Tips For Throwing A Casino Themed Party

Whether it’s a standalone event or birthday party, or even a hen or stag night, a casino-themed soirée offers an evening of glamour, celebration and fun. Recreate a classic casino atmosphere or go all out with a Vegas-style party!

You’ll need more than a deck of cards and a pack of casino chips for a truly authentic experience, however. An unforgettable night at your “DIY casino” will need a dress code, good food and drinks, a buzzing atmosphere, and of course, casino games!

Get ready to host the ultimate casino-themed party with our top tips.

Choose the theme

There are a variety of themes to choose from when planning your party. Whether you’d like to keep things simple and classic or be a touch more specific, is up to you. The party theme not only lets guests know what to expect and how to dress, it also helps you choose your decor, music, and entertainment, as well as create the overall atmosphere of the evening.

Fun themes to consider include:

• Las Vegas – In the mood for a rowdy “What happens in Vegas…”-style party? The Las Vegas theme offers guests the chance to let loose and have some serious fun. Think neon lights, performers, and live music. Slinky black dresses, sequins galore, high heels and suits will set the tone for the evening, too.
• James Bond – For a sophisticated evening of caviar and oysters, tuxedos and gowns, and of course, baccarat, a Bond theme should do the trick. And remember – drinks are to be shaken, not stirred.
• Mardi Gras – For an all-out party, complete with masquerade masks, colourful feathers, beads, glitter, and glitz, Mardi Gras is the way to go. Extravagant costumes will be a feature of this event, along with traditional foods such as jambalaya, crab and shrimp starters and crawfish bread (just don’t forget the Bloody Marys). Entertainment that would tie into the theme could include performance artists such as fire breathers, jugglers, and magicians.
• Monte Carlo – Roll out the red carpet and have your guests don their best black-tie attire as you plan for an evening of opulence and elegance, Monte Carlo-style. For one night only, you and your guests could get a taste of the luxury and grandeur of the gambling destination that’s known as the “millionaire’s playground”. This party should pull out all the stops.
• Roaring Twenties – The Roaring Twenties (a whole century ago now!) were fabulously sensual and electric – and people looked incredible in the fashions of the day. This is the ideal party theme for an evening of dressing up, dancing and maybe the odd cigar.

Send the invites

The party should start before the party starts, so make sure your invitations “WOW” your guests, and get them excited as they gear up for the event. Invitations are the guests’ introduction to your event, and will set the mood and tone before the party even begins!

Whether you choose to send an invite via email or deliver the invites to your guests' homes (you could even hire a butler to do this, to add some flair), is up to you. Just make sure the invite is beautifully designed (you can hire a graphic designer for this, get a techy friend to help you, or buy a template off the internet), and contains all the relevant information.

Most importantly, the invite should announce the dress code (and colour scheme, if there is one). There’s a reason costume parties are so popular, and dressing up for a special occasion makes the occasion just that! The dress code will reflect the theme of the party and will help set the scene and get everyone involved and buzzing.

Set the scene

Once your invites have been sent and the date has been confirmed, it’s time to start preparing for the actual event. What makes casinos such an incredible experience is that it’s like stepping into a whole new world. The lights, setting and ambience transport gamblers to a world filled with possibility and some light-hearted fun.

So roll out the red carpet, add a velvet rope and a spotlight, hire a photographer and offer your guests a grand night at your very own casino.

Decor

This is where you transform your chosen venue from an empty hall or living room into a setting that will immerse your guests in the theme and bring your vision to life. While it might take a bit of planning and effort on your part, the results will be fantastic, and you’ll love watching your guests’ jaws drop as you welcome them.

You’ll want to consider things like lighting, decor and props, colour scheme, and layout. Decorate and plan according to your theme – you’ll get to choose whether you want to go with playful props such as giant playing cards and dice or keep things more subtle by recreating an actual casino environment with an elegant layout and tasteful finishes. You could also go for a specific colour scheme, which will help bring everything together – the classic casino colours being a mix of red, black, and white, with a touch of green and gold.

Snacks

While tortilla chips and dips may be the staple of an average house party, for an authentic casino theme, you’ll want to go the extra mile. Vegas’ casinos are known for their incredible buffets and stylish drink options. Consider a variety of hors d’oeuvres plus some elegant finger foods such as tartlets, sliders, pastries and tapas.

Hiring a cocktail waitress or two, as well as a bartender will also allow you to take the night off and have a smashing evening with your friends, but obviously this depends on your budget.

Music

One of the essential elements of any party is, of course, the music – it creates the atmosphere and sets the tone of the evening. Your choice will be dependent on the theme – pop for a Vegas-style party, and jazz and swing for a 1920s-themed party, for example. However, a good blend will go down well with guests, so throw in some classics, a bit of elegant jazz, and songs that revolve around gambling like Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” and The Rolling Stones’ “Casino Boogie”.

Here you also have the option of creating your own playlist, hiring a DJ who will play to your theme or hiring some live musicians such as a jazz band. Just make sure the sound system’s up to scratch.

Games and entertainment

While casino decor is great, your guests did not go through all the effort of dressing up just to play Go Fish! We don’t imagine anyone has a roulette wheel lying around, however, which is where renting comes in handy. These days, it’s easy to rent proper casino equipment, from wheels to chips, and you can even hire actual croupiers and professional dealers for the evening. It all depends on how far you want to push the theme and how much you’re willing to spend. At the very least, try to have a few fun casino games at the ready, such as poker, blackjack, and bingo. Your tables should have all the necessary accessories for guests to enjoy.

However, real casinos not only have casino games, they also have other forms of entertainment and great service. Some form of live entertainment would take your party to the next level and make it an incredible night to remember. Whether you hire a DJ or live musicians, or have a magician or dancers, your guests are sure to appreciate the extra effort.

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