A few ideas for your event ...
Masquerade
Mystery can make an event more interesting and a masquerade is a happy medium between costumes and formal attire, with them going very well hand in hand. A general favorite for corporate events but you could mix things up by having mask themed catering and décor like these stunning centrepieces.
Hollywood
Red carpets, glitz, glamor, black tie and ball gowns are all signs of a Hollywood A-list event. Many like to take this further and do an Oscar-themed event with golden statues which can be useful if your event involves prize giving. You could also include a large sponsored step and repeat to go with the red carpet and hire photographers for the evening to give attendees arriving that important, paparazzi welcome.
Footloose/80s
An 80’s era theme is very popular and commonly this is associated with the 1984 musical classic, Footloose. You can adopt a variety of different ideas from the movie, whether it is turning your outdoor event into a rustic farm town or drawing on the music and adding bold, colorful décor to recreate the final dance scenes. Neon signage is a must!
Pirates
Argggh...decorate your venue like a looting ship with treasure, parrots, skeletons and of course a plank to walk! Invite guests to come as pirates and you can create interesting ‘sea’ effects on the walls to simulate the reflection of water inside the ship. You can also have gold chest centerpieces and even serve gold chocolate coins at the dessert station too!
Medieval Banquet
Knights of the round table, banquets and king Arthur all fit this theme perfectly. You can have a large buffet to suit the banqueting style as well as swords and suits of armour. For corporate or team building activities you could separate them into teams and have them design a coat of arms that they can use throughout the event to increase competition and enthusiasm.
Hippies / Summer of Love / Flower Power
Ahh the 60’s! This is a groovy theme that involves plenty of tie dye, peace signs, flowers, zany rainbow color combinations and if you can get a VW camper van in there, it will top it off nicely. You could easily add participatory activities for attendees such as tie dying t-shirts which would also be a great memento to take home.
Neon Garden
The neon theme has always been popular at raves or music events and it has recently found itself trickling into other event styles.
A day at the Races
Dress up as they do at horse racing days.
Moulin Rouge / Cabaret
A theatrical event with eats, drinks, and feathers? The movie as well as the original inspiration involves cabaret, courtesans and of course the can-can! Focusing highly on dancing and entertainment, this theme is full of vibrant reds and golds (the name does mean ‘Red Mill’ after all) as well as taffeta and general extravangance (think of the giant elephant!).
The Great Gatsby
A very popular theme idea that suits balls, galas, weddings and black tie events because of the lavish décor choices and the flowing gowns. This theme can be easily adaptable and if you are on a lower budget, easily represented by the gold and black color palette without any massive props or signage.
Love Boat
Opt for a cruise deck theme and décor, which could accommodate a glitzy dance floor and seated dining – think Titanic ballroom, but also shipwreck and beach décor too.
Superheroes
Let your guests dress up as their favourite super hero.
Crazy Hats / Mad Hatter
If you want to add a theme or a little fun to your serious event without expecting too much from your attendees, this can be a happy medium that allows them to wear suitable clothes of their choice but still get involved. You could even be more specific by opting for ‘themed hats’ instead!
Mythical Creatures
From dragons, fairies and mermaids to leprechauns, werewolves and griffins, there is no limit to what you can concoct. Whether it is a made-up creature from a film, book or TV series, you can bring these mythological creatures and ideas to life.
Luau / Hawaiian
The Hawaiians know how to throw a beach party and it’s an awesome theme if you want to bring the beach to you. Have indoor luau’s during the winter or cold weather to boost attendee spirit and whisk them away to a tropical island! Think beach, hula or fire dancers, inflatables and of course a feast!
Urban Grafitti
If you want something more locally themed or you are trying to go for an urban cityscape feel, graffiti is a great idea and you can make it digital or have artists create their own backdrops. Incorporate bold, block colors for the scheme and even add in some geometric shapes, and this theme really comes together.
Hoedown
This folk dancing event involves country themes, rustic décor including hay barrel seating, bunting and string lights but always make sure you have a dance floor! You could also include mechanical bull-riding or for an authentic experience, add horse trail rides and roping practice into the activities.
Black and White
A traditionally classy event and definitely an easy option when it comes to décor and furniture, plus it seems to be an attendee favorite as many own black suits or dresses. Black goes with everything so you can mix it up using other color themes; some favorites include black and red, black and gold, gold and white or even all white. You could also decide on the main color by choosing the leading brand color and incorporating that.
