New Group Activities and Entertainment Ideas

Keep groups at meetings, conferences, and events entertained with these new ideas for teambuilding activities and group entertainment.

AERIALISTS

Pole fitness and aerial dance are as an art form and alternative fitness. This exciting  act will feature pole dancers, aerialists, burlesque dancers, hula hoop dancers, contortionists and more!



GRAFFITI ART TEAMBUILDING

Teambuilding activities include 90-minute lessons led by professional graffiti artists and construction of a collaborative mural.



Photo: Courtesy of Graff Tours

AUSTRALIAN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS


Chicago

This is the year of Jazz! With all the buzz of Chicago the musical touring Australia… we will complete your event with our stunning production of the Broadway spectacular made just for you.

This is an authentically styled and choreographed showcase, which brings together the story, costumes and music from the silver screen and stage to life! Excessive Productions has brought together the finest talent from Sydney and Melbourne, which combined, make a resume that include talent holding leading roles in Wicked, Boy from Oz and Dusty Springfield, mixing in dancers from So You Think You Can Dance, Aria Awards and national and international video clips. This is just a taste of the quality of what this show provides.

This brilliant showcase is sure to “Razzle Dazzle” your audience and is a production which may be catered to any event, festival or function and will grantee to boost your event profile and gala dinner.

The Kylie Tribute Show

 Australia’s newest Kylie tribute show – “The Impossible Princess Show” is leaving audiences wanting more and more!  Already headlining national and international corporate events, this glamorous high-energy tribute to Down Under’s favorite female export Kylie Minogue is the hottest production of 2009!

Simone Kay “WOW”s audiences with her effortless portrayal of the pop princess. With a truly show -stopping performance bringing to life  all your favorite Kylie chart-topping tunes such as: “On A Night Like This”, “Spinning Around” and  “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” …in fact, every hit  from the “Impossible Princess” Album to “X”.
This is a Kylie Extravaganza!  Stunningly costumed with sparkling sequins and fabulous feathers authentically styled to perfection!  Add to this the A-list of Australian dancers, choreographed by Rachel Yao
(Kylie’s lead female dancer of the “Body Language” ,”Showgirl and  “Homecoming” Tours) and you have a performance not be missed.

The Impossible Princess Show is the entertainment package that will complete any event and have your audience dancing the night away……………


THE Lady GAGA Show 

The Show
The ‘Warhol’ of today’s generation – Lady GaGa has taken planet earth by storm! Two parts dance-pop, one part electro-pop, and one part rock with a splash of disco and burlesque, GaGa pours all this into the figurative martini glasses of the world and now you too can have your glass filled with The Lady GaGa Experience.

Australia’s very first Lady GaGa tribute show taking international events into the next millennium.  This spectacular, must see show encapsulates the exact look, feel and sound of Lady GaGa’s very own stage shows. Be astonished by the outrageous costume replications, amazed by the cast of Australia’s best commercial dancers and astounded by our very own look-a-like and sound-a-like, Lady GaGa!

Sand Art


An exciting new way to entertain your guests has come to Malaysia: Sand Art – The Evolving Canvas. Your guests will be amazed as they experience the skilful and breathtaking creativity of art on a canvas, projected onto a large screen, the scenes continually transforming before their eyes.

The visual artist uses the medium of sand to create shapes and landscapes upon a canvas, continually changing the scene he sets. With the sweep of a hand, or the addition of more sand, a new scene is created.  Set to music, from Beethoven to Vivaldi, Hendrix to Miles Davis, as the music swells and the mood evolves, guests will be taken on a visual journey.


Speed Painter 

This brilliant new act is both amazing and thoroughly entertains!

Our extremely talent artist  will capture audiences with his painting creation that are wiped up in a matter of minutes! See how he creates beautiful works of art and try to guess what it will be before he puts the pieces together and reveal the finished product!

From animals, logos and landscapes… each show may styled and designed to client needs and may include their company catch phrases or logos.

This is a great new act that is taking Australia and international events by storm! Come and see the talent of Melbourne’s speed painter!

