How to Organise a Hollywood Themed Party
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- Updated: 13th October 2023
You have one job: to make your guest of honour feel like a star. You don't have to compete with Katharine Hepburn or John Barrymore when you lean into the Old Hollywood aesthetic!
Hollywood is home to sprawling, high-end movie studios, where talented producers, directors, and stars work together to create some of the highest-grossing blockbuster films on earth. LaLaLand wasn't always the home of paparazzi and scandal, however. In the golden age of Hollywood, the city was synonymous with class, glamour, and a touch of the finer things in life.
If you're ready to throw a bash that combines the energy of celebrity culture, the artistry of filmmaking, and the glamour of bygone days, consider a Hollywood themed party! Any movie buff will adore experiencing celebrity treatment at an Old Hollywood gala thrown in their honour!
At Bands for Hire, we know how to transform any event space into a star-studded ode to class and charm, and we'd like to help make your Hollywood dreams a reality! Read on to discover our favourite Hollywood theme party ideas and throw a golden age bash for any elegant occasion.
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Iconic Images for Classic Decor
When you think of Hollywood, old or new, a few distinct images will come to mind. From the scenery to the traditions, gilded Los Angeles features endless signs and symbols that spark the imagination. You can evoke the star-studded world of the world's first movie stars by incorporating this iconography into your decor, creating charming photo opportunities that delight every guest.
A Classic Red Carpet
What could be more Hollywood than arriving and immediately coming face-to-face with a step-and-repeat? No symbol is more iconic than Hollywood's famous red carpet. Movie stars walk in front of a sponsor-filled backdrop where paparazzi photograph them and beg for interviews.
While you can't arrange for a mob of star-struck fans, you can create a step-and-repeat backdrop featuring made-up sponsors representative of your guest of honour. Hire a photographer to capture everyone's walk along the red carpet as they arrive. You can even encourage every guest to sign an "autograph book," which will become a fun gift for the guest of honour after the event.
For a Hollywood glamour theme, skip the mock sponsors and hang some gorgeous draped fabric instead. Guests will still feel like stars, but without the contemporary commercial look. You might even take their photos in black and white or sepia for a vintage aesthetic!
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a LaLaLand institution! If you visit Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, you'll notice that the sidewalks are a bit unique. They feature gold and coral stars, each labelled with a celebrity's name and an icon representing their contribution to popular culture.
You can include Hollywood star imagery throughout your event, from the table numbers to the decor. You might even hold a mock induction ceremony for your guest of honour!
The Forecourt of Stars
Near the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, there is another local institution. Apocryphally, in 1927, silent film star Norma Talmadge stumbled and left a footprint in wet cement outside the theatre. The management saw it as a feature rather than a flaw and began inviting celebrities to make their mark on the famous forecourt of stars.
You can stage a photo opportunity by creating a square of concrete with a set of hand or footprints already there. Have guests pose as if they're making their mark at the famous theatre! You might create a backdrop or use green screen technology to place an image of the distinctive Chinese theatre behind your guests during their big photo op!
Likewise, get crafty and allow your guest of honour to create a real casting of their hands during a special ceremony at the party! Invite other guests to "sign" the slab using a dowel. It will be a permanent souvenir from a fantastic Hollywood party!
The Hollywood Sign
You can't forget one of the world's most distinctive monuments: the famous Hollywood sign! Massive letters spelling out H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D sit high up in Mt. Lee, declaring to the world that you've arrived in the land of stars! A local sign rental company can help you replicate the look of the sign so that guests can pose for photos or dance the night away in front of the landmark.
Likewise, you might consider projecting an image of the iconic sign onto a wall so your venue will feel like it's nestled below the hills. Either way, incorporating this imagery will ensure that everyone in attendance is aware of your star-studded theme!
The Music of the Stars
There are two traditional ways to go about exploring the Hollywood party theme. You might choose a contemporary take on larger-than-life film and paparazzi culture or a more subdued Old Hollywood theme party. You can declare your intended tone immediately when you hire a band to set the tone!
The Sound of Old Hollywood
The first movie studio appeared in Hollywood in 1911, transforming the dusty American West Coast into a world of art, glamour, magic, and excess. When we think of "Old Hollywood," we're referring to the period between 1930 and 1960. That period was the dawn of films with sound, including synchronised dialogue and musicals with pre-recorded soundtracks.
Thus, we have the resources to listen in on the distinctive sounds of this dynamic era. Live music was still the thing at parties and events, however. As the film industry became a lucrative venture, hiring musicians was a way for producers, directors, filmmakers, and stars to show off their wealth!
You might evoke Old Hollywood at your event by choosing a small ensemble or soloist to play during your guests' arrival. Perhaps a string quartet can accompany their time on the red carpet? They can play the music from the era, helping to orient your guests in time.
If you're planning a cocktail hour, continue to build ambience using sound. A solo harpist suggests elegance and will make your guests feel like stars as they sip on their classic cocktails.
For a true Hollywood blowout, you'll also need to provide a larger ensemble to encourage dancing through the night! True Hollywood elites would have enjoyed a night of big band music. You can emulate the sound by bringing in a swing band to play a mix of classic and contemporary hits to keep guests on their feet!
