What’s better than cruising along Florida’s beautiful blue waters, with plenty of refreshments and entertainment at hand?
Regarding social entertainment, not much.
Even the fact that you’re on the water is magical, and enjoying that magic with great people is even better.
So when it comes to your boat party, plan wisely. While people are bound to have fun anyway, there are ways to avoid disappointment and make sure all guests remember this event.
If you’re interested to learn more, keep reading.
We’ll let you know about five common boat party planning mistakes. We’ll tell you how to avoid them, what to do instead, and maybe even inspire you to finally find some boats for parties!
1. Choosing the Wrong Boat
For something as exciting as a boat party, it’s tempting to decide that any boat will do. But the boat itself is the whole thing! The layout and the amenities are all important for several important reasons.
First, you want to make sure that the boat’s size is practical enough for your guests. You can always decorate a boat to your liking, but making sure that it’s roomy for your guests is very important. They’ll want plenty of room to wander, dance, and socialize.
Also, keep in mind what sort of company you’re entertaining. If this is a family reunion, then you might want a boat with a karaoke system, a small stage for entertainment, and plenty of leg space.
But if this a 16-hour rager, you’re going to need the works — an on-site bartender, plenty of booze, almost unlimited catering. Understand your party before you understand the types of boats you’re considering for your party.
2. Starting Too Late
If there’s enough to do at your boat party, then it’s a party that’s worth experiencing all day. Go ahead, start the party while the sun seems like it’s never going to go down! Not only will you not have to pull out the nightlights, but your party-planning efforts will be enjoyed for much longer.
After all, there will be many activities for guests to participate in, whether that be from their or your own making. Give your guests plenty of time to make friends! From then on, your party will provide plenty of opportunities for them to bond.
Drinks, dancing, events, games — let your party be an unforgettable riot. If you’re planning boat parties, it’s best to culminate the exhaustion of your planning efforts with a drink from the caterer you chose.
3. Incomplete Indoor Setup
Sure, it’s a boat party, but there are plenty of reasons why people would want entertainment indoors too. Unless there’s a good reason to, make use of every piece of space that boat offers. That includes whatever rooms are indoors too.
Provided you’ve got the budget and time for it, apply your creativity indoors. Even if you don’t want to take attention away from the outdoor area, there are plenty of ways to incorporate indoor entertainment without overshadowing the main events outside.
At the very least, make the indoor space just as usable as a party space as the outdoor area. Not only will this take spontaneous inclement weather into account, but it will also provide relief as partygoers take a break from the chaos outside.
4. Mediocre Catering
Although you may believe inebriation and colorful drinks will stunt hunger, they won’t. In fact, they may get even hungrier. Besides, even if their standards get a little lower, that’s no reason to provide average meals to your guests.
Since you’ll want to keep them at the party for as long as you can, you don’t want them to leave for good when it’s dinnertime. Keep them around with a great menu.
But it’s not just about serving them at dinnertime. Most likely, you’ll need food all day. Partygoers aren’t going to be disciplined enough to wait until their allotted mealtimes to eat.
So provide plenty of food for all-day party endeavors. Whatever you think you’ll need, you’ll want to provide an overestimation of it. Otherwise, your guests might skimp early during the hour or so the boat spends waiting for pizza.
5. Sloppy Guest List
Tensions run high when it comes to the fear of missing out. Although a lack of invite could be a simple oversight, those affected by it could get very offended. If so, the host experiences a bit of social collateral.
When it comes to your guest list, check it twice, three times, then four more times. Did you invite everyone you wanted to invite? Does everyone on the list belong on it?
Understand what the purpose of your party is. Even if your aim is just to make great memories, your guest list might make or break that victory. You may not be able to spend time with every party guest, but it’s important that everyone meshes well together and creates positive chemistry.
Don’t Put Your Boat Party Planning on the Rocks!
Boat parties are great ways to get people to bond. Ultimately, they unify their guests, who share the memory of this one beautiful seabound event — something they don’t share with other people.
At Lagerhead Cycleboats, we know better than anyone else how much fun you can have on a boat. Since we wanted to share that joy with everyone, we are a great boat rental service for those wishing to complete their boat party planning with a bang. If that sounds like you, come on over and check us out!