MICHAEL JACKSON IMPERSONATOR


Recognized as the official Professional Michael Jackson Tribute Artiste Asia, he has performed at various entertainment events in Malaysia & overseas. He has performed in Tokyo, Brunei, Bangkok, Jakarta, Vietnam & even several television program interviews. He has over 20 years of stage performance experience in showbiz entertainment and events.

Recently, he met with Travis Payne personally who is Michael Jackson's Personal Choreographer & Associate Director film of the recent blockbuster movie "THIS IS IT". His Tribute Team's performance have impressed & earned the respect from Travis Payne himself when they were in Hong Kong.

Additionally, he also received huge support & earned the respect of many Michael Jackson fans from around England, U.S.A, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe & other countries around the world via his Fan Club in Facebook. He & his tribute team represents Malaysia in reliving the magic that is Michael Jackson.

FRENCH VISUAL ARTIST


This artist grew up on Reunion Island, a small French paradise off the east coast of Madagascar in the Indian ocean. He discovered the juggling world as a teenager, with an avid interest in the 'Diabolo', more famously known as the 'Chinese Yo-Yo'.

At the age of 20, after many years of practice, he travelled to England, the first stop on his adventure away from home. There, he met his friend Oz, who introduced him to 'Contact Juggling', a discipline involving a clear crystal ball that seemed to magically revolve and hover at his will.

After a few burns, being able to control this natural element amplified his passion and gave him the confidence to start showing his skills in public.

In 2008, he arrived in Paris, a city full of jugglers and artists who would soon become his friends and inspirations.

It was with one of them, Fred, that he put together a Diabolo and Contact Juggling act, full of hilarity, which they performed for more than 2 years on the streets of the French capital city.

Sharing his art and connecting with people has continuously motivated him through the years, and in 2010, he receives an unexpected call from Hong Kong Disneyland, in China, to perform as a full time artiste alongside his juggling companions Nico Pires and Luis Reis.

Strengthened from all his experiences and now based in Singapore, he presents his shows worldwide and continues to share his love for juggling to all types of audiences!

A visually poetic spectacle that integrates emotion, humour and a dexterity unimaginable. Let yourself be transported into a realm where magic and poetry combine to create an imperishable visual souvenir.


David’s act is different from your conventional MAGIC show . David does not use
childish like props , does not perform miniature card tricks , does not intimidate or irritate and definitely does not pull rabbits out for interludes . David’s act is fresh , elegant , unique , mystifying and is bound to entertain . David’s clientele mainly comprises of royalties ,political figures , celebrities ( local & international ) , and important corporate figures .

Imagine having your intimate thoughts read , picture seeing metal melt before your very eyes , imagine being amazed and carried away to another dimension with no explanation whatsoever . David’s performance is GUARANTEED to AMAZE and MYSTIFY your audience in the most ELEGANT way possible .

STAGE MENTALISM

This type of performance will be done on a stage setting. The performer will perform Mentalism on stage and this will involve a lot of audience participation and not stagnated to ONLY the performer performing( like normal conventional magic shows) . He will demonstrate effects not thought possible by audience members, by utilizing body language , psychological subtleties , and hypnotic persuasion to divine their thoughts.

This will be a whole different “MAGIC SHOW” experience altogether. It’ll be fresh, new and definitely entertaining.

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER

Briefly, these are themed parties. Each of the guests (and the host too) takes on a role for the evening - and one of the guests has committed the murder. 

During the course of the party, everyone tries to find out who the murderer is. (The murderer, meanwhile, tries to avoid detection!)The games often include other plots, and everyone becomes involved in an evening of scheming, plotting and blackmailing each other.

These games are suitable for small corporate dinners, birthdays and hen nights as it involves the active interaction of the guests.

These parties are great ice breakers and compliment any event programme you have in mind.

Games are catered for 20-35 pax and typically last up to two and a half hours.

Murder Mystery Parties need to be booked one month in advance as there is a lot of preparation involved. Murders usually do!

