subject: Tips For Once-in-a-lifetime Guest Of Honor & Tribute Events [print this page] There are a variety of events held to honor or pay tribute to people including retirement parties, farewell parties, life-time achievement awards, and anniversaries. Tribute events focus on recognizing the contributions and accomplishments of an individual by friends, colleagues, community members and beneficiaries of their contributions. These events can be particularly challenging to plan and carry out due to the pressure to deliver an event which measures up to the achievements of the individual being honored. By their nature, these occasions are once-in-a-lifetime events to be remembered for years to come. An intended, or unintended, by-product of these events is that they can provide inspiration to other guests to strive for the level of achievement demonstrated by the honoree. The tone of these events can vary from highly dignified affairs to informal to humor-filled parties.
Promotional Products which can be customized in recognition of the honoree can be particularly useful in delivering a truly memorable event for the honoree and guests alike. The large selection of products provides the ability to create a truly customized event supporting nearly any theme imagined.
Here are some tips for planning tributes as well as some promotional products ideas that will help make them truly once-in-a-lifetime events.
Themes
Develop a theme for the event to ensure continuity and narrow choices during planning. Ideally, the theme will be representative of the honoree. Consider potential themes based on the honoree's profession, hobbies/interest, tenure or future plans. Some examples of each include:
Profession Based Theme
Consider attributes of the honoree's profession for potential theme ideas. That is not to say that you are going to decorate a banquet hall with calculator tape for an accountant's retirement (though, you might), rather you could simply create a money or tax theme. Here are some examples of possible themes based on professions:
Accountant/Finance: Priceless (recognizing contributions); A Profitable Career (retirement); Finally Finding Tax Relief (retirement)
Educator: One For The History Books (accomplishments); 1,075 Children Later (lifetime achievement); The Graduate (retirement)
Physician: Healing Hands (contributions); A Heart for Hearts (contributions); Diagnostic Diva (fun/accomplishments); The Artist Surgeon (lifetime achievement)
Hobbies/Interests Based Theme
While the honoree's hobbies and interests can clearly be the basis of a theme for personal accomplishments, they can also work for professional awards (especially for avid hobbiests). Here are some examples:
Golfing: A Hole In One (accomplishment); Hitting the Greens (retirement)
Bowling: The Perfect Series (lifetime achievement); The Perfect Hook (achievement)
Fishing: Going Fishing (retirement); The Ultimate Fish Story (fun, accomplishment);
Tenure and Future Plans Theme
Particularly appropriate for retirements, service awards, anniversaries and other time based recognition, consider themes based on the honoree's tenure or future plans. For example:
Then and Now: From Operator to Office Manager (service); 1960 vs. 2011 (retirement); The Way We Were (anniversary)
Path: The Journey (service); You Are Here (retirement); Pinnacle (achievement)
Traditional: Golden (anniversaries); Silver (anniversaries)
The Invitation List
Determining who to invite to a tribute event can be challenging especially when the honoree has touched many lives over an extended period. Here are some considerations:
Family: Regardless of whether the person is being honored for their professional achievements, volunteer efforts or personal accomplishments, the guest of honor's spouse/partner and immediate family members should be invited. Of course, extended family members would be included for more personal events (e.g. wedding anniversaries).
Friends: While friends and neighbors would be appropriate guests for personal events, some may also be appropriate guests for professional tributes. This may be particularly true of close friends that have had a supportive role in the individual's career or whom the honoree is especially close to. Consult the honoree's spouse or a family member for suggestions.
Co-workers: While professional achievements tributes sponsored by the honoree's employer or volunteer organization will certainly include some coworkers, the extent to which coworkers are invited may be in question. In addition to immediate coworkers, considered former coworkers that worked closely with the honoree in whether they have moved on to different roles, companies or retirement. Remember that in paying tribute to the guest of honor, you may also be inspiring other guests to strive for comparable achievements.
Colleagues: Consider other colleagues that may be appropriate guests at professional tributes. This may include customers and suppliers that the honoree has worked with extensively.
Dignitaries: While it may be best to limit guests to those who have meaningful relationships with the honoree, there can be exceptions. Special guests, by nature of their position, may have reason to pay tribute to the honoree even without a direct relationship. These may be true of high level executives, community leaders, or experts in the field. For a volunteer organization, it might even include a representative beneficiary of the individual's efforts.
Invitations
While Traditional Printed Invitations are giving way to electronic invitations, there are some events, like weddings and tributes, where a tangible invitation remains the appropriate choice. At such once-in-a-lifetime events, a tangible invitation makes a statement about the importance of the honoree.
This is not to say that a tribute invitation has to be traditional. In fact, to really make an impression, consider unique and innovative alternatives. There are a variety of approaches that can be used to create an exceptional invitation that will capture attention, including:
Custom Packaging: Rather than sending an invitation in an envelope, consider enclosing the invitation in a Custom Package. It will not only stand out in the mail but will make a definite statement. As an example, for a formal event, enclose the traditional printed invitation in a custom necklace style box with the name of the honoree and event theme tastefully imprinted on the cover. Inside, present the invitation in folded tissue paper closed with an embossed seal bearing the name of the honoree and event date.
Unique Media: Instead of a paper invitation, consider alternative media like an audio or sound card invitation that includes an audio tribute along with an accompanying printed message.
Innovative Products: Use a customized product supportive of the theme that can be imprinted as the invitation. For example, a lifetime achievement event might use a imprinted stone tablets as invitations to support a humorous From the Beginning of Time theme.
Engaging Products: Create an intriguing invitation that engages the recipients. For example, send guests custom puzzles imprinted with the specifics of the event. It will be an invitation that will definitely be remembered!
