During a quarantine, it’s become completely natural to miss the feeling of being together with friends and loved ones. In a time where we may miss a big celebratory occasion or simply hanging out with friends, there are fun and cheap online applications you can use to gather together. Zoom, Skype and Houseparty are useful platforms that can be used to throw the perfect virtual parties—even under the strictest self-isolation circumstances.
Making a Party Invitation
While word-of-mouth invitations have become a popular format to invite guests, e-invites — or email invitations, can ensure your guests know all the details of your upcoming party. Websites such as Canva, Vistaprint and GreenVelope are free and paperless invitation websites that can help you design creative party invitations in a matter of minutes.
Online party tips and checklist
Making a check list is vital because it keeps your party organized. It takes all your party components and puts it into one place. If you follow the guidelines on this list, your party will be perfect. Keep the list concise and easy to follow.
Interview with an Expert
Sandra from My Online Party sat down with us to answer some frequently asked questions about online parties.
"What exactly is an online party?"
Answer
An online party is a Zoom meeting where people from all over the world (or right next door!) can come together at a set time to celebrate a special occasion online. At MyOnlineParty.ca we send you a custom invitation to send to your friends so that they can RSVP and share special wishes and send in photos to be shared at the online party. This way, even if they aren’t able to attend, or are technically challenged, they can still participate in the event! Guests that attend the online party have an opportunity to give their wishes live during the event.
“What is your company's role in party planning?”
Answer
Online parties are all about party planning and having fun. We are involved in planning the whole party to make sure you have an enjoyable experience. Once someone signs up for a party, we work with them to finalize dates and details. We then provide them with a personalized invitation so their guests know where to RSVP. We collect the RSVPs and setup the party, presentation and activities. At the event, we host the event and take care of all technical issues as well as ensuring everything runs smoothly.
“What activities can you do for an online party?”
Answer
In addition to the customized slideshow of wishes, there are a variety of activities that you can do. Fun activities you can do are tell stories, watch movies, showcase a talent or play trivia. Events like birthday parties, family reunions and baby showers can include some additional activities like games. There are several game platforms online such as JackBox.tv, where you and your friends can play a number of games together on your phone.
“What's a good budget for an online party?”
Answer
It’s very easy to host your own online party for free. Depending on the number of people attending, may depend on the web conferencing tools you use. Some options to look into are WebEx, Zoom and Google Hangouts. Zoom’s free option is limited to a 40 minute party, however, the monthly fee for a paid account is $20/month and you can cancel at anytime. Now-a-days most laptops and mobile devices come with quite decent webcams and audio, but you may want to invest in a headset or using earphones you already have with a microphone to improve sound quality.