The Sound of Contemporary Hollywood
Sometimes a Hollywood themed party will begin as a classy, classic homage to old Hollywood and slowly transition into a more contemporary celebration! Others choose to lean into the modern-day Hollywood theme from the start! Rather than gowns and glamour, they choose today's stars, celebrity culture, and a Top 40 playlist!
If you're looking for the hottest Hollywood hits of the twenty-first century, a function band can provide you with the sound you need! A pop-rock cover band will play a danceable playlist featuring all the hottest tunes. A live band will always add a sense of vibrancy and dynamism to your event.
If you're looking to create the feel of a Hollywood club or afterparty, you can also bring in a DJ! A professional DJ can read the room and create a vibe that matches the moment's energy. If you'd like, your DJ can jump on the mic and sprinkle some "celebrity sightings" throughout the evening to make guests feel like they're rubbing elbows with movie stars!
Dress Like a Movie Star
With so many brilliant photo opportunities, you'll want to be sure that your guests come dressed for the occasion! If you'll be attempting an Old Hollywood theme, either encourage guests to dress in a formal style or emulate a vintage look. As long as they embrace their finest suits and gowns, they'll be the perfect match for the elegant atmosphere and won't feel out of place!
If you're setting up specific photo opportunities or including a photo booth, you can provide a few classy props yourself! Consider gathering the following for a goofy but glamorous Old Hollywood photo op:
- Feather boas
- Vintage hats
- Opera gloves
- Tiny handbags
- Checked or patterned blazers
- Fedoras
- Bowties
- Vintage timepieces or pocket watches
- Suspenders
- Strings of pearls
- Fur stoles
- Jewelled tiaras
- Cigarette holders
Another creative photo prop is a director's clapboard with the details of the party written on it. Your photo booth can even centre a director's chair. Both make fun parting gifts for a film-loving guest of honour!
A Taste of the Movies
You can evoke Old Hollywood at mealtime by setting a classy table complete with glamorous tablecloths, real glass dinnerware, and sleek stemware. Any touch of elegance will serve your theme.
When crafting a menu, think about what sort of fare would suit the stars. Begin with some hors d'oeuvres, including tiny nibbles of fancy old-world dishes. Start guests off with some of the following:
- Crudite with dipping sauce
- Shrimp cocktail
- Oysters
- Crostini or bruschetta
- Finger sandwiches or canapes
- Mini quiche
- Deviled eggs
For the main course, think rich and decadent! A multi-course meal will make any guest feel like a movie star! Include a soup course, salad course, pasta course, main dish, and a luxurious dessert!
A Midnight Snack
If your guests are dancing and mingling late into the evening, you might want to include a midnight snack to keep everyone awake! Nothing says "Hollywood" like the sensory explosion of freshly popped popcorn. Rent a popcorn machine and provide vintage-inspired popcorn boxes so guests can snack the night away.
You can incorporate other cinema snacks, too! Offer guests a concessions-like selection of snacks and sweets, from pork scratchings to jelly babies. You might even end the night by projecting an old Hollywood film on the wall or the side of a building to help guests wind down for the evening.
A Classy Nightcap
No Hollywood theme party would be complete without a few classic cocktails that evoke the golden age of cinema! Consider offering some vintage drinks that were a hit when Greta Garbo and Cary Grant were en vogue.
Some of the most popular drinks from Old Hollywood include:
- Whiskey sours
- Classic martinis
- Knickerbockers
- Pink Ladies
- Stingers
- Scotch Mists
- Sazeracs
- Mulled Wine
- French 75s
Even if you offer a more conventional drink menu, you can elevate your offerings by serving it in upscale stemware or drinkware. The right glass can make anyone feel like a film legend!
And the Award Goes To...
Once your guests have a few of those classic cocktails in them, you might want to gather them for a game! The perfect activity for a Hollywood themed party is a trivia game. It's a great way to discover what your guests know about film history in the past and present.
Offer a range of questions so that everyone has a shot at scoring some points. Questions might be about award-winning films, celebrity trivia, movie quotes, or shooting locations. For the perfect prizes, offer replica Oscars trophies!
You can also stage your own awards show right at the party! It's the perfect activity for intimate celebrations where most guests know each other, such as an office party.
As attendees arrive, have them nominate their fellow guests for a series of superlatives and tally up the results while they're on the dance floor. Later in the evening, present the results in an awards-show format. Provide ample time for winners to give an acceptance speech, Oscars-style!
If you hire a live band, they can even add a musical touch to your awards presentation!
The Classiest Hollywood Themed Party Ideas
Movie magic is about creating the illusion of a heightened reality for the enjoyment of spectators. Throwing a Hollywood themed party is just like making a blockbuster film! With the perfect dress code, music, menu, and activities, your guests will forget they aren't actually movie stars!
Bringing a few genuine shining stars to your event can help bring it to the next level! A string quartet, harpist, swing band, function band, or DJ from Bands for Hire will add the ambience you need to capture everyone's imagination. Contact us today to book a band for your classy bash!
