How to Throw a World Cup-Themed Party at Home

The best thing about a sports season is getting together with friends to watch the games, and that means parties! If you’re a FIFA fan, you know the countdown is on: the World Cup is set to kick off soon. (And you already know that most of the world calls this sport football, though in the US it’s called soccer.)

What is the World Cup, Anyway?

For those new to the World Cup, you need to know that this is not just a single annual event like the Superbowl. It’s a month-long tournament that takes place every four years, so it’s like the Olympics of soccer, held in one host country. There is the Men’s World Cup in Qatar for 2022, the Women’s Under-17 World Cup happening in India in 2022, and next year in 2023 is the Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. There’s a whole world of games to get into, so no matter what you’re watching, your parties can start out more basic and get more extreme as the month goes on. 

Transform Your Place into a FIFA Party Pad

If you want to throw a bash at your place with a World Cup theme, you have one important thing in your favor, and that’s the raging success of youth soccer. Kids have soccer-themed birthday parties, and you can hijack all those decorations easily from the party store for your setup. Jumbo inflatable soccer balls, soccer ball balloons, goal-themed drink cups, plastic tabletop goals, and even hanging paper lanterns designed to look like soccer balls. This will cover your basic theme. But for the FIFA World Cup, it’s an international competition, so you also want to get country flags displayed, maybe just the ones from your favorite team, or go wild and get a whole assortment of all the countries participating. If you want to go all out, you could build a goalie box from PVC pipe and connectors, drape it with a truck bed cargo net, and you could have a side competition in the house using inflatable beach balls with a soccer design. (Trust me, you don’t want people drinking and kicking real soccer balls in your house.). A foosball table rental is also a great option that both kids and adults can enjoy.

World Cup Party Sips and Noshes

Even more important than decorations, hello, what’s a party without food and beverages? Pinterest is full of intricate snack ideas that take a lot of time to prepare and decorate, but a fast, easy idea is to decorate a sheet cake to look like a soccer field or a goal with netting. The point isn’t to have the most detailed cupcakes specially piped with the flags of all the countries, it’s to enjoy the game together. Any food you offer should be easy to transport to the couch and hard to spill, because it will be at your place with your furniture and carpet. The savory items can be planned to reflect the team countries, your favorite team’s country, or just the host country (this year, for the men’s events, it’s Qatar), but nobody will complain if you get a stack of variety pizzas. Now, if you really want to plan ahead and showcase the international nature of the World Cup, you can sign up for the US and International Beer of the Month Club. You’ll have 12 beers a month show up at your door (3 four-packs each time) throughout the year, and you’ll theoretically have 144 beers at the end of the subscription. Of course, you’ll have to sample a few for quality control, but hold onto a few because it would be unique for your guests to be able to sample international beers. 

Extra Considerations

You might need to give your guests some instructions for how to handle parking, depending on where you live and how much room there is for extra vehicles. Plan ahead. You may want to let your neighbors know about your event so they can be aware, or if you have great neighbors to invite them over! 

The good news is, the teams face off almost every single day during the World Cup, so you can have as many theme parties as you think your friends and family can handle, until you reach the ultimate peak at the final playoff. 

Top Places To Watch The World Cup In Southern California

November this year will have a new twist. Not only are we celebrating Thanksgiving, but it is the first time ever the FIFA World Cup will be held in the fall/winter. This is a great time to hang out with friends at your favorite sports bars and cheer for your country or team of choice. The World Cup is a must watch, and it will be streamed on Fox, FS1, and Tubi, so where are some great places in Southern California to catch the excitement?

Cheers! Head to the Sports Bar

The first thing that probably comes to mind for viewing any sporting event is the sports bar. The free public venue, the instant party, and the wide variety of drinks and snacks that you don’t have to worry about makes this a top choice. With the massive number of sports bars across Southern California, you’re likely to find one near you that’s broadcasting the game, but be sure to call ahead before you make plans. But here are some pubs and restaurants that have nailed it down that might be near you.

• FAIRFAX: Wirtshaus has a dedicated soccer viewing room with a 120-inch screen, so it’s highly possible they’ll have a repeat of 2018 at their pub. German-accented menu and beer specials. Contact Wirtshaus directly to confirm which matches they’ll be showing.

• LONG BEACH: Check out Rasselbock, the sister pub to Wirtshaus. Contact them for information on any early hours and hours of screening.

• HARVARD HEIGHTS: Guelaguetza is a Beard Award Winner’s authentic Oaxacan restaurant. In 2018 they opened as early as 6 AM and offered breakfast fare for the FIFA fans. They’re worth checking out.

Screening Room at Wirtshausla

• NORTH HOLLYWOOD / DOWNTOWN LA: Big Wangs in 2018 opened up early (on certain days, continuously from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m.), and added special breakfast burritos to the menu. Games showed on dozens of screens. With this kind of enthusiasm, it’s expected they’ll follow it up in 2022.

