We’ve all finally accepted it’s 2019 (January is a write-off for everyone, it’s a fact) and you know what new years mean? It means new and hitherto unforeseen exciting trends in the events industry, of course!

Whether you’re a party planner, a venue manager, or you just fancy throwing yourself a real big shindig in 2019, we’ve put together some of the event trends you’ll be seeing a lot of this year, and the ones you’ll want to include in your own upcoming soirées.

So, check it out – here’s our list of the top 10 trends for events in 2019:

1) Get immersive

These days, we’re all about taking people on a ‘journey’. Whether it’s simply through storytelling, alternative setting or décor, or getting well and truly immersed in your event, people just love an engaging experience that lets them escape from the reality of their day to day lives.

It could be creating a new reality through the magic of set design in a blank canvas venue, or the fun of a themed venue like Moonshine Saloon. One of our favourite events of 2018 was run by the infamous Gingerline – London’s incredible and utterly barmy supper club where you get immersed into a secret world of things-that-cannot-be-mentioned-in-a-company-blog. What we can say is that it’s definitely worth going to if you manage to get your hands on some tickets.

If you’re not planning an event that is quite so immersive, being active and incorporating activities are very much still up there in what’s hot for 2019. From date night ideas to corporate away days or celebrations in London (and everything in between), ping pong bars, crazy golf clubs, shuffle boards, and interactive dartboards are popping up all over the city, and we bloody love it.

2) Health and wellness progress

Now, we don’t think this one’s going to shock you. Health and wellness have become more and more of a focus over the years. The events industry is going crazy for fitness classes, talks about nutrition, and launching yummy but oh-so-good-for-you foods. Everyone wants to be in the health and wellbeing bubble, or even to break out of that bubble with something entirely new and alternative.

These kinds of live experiences or topics are what’s hot, so keep your eyes peeled and unroll those mats for all those yoga pop-ups in London especially.

3) Vegan eats

Speaking of food, we should probably address the major food trend of… you guessed it: veganism. It’s all the rage, and it doesn’t matter if your guests are vegan or not. Recent studies show that people are more likely than ever to opt for a vegan or vegetarian option, even if they’re not anti-meat.

It’s hard to tell whether this is down to people going crazy for eye-opening documentaries like Cowspiracy or just because the vegan trend has got so big, we’re putting more and more time into finding absolutely delicious recipes. Either way, it’s cool with us and it’s cool with the cows.

4) Smart and sustainable

Another big one for this year is sustainability. We’re talking becoming more eco-savvy when it comes to planning and organising events, keeping that carbon footprint low and those attendee-smiles high!

We’ve spoken about how to plan a sustainable event before, and it covers things like waste management, sourcing local produce, reducing transport fees with a good location, and maybe opting for digital invites over the old school paper copies too.

5) Ramp up recycling

Food waste is a problem that events have been trying to tackle for many years. Just think about all those weddings you’ve been to; how many times can you truly say you’ve seen every plate and every slice of wedding cake polished off? Yeah, us too.

It’s not just weddings though. Whatever the event, catering for big numbers can mean a lot of food waste, but it’s 2019’s mission to reduce that. Through efficient planning and partnerships with food donation programmes the industry can help reduce what’s being chucked away.

6) For the ‘Gram

Ah, Instagram. Where would we be without it? It’s a big factor of day to day life for many of us, and that’s why it’s such a huge part of event marketing. But how can you make sure your event will go down a success on Instagram? How can you guarantee that people will be speaking about the event across the infamous social media platform?

Well, you’ve got to do it for the ‘Gram. There’s a long list of event features that encourage clicking on the app, making people add to their feed or story to share to all their followers. It’s not exactly word of mouth, but it’s close enough. In fact, it’s probably more efficient: Instagram is quicker at getting the word out to more people, it can include your own branded hashtag, and you can put on a neat location tag too. Ace.

From flower walls to neon lighting, homemade cocktails to dishes far more Instagramable than your average Thursday night dinner, to spots that would make a great addition to #ihavethisthingwithfloors or #accidentallywesanderson, it’s not as hard to ‘do it for the ‘Gram’ as you think.

7) Place to party and a place to stay

Everyone wants to make their life as easy as possible, and event planners are more often looking for venues with accommodation, or at least accommodation nearby. Depending on the type of event you’re planning, it can be difficult for people to make their way home – whether the event has a late finish, or it’s down to its location. That’s why it’s a good idea to provide an accommodation option for attendees.

Just because you’re combining a place to party with a place to stay, doesn’t mean you have to skimp on style. I mean, look at Wildside and Ferus at Savage Garden! It’s an absolutely stunning venue for all sorts of events, and with hotel rooms not so far away.

8) Gettin’ digi with it

The growth of digital is non-stop everywhere you look, and the events industry is no exception. Events commonly feature live internet streaming with the latest video and camera technology, allowing key note speakers to contribute from across the globe (and saving on travel costs, natch).

If you’re planning an awe-inspiring conference or large meeting, live streaming should definitely be on the menu. Send a link out to everyone invited and this way you’re able to get the listening ears of far more attendees, including those unable to travel or unable to attend the event. Bonus.

9) Festival feeling

Particularly with summer parties and summer events, ‘festivalisation’ is a thing. A real, actual thing. We’re not just saving the festival vibe for the likes of Glastonbury anymore. As soon as the sun hits (or slightly clouded sun with a hint of rain, thanks London), we suddenly want to go all out on the cocktails, live music, rooftop venues and … flowers in our hair, maybe?

Incorporate this with your summer party and you’re sure to succeed. Think about the best bits of festival culture and include it in your event for your guests to enjoy and engage in (and post about!) – it’ll easily make it more than just your average party, conference or networking event.

10) Conclusion? Be unique

Being unique is the way forward. Find the most obscure and alternative venues in London for your event, to create something new, fresh and memorable.