In a world replete with options, selecting the right theme for an event can often feel overwhelming! Incorporating a few key guidelines into your planning process, however, can help you create a perfect and memorable event.

First, ask yourself what you're hoping to accomplish with the event. A high-profile product launch, for example, is noticeably different than a social celebration with mingling guests, just as a team-building employee event strikes its own unique note. Brainstorming on the reason for the event is a great way to determine the ambiance you wish to convey.

Next, consider your attendees: Who are they? What appeals to them? A younger audience will differ from a family-friendly event, and both represent a different mix than a room packed with conservative business associates. Considering the particular needs and preferences of your guests is a great way to further tailor your agenda.

Luckily, there are as many themes to choose from as there are events! Current trends include Hollywood; Luau; Western; Decade Tributes; Mardi Gras; Holiday, and Fiesta. Once you’ve chosen your theme, you can then select a combination of colors to set the mood.

  The Color Red exudes powerful emotions such as aggression, boldness, strength, fire, desire, confidence, and action.  

     

A lighter shade of red, pink enhances the feelings of love, romance, sensitivity, and beauty.    

 

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow.

This color can stir feelings of enthusiasm, endurance, fascination, and creativity.

Blue is associated with depth and stability.

It's thought to engender feelings of trust, loyalty, wisdom, intellect, confidence, and faith.    

 

Green symbolizes nature, growth, fertility, life, and is often associated with safety, freshness, and even money.       

Purple combines the stability and wisdom of blue, with the energy of red, and is the color of independence, mystery, nostalgia, power, and magic.

    Gold / Yellow is often associated with wealth and prosperity, tradition, divinity, and warmth.          

White brings visions of light, purity, cleanliness, and safety.

This color is often associated with simplicity, high-tech, and charity.

Once you’ve decided on a theme, it’s much easier to select a suitable décor. Discussing your ideas with event-planning staff at your venue is important as well as helpful—they may offer suggestions to complement your vision and can also refer you to local vendors. Ask if their chef is able to create a custom menu: food and drinks that correlate to a specific theme are a lovely touch and add a wonderful conversational piece to your event. You’ll also need to discuss centerpieces, place settings, linen colors, and fabric selections for tables and chairs.

The last step in the planning process is to select activities that promote interaction—when presented as an extension of your theme, they have the ability to strengthen the overall ambiance of your event and create lasting memories. The Internet is a great resource for this—search for ideas on Google or Pinterest, then customize suggestions to add a personal and unique touch.

After that, all that's left are good times and the pictures to prove it!