Photographers
Contacted 4 photographers – only two available – HT-£170 – MN-£125
MN did Johns fashion show – got some fairly good photos
Maybe mention to HT that we’ve got a lower offer? Last year HT was £150
All say MN sounds good
Also Beamish throw in a photographer – does ones that he then sells online, but we still want our own guy as well
MN is agreed
Little Ents
Looked what fits theme – candy floss and candy stand – candy girls? Also have magician and caricaturist – candy girls are kinda like shot girls but with sweets – if they were pink they could be flamingos – also photobooth obviously – they have live sculptures as well, lots of different ones, some stand at the entrance and hold a gate? Or hold the table plan? Have croquet sets, massive chess.
Will check with croquet whether putting stuff into the ground loses deposit, but could have indoor croquet
So the main ideas: sweet cart, candy floss, candy girls, magician, chess pieces, photo booth, singing waiter improv people
We’ve had combined package of photo booth and sweets before and could get better deals with all from Dusk till Dawn (DtD)
Go in wanting candy floss, if they throw in popcorn cheaper then do that – do we want sweet trolley as well? We have an area for candy floss – basically have the entire ground floor, a big room and a small room with a bit in between, which could have candy floss etc in it. We want a proper photobooth overall
Big Ent
Ocean Beach Pleasure Park – £250 for tea cups – sounds super low
Could get the tea cups from these guys and another big one from dusk til dawn? How many do we want? Maybe want lots of small things rather than few big things
Other idea: helter skelter – DtD have a proper one – they also have one called a Star Fire that sounds cool – Helter skelter could have a sign that says time to go down the rabbit hole
To do: AL: contact ocean beach people, MM: contact DtD with all the small ents and helter skelter.
Decorations
Beamish have “beamish extras” – do lots of props and decs – could be expensive – if we want anything hanging from the ceiling, beamish extras have to do it – have alice in wonderland stuff from already sorted
Maybe talk to art soc about whether they’d be up for doing anything. They want to do designed table plan and menus etc – HJ can do
Music
Kinky jeffs are good – also this thing that are like mini DU big band – Chronotic Brass – but they don’t have a singer? Something different and new
Funk and jazz, the classics, people will dance to it anyway – they’ve done june ball, champagne and lion in winter ball so they’re good. Also for walking in, then we could have them do a small set, and maybe cheaper for the whole night – or string quartet?
People seem to think string quartet – but the one we know is Cuth’s, final years, maybe won’t want to do it
Coaches
Coaches – contacted four companies, varying prices – durham city £2200, lees £2100, a rogue one quotes 800 – what’s the catch? UK Coach Hire. Didn’t mention more than one journey out
So people would be picked up at 6, arrive 6.30, dinner at 7.30, and ents pick up at 9? And they’ll have a reception too
Last year was 1125 or something
Compass Royston – cheapest one recommended by Prez Comm
Other
SJA sorted – MT is doing security – AL and MM doing ents – centrepieces – see what production company can do, and just try and match it to the theme as much as possible – definitely use drink me and eat me in decorations – maybe playing card notecards of some sort?