Woman sat having a picnic in the doorway of a glamping tent overlooking the lake

The Greatness of Glamping

by News

Are you a glamper? The rise in popularity of glamping has been incredible, and it is definitely not limited to those wanting a bit of luxury at a festival anymore. Glamping is a viable option to add space, capacity and a fantastic dimension to an event.

A recent corporate retreat I organised at Wasing Park proved how invaluable glamping is. It not only offered guests a great experience and luxury but as an events planner, crucially, allowed for more bedroom space!! This can be a real game changer for venues to offer higher capacity events.

Glamping is a treat and offers people the excitement of camping and the fun that goes with that, but includes those luxuries that are super appreciated in a field: a bed, mirror, duvet, table! Gone are the days of crouching in a tent with a shoddy compact trying to put your mascara on!

The glamping industry is booming (the global glamping market size was valued at USD 2.35 billion in 2021!) and alongside the home-from-home luxuries, glamping companies are seeing the potential as an incredible add on to existing venues – especially ones with grounds! Gone are the days where capacity is just how many bedrooms a place has, there is now the opportunity for glamping companies to swoop in and accommodate a lot more people, meaning venues are able to attract larger audiences, and therefore larger ticket prices. A win / win.

Glamping is definitely feeling more the norm with many people opting for it over traditional camping, especially in the over 30s where there is more disposable income. People are wanting that added comfort in the great outdoors and who can blame them.

Getting your gang together for a glamping holiday can be incredible and with companies now offering add-ons such as classes and lessons (eg yoga, axe throwing, foraging etc), it can be a fabulous experience for all. In the corporate world, leaders are seeing the benefits of glamping for retreats and away days, much like at Wasing Park, where they could sauna and swim in the lake and head back to their glamping site!

It would have arguably been a step too far to suggest a corporate away day in a traditional camping field with the shared loo and shower, but with glamping taking the edge off, people are definitely exploring it more.

Do let me know your experiences – are you a glamper? Or just glamping curious?

Coloured lanterns hanging from a tree

The Wow Factor

by Event Planning

Have you ever been to an event and the venue was just spectacular? I was lucky enough to work on two events in one week at The Natural History Museum recently and the space was just incredible. Being in such an iconic building immediately set the tone for what were hugely memorable events and allowed people to have the wow factor and that air of exclusivity that they were privy to be in that space at that time.

Wow factors are big in the events world and creating them through magic touches is what I love doing the most. Of course, not many of us have the budget to host our event at The Natural History Museum, but there are definitely things you can do for your event to create the wow factor.

Here are a few of my suggestions:

Think about every sense:

I talk a lot about sensory elements in events, but it really is worth considering what your guests are experiencing. Often people are focussing on what an event will look like that they sometimes forget to ask what it will smell like, feel like sound like. By being in tune with all senses really can give the wow factor and can add that further dimension.

Little touches:

As they say, the devil is in the detail and the smallest of things can create a wow factor. For example, is the seating plan really thought out in line with who you feel would have the best conversations and connections? Could you add a small surprise that guests weren’t expecting which will be hugely memorable? Is there a takeaway you can give them to remember the event?

Drink & Food:

Let’s be fair, most people remember what they ate and drank at an event and whether it was any good or not. Try and make sure your menu is tailored to your guests as much as possible and offer the best tasting experiences you can. Could you do something specific to the theme that will be memorable?

Give opportunity to wow

By this I mean make sure there are spaces for people to showcase where they are and why. Give them a reason to show off, especially on social media. Are there any props you could have to aid this or a specifically dressed area? Could you have someone manning that space to create a sense of exclusivity?

Be really clear on your goal

Wow factors, I feel, are often generated most when events are really clear on their purpose. Events that have a clear objective in mind and everything is built to achieve that are often the most memorable and magical. If you are wanting to celebrate a certain occasion, try and make sure everything is driving towards that, or if it is to reward staff, make sure that each element drives to that.

Wow factors can’t be bought but they can be created so if you would like some help creating yours, do get in touch.

Wooden doorway into a walled garden

Making Events As Inclusive As Possible

by Event Planning

Inclusivity seems one of the big buzzwords that is flying around the events industry at the moment. Here at Lucy Claire Events, we are constantly striving to make our events as inclusive as possible and I don’t just mean in terms of diversity, but inclusive in terms of accessibility, reach and hosting. Let me talk a bit more about each:

Hear from many voices

In order for events to be as inclusive as possible, the team putting them on needs to be as inclusive as it can be and enriched with many different people from varying backgrounds and experiences. What is great is that I can dip into my wealth of contacts and gather a diverse group to help formulate an event when needed. This allows me to have their invaluable thoughts and insight. On the flip side, if your event features speakers or panels, really do try and represent as many differing voices from varying backgrounds as possible as that will hugely enrich your guests’ experience.

Don’t be afraid of virtual

I am hugely aware that by hosting in-person events, this does not always mean they are as inclusive as I would like. Having a physical event does put up barriers of entry for some people with the travel, time away and cost of getting there, so I am fully open to offering online options and solutions where needed. This, in turn, opens your event up to a national and international audience allowing a wider and more diverse scope of people to attend.

Accessibility and sustainability

When I visit possible events spaces, these two things are very much at the forefront of my mind as if a space is not accessible for disabled guests then I often don’t use them. Alongside this, their green credentials need to be strong and I always ask what their sustainability policy is – with mixed answers at times. If a venue is committed to being sustainable and are making inroads to do that, then it is a huge factor for me recommending them.

Speaking to your audience

For many events, the best insight you can possibly get is from attendees and asking what their needs are to check you are meeting them. Being asked and allowed to input is huge to many people, who perhaps need specific things for an event to work for them, as it makes them feel valued and heard.

Sharing is caring

Organisations that talk openly about inclusivity and the steps they are taking to be as inclusive as possible often reap the rewards. Even if you haven’t got it 100% right yet, your audience reacts positivity to you desiring to be as inclusive as possible and doing everything you can to be so. 

Inclusivity enriches

Lastly, it is always worth remembering that by shining a light on diverse and varying people and stories really does enrich your brand and your company. It opens up pathways for alternate thinking which can lead to new working practices and experiences. Challenging the status quo and putting yourselves in others’ shoes when organising events can often lead to some incredible experiences for all involved.

Lanterns and flower arrangements hanging from a tree

Top Tips For Hosting a Garden Party

by Event Planning

Isn’t it wonderful that Spring has sprung and finally we can start enjoying outside events? We are busily organising a variety of private and corporate events ranging from garden parties and al fresco drinks get togethers to private suppers and talks on some beautiful terraces.

There are a few things to think about when hosting an outside event to make yours go with a swing – here are my top tips.

Check the requirements for the space

If you are wanting to host an event in a public space, there may be restrictions and permits needed. Often there are beautiful public squares that you can use but there is a bit of red tape to go through first so it is worth starting this process as early as you can to make sure you give yourself enough time. A good tip too is to speak to other people who have hosted their events there and get their insights and tips.

Dressing the space

Have a think of the time of day of your event and what areas need dressing to make it yours. If it is an evening event, will you need lighting and therefore power? Do make sure you check this before signing anything! Have a think of your colour scheme and how you want the space to look, and try and imagine it when it’s full – where are the areas that are visible?

Prepare for weather

In this gorgeous country of ours, one thing that you can never predict is the weather so make sure you’re prepared for bad weather. Is there a plan b? Is there somewhere undercover you can go to? If not, could you provide umbrellas (branded if it’s a corporate one would be great!)?

Get creative with food and drink

Having an outside event creates a fabulous garden party vibe so have a think about your theme and how you can create some talking points with food and drink. Could you have a specific colour theme that runs through, or a cocktail named after the event itself or the host? Also, do try and cater for all dietary requirements if you can as that goes a long way and people remember those little touches.

Remember the power of social

A great thing about outside events is they make for some amazing photos, especially for social, so have a think about a focal point for pictures; a space where people can pose always works well and if you are hosting a corporate event, this is a great opportunity to get your branding in! Also, are there any props you can include or pass around the event to encourage people to take pics and pop online? If social coverage is a focus for the event, also think about giving your guests a hashtag to use.

Group sat in a field watching the sunset

The Importance of Getting Teams Together

by Corporate Events

This year, I have definitely seen a rise in team activities and companies wanting to reward their team through shared experiences. Good leaders reward the people around them and with many people still feeling the impact of lockdown, it is not lost on many lead teams that their employees have perhaps been through the wringer.

It seems that leaders are being more insightful in their rewards and instead of a little bit more in the pay packet (which, I’m sure it still very welcomed!), they are instead wanting to offer an experience they can share together that they will all benefit from.

High on many of my clients’ agenda is wellness and wellbeing and saying thank you by looking after their staff in this way. I have many people ask me for a really special location that is in nature, beautiful and will offer rest and respite for the people that have worked so hard.

And I am more than happy to help as there are some incredible venues in the UK offering the perfect get away from the day-to-day. I recently hosted a group of eight at the stunning Lakes By Yoo which was the perfect backdrop for them to connect and relax. It feels that the days of renting an off-site meeting room with rubbish coffee and a white board are behind us (thankfully!) and leaders are wanting to reward and inspire their staff – with fantastic results.

It’s not rocket science that by doing this, leaders are cementing a great sense of respect and good will among their employees. Being thankful and appreciative goes such a long way and this in turn will create a sense of loyalty and desire to work hard so by offering a stunning location as an away day or a weekend can work wonders.

A few of the activities that I have helped organise for clients that have been really successful include:

  • Cycling – a team cycled from Windsor to Oxford and then Henley to Oxford.
  • Wild swimming – this is so popular at the moment and the people who attended the experience at Wasing Park loved their swimming followed by sauna.
  • Yoga – great for mental health and wellbeing and an activity people can do together. We also offered candle lit yoga at one retreat which was so magical.
  • Exercise classes – again, a great way to get in the right frame of mind for the day ahead.

These are just a few examples, but I love working with clients to find their niche and what they love. I mean a good walk and talk in nature is one of the best things anyone can do!

Retaining and rewarding great people is imperative to business success and this should always be high of leaders’ agendas as by being in-tune with this will pay off in dividends. If you would like to arrange a special experience for your team, we would love to help you and have a big contact book of some really special locations so please do get in touch!

U shaped table set up for a meal in a greenhouse orangery

The Demand For Charitable Venues

by News

A very welcome trend in the events industry is hearing from both private and corporate clients who want to host their events in charitable venues. By this, I mean venues that give back in some way, have a charitable and sustainable arm and offer a circular investment.

Many venues are taking note of this and revisiting their policies on charity and sustainability which is brilliant to see, resulting in many offering events spaces at a reduced rate, or even free space, for select events with a charitable angle. Alternatively, many are partnering or affiliating themselves with certain charities or causes in order to give back and support through money made on their events.

It is refreshing to see that the days when pure commercial goals were paramount in event spaces are distant and, thanks to the rise of awareness about causes and sustainability factors, event spaces are offering more of an organic and holistic approach that benefits many more people than themselves.

People wanting to host events are incredibly in-tune to this and their demands are, rightly, high. People are not entertaining venues who do not have a charitable facet or who don’t have sustainability high on their agenda. Instead, due to the pool of venues and new offerings, they take their business elsewhere leaving these venues dangerously exposed and looking out of date.

As event professionals, understanding the venues we work with and their sustainability and charitable agendas is high on our list and we always ensure that they are on point with our values and clients’ needs as well as keeping up to date with the ever-evolving developments and implementations. We are proud to work with venues to educate and support on these areas which is so rewarding, as even the smallest changes and in-roads can make huge differences.

Here are a few examples of what venues could be doing immediately:

  • Swapping out all plastic where you can
  • Changing your electricity supplier
  • Affiliating yourself with a charity – a local one to the venue often works really well
  • Aligning your values as a venue
  • Setting out exactly how you will give back – this doesn’t always have to be monitory. Could you donate unwanted food to a food bank, for example?

These are all relatively small things but things that your clients, and potential clients, will love you for and could be the difference in them choosing your venue over a competitor. It can feel like an enormous task, especially with phases such as ‘net zero’ banded about, but we are all here to support each other and learn as we go by taking things step by step.

So, if you are a venue who would like to discuss your charitable angle more – we would love to help. Do get in touch and together we can ensure each and every venue is doing as much as it can for the greater good. And who doesn’t want that?

Private Cinema room

The Rise Of Collaboration

by News

There is no denying that the pandemic was pretty brutal for a lot of us, and most definitely for the events industry. However, one of the good things to emerge from it is the sense of camaraderie and community from both businesses and customers. For many of us, it meant we got to know our fellow businesses in our vicinity and what was there under our noses that perhaps we hadn’t taken notice of before. This is certainly true for me when I launched the wine and cheese packages, as it allowed me to work with some exceptional local partners and get to know their businesses and, I’m happy to say, I still work with them today.

From a customer perspective, lockdown gave us the opportunity to get to know the businesses that were super local to us, rather than our go-to ones when we jumped in the car. Many of these businesses went above and beyond to ensure we were looked after by sourcing stock, selling much-needed items and meeting the demand that many of the bigger names just couldn’t do. And this hasn’t been forgotten.

