Saying goodbye to a friend or family member in anticipation of an upcoming new chapter such as a move to a different part of the country, or another part of the world is never easy.
A farewell bash is the ideal platform for saying goodbye as a group, allowing you to have a fun filled experience, sending your loved one off with plenty of happy memories.
The following tips will provide you with some great ideas and insight, helping you with the task of planning a farewell party that everyone will remember for a long time to come…
#01 Choose The Perfect Venue
Your choice of venue will depend on many factors, but primarily you need to consider the convenience of any location, making sure that it has a suitable capacity to cater for your numbers comfortably.
For a longer, weekend event; look for a great venue with sufficient accommodation for groups; for example a large manor house, where you can enjoy a luxurious and intimate environment in complete privacy.
Whether you are planning an evening event or an extended celebration, be sure to choose a venue with plenty of parking for all of your guests.
#02 Select Your Theme
Themes tend to be a fairly easy choice for a farewell party. Whether the guest of honour is retiring at the end of their career or heading off into the blue yonder you can choose a suitable theme taking inspiration from any given situation, career or destination. You could alternatively choose a more random theme that celebrates that individual’s passion. This could be absolutely anything from unicorns or star wars, to something more expected – such as maps and aeroplanes for a travel theme.
Choose a theme that reflects the individual’s personality best, after all, the point of this celebration is to demonstrate how much they mean to you all!
#03 Get Your Invites Out Early
Be sure to get your party invites out well in advance, as this will ensure that the majority of those invited will be available to attend.
A well designed physical invite is always lovely to receive, however you could consider sending a digital invite and you could also back up by creating an event on Facebook.
#04 Dec The Halls!
Decorate your venue choosing a variety of items that compliment your theme. This coordination will help to tie the whole look of the event together, creating a professional and utterly gorgeous looking background for your farewell party.
Again, you want to make this as personal to the star of the party as possible, so look for ways to incorporate the story of their past, present and future for a truly personal touch.
#05 Catering For Your Party
Planning and executing the catering yourself is likely to prevent those responsible for the organisation of the party from being able to relax and enjoy it all themselves. Look for an option that will involve minimal fuss, such as hiring a professional catering team or arranging for a fish and chip van to rock up unexpectedly!
Take inspiration from the individual’s favourite foods, or the cuisine at the destination they are moving to… Alternatively, you could give them a lasting reminder of a local favourite – such as Cornish pasties, or cream teas, to give them a pertinent reminder of something they will miss terribly once they move away!
#06 Dedicate A Skit To The Guest Of Honour
Personalise a little skit for the guest of honour, drawing on the creative skills of your group to come up with a fitting piece! This can be a great way to entertain all attendees, particularly when the skit is injected with personal anecdotes and humour. A great starting point is to begin with a famous song, story or poem, inserting your own content to personalise and entertain.
#07 Celebrate Your Stories & Connections
Invite all guests to contribute something personal in writing and use this content to create a very special farewell gift for the person who is leaving. This could be as simple as asking all guests to complete a short sentence, such as; “The thing I am going to miss about you most is…”, a short paragraph sharing how the guest met the guest of honour, or the invitation to divulge an amusing memory.
Collate these little gems in a book, to be read aloud at the party. This book would provide an incredibly special memento for the leaver to treasure.
Customised photo boards and books also make a great focal point for any farewell party. Get creative and encourage all guests to dig deep for their most precious images to illustrate their relationship with the guest of honour. The resulting compilation is sure to entertain all and what a marvellous way to demonstrate your love and appreciation of that individual at their farewell bash!