• SILVER LAKE: L.A.’s oldest German restaurant (established in 1959). In 2018 they were open for every World Cup game, even the ones that started at 3 a.m., so if you’re hardcore and willing to travel for pub viewing, confirm with them they’re doing an encore for 2022. 

FIFA World Cup Viewing Parties SoCal

Some venues are hosting viewing parties, and here’s what we know so far. 

• BEVERLY HILLS: Friday, Nov. 25, USA vs. England. Attend this viewing party at Fine Arts Theater from 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Tickets are $45. Alcoholic beverages will be free, as well as water and sodas. Free finger foods and snacks will also be available. There will also be concession stands with food & drinks (that will cost money) that are sponsored by the theater. The game will start at approximately 11 a.m.

• SAN DIEGO, GASLAMP: Monday, Nov. 21 / Friday, Nov. 25 / Tuesday, Nov. 29. Head to Barleymash in the Gaslamp Quarter for their World Cup watch parties. Doors open at 10 a.m., game starts at 11, ending at 1 p.m. No entry fee.

Total Freedom: On Your Streaming Device

If you have a a portable streaming option, you can watch every match wherever you want to be. You're already set up if you have a subscription to Hulu, DirectTV Stream, Fubo, or Sling. You can watch the matches with their live TV option through any of these streaming services. Fubo was founded to be a soccer streaming service, so it’s not surprising to see it on the list. YouTube TV is another pay service that gives you access to the World Cup without cable because it offers FOX and FS1, plus Spanish-language channels Telemundo, NBC Universo, and NBCSN. Looking for free? Fox is making the replays available on demand on Tubi’s FIFA World Cup FAST Channel (which they own), for free streaming with ads. Or if you have to have free plus live, find a buddy who pays for one of the above services and watch together.

How to Plan a Fun Corporate Event Or Conference

So, you have a business event to plan, and you need some fresh tips for setting up something engaging. Maybe you’re getting back into the swing of creating in-person events post-pandemic. Whether it’s a smaller gathering or a large corporate event, everyone is ready to gather again and build relationships face-to-face, so read on to brush up on what to do and key things to consider. Regardless if it’s for just your own team or you’re trying to attract new clients, you can’t go wrong with setting up something they might actually want to do in their free time.  

Think About Corporate Event Attendees

The elements of your planning include knowing who you’re going to be bringing together and why, so it’s important to nail this down first. Determining the audience is a key element for any business, so just apply that concept to the event. Who do you want to bring together? Is it community members, business partners, or prospective clients? If you don’t know who it’s being planned for, it isn’t easy to pull anything else together well, so start there. 

Secondly, think about the goals you have for your attendees. Is it to network, is it to learn in-depth material, is it just to motivate a sales team? The other side of thinking about the conference attendees is also to think about the sponsors. Make sure they are the right fit for your audience.

Choosing Event Speakers 

The keynote speaker for your event should enhance your business image and help describe where your company or industry is going. There are basically four types of speakers you could target to bring in: motivational, informative, instructional, and entertaining. Whichever type of speaker you choose, their reputation can make or break yours, so do your research. Check out any content they may have available online that’s recent, and focus on bringing in someone that doesn’t have to travel far to get to your venue to minimize last-minute travel hiccups and cancellations. Don’t be afraid to ask for video samples and also ask for references from past event organizers.

Bonus Tips. Make sure communication with the speaker is consistent! If they need to bring their presentation materials on USB, for example, remind them weeks be and the day before, as well as in person.

Marketing Your Corporate Event

Your first hurdle in organizing a corporate event or conference will be to get attendees to sign up or purchase tickets. For this, you will need event marketing! Once you have confirmed the theme, speakers and event venue, it is time to start marketing. Here are a few ideas on how to market your corporate event.

• Get speakers to share the event with their email list.

• Create hype on social media and have several posts.

• Create a social media post for each speaker to highlight them. This way, they will also share it with their own audience.

• Add the event on places like Eventbrite & Google My Business, which are great for SEO.

• Email your own list to share the event.

• Showcase any photos of merch or swag bags on your newsletter and on social media.

• Create a talking-head video post talking about the upcoming event.

• Create a blog post on your website announcing the event. 

• Do a giveaway and raffle off a ticket.
  

Conference Organization

Project time management is also important. Plan your event in structured blocks of time, with an organized schedule and with clear expectations for your staff. This includes any volunteers, sponsors, and speakers. Make sure everyone has the memo on what’s expected, and have it printed and easy to access throughout the process and during the event itself. Doing this will prevent confusion, mixed messages, and people not knowing who’s doing what. Everyone should be on board with a clear plan in place. Some event organizers create a Facebook group to update the attendees of any changes or news.

Bonus tip. When choosing an event venue for your conference, make sure you check where the classes/breakout sessions will be. They should be as close to the main keynote room as possible so there’s less confusion about where to go. Additionally, make signs with speaker names, topics and times to add outside the door of each class.

