you think of a wedding reception you usually think of a formal sit-down dinner. This is fine if that’s your style, but what about a less formal standing affair? Think afternoon tea where guests are encouraged to serve themselves, or a chic cocktail reception with signature drinks. Just remember to provide plenty of occasional seating to encourage a relaxed atmosphere and the flow of conversation.

Food and Drink

There’s nothing worse than going to a party, only to find that the hosts have scrimped on the vitals. Let’s face it, we all love party food so it doesn’t matter whether you’re serving crisps or caviar, a well fed guest is a happy guest, and that goes for the drink too! The abundance (or lack) of food at a celebration will speak volumes to your guests about your hospitality, so don’t scrimp on the canapés, have them served frequently, let the fizz flow freely and have an interesting selection (not just orange juice) of soft drinks on offer for those who prefer something non-alcoholic.

Entertainment

There has to be entertainment doesn’t there? Of course, but not necessarily of the showbiz variety. There are plenty of ways to add interesting touches to the party and keep everyone amused. One civil partnership celebration I attended was full of inspiring ideas including a couture canapé bar where guests could create their very own canapé selection, a photo booth complete with costumes, a candy bar, themed quizzes for each table and, for the children, a fully staffed play room with toys and games galore. These thoughtful touches are hugely appreciated by guests and will have them talking about the event for months afterwards. So go on, think creatively and arrange some treats to inspire and delight them all!