Events are back! Safety Insights for Summer 2021

The weather is warming up and slowly, but surely, we are gearing up for a summer of beautiful events.

One thing is certain though, guidelines and regulations will continue to shift throughout the coming months. As events begin to happen again, we wanted to put together some helpful tips & insights that are always going to be a good idea to keep your gathering safe and well planned.

Basic Event Safety & Sanitation

Masks, hand sanitizer, and spacing indicators have really become part of our daily lives at this point! But when it comes to events, that doesn’t mean these elements have to be boring! There is always an opportunity to style & customize!

We love when hosts take the opportunity to turn something basic into a statement. This could be customized masks for your guests, a beautifully styled sanitizing station with customized signage, and even branded barriers and spacing dots with your logo or monogram. Chic and safe!

Pre & Post Event Considerations

Hosting an event in 2021 is going to require a lot of intentionality and planning.

Moving forward, it’s going to be crucial to have a set of pre-event and post-event considerations to ensure safety of your guests and vendor team. This is where having a professional planning team is really going to save you. Even though safe events don’t just magically happen, it’s our job to make it look like magic!

Our team keeps up-to-date on the regulations and guidelines in real time and work hard to ensure every event detail would pass muster with the Health Department which is overseeing all large scale events.

In the post-game, testing is also a key component to keeping people healthy. Encouraging testing for guests and vendors can help identify any new cases and help stop the spread.

Gathering information from guests & vendors will be important to help with Contact Tracing after the event has concluded. This can be in the form of gathering names, phone numbers, and email addresses or even having guests sign an event waiver releasing liability. This is best discussed with your planning team and key parties to decide what option is best!

Event Logistics

Logistics are rarely the most exciting part of event planning (unless, you’re totally obsessed with the details, like us!) but it’s the key to a smooth experience. Giving thought to where people will be gathering and how they will move throughout the space.

One key thing to consider is the capacity of your venue. Obviously, the more guests you have, the trickier social distancing can be. Having access to an outdoor space is a great way to alleviate congestion around popular gathering areas like food stations and the bar. Ensuring plenty of room between tables and creating smaller gathering areas with stylish lounges can help keep groupings from getting too large.

For food and beverage, we are encouraging seated options, serving stations, or grab and go alternatives. Again, this is going to prevent large groups from gathering and standing close as they might with a buffet.

Individual servings for items like desserts and beverages are also a great idea and a fun opportunity to add a pop of personality to your menu! Think about showcasing a local specialty beer or soda. Yummy dessert options like miniature cakes, whoopie pies, specialty popcorn, etc. are always fun and can be pre-packaged and set at each guests seat.

No Matter What, We’re on Your Team

Having a vendor team that is ready to give you their all is invaluable and it’s what we love to do most. Events have never been a walk in the park, but especially now, you need a pro to help you navigate the process! The Shimmer NYC team is ready for your event. Our 2021 calendar is filling up, so if you’re ready to chat details, get in touch and let’s get started!