We've been in the event entertainment business long enough to know: the events that run smoothly are the ones where the entertainment planning starts early and is done thoughtfully. Here are seven things to sort out before you even start looking at entertainment options.
1. Know Your Audience
Who's coming? What's their age range? What's their relationship to the event (friends, colleagues, family)? The answer to these questions will tell you more about the right entertainment than any catalogue ever could. A corporate event with multi-generational attendees needs different entertainment than a university society's end-of-year bash, and the audience is always the guiding factor.
2. Define Your Event Timeline
What time does your event start? When will people arrive? When's dinner? When's the peak of the evening? Your entertainment needs to plug into these natural shifts. Background music during arrivals is very different from music for the main event. And the closing act needs to match the energy of the end of the night.
3. Understand Your Venue Constraints
Don't just think "we have a room." Think about the room: How does sound carry? Where are the power points? Is there enough space for a band without blocking walkways? What's the noise limit? Some venues can handle live music at high volume; others can't. Find out early, and your entertainers will thank you.
4. Set a Budget: Realistically
Entertainment budgets get cut first when things get tight. But cutting entertainment from an event is often like cutting the heart out of a body: everything stops working the same way. Aim to protect your entertainment budget. You'll find there are ways to save elsewhere without sacrificing quality.
5. Consider the Technical Requirements
Every entertainer, from a magician who needs a 2ft power point to a 5-piece band that needs stage, sound, and lighting, has technical needs. Plan these with your venue in advance. The surprise of discovering a band needs 3-phase power at a beautiful countryside venue is not one you want to experience.
6. Think About Documentation
If you're going to have entertainment, think about how it'll be documented. Photos of the band? Video of the highlight acts? Live streaming of key moments? Professional event photography and videography capture entertainment perfectly, and you'll want those memories far more than most other parts of your event.
7. Book the Right Fit, Not the Cheapest Option
This is the one we see most often. People search for the cheapest entertainment, hire them, and then discover that the quality doesn't match their event's standard. It's like wearing cheap shoes to a wedding: nobody else will notice, but you'll be uncomfortable all day.
The Bottom Line
Entertainment should be one of the most enjoyable parts of your event planning: not an afterthought squeezed into the last corner of your budget. Plan it well, consider the people who will experience it, and you'll have an event that people talk about for months.