Skip to main navigation

8 Tips on how to hold a great social event

When holding a social event, you always want it to be the best it possibly can for you and your guests.

Social events are important to developing social skills and empathy. The interactions or conversations created at events help your local community build relationships and understanding of different perspectives.

Knowing where to start is key to keeping your event organisation stress free. There are many tips and tricks to help you hold a great social event. Keep on reading to discover 10 tips that will help you create a great experience from setting your budget all the way to picking the right music.

  1. Make a plan for your social events

    The key to a successful social event is to plan, plan, plan! This may be obvious but there are constructive ways to plan, as well as they’re ways to procastrated planning the things that actually matter. If you’re feeling stuck we’re here to help! Read our advice on how to make a successful plan.

  2. Set your budget

    Getting caught up in the excitement for your social event is all part of the fun! However, to avoid any surprises it’s always best to define a budget for your social event. If you don’t, you risk overspending or running out money before all of your music, performers and food are booked. Don’t know how to make a successful budget? We’ve made a 3 step guide to help you create a realistic budget.

  3. Choose the right venue for your social event

    Choosing the right venue is very important to ensuring your day goes smoothly. Our event centre is current, conscious and creative, making it the perfect hub for any craft fair, xmas, birthday or wedding party.

    If you’re looking for a venue for your collaborative work meetings, presentations or seminars we have also collated a list to show you the other best venues in Brighton perfect for the event you are hosting.

  4. Pick your food

    Picking the right food for your social event is important to keeping your guests happy. There are a few things to keep in mind when planning your food. Do you want it catered for? Will guests bring dishes to share? Will you guests enjoy a buffet? Or is a sit down meal the perfect fit for your event.

    We’re proud to have the wonderful Wild Artisan Café in our main area. You can sit here any day for a coffee and a dish from their delicious menu. Better yet, you can also enquire about catering for your events solely in our exhibition centre.

  5. Pick the right music for your social event

    The music you choose for your social event will set the tone for your guests. In your planning, think about the type of music you’ll enjoy. If you’re hosting a wedding reception a live band may be the option for you. Now you’ve decided that you’d like a live band, it’s time to think about the genre. A classic wedding reception music choice is live jazz. Read how to book live music here…

    Live music can be costly, but as a main element of your event it’s well worth it. To avoid disappointment on the day read our advice on how to make the most out of your live music.

  6. Hire local performers

    Performances are a really fun source of entertainment for your guests. You can surprise them with professional dancers or hire your local drama club to make a statement!

    Overall, local performers can leave a lasting impression on your friends, family or community. By making this impact you will be sure that your social event will be hard to beat!

  7. Promote your social event

    Performances are a really fun source of entertainment for your guests. You can surprise them with professional dancers or hire your local drama club to make a statement!

    Now you’ve ironed out the details and decided on your venue, food and entertainment it’s time to promote your social event! There are many ways you can spread the word on your event. Pick which works for you or use a combination of ideas.

    You can:

    • Promote it on Instagram
    • Create a Facebook event
    • Print flyers

      If you’re hosting a craft fair, we’ve created a guide on 3 ways to promote it.

  8. Be sociable

    You’ve put in the work, now you can enjoy it! Being sociable will instantly put your guests at ease. A happy and friendly host will make all the difference in creating a positive atmosphere. It’s normal to experience some pre-event nerves, that’s why we’ve written our tips and tricks on 7 ways to be sociable to help you tackle any social butterflies!

    And that’s it. If you follow these tips and tricks you should have all the tools you need to hold a great social event for you and your guests. Remember that once the planning is over, relax and have fun!

Having an exhibition at St Augustine's was a great experience. The staff are eager to help and you feel very supported while there. It is a great space to exhibit in, with a lot of people calling in to use the other facilities. The atmosphere of the place is very special, it feels very inclusive and has great energy. I highly recommend the exhibition space and the Cafe is an added bonus. Thank you all for making me feel so welcome and making the exhibition a wonderful experience.
Chris Dade, Award winning photographer and exhibitor
Fantastic events space
Great customer service
Great bespoke facilities
Will use again and also recommend St Augustine's for other events.
Corporate Client, Chamber of Commerce
The staff at St Augustine's dealt all of my needs and provided an invaluable support service to my team of dancers and actors. Amazing place for contemporary and traditional dance pieces. We performed a sell out interactive theatrical production and it was very exciting.
Lee Smikle, Smikle Dance Project
The team at St Augustine's made my birthday a very special and memorable occasion.
Thank you.
Rosemary, Private party