Sometimes at parties, I'm the girl on the left; smiling, outgoing, friendly, engaging, and fun.
Other times at parties, I'm the girl who won't move from her seat in the corner of the room, quietly watching and trying to figure out how to fit in.
I'm a terrific hostess, but sometimes a very boring guest.
I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out - what makes the difference?
In the end, it comes down to having a purpose.
When I host, I know what I need to do. My purpose is to set-up, clean-up, greet guests, coordinate the time and flow of the event, and make sure everyone is having a good time. That's plenty to keep me motivated for a few hours.
Yet, as a guest (especially when I don't know other people at the party) - what's my purpose? Idle chit-chat and dancing are simply not my forte.
But, this is one of my favorite things about what I do at Events With A Twist.
Our party packages are all interactive, motivating guests to mix and mingle and helping wallflowers like me to break out of their shell.
VIDEO SCAVENGER HUNTS
My first foray into interactive events began in 2014, when I threw my very first Video Scavenger Hunt. Guests were challenged to go out into the neighborhood with their cell phones to complete as many silly, wacky challenges as possible within 45 minutes.
As is common at parties, guests were mixed with some being crazy, outgoing, social butterflies and others being more on the shy side.
What I found was, when given a purpose and a shared goal, everyone engaged one another more easily, the introverts became more social and - in many cases - even did challenges that shocked me!
More importantly - everyone told me they had a blast! No one was lurking in the shadows, waiting to go home. No one rushed out in the middle of the party, anxious to get away.
It wasn't until I planned my second Video Scavenger Hunt in 2016 that I truly knew I was onto something. This party went over so well that I was asked to coordinate an annual event as a fundraiser for Pembroke Pines Relay for Life.
Over the years, time and again, the results have been the same.
"Sabotage" Party
Feeling that I'd figured out the secret to a truly successful, interactive event, I toyed with other ideas and found myself considering a "Sabotage"Party.
The concept is simple: challenge guests to complete quick, easy, minute-long challenges, but throw a Saboteur into the mix. While the guests are trying to earn as many points for their table as possible, the Saboteur in their midst is attempting to ruin their progress without being caught. In the weeks leading up to the trial run, numerous guests warned me that they were shy, or introverted, or socially awkward.
But, as the festivities began and guests were challenged to mix and mingle to complete a questionnaire, I watched as perfect, terribly shy strangers struck up conversation, laughed, and truly connected with one another. As the night progressed, guests quickly became more animated, teasing each other and doing their best to identify who the saboteur was at their table.
Once again, giving guests a shared purpose and goal helped them to put aside their insecurities to work together and even though it was just a trial run - the same guests who previously complained they were too shy to have fun thanked me for helping them break out of their shell.
Photoshoot Parties
Our photoshoot party packages aim to do the same thing as our Video Scavenger Hunts and Sabotage Parties: to help break down insecurities, help guests find commonalities, and make sure that everyone - even the wallflowers like me - are having a good time.
So, what are you waiting for?! Contact us to book your party package today!