Hong Kong is known for its extravagant parties. Every special event, be it your baby shower or your first-born’s first visit from the Tooth Fairy, has to be meticulously planned well in advance and perfectly executed, with each subsequent celebration upping the opulence factor.
But just who are the people who execute the whole thing? The ones who draw up the Excel sheets, keep all the plates spinning and take your vague notion about “something velvety” and transform it into an instant Instagram sensation, complete with designer drapes, embossed embonpoints and on-point petit-fours? Actually, there are hundreds of party planners in Hong Kong, all of whom will assure you that they are the ones to deliver an epic party. Five of them, however, make a more convincing case than most…
Little Miss Party
With a name as calculatedly cute as Little Miss Party, images of balloons, goodiebags and seven-year-old hostesses automatically spring to mind. Their actual offer, however, is a little more sophisticated, while what really sets them apart is their expertise in arranging themed parties. Typically, they steer well clear of mass events, preferring to focus on the more bespoke, boutique sort of get-together, events where every detail syncs perfectly with the overall theme.
According to Cynthia, co-founder of Little Miss Party, it’s all about intimacy and delivering the kind of personal touches that make clients feel an event is wholly their own. They also offer a range of add-on services, including calligraphy, invite printing and hair and makeup styling, making them a kind of one-stop-shop when it comes to party preparation. From tepee-themed slumber parties to safari-set birthday bashes, the team maintains that no request is considered too outré. They don’t even let inclement weather rain on your parade, with Cynthia saying: “We always have a contingency plan. No matter what the weather, we’ll always ensure any outdoor event is never a wash-out.”
(852)91252984, littlemisspartyhk@gmail.com
Fête
Fête – which almost means ‘party’ in French – see themselves as the go-to gurus in organising glamorous gala events. Having hobnobbed with such high-end haute couturists as Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel, they are well positioned to know exactly what’s full-on fashionable and what’s a faux pas waiting to happen. They maintain they remain a cut above the competition thanks to their willingness to go that extra mile – whether that entails creating bespoke 3D backdrops or pressganging a big-name celeb into making a personal appearance.
Explaining what made one of their more recent commissions – a yacht-set Harry Potter party – such a magical occasion, chief party planner Kim Williams-Waaijer said: “We sourced Harry Potter props, including Sorting Hat cupcakes, and organised an elaborate scavenger hunt all over Stanley, with the day ending with a serving of Butterbeer courtesy of Starbucks – all with a setup time of less than two hours.”
(852)51999743, planmyevent@fete-eventplanner.com
Tiara
With a royal name like Tiara, you could be forgiven for expecting to feel like the queen (or king) of all you survey when your Special Day comes around. Thankfully, that’s exactly what these particular party planners promise. While many other party planners claim to be capable of meeting just about any brief, Tiara looks only to super-serve the wedding crowd – think fairytale backdrops, fantastic floral arrangements and mesmerising multi-tiered cakes and you’ll pretty much get the picture. As part of their service, they take care of every aspect of your wedding, including the bride’s and groom’s attire, makeup, hair styling and entertainment, while also sourcing venues in such romantic locales as Bali, Phuket and Koh Samui.
The business’ success, of course, has been helped by the prominence of founder Karen Wang, who most recently planned the matrimonial mega-event that was the union of actress Jessica Jann and entrepreneur Kenneth King. Summing up Tiara’s approach, she says: “We try to do everything possible to make sure that, on that unique occasion when you and your partner are the bride and groom, you really can just relax.”
(852)28400401, info@tiara.hk
Party Planner
Although their name does necessarily reek of thinking outside-the-boxness, these particular event planners like to see themselves, first and foremost, as “idea creators”. Given the impressive array of past events in their portfolio – from bacchanalian bachelor’s nights, to wine-sampling soirees, product premieres and Christmas and Halloween hoe-downs – it is more than plausible that they can sculpt the perfect event no matter what the occasion. They also have such crowd-pleasers as popcorn machines and cotton candy machines for hire, so what’s not to like really? Senior project manager Rubens Lam, however, maintains the most important thing for them is discretion. Expanding upon this, he said: “We do a lot of tailormade private parties and most of them are for very popular persons, so we value our clients’ privacy above all and try to keep the events low profile yet unforgettable.”
(852)98741461, info@partyplanner.com.hk
Only Mine
In a city that’s obsessed with luxury, Only Mine claims to be the last word in high-end event planning. With a service offering that covers everything from venue decoration, RSVP arrangements and budget management to etiquette and security, they aim to ensure everything runs like clockwork on your day of days. Whether it’s intimate garden nuptials with 50 hand-picked guests or a mega bash where you weigh the invites rather than count them out, their experienced event planners team maintains they’re up for just about any challenge. As a testament to this, newlyweds Grace and MT who used their services for a destination wedding in Bali, said: “The Only Mine team were the most capable and committed wedding planners we could have hoped for.” So, there you have it.
(852)21857222, hello@onlymine.hk
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay