Host NYE like a pro with leading events agency Plain Jane Events
New Year’s Eve often hides in the shadow of Christmas, but it is in fact one of the most exciting nights of the year, and definitely one to celebrate. Toast.Life chats to the team at leading creative events agency Plain Jane Events to hear about some of their highlights of this year, and to get their top tips for hosting NYE like a pro!
While Christmas may be dominating the party headlines at the moment, there is of course another momentous occasion that follows just a week later. Once you’re just about resurfacing from your turkey and champagne-induced coma, it’s time to pull yourself off the sofa, dust off those Ferrero Rocher wrappers, and slip in to something sparkly for the very last night of the year. I am of course talking about New Year’s Eve - the Marmite of the entire year’s celebrations.
“The hype and the pressure of throwing the best NYE party can really get to some. But we say 'out with the old, and in with the new – let the party experts plan it for you!” smiles Emma Campani, Business Development & Marketing Manager at Plain Jane Events.
“The challenge of creating THE party of the year is right up our street, which means that the host can relax, socialise and drink loads of champagne!”
As you can probably already tell, party-loving Plain Jane Events was born from a genuine passion and enthusiasm for creating unique and memorable events. Next year they celebrate their significant 10-year anniversary, but they in fact have over 20 years’ worth of experience in the industry. They are what’s known as a ‘full-service events agency’, meaning that they’re there from initial concept through to the morning after, ensuring amazing events are effortlessly delivered from start to finish.
“One of our very first events was a corporate summer party for 200 guests and in order to fit into their budget we brought the party to them - we transformed the top level of their multi-storey car park into a ‘British seaside’ by importing over 30 tonnes of sand, building bespoke beach huts and serving fish and chips and Mr Whippy ice creams!” enthuses Hannah Ryan, Senior Events Manager & Creative Stylist at Plain Jane Events.
“The only thing that we couldn’t pre-order was the weather and it drizzled most of the day – very apt for the theme of British seaside!”
The Plain Jane team still work with that same client now, creating bespoke events for them year after year, whilst other names on their rostra include the likes of ghd, Metro, Dune and the Gordon Ramsay Group, for whom they recently transformed the basement bar of their London Union Street Café in to a jaw-dropping Mediterranean-inspired olive grove.
“We completely renovated the space and transformed it into a classic Tuscan terrace. We surrounded the central pergola with bespoke 6ft faux olive trees, trailing vines and honeysuckle. We sourced everything from the vintage lanterns to the original Italian window shutters and the end result is an experience for all the senses” explains Hannah proudly.
“What should have been a 3-month pop-up has been such a success that it’s now a permanent feature in the restaurant. There’s an experimental sharing menu and olive infused cocktails! It’s the perfect and far cheaper alternative to a trip to Italy!”
Earlier this year, Plain Jane were also responsible for leading fashion brand Dune's 25 Years Party - the brief was an elegant and fun night for 200 friends and family in the heart of London, which Plain Jane of course delivered in their trademark fresh and creative style.
“We decided to give this event a feminine touch with a hint of sparkle, soft pink seating and an impressive 4m round mirror bar” explains Hannah.
“And of course, you can’t have a party without a few balloons and fabulous florals, so we included giant spheres, silver tassels and huge displays of faux cherry blossom. It was dreamy!”
Plain Jane specialise in end-to-end event management, which means that they deliver all event solutions for private parties, corporate events, press days, and everything in between. They are widely known for their boldly individual approach, whilst always remaining original and refreshingly easy-going.
“We're down to earth, passionate and always go the extra mile” smiles Hannah.
“We love what we do, and we do it all in our unique Plain Jane way.”
Other recent notable events included hair care brand ghd’s London Glacial Collection press launch, where Plain Jane helped ghd treat bloggers and press to an exclusive festive experience to launch their limited edition Glacial Blue collection. The beautiful Portico Rooms at Somerset House were dressed in a glacial blue style – festive and cool, with frosty blue hues inspired by the collection. There were glistening snow and icy blue crystals, branded ice sculptures and blue velvet furniture, and the 150 lucky guests were treated to glacial themed canapés and festive drinks, served next to a stunning 10ft Christmas tree decorated with blue, silver and white baubles and an illuminated ‘ghd’, of course. All this before a spin on Somerset House’s magnificent ice rink, which was exclusively theirs for the day.
“It’s all about client relationships - listening to what our clients want and then adding our creative expertise into the mix to turn their briefs into a reality” explains Emma.
“It’s also about how we work; with each client having their own personal event manager to have one point of contact and then our teamwork behind the scenes. Our vision, dedication and ideas are matched with focus expertise and flair which our clients love, and this shows with over 90% of our clients returning.”
And when it comes to personal highlights, well as you can probably imagine there have been quite a few...
“Suspending 10,000 soft pink balloons in Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen for Valentine’s Day, and serving 6,300 glasses of Pimm’s at Amazon's summer party!” beams Hannah.
“Oh and spending 38 hours on site at the Saatchi Gallery, building for The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism launch party!” she adds.
And with one of the biggest nights of the year fast approaching, who better to give us their top tips for hosting New Year’s Eve like a pro this year than the expert team at Plain Jane?! But the all-important question is – do they love it or hate it?
“Are you kidding!?” exclaims Emma. “Of course we love it - it’s another excuse for a party!”
PLAIN JANE EVENTS' TOP TIPS FOR HOSTING A NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
HAVE A BACK UP
Always have a plan A, B, C…and D! Make sure you’ve got all bases covered, everything from décor through to catering.
COOL COLOURS
Black, silver and gold, and anything sparkly is always a must have for NYE but try and steer away from the art deco styling, unless the theme of the evening is Great Gatsby!
SET THE MOOD
Don’t underestimate the importance of lighting – good lighting can transform any space!
COCKTAIL HOUR
100% hire a bartender - let them shake up some cool cocktails for you and your guests. Sometimes it's best to leave it to the professionals.
DON’T FORGET TO PREP
If hiring a caterer is not an option, we wholly recommend pre-preparing all your culinary delights before the guests arrive, or better still, the day before!
PERFECT PROPS
Themed props add that fun element and are the perfect accessory for any photo. You could even go that step further and get your props personalised!
A SUITABLE SOUNTRACK
Never forget your playlist – a party is never a party without some good tunes!
SAVVY SPENDING
Spend it where it counts - food, drink and of course the perfect outfit!
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIG CLEAN UP…
Definitely have someone do this for you - ask a friend or pay a professional!
If you’d like to work with Plain Jane Events you can find more information and contact details on their page in Toast.Life’s Little Black Book.