Does the thought of planning and hosting a birthday party leave you feeling overwhelmed? Do you want to give your kid’s next birthday party some razzle dazzle but don’t know where to start?
Don’t worry.
We have some explosive ideas for you to consider. Meet Tif Robertson, CEO of T-N-T Event & Marketing Management. She brings over a decade of party planning experience, from large banquets to conventions and more. Although kids’ birthdays aren’t her usual specialty, her expertise in planning large events is definitely invaluable to your next party planning venture.
Hi Tif. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and T-N-T Events?
I’ve been doing this for a little over 11 years. I started by volunteering for a lot of organizations and offering my time. I realized that there was a lack of event coordination in the area, and that maybe there was an opportunity to start my own business. I help people find venues, host their events, plan their meals, their entertainment, their A/V needs, even their transportation. Whatever they might need, my network of connections throughout the years has enabled T-N-T to be successful at doing all of that. And that really is what drives me — knowing that I can cross-collaborate to make events a success.
What do you love about helping people through event planning?
I feel like I’m a real creative person. And I really like the network opportunities with event planning, so it all goes hand in hand. You have to have relationships with the people you work with in the hospitality industry and the entertainment industry.
How would you help a family deciding on a birthday venue?
I always like to start from the party and go backwards. What’s your budget? That will determine your location. There’s a lot of free venues and there’s several that charge a fee. So we’d start with your budget and then we’d go from there. It also depends on how many people you’re expecting. How many kids are you expecting? Are parents coming too? Do you want kids in a confined area where you can keep track of everybody? The time of year is also going to obviously determine if your space is indoors or outdoors.
How can parents make the food and dessert at parties shine?
It all rolls back to that network of contacts. We’ve always got somebody who can help out with a lead or an idea. For the food aspect of your party, get the word out about it. There’s so many fun things you can do, from charcuterie boards that are kid-oriented to cupcakes to watermelon sticks, and there’s a lot of people who you probably know who you can call on to help, whether that’s Eileen’s Cookies or a girlfriend of mine who specializes in kids’ cupcakes.
Do you have any tips on creating a cohesive theme for a party?
Use Pinterest. What’s your kid’s favorite color? Do they like dinosaurs? Do they like clowns? Whatever that might be, you would just go from there and try to figure out if there’s things that you could buy locally or do you need to have somebody make them? It goes back to the budget, but make sure to have fun with it. Be creative. DIY.
Do you have any final advice for planning parties?
Think outside the box and call on your connections. They can help; maybe it’s a balloon guy or a bouncy castle or whatever it might be, there’s always somebody out there who can help you fill that gap, one way or another. And if you’re in a panic, do this: just sit down and make your budget. From there, go, “alright, this is what we’re gonna do today,” and it’ll all come together.
To discover more about T-N-T Event & Marketing Management, visit their Facebook business page.