With people across the world currently living in lockdown due to the novel Coronavirus, one of the biggest impacts of the pandemic is the increase in online communication. As we learn to cope with new stay-at-home guidelines, going online to keep up with friends and family has never been so important while virtual events like birthday parties and weddings are helping people around the world stay connected during social distancing.
While creating an online event may sound daunting at first, it’s actually never been easier to go virtual thanks to the wide range of digital media platforms available online. Whether you want to host a virtual baby shower or wedding, plan an online quiz night with friends or live-stream your next lockdown party, the options are endless and the only limit is your own imagination. Read on to discover our top tips to ensure your next virtual event is a success, no matter what the occasion:
Choose your platform
If you’re looking for a simple and easy-to-use video conferencing solution to share your special moment with friends and family, you can’t go wrong with apps like UberConference, HouseParty, Google Hangouts and Zoom. Offering a range of both free and paid options, these apps allow you to make video calls with up to 100 participants from your computer, phone or tablet. The perfect way to keep in touch while you’re social distancing, most video calls also come with a range of exciting features including screen sharing and call recording to make sure you and your guests don’t miss out on any of the important details during the evening.
Celebrate in style
Your long-awaited event might now be taking place online due to the current situation but there are still plenty of ways for you to create an exciting and interactive experience for your guests. Enjoy a virtual cocktail party with friends by sending them a cocktail kit from your favourite bar or take your netflix watch party to the next level by having pizza delivered during the movie. If you’re hosting a virtual hen night or baby shower, why not make it a day to remember by sending out goodie bags and decorations from local suppliers so you can all celebrate your guest of honour together in the comfort of your own homes.
Saying I do
Although an online ceremony might not be the wedding of your dreams, saying “I do” during quarantine is a fantastic excuse to get creative with your big day. Fun lockdown ideas include having a local bakery deliver slices of wedding cake to your guests before the ceremony or hiring a musician to perform online as you walk down the aisle. Apps like Zoom or Google Hangouts are the perfect way to celebrate your love in front of your family and friends and with several easy-to-use live stream recording options on offer, you and your new spouse will be able to create a unique souvenir of your special day to look back on in years to come.
Make the most of it
Despite the fact we’ve all had to make some pretty big life changes due to Coronavirus, it is possible to turn your lockdown lifestyle into a positive experience. With nowhere to go plus a little extra time on your hands, this is the perfect opportunity to expand your horizons from the comfort of your own sofa. Why not learn a new skill by signing up for an online juggling workshop or enjoy a spot of culture by taking an online museum tour. Grab the best seats in the house with online theatre, dance and music performances from around the world or curl up with a cup of tea and an ebook as you make the most of this unexpected time at home.
Have fun
Even though meeting up with friends and family might not be possible at the moment, there are still plenty of ways to stay connected online. Why not make the most of being in quarantine by getting creative and finding new ways to have fun together during your next meetup with a little help from the internet. Keep in shape with an online yoga or pilates class with Glo, join a virtual dance party with Daybreaker (don’t forget your glo sticks!) or give your brains a workout with one of the thrilling escape rooms at Escape Room The Game. With so many options on offer, all you need to make your next online event a success is a little imagination.
How we can help you host your event:
Although our spaces are temporarily closed and we’ll have to wait a little longer before we can help you host live events, all the team here at Native Spaces are firmly committed to helping our customers create opportunities to connect. Our mission has always been to make great events happen in unique spaces, and we will keep looking for solutions to allow you to host your next big event even if that means moving it online for now.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve put together a complete list of our technical partners and researched a complete range of new and exciting options which will enable us to offer our clients great virtual and hybrid events. To help you adjust your live event to a virtual format, we will be on hand to assist with everything from design to delivery and can help you choose a platform and the right applications, book service providers and more.
As always, your safety both on and offline is one of our top priorities, so we will have specialised antiviral cleaning services available before, during and after the event to keep your venue in 5-star condition. Plus we’ve made sure that all our spaces have high-speed connectivity so once you’re ready to start planning your event, we’ll be on hand to deliver a premium experience to you and your guests.
With our focus firmly on how to best adapt to the changing situation, we have also developed flexible purpose-adapted cancellation policies to ensure you feel comfortable and confident when planning your next event down the line. To learn more about our cancellation policies or to explore our unique range of event spaces across the French Riviera and beyond, simply click here for more information. To talk to us about your upcoming virtual or hybrid event, just get in touch here or on [email protected].