With this is mind, one of the wonderful trends to emerge already this year is the way venues in the same location are working together to collaborate and offer people something extra special. Many businesses who complement each other are joining forces to offer fantastic 360 events packages allowing clients some incredible multi-layered events.

A great example of this are the businesses near the beautiful Mayfair Townhouse in London. This is a gorgeous building stooped in history and offers a fabulous bar as well as meeting rooms and bedrooms. However, only a stone’s throw away is the Curzon cinema, so by these two businesses working together, they can offer clients a very tantalising private screening event with dinner and drinks and somewhere to stay all in one. This is hugely appealing for brands who perhaps have a product launch or a film to show as every aspect has been catered for. As an events planner, we can step in and add extra layers too when needed, such as booking a great restaurant for dinner, all in the same area and all in the same ilk as the client’s brief and budget.

For those venues that maybe aren’t buddying up yet, there is a desire to do so and we are helping a lot with that. As events professionals, we make it our business to get to know the many great venues and their offerings. It is getting increasingly rare that one venue can cater for all a clients’ requirements as many are so complex, so it is up to us to find more than one venue that will seamlessly transition to make the event as magical as possible. This could be finding a great space to host meetings or presentations during the day, but then afterwards finding that perfect private dining room for guests to enjoy dinner and drinks, followed by a boutique hotel for a nightcap and to stay.

Often, it can be left to team members to source venues and this can often be overwhelming, especially if they don’t know an area. We take all that stress away and build a perfect package in line with your brief and budget.

I really hope the emergence of collaboration between venues keeps growing and many more like-minded businesses collaborate and showcase each other’s services to their customer base. Support and championing are definitely the order of the day!

Modern Psychedelic living room

New Venues for 2022

by News

There are some incredible new venues opening in 2022, and I cannot wait to explore what they have to offer and get my creative juices flowing for the best events and experiences to host there! 

Here are a few of my favourite new venues: 

One Hundred Shoreditch, London  

Yes, I know London is not short of a hotel or two, but this new offering in the heart of Shoreditch looks something extra special! Housing 258 bedrooms, six restaurants and bars with one boasting a panoramic view of East London, the plans are big. Alongside this, it has five meeting and event rooms catering for intimate and large get togethers as well as its One Hundred Room which boasts floor to ceiling glass and breath-taking views. 

I cannot wait to visit this one and check out the décor which is promised to be full of pink marble and bright spaces, with a big focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing.  

Fairmont, Windsor Park  

This has been a long wait. I remember seeing the computer images of what the interior and exterior of the hotel would look like, and I now can’t wait to visit. It’s top of my list!  

Dripping in decadent luxury it is huge! Located on the edge of the gorgeous Windsor Great Park, the hotel is surrounded by 40 acres of grounds, including a beautiful lake. It offers more than 200 rooms and suites that ooze soft tones and textures, and also houses a spa and wellness centre boasting state of the art innovation with luxurious and decadent surroundings. 

In one wing of the hotel, they have 15 meeting rooms catering for all needs as well as a massive ballroom that can host up to 700 guests. This will be such a fantastic addition to the area and I already know, I’ll be organising events here!  

Art’otel, Battersea 

Another London venue set to open this summer is taking up residency in the former power station development at Battersea and features skyline floors, rooftop pool and bar and a destination restaurant and bar. This is the group’s first UK hotel, and it promises to be brimming with art-inspired interiors and décor!

OWO Residences, London 

This is going to be London’s first Raffles Hotel featuring nine restaurants and bars and an immersive spa. The building itself is completely iconic having been the Old War Office. Having stood at Whitehall for over 100 years, people including Sir Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming have all walked the corridors of what was the Ministry of Defence headquarters.  

The new space will have 125 rooms and specific event spaces. I can’t wait to discover this new gem in London town!  

Chateau Denmark, London   

This is a spot with quite some history as it was inspired by the birthplace of the British music scene – Denmark Street in London, where The Rolling Stones recorded their first album, the Sex Pistols once lived, and it was rumoured to be where Ziggy Stardust was created. This new space boasts 55 bedrooms and apartments, named ‘session rooms’. Each have their own individual stories and are divided by four narratives: vintage gothic, timeless grandeur, modern psychedelia and punk now.

Due to open in the spring, Chateau Denmark is being lauded as the largest immersive space of its kind anywhere in the world! I definitely will be making sure I am one of the first through its doors!  

If any of these sound up your street for an event, please do get in touch and we can get planning!