LED DANCE PERFORMANCE



SCAVENGER HUNTS


Technology-driven teambuilding events, include a smartphone scavenger hunt through the streets of Kuala Lumpur or any state in Malaysia. Groups from 20 to 200 follow custom routes that can include location-based puzzles or company-specific trivia.

Related: Teambuilding Activities see here.

BODY PAINTING AND AIR BRUSH TATTOO

We provide airbrush face painting and tattoos, living art statues, and body painting corporate and social events. As roving entertainment, the artist can body paint models or waitstaff with custom stencils, and jewelry embellishments.

byBest Events

in Event Entertainment, In The Spotlight, Murder Mystery Dinner, Murder Mystery Party, Wedding Entertainment

1:44 PM

New Group Activities and Entertainment Ideas

Keep groups at meetings, conferences, and events entertained with these new ideas for teambuilding activities and group entertainment. AE...

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Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains

YTL Hotels is proud to unveil its newest Signature Experience at Cameron Highland’s Resort, the group’s 56-room boutique hilltop retreat. Hot on the heels of the event’s successful introduction to distinguished guests and members of the media during the resort’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Tradition weekend last November, the resort has now incorporated Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains as a signature offering crafted with the resort’s tagline of “Trails, Tales and Traditions” in mind.

This exclusive whodunit has been developed specifically for Cameron Highlands Resort, unravelling an exciting plot which exists nowhere else. Set in the 1960s, Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains features Jim Thompson, the legendary American businessman known as the Thai ‘Silk King’ who mysteriously disappeared while holidaying at the Moonlight Bungalow in Cameron Highlands in March 1967. Other exciting characters include celebrities and musicians from the time such as Saloma and Diana Ross.

The experience begins to build two weeks before the event, when guests typically receive their invitations and character briefing, leaving them ample time to put together their characters and outfits for the dinner. Once arriving at the resort, which sits 1,500 ft above sea level, the cool highland clime, misty mountains and lush foliage set the stage for the murder mystery. The getting-to-know-you session, usually conducted over pre-dinner cocktails by the fireplace at the Highlands Bar, provides a sophisticated entry into the evening; guests come dressed to the nines, sporting furs, trilbies and lace elbow gloves. 

Once the formalities are over, the fun begins in the elegant Dining Room. Murders are committed and weapons are found in between courses, with a good dose of blackmailing on the side. Guests rush through the halls of the colonial-style property in the chilly night, looking for clues to up their game and still others make sly barters in hushed whispers. The evening culminates with the voting and selection of Best Performer, Super Sleuth, Best Costume and Wealthiest Player. Satiated from evening’s excitement, coupled with good food and company, guests retire to the magnificent four-poster beds in the comfort of the resort’s spacious rooms.

The Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains experience is best coupled with a night or two’s stay at Cameron Highlands Resort. Other resort activities include the Signature Picnic in the Boh Tea Gardens, walking the Jim Thompson Mystery Trail with the resort naturalist, golfing, indulging in a sumptuous Traditional English Afternoon Tea at the Dining Room, or immersing oneself in one of the many heady treatments at the award-winning Spa Village Cameron Highlands.

Whether for small party on a celebrative weekend in the highlands, a corporate getaway, or a company brainstorming icebreaker, the Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains Signature Experience makes a fresh and exciting event, bound to invoke raucous bouts of laughter and inspiration. Prices begin at MYR 4,500 for 20-30 guests and MYR 8,500 for 40-60 guests and are inclusive of event management, printed collaterals, group briefing, clue hunt, emcee and candid digital photography. For more information, please contact events@ytlhotels.com.my or visit www.cameronhighlandsresort.com.

byBest Events

in Event Venues, Murder Mystery Dinner, Murder Mystery Party, Wedding Venues

1:44 PM

Murder Mystery in the Misty Mountains

YTL Hotels is proud to unveil its newest Signature Experience at Cameron Highland’s Resort, the group’s 56-room boutique hilltop retr...