Bonus tip #2. Make sure you have a great AV tech team to help troubleshoot mic or Powerpoint issues. Do a test run the day before as well, and give your video & photo team a walkthrough. A bad mic or screen issues can be a nightmare.

 Adding the Fun In Corporate Events

Who wouldn’t want to play a game and bring some fun into a workshop or networking with new contacts? There are activities just about anyone can do. Breaking down the barriers of accessibility and creating an environment that’s inclusive isn’t just for larger community planning. A new trend is bringing in portable pool tables and other game-style recreation to really lighten the energy. Make sure the venue that you’re considering can accommodate this setup and have the extra space available. If you are planning a corporate event or conference in Southern California, we would love to provide you with pool table rentals, Jenga board rentals, cornhole rentals, and foosball rentals. Contact us today for a quote.

 Event Food Options Matter

You have probably already noticed that it’s harder to please everyone regarding food. A percentage of your attendees are likely to bring food anxiety because they have strict meal plans and don’t know what the options will be. In choosing your venue or catering, find out before signing contracts if they can provide vegan and gluten-free options so that everyone can enjoy and not have food stress or feel like they have to stash special snacks in their bag.

Corporate event planning can seem overwhelming, as there are so many moving parts to fit together in a limited amount of time. Some events take all year to put together, depending on how large they are, and there can be hiccups along the way, so begin as early as possible. Remember, there is a huge marketplace of vendors who focus on events, and they’re eager to help you, so ask for their expertise, too. 

Four Ways to Create Unique Experiences for Wedding Guests

Your wedding day is your special day to enjoy. But you also want to make it fun and memorable for your wedding guests. Coming up with ways to have a one-of-a-kind wedding can be a little challenging, especially if you’re trying to stick to a budget. 

A wedding reception typically has traditional elements like dinner, speeches by family and friends, music performed by a band or DJ, and dancing. This is a tried and true formula that your personal touches can only improve. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and create unique experiences for your guests.

Photo by Victoria Priessnitz on Unsplash

As a Southern California wedding rental company, we are always checking out what is popular among brides and grooms. One of the significant wedding trends for 2023 is a smaller guest list. Intimate weddings allow you to offer more of a more warm and thoughtful wedding experience. This trend aims to promote a sense of connection among the guests and keep them a focal part of the celebration.

The benefit of a pared-down, personalized wedding is that the couple and their guests can feel more comfortable and connected on the big day. It automatically creates a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing you to spend the money you save on more fun elements of your special day. 

A current trend that seems like it’s sure to continue is emphasizing having a memorable experience rather than giving guests more traditional wedding favors as they prepare to depart the reception.

Photo by Álvaro CvG on Unsplash

Being creative can really pay off when coming up with unique wedding ideas. Consider the personality of the bride and groom and factor in details that fit your individual tastes. This could mean hiring a great band, including a fun song during the ceremony, or any other type of entertainment. You can also write personal notes to leave on your guests’ chairs or in their hotel rooms as they check in, thanking them in advance for sharing your special day with you.

When it comes to making memories at your wedding, small details can make the biggest difference when wowing your guests. Finding inspiration should be easier and more fun than creating a seating chart. Here are four ways to create unique experiences for your big day.

Food Can Be Fun

One of the most popular and enduring wedding reception ideas is the addition of an interactive food station. Whether it’s a taco bar, ice cream station, or seafood, your guests can create their food exactly how they like it. A traveling food station is another fun and creative way to serve delicious appetizers or desserts.

 Another idea? A take-out station. Think dim sum or sushi. It’s a creative alternative to typical wedding food. It’s easy to hold, so your guests can mingle during your cocktail hour or reception while they enjoy the food. 

Live Event Painting

Live event painting is a unique wedding service where a fast-working artist creates a painting as your reception unfolds. It starts with a blank canvas and becomes a painting in a matter of hours. This fine art is a charming way to turn your wedding memories into a masterpiece. It can be captivating to watch, and you will cherish it for a lifetime. Plus, guests also love watching Maggie paint.

Young Fun

 Consider a Foosball table if you have many young and young-at-heart wedding guests. It can help entertain children, teens, or fun lovers of any age. Table soccer on a Foosball table is classic fun and a great way to combine competition and camaraderie. It’s an excellent icebreaker and an entertaining way to introduce people that do not know each other.

Billiards Anyone?

Some guests may not want to dance off their calories after dinner and dessert. You can offer other engaging entertainment like games to make your reception more exciting. One option is pool tables. People of all ages enjoy playing, and it’s an excellent way for guests who may not know each other to get acquainted or learn new tips to improve their game. Portable pool tables are also a fantastic backdrop for fun photos. Maybe you have never heard that you can rent a pool table for a wedding, but you sure can. We have been helping couples in Southern California.

Unique Ways to Entertain Wedding Guests

No matter which idea you go with, it’s never too early to start doing your research for Orange County and San Francisco wedding ideas. Begin by jotting down what your ideal wedding day looks and feels like, then make your list from there.