Decorations
Decorations are the real opportunity to develop the theme of the event as well as to further emphasize the guest of honor. In addition to traditional decorations, consider innovative products to recognize the honoree while also supporting the theme. Look for choices that appeal to all senses from custom wine glasses filled from etched wine bottles to scented candles and themed lighting. Consider:
Uniquely Common: Use unique and innovative versions of common decorations. For example, instead of traditional confetti, consider using one of the many unique confetti options like number-themed confetti corresponding to the years of marriage or service.
Formal Statements: Consider a lead crystal centerpiece imprinted with the honoree's name and filled with custom candy pieces. Stock tables with custom wine bottles or custom champagne bottles etched with the event's theme.
Feminine Flare: For a creative centerpiece, picture an artistic red purse trinket box used as the base for a stunning flower arrangement.
Fun Apparel: Utilize theme-based apparel for servers, speakers or even the guests. As an example, a going fishing retirement event might include bucket hats embroidered with the honoree's name for each guest to put on at a designated time during the event.
Strategically Inexpensive: Strategically position inexpensive decorations. For example, Hollywood award style golden statue cut-outs can be ideal for a tribute event. Strategically place them high along the length of the walls of facilities peeking through red curtains on stage to avoid their recognition as cut-out props.
Appeal to the Senses: Expanding decorations beyond sight and sound. Consider using subtly scented candles in centerpieces or strategically lighted mirrored balls deployed throughout the room. For example, mirrored balls lighted with intense white light beams can create a spark effect in a fairly well lighted room while using the same mirrored balls with a mixture of colored flood lights in a more dimly lighted can create a more festive ambiance.
Event Program
There are a variety of ways to honor an individual at a tribute event from the traditional series of speakers to contemporary multi-media presentations and there is still plenty of room for innovation. Here are some specifics tips and considerations:
The Master of Ceremonies: The best MCs are not only good speakers, but can speak spontaneously based on the circumstances of the event. Humor is another highly desired attribute for an MC; it will help keep guests' attention and leave them with a lasting impression. Ideally, the MC will know the honoree well which will enable them to provide meaningful insight and comments throughout the event. As an alternative, a professional comedian, speaker, or news/radio personality can be hired. Check references and visit another of their events to ensure that a good fit for your event.
Traditional Speakers: The traditional use of a series of speakers to pay tribute to the honoree may feature coworkers, friends, family, management or dignitaries speaking about the honoree's in accomplishments. Ideally, seat speakers together the head table with the honoree to keep the event on-schedule. If not seated together, consider a coordinator to ensure speakers are available as scheduled. It may be beneficial to choreograph the speakers so that each covers specific topics to keep presentations brief, fresh and interesting.
Roasts: At roasts, speakers use humor to honor the special guest by making good natured fun of them while acknowledging their achievements. While these events can be very successful, they can be risky given the potential for a speaker to inadvertently make an offensive comment. As such, roasts are most appropriate for thicker skinned honorees and may warrant speaker guidelines to mitigate risks.
PowerPoint Tributes: PowerPoint presentations can be a great ways to help pay tribute to an honoree especially when there is interesting visual evidence of their accomplishments. Showing pictures of bridges designed by the honored architect would be great; showing pictures of a 1040EZ form completed by an accountant probably would not be. Nonetheless, creative options even for less visual accomplishments. Consider presenting a series of photos of coworkers holding up signs describing the honoree in a word or two.
Video Tributes: Consider video tapping various speakers delivering their own 10 second tribute to the honoree and playing the compilation during the event. In addition to providing more people the opportunity to honor the special guest, this approach can allow for editing to better orchestrate the overall flow of the tribute.
Audience Involvement: While often overlooked, audience involvement can be a key to create an innovative and memorable event. Engage the audience at key moments throughout the event from a photo-op upon entry to equipping them with props (like the aforementioned bucket hat) to deploy during the presentation. Involvement can be as simple as asking the audience to respond to questions about the honoree with their applause.
TIPS! Use a combination of these approaches to create a one-of-a-kind event that both the honoree and guests will remember for years to come.
Guest Keepsakes
Remember that events honoring an individual can also be inspirational for other guests. Leverage that potential by providing guests with event keepsakes to remind them of the honoree, their accomplishment and the event. There is a large selection of gifts that can be customized with the honoree's name, event theme and event date. It might even include an inspirational quote from the honoree. For example:
Bobble Heads: For a fun event, provided guests with a customized Bobble Head that resembles the honoree. The bobble head can even be dressed appropriately for the theme of the event.
Custom Compact Disk: For multi-media events, consider giving guests a copy of the presentation on a Custom Compact Disk imprinted event information or a photo of the honoree.
Framed Photos: Send guests copies of photos from the event in a Customized Picture Frame etched with the event information.
Themed Gifts : Provide guests gifts that are consistent with the theme of the event such a engraved Money Clips for a financial theme.
Collectibles: Collectibles are great keepsakes for organizations recognizing retirements or years of service. Custom Coins, Lapel Pins and other items enable the organization create something uniquely customized for the honoree while being consistent from one event to the next. Such items also enable participants to develop a collection of the items from each event they attend.
Tribute Awards
While the event itself lets honorees know that their contributions are appreciated, it is important to provide them with an Award that will be used to remember, show and share. Remember that an award is as much a reflection on the organization that is presenting it as it is on the recipient. With thousands of different types of awards to choose from, consider some of the more innovative alternative such as crystal awards, art glass pieces and sculptures. Many of these awards are blurring the lines between awards and art enabling them to be prominently displayed at home and office alike.