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The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur includes the original Hotel Majestic which is documented as a national heritage site under the Malaysian Antiquities Act. This colonial heritage building was built in 1932 and became one of the great hotels of Kuala Lumpur in its time.

The hotel was an icon of Malaya's boom years leading to World War II and came to be the place for glamorous social events, government receptions and the residence for prominent international visitors. The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur is positioned to share the glamour, heritage and success of its predecessor as a YTL Classic Hotel.


The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur is set on 3.2 acres on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, opposite the striking old Moorish style railway station. It is conveniently close to Sentral Station with its express rail link to Kuala Lumpur International Airport within 28 minutes and the rapidly growing Kuala Lumpur Sentral precinct. Kuala Lumpur City Centre and the Golden Triangle are just ten minutes away by car.

This key location is known as the historical mile of Kuala Lumpur. In the vicinity are many of the city's tourist attractions, including the National Museum, National Mosque, Islamic Arts Museum, Lake Gardens, and Bird and Butterfly Parks.

For your convenience, The Majestic Luxury Coach services operate regularly to Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station and Starhill Gallery, the stylish mall in the Bukit Bintang shopping district of the city.



For reservations and enquiries:


The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur
5 Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin,
50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: (603) 2785 8000
Fax: (603) 2785 8080

tmklresv@ytlhotels.com.my
www.majestickl.com

GPS: Nº 3 138', E 101º 692'

byBest Events

in Event Venues, Murder Mystery Dinner, Murder Mystery Party, Wedding Venues

1:36 PM

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur includes the original Hotel Majestic which is documented as a national heritage site under the Malaysian...

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Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi

Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi is a luxury boutique resort consisting of 6 villas of different sizes and unique characteristics, built to replicate Malay traditional houses representing several states in Malaysia of regal stature housing 10 different types of accommodation.

Perched on the banks of Kuala Chenang River next to the popular Chenang Beach, the resort is set in lush tropical foliage with sweeping views of the paddy fields, mountains and the sea, nestled within the more quiet and exclusive fishermen village of Kampung Sungai Kuala Chenang. The resort is also complemented by facilities such as an infinity swimming pool, a small gymnasium, an art gallery, a resort boutique and most importantly, the exclusively designed Kayangan Spa.


Seri Chenang Resort and Spa Langkawi Aerial View


Rumah Kedah Bedroom


Rumah Melaka Living Area


Rumah Selangor

Set to be open in April 2013, reservations can be made at


Resort Address:
Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi
Lot 1150 Pantai Chenang, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia.
Tel : +60 4 955 8275
Fax : +60 4 955 8277
Toll Free : 1-300-88-SCRL (7275)
Website : www.serichenangresort.com


Sales & Marketing Office:
Seri Chenang Resort Langkawi Sdn. Bhd.
F-2-6 Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel : +60 3 6201 7275
Fax : +60 3 6201 7271
Email : stay@serichenangresort.com

byBest Events

in Event Venues, Murder Mystery Dinner, Weddings

1:30 PM

Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi

Seri Chenang Resort & Spa Langkawi is a luxury boutique resort consisting of 6 villas of different sizes and unique characteristics, b...

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Fun, Interactive Photo Booth Backdrops

Photo stations have definitely made the transition from fun novelty to event mainstay. Recently, event producers have been looking beyond the standard 2-D, branded photo booth backdrop, instead opting for fully realized, interactive environments that allow guests to pose among on-theme props and scenery. Here's a look at ideas for environmental photo booths from recent events.

At this year’s Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl party, producer Toast created a "trashed hotel room" where guests could take photos and pretend to live the rock star life. The event took place at the Bud Light Hotel, a Wyndham property in New Orleans rebranded for the weekend.

Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Rolling Stone

At last year’s Sundance Film Festival, Abel McCallister Designs created a movie-themed space for Chase Sapphire. Interactive photo booth installations allowed visitors to enter the worlds of well-known films that originally premiered at the festival, including Dogtown and Z-Boys. The photo station had guests stand on a skateboard set next to a sideways backdrop of Santa Monica beach; the printed photographs were then turned horizontally to make it look like guests were captured mid-trick on a skateboard ramp.

