The Convenience
Factor
“If you go to a ballroom or a warehouse, you have to bring in
food, drinks, servers, entertainment, all from the outside. Here it’s a one-stop
shop, all under one roof,” says Kristi Schaffter, senior sales manager of
Jillian’s at Universal CityWalk, a venue that’s seen its fair share of wrap
parties.
Often, it’s worth it to find a place that can do everything
for you without looking to outside vendors for the big stuff (eg. food, drink,
seating and entertainment). Depending on what kind of deal you find, or how
affordable your outside vendors are, this won’t always save you money—but it
sure will save you the hassle!
The
Details
While the convenience factor is what draws event planners to
one-stop-shop venues, other amenities should not be overlooked when looking for
the prime place to host a wrap party.
Extras, like plenty of wall space for giant projection
screens, will allow for productions to view reels of the project, never allowing
anyone to forget the reason you’re celebrating in the first place. Other options
include projecting gag reels on a central wall, or even a slideshow of
production stills, complemented by high-energy music to reinforce the party
atmosphere.
Private V.I.P. areas may also be necessary when talent wants
to lay low. Ideally, these rooms would be closed off from the main party room,
so people can mingle on a more intimate level. Even if a room is not possible,
look for corners of the central party floor that can be roped off to designate a
V.I.P. area. If a location has multiple stories, you can use, for example, the
whole top floor as the V.I.P. spot.
Security
For private events, many places provide a door host to make
sure only invited guests enter the venue. For more high profile events,
clients may bring in their own outside security, with management’s approval, for
additional peace of mind.
The nice thing about being in Los
Angeles is that most celebrities can come and go
without being bothered. For the more high profile celebrities who
need extra security, an exclusive back door entrance can usually be
arranged. Once inside the venue, the private V.I.P. room can be
completely closed off from the rest of the club, giving celebrities privacy
while still being close to the action.
New Trends in
Entertaining
Outside entertainment can also be arranged to the
production’s liking with their desired venue.
Find out about the latest trends in party planning. For
instance, consider “digital dancing heads,” a new party trick in which guests
are placed against a green screen and draped with a green sheet from their necks
down, only revealing their heads. Their bodies are then replaced with silly
animated dancing bodies, giving them a big-headed, comical appearance.
Or consider having an interactive dessert bar, with a
chocolate fountain fondue or do it yourself s’mores. Whatever you decide, the
point is to find alternative means of entertainment to impress your guests.
They’ve worked hard and they deserve this.
