How to Wow Guests and Leave Them Feeling Like VIPs

A Top Event Planner Shares Her Secrets

Ivy Robinson of Ivy Robinson Events  gets to know her clients on a personal level, so the events she plans feel completely customized. When she takes on a new assignment, she begins by getting to know her clients' personalities, likes, and—just as importantly—dislikes. She asks what foods they love (and hate) and what colors they gravitate to (and avoid).

Anyone who aspires to be a good host can learn a lot from one of the region's most sought-after event designers. I set out to do just that.

"I like to stimulate all the senses," she told me. Your guests should hear music, touch the linens and notice the texture, taste deliciousness, smell something sweet or savory, and see beautiful things everywhere."

"I never want a lull," she added. "You've got to keep the energy up. We may change the lighting every 30 minutes or so. It doesn't have to be drastic – just a subtle shift from soft pink to a darker pink is enough."

For some wedding receptions, she has hired a watercolor artist to paint quick sketches of guests. They'll take Polaroids of guests as they arrive and then paint throughout the reception—something guests enjoy watching. The paintings then become party favors at the end of the night.

Ivy never wants her clients to be surprised, but it's nice for guests to see something unexpected. At one wedding reception she designed—where the groom was originally from Vietnam—guests were treated to a surprise performance involving giant custom-made dragons. It was a clever nod to his heritage and something that left guests buzzing at the end of the night.  

Many guests witnessed the famous "Vietnamese dragon dance" for the first time. The performance, which is a blessing for happiness and purging of evil spirits, is seen on many special occasions in Vietnamese culture.

Last summer, Ivy hosted her own event and gave guests the surprise of their lives. She invited 16 guests – all family – to her then-fiancé's 60th birthday. After lakeside fun all afternoon, Ivy and her long-time beau surprised everyone by announcing they were getting married. Right then and there. A birthday party that morphed into a wedding – no one will ever forget that.

No idea too big

Perhaps best known as a wedding planner, Ivy does much more than orchestrate "I do's." Corporate clients nationwide hire her firm to impress their customers, stakeholders, and prospects.

There's virtually nothing she and her team can't do—if the client has the appropriate budget.

"If you want to host an elegant dinner in the middle of a field, we'll make it happen," she said. "But we'll need to bring in generators and a water source – and that costs money."

That's not a hypothetical. One client hired Ivy to create a pop-up speakeasy in a remote, wooded spot. Because there were no roads, Ivy hired a construction crew to create temporary passageways and then shuttled guests to the party site.

Everyone loves a present

Ivy's goal is to make each guest feel special regardless of the client or audience.

One way to do that is with a welcome gift for out-of-town guests.

At a recent event in Wilmington, North Carolina, guests got a welcome basket when they checked into the hotel. Those baskets were packed with local products – cookies, snack mix, even craft beers – to give guests a literal taste of the coastal city they were visiting. Ivy even bought locally made mini-pound cakes and fresh strawberries at a farmers market for a hyper-local treat. 

Another tried-and-true method: party favors.

But Ivy cautions that it should be something special, not just another tchotchke. So, make the favor memorable (which doesn't have to mean expensive), or forgo the idea.

Take it from a pro

Here are a few tips I picked up from our conversation:

• "Establish a vibe from the beginning and carry it through," Ivy said. "It starts with the invitation or even before – with a save-the-date card. The invitation's colors, font, and design elements should be repeated at the event itself."

• Put up barriers if there are certain parts of your house you want off-limits. A ribbon strung at the entrance to a staircase or a room is sufficient. Or a funny homemade sign – if that's your style – is another route.

• Have hand towels and a candle burning in the powder room.

• "Don't let social media dictate your event," Ivy cautioned. It's easy to get seduced by beautiful images on Instagram, but some of those parties you admire may be cost-prohibitive.

• And, if you hire an event planner, don't insist they create an event identical to the one you saw on Instagram. "The best events happen when clients trust us," Ivy said.

• She also advised: "Don't do what everyone else is doing. Be original."

I asked about what people often overlook when entertaining at home. Her responses were enlightening:

• Underestimating the amount of time it'll take to prepare – and clean up.

• Not getting help. "You can't enjoy your own event if you're working the whole time," she said.

• "People forget about ice," according to Ivy. "If you're entertaining a big group, your freezer's icemaker won't generate enough. You'll need to buy bags of ice in advance."

• Not having a parking plan. It's always nice to alert the neighbors if you're expecting a crowd.

• Not having a plan for your pets. "Send them to a sitter," Robinson advises. "I love animals, but there's a risk in having them roam around a party. Guests may feed them – even overfeed them – and you could end up with a sick dog or cat in the middle of your event. It's generally not a good idea to lock them in your bedroom or laundry room, either. You'll be worried about them instead of enjoying yourself. And your guests may be allergic."

The last thing you want to see is a guest wheezing and making an early exit because they're allergic to your pet. Gracious entertaining is really about treating people as you want to be treated.

And, of course, great food, a lively bar, gorgeous florals, and stellar entertainment never hurt.