Photo of Lucy stood in front of a display of red wine bottles

Why Use An Events Planner?

by Event Planning

This is a question I get asked a lot and it’s an understandable one. On the surface, events look pretty easy don’t they, but often the complexities and details only become apparent when the person organising is too far down the line, which can lead to excess stress and worry and, in worst cases, not enjoying the event altogether. 

Years of experience as an event and party planner has taught me that memorable events take time, effort and experience. Yes of course anyone can organise an event, but can they organise a great one? It’s like saying anyone can throw some lunch together, but will it be the best lunch?  

What I will say is repeat business is common in my industry. Once people have used an event planner, they very rarely go back to doing it themselves! This is because the time, energy and stress we have saved can be worth their weight in gold, and that coupled with our little black books brimming with venues, suppliers, special touches and magic goes a long way. 

We work with a number of private and corporate clients and there are big similarities in their requests. Many ask for the event to be unique and memorable. Now, let us think about the words unique and memorable for a moment – they are big words with even bigger expectations. And, as the person who is being paid to deliver on these requests, I need to know what I am doing and draw on my experience to really understand what these words mean to this client. 

For example, a private party to celebrate a special birthday could be hugely memorable due to the fantastic venue, or the little touches like personalised gifts for the guests or getting to know the birthday person’s tastes to conjure up a few surprises. Whereas, for a corporate event, it could be classed as unique if the room is set up differently or if the way the networking is organised is something the attendees have not experienced before. 

The key here is knowing the client and taking the time to understand their interpretation of these words and deliver on that. I often draw on years of experience to do this and have been there and got the T-shirt, as they say, and know first-hand what works really well.  

However, I never rest on my laurels! I am constantly looking for new venues, suppliers and thinking of ideas on how to deliver the most inspiring events. This has been hugely apparent over the last year in the new digital world and being as up to date as possible on the technology for events that is constantly hitting the market. 

It will be interesting to see what events will stay digital moving forwards and what will exist in real life, and if there will be an equal balance. After all, from a time and budget perspective, there is a lot to be said for staying online at times, but there is nothing as magical as an in-person event.  

 We would love to hear from you if you would like a reliable and creative pair of hands assisting you in delivering a special event for you!  

Dinner setting with a personalised name card with a napkin folded around it

The Personal Touch

by Event Planning

As an event planner, personal touches have always been important when planning and running events, but as I reflect on the past year, I have definitely seen an emergence in a more bespoke event.

This is for many reasons, but I feel the main one being that people wanted their first event after we re-emerged from lockdown to be super special and wanted more onus and care into making it personal for them. There is a deep desire for people to host events that are unique to them and that say something about their personality or brand, and for attendees to come away having been immersed in a truly memorable experience.

Creating a personal event doesn’t have to cost the earth – it is often the little touches that have the biggest impact. Elements such as giving the event a scent is hugely powerful, without being obvious, and is a great way to subliminally impact your guests through their senses. We recently created a bespoke scented candle with a supplier to be given to guests in their swag bags on a retreat we organised.

Another way is creating unique elements such as place cards. I recently held an event where we worked with a local calligrapher and many guests took their place cards home with them as they were so beautiful. Using local creatives to help style your event adds an extra layer of creativity and a fabulous talking point with your guests. Keepsakes are a lovely thing to offer, so it has been wonderful getting creative with these and enlisting some wonderful suppliers to create bespoke takeaways in line with the look and feel of my clients’ events.

Taking the time to know your guests can work wonders too and that is not just their dietary requirements I mean here. It is good to know whether they drink alcohol or not, and if not, create them a unique non-alcoholic option. It is good to know what their overall aim of the event is – is it networking, a celebration or a launch, for example? Can the seating plan be curated to ensure people are sat next to select people that they will connect and spark with? Taking this extra care in the planning phase can pay off in dividends with guests always remembering where they met ‘that’ person or had ‘that’ conversation.

Personal touches are demanded more than ever, and rightly so. Here at Lucy Claire Events, we love rising to this challenge working with venues, suppliers and externals from our little black book to ensure that all guests walk away having experienced something special. We have always prided ourselves on working in partnership with the person or company hosting the event, and really getting to know them and their objectives for the occasion. There has been a big focus on giving back and saying thank you with many businesses wanting to go above and beyond to thank staff and clients. When an event is quite personable like this and the attendees all know each other, that does allow us to get even more personable as we can create games, quizzes or challenges specifically for their tastes and relationships.

So, if you have an event brewing for 2022 and would like that sprinkle of personal touches, please do get in touch to organise a chat over a coffee, as we have so many ideas to share with you!