Photos: Evan Agostini for Chase Sapphire (photo booth), Courtesy of Abel McCallister Designs (printed photograph) 

For this year's iteration of the Chase Sapphire activation at Sundance, Abel McCallister Designs created several new photo booth installations based on movies, including Hairspray, Hoosiers, and Little Shop of Horrors (pictured).

Photo: Courtesy of Abel McCallister Designs

At the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s gala in Miami, guests could pose for photos behind an oversize golden picture frame. Shiraz Events provided decor for the event, which drew 600 guests to the JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts in December.

Photo: Courtesy of Shiraz Events

At the Lipton Uplift Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival in January, guests including Lil Jon could pose for photos while sitting in a real ski-lift chair set against a snowy, branded backdrop.

Photo: Todd Oren

David Copperfield helped produce the L.A.'s Promise "A Night of Magic" gala in October. The producers at Chad Hudson Events worked with Copperfield's team to set up a photo booth that made it look as though guests were floating in midair in front of the famous magician. In reality, the station had a potted plant placed sideways against a wall, while attendees stood on a metal stand that was hidden from the camera by clothing and feet.

Photo: Sean Twomey/2Me Studio

To introduce its new line of men's grooming products and promote its partnership with Space Expedition Corporation to send 22 fans on a flight beyond Earth's atmosphere, Axe built its own space academy in January. The brand turned the Cullman Hall of the Universe at the American Museum of Natural History into its secret space headquarters for the launch event, placing a moon-landing-inspired photo op area up front.

Photo: Getty Images for Axe 

Last fall’s New Yorkers for Children gala had a "light the way" theme, inspired by the nonprofit's mission to improve the lives of young people. David Stark handled the decor, embellishing a photo backdrop of a forest scene with white birch trees, lush greenery, and a path lit by lanterns.

Photo: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com

To promote its new line of Outdoor Life apparel, Sears built a campsite-themed area in New York’s Times Square last October. Guests could pose in a photo op area that was set up to look like a real campsite, with a tent, faux grass, a fire pit, and outdoorsy props.

Photo: Getty Images

-BizBash

byBest Events

in Event Decor, Party Themes, Wedding Decor

11:50 AM

Fun, Interactive Photo Booth Backdrops

Photo stations have definitely made the transition from fun novelty to event mainstay. Recently, event producers have been looking beyond ...

Read More

Beauty Launch Ideas

Like their fashion counterparts, beauty brands are constantly looking to attract the attention of busy editors and tastemakers by getting creative with the design, location, gifts, and even catering at events. From cosmetic ingredients being used in decor and cakes made to resemble perfume bottles, to drinks served in test tubes and makeup demonstrated using a blender, here's a look at some unusual and creative ideas to inspire your next product launch.

Product launches and press previews for beauty products have historically been dominated by clean, all-white decor, allowing colorful product packaging to take center stage. At a February 21 brunch for L'Oréal, designer and producer Joe Moller added subtle branding to the setup on the Viceroy Miami's outdoor terrace, adding L'Oréal lettering to the backs of chairs and using shallow gold vases filled with products as tabletop centerpieces.

Photo: Joe Moller 

Schwarzkopf Professional chose a different route for a January event in Los Angeles, bringing bright hues to Exchange LA with a color-blocked runway and fringe chandelier. To add branding into the decor, organizers surrounded the catwalk with Ghost chairs marked with the signature silhouette logo.

Photo: Brian Leahy Photography

Red was also the dominant hue at the launch of Beyoncé Heat in 2010, noticeable from the lights that emanated from the New York venue. Coty's marketing team decided to create a public spectacle out of the intimate press conference and after-party—held at 15 Union Square—by making no secret about what was going on inside.

Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

To put editors in the right frame of mind, Avon introduced the 2005 fall collection of Mark—the brand's younger, hipper cosmetics line—by hosting an autumnal-themed event in the summer. Orange and red foliage littered the New York affair, where wrought-iron gates, warm yellow lighting, and a small faux maple tree hung with votive candles set a park-like scene for the hair, fragrance, skin, and makeup products.