Carnival
Big bold colors and signage, performers, funfair rides, plenty of stalls and games, popcorn and candyfloss treats on the snack tables are all a great place to start with this theme. You can also turn invitations into actual retro tickets and even have a big-top tent or incorporate the tent shape into other décor to really stand out.
People in History
Invite attendees to dress up as famous couples or figures throughout history and turn the décor and venue into a live history book. You can have walking entertainment playing historical figures and have giant props from different eras. The fun part about this is you can have different eras interacting with each other and have one area merge into another, which always makes for fun planning.
Game of Thrones
With the long wait until the new series, many guests are going to be looking to get their Game of Thrones fix and this is an excellent way to do it. Depending on your favorite characters and city can depend on the décor and whether you go rustic and wrapped up like the north, or you want to go decadent and recreate King’s Landing.
Oktoberfest
Consider this an event inception, one event based on another so that you can have both at whichever time of the year suits you, so you don’t have to wait for October or travel to Munich! This German beer festival creates plenty of décor inspiration with the color palette leaning towards browns and greens. Outdoor events would benefit from large tends and a small fairground if you can fit it in.
Harry Potter
Over 19 years later and still a phenomenon, so why not use a Harry Potter theme as there are so many elements to include. From a game of Quidditch for teambuilding to getting your attendees to write in quills – who wouldn’t want to be a wizard for a day? These floating candles create stunning lighting effects that you can use, particularly for seated eating.
Rockabilly / Grease
Rockabilly or 1950’s theme is all about early rock and roll and whether you want to take directly from the favorite Grease film for inspiration and recreate iconic scenes or draw on the music and schemes from the era, you will have a hit. Drive-throughs, American diners, blues and country music will all work well in this theme.
Mardi Gras
String bead necklaces, bold colors and masks are an excellent place to start if you are trying to recreate mardi gras. Aim for orange, pink or purple florals, feathers on the tables or included in the décor and add some french signage to top this event off. You can go as big or as little as you want in this theme and you could even recreate parade floats or have mini float making competitions.
Emerald City / Wizard of Oz
The Emerald City is the destination Dorothy aims for in The Wizard of Oz and is easier to achieve than you might think. As you can see here, uplighting and digital projections have transformed this venue into a green paradise. You could also incorporate the ‘yellow brick road’ by projecting mapping or having yellow color carpet (rather than a red one) on the floor.
African Safari
Think The Lion King for inspiration and include a lot of animal print into the décor. Attendees could come as an exotic animal and the staff could be dressed as safari guides. You could also opt for animal stilt walkers or even have animal guests such as birds and parrots as a photo opportunity and a way of bringing fun to the event. For florals, opt for large leaves and vibrant colors.
Disney
A favourite for many as Disney has spanned through the ages and can be easy to adapt for adults or children, weddings or corporate. Simply pick a Disney story or movie and base your event on those. For example, a fundraising event for animals could use 101 Dalmations for inspiration while a wedding could look to Cinderella.
Disco Inferno
Usually associated with a 70’s era theme, complemented by mirror balls, giant dance floors and all things rainbow color and retro. Attendees can opt for big hair, flared trousers and platform shoes while you could also choose to have rollerskating waitresses or hosts.
Ancient Greece
Toga parties can be fun as they encourage attendees to make their own costume, which gets them thinking and anticipating the event in advance. You can extend this by adding a Greek mythology element for those who want to choose a specific character for the event. A lot of white or cream linen, olive branches and foliage for décor. It can be a very budget-friendly theme as it is quite simplistic.
James Bond
Bond, James Bond! An excellent theme to add to a black tie event which can allow guests to get in touch with their inner secret agent or spy! Decor can range from anything to simple with a few motifs or themed centrepieces to something more obvious such as this stunning signage! and don’t forget the signature drink: a martini, shaken not stirred.
Roaring 20s
An incredibly popular theme and an era with flappers, prohibition, glamor and gangsters (as well as Downton Abbey). Opt for black, white and red color schemes with plenty of feathers and pearls and as it was the time of prohibition, plenty of spirits and martini glasses are needed. Creating overflowing glass centrepieces and vintage car backdrops to make this theme a success.
Cosplay
Think Comic Con but on a smaller scale. Cosplay can be specific or general whereby you could pick a film, anime series, video game or even book and encourage guests to dress up as characters. Competitions for best costume always goes down a hit and it’s an excellent way to create a buzz around your event. Costumes are particularly good photo opportunities, particularly if characters are interacting across ‘universes’.