Photo: Jamie Watts

In 2010, Victoria's Secret turned one of its New York stores into a makeshift flower shop and put Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, and Miranda Kerr in aprons to help promote the launch of the Heavenly Flowers perfume. Standing amidst buckets of artificial flowers, cases of new product, and watering cans, the models autographed glossy photos of themselves for customers who spent $35 or more.

Photo: Marion Curtis/StarTraks

To create a setting that would work for a breakfast presentation as well as a luncheon, Shiseido Cosmetics America mixed classic and modern furnishings for the launch of its spring 2007 collection in a turn-of-the-century townhouse in New York. A color palette of white kept the look clean, while lighting took on hues matched to the shades of Shiseido’s packaging and makeup.

Photo: Jeff Thomas/ImageCapture

As a way to integrate Rimmel London's identity and heritage into a 2007 product launch, Coty Canada dressed a Toronto event space with British decor. Tabletop decorations included custom acrylic purple, white, and gold Union Jack placemats and miniature gold-colored double-decker buses.

Photo: BizBash

A club-like vibe pervaded the launch of Salvatore Ferragamo's Attimo fragrance in 2010, the first official event at the Standard New York's bar, Le Bain. To avoid a branding-heavy look, Ferragamo put a neon sign and decor beneath a dance floor that was built over the drained pool; elsewhere the design was a subtle play on the perfume's packaging and ingredients.

Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com

In 2007, Bourjois Paris spread the word about its new Docteur Glamour line by creating a beauty ambulance of sorts. A vehicle with glass sides served as the setting for prearranged appointments with beauty editors outside the offices of several large magazine publishing companies.

Photo: Elizabeth Lippman

Betsey Johnson didn't look far for inspiration for her perfume's launch in 2006, bringing 55 beauty editors and fragrance execs to her Greenwich Village apartment for a party. Johnson's own family photos and bric-a-brac gave the affair a personal touch, while balloons, streamers, and rose petals played up the designer's fun-loving personality.

Photo: Daniel D’Errico/Courtesy of Alison Brod Public Relations

When Victoria's Secret launched the Pink fragrance collection in 2009, the brand relied on models, rather than brand representatives, to articulate and embody the concept behind the three scents. Thoroughly briefed and scripted on their distinct characters, the models became living, talking props and guided editors through the apartment-like vignettes that represented the lifestyle of their specific consumer profile.

Photo: Justin Jay/Courtesy of Victoria's Secret Beauty

L.V.M.H.-owned beauty purveyor Fresh created a gifting bar at an event last year that allowed guests to pick the products they wanted to take home. Packages were sent via messenger to attendees the following day.

Photo: Jim Shi

-By Anna Sekula for BizBash

byBest Events

in Event Decor

11:24 AM

Beauty Launch Ideas

Like their fashion counterparts, beauty brands are constantly looking to attract the attention of busy editors and tastemakers by getting ...

Read More

9 Ways Your Invitation Card Can Sabotage Your Event

The invitation is your first chance to impress your guests—sometimes weeks ahead of the event date. If it sends the wrong message, you can kiss those "yes" R.S.V.P.s goodbye. Here are nine pitfalls to avoid.

1. Messy add-ons

Wouldn't it be clever to include a handful of white sand with a beach party invite? Maybe, but it's a mess—and infuriating, too. "Things that fall out of invitations, like glitter or sand, are a huge turnoff in terms of building that must-attend feeling," says Marc Friedland, the invitation veteran who also creates the official Oscar winners' envelopes. "It gets in the carpet, it gets in the dog—it doesn't feel inviting. You wind up cursing the host. It's a deterrent instead of inviting."

2. Cheesy fonts

Maybe you're not surprised: When we posted a question about invitation turnoffs on social media, we got a whole handful of responses that fingered comic sans as a major no-no. Cheesy design—whether in the form of goofy fonts or other invitation elements—signifies the host doesn't know much about what constitutes great style. And that doesn't bode well for the stylishness of the event to come.

3. A confusing hodgepodge of sponsors

If guests don't know immediately who's hosting the event and why, it's unlikely they'll be moved to attend. "Sometimes we see an overcrowding of sponsor logos all over an invite to a point where Its hard to tell who is hosting, who are the presenting sponsors, and who are contributing sponsors," says Cara Kleinhaut of Caravents, who identifies the problem by the shorthand "sponsor soup."

"An invite should always feature the main host in both look aesthetic and logo presence so it's clear to all guests whose event it is," she says. "Then, there's a pretty established pecking order of presenting sponsors listed prominently and down the line from there. Most lifestyle events have sponsors that need to be acknowledged and the first communication to guests, the invite, is a fantastic way to give them this credit." She says her team looks to create a design that clearly identifies the host and the event's own brand identity, "something we create especially for this event they will see again on all printed materials, signage, graphics to give the event a cohesive identity, and from there give them a clean, cohesive size and linear look, to make it less sponsor-soup-like. [We look for] the most elegant way to visually present all these different logos all on one single invite."

4. Typos and errors

Mistakes in either spelling or important content (say, a date that doesn't match the day of the week) not only cause confusion, but also communicate a lack of precision that will make guests wonder whether the event is worth their time. "We are very sensitive to typos and bad printing, as they sometimes can signal a lack of attention to detail that carries over to the actual event," says Andrew Brown of MacKenzie Brown Design.

Speaking of accuracy, your guests' names should all be spelled right. "If somebody's recently widowed or divorced, don't put their husband's name on it," Friedland says. "Do your research."

Further, a digital invitation with "insert first name" where the name should be signals instantly that's an invitation that's O.K. to delete.

5. The appearance of haste

Similarly, no one wants to go to an event that feels sloppily thrown together, and potential guests might make that assumption if your invitation looks like you threw it together at the last minute. "If someone doesn't take the time to create a nice visual invitation, they probably aren't putting a lot of thought into the event overall," says TIL Lifestyle Marketing & Events founder Heather Hope-Allison.

6. Off-message partners

Be careful of the company you keep—an off-message celebrity host or brand partner can kill the event for a potential guest as soon as he or she opens the invitation. "I'm fine with not knowing a brand and being introduced to it, but if there's a brand involved that I think is low-quality, I probably won't respond," Hope-Allison says. "With so many competing events and so many invitations that people receive these days, the type of event and invite is the first deciding factor, then date, time, and location."

7. Too-frequent email invitations

These days, an electronic invitation is not a no-no off the bat by any means. But be smart and sparing with electronic mailings. "If it's an e-vite, I pay attention to the graphics and the amount of times I actually receive an email related to the event," says Carrie Wick, owner of an eponymous PR firm. "If I'm receiving multiple e-vites to the same event, it signals desperation for guests to attend."

8. Perplexing dress codes

"Upscale arty." "L.A. chic." Those themes sound intriguing, but they don't actually tell the guest what to wear. "You try to be cute and funny, but [vague attire instructions] only lead to more confusion and anxiety. Sometimes it's so obtuse—like 'celebratory sensational.' What would that even mean?" Friedland says. "An invitation should not provide more anxiety for your guests."

9. Inviting guests through Facebook

Friedland suggests it's a cluttered space and an overall no-no. Facebook is full of messaging from other brands, personal friends, and ads. It can be hard for guests to even clearly see they've been invited. And potential guests may not even log in to the social network as frequently as you expect. If you do choose to use it, keep the guest list private. And, Friedland says, treat all guests as equals by inviting them in the same format at the same time, whether it's digital, print, or social media.

By Alesandra Dubin

byBest Events

in In The Spotlight

2:59 PM

9 Ways Your Invitation Card Can Sabotage Your Event

The invitation is your first chance to impress your guests—sometimes weeks ahead of the event date. If it sends the wrong message, you ca...

Read More