It all started on a chilly March evening in Kansas City. Two budding entrepreneurs launched an event planning business after months of planning and years of dreaming. The launch of Harper & James was meant to accomplish three things: gain social media awareness, tell the story of the business, and most importantly, create an exceptional experience for the guests. Every single detail and decision were tied to the event goals.

Whether you’re launching a company, throwing a dinner party or bringing your clients together for an educational and networking event, telling a story through the details can make all the difference. Here are three takeaways from our launch party:

Events don’t begin at the time listed on the invitation. They start the moment the first communication is delivered to the guest. From the overall look and feel to the way the invitation is extended – you’re building expectations and starting to tell the story of your event to your guests. Events also don’t end at the time listed on the invitation. By leveraging social media, you can continue to tell your story through photos and videos of the event, helping to broaden your reach and continue to tell your story for years to come.

Personal touches are everything. From specialized menu options honoring the namesakes of the business – a pie to represent Kristi’s grandfather and a margarita to represent Sara’s father – to custom, personalized name cards and menus – to custom acrylic signage and intentional floral and a tarot card reader for some extra fun – every single detail was thought out and tied back to the event goal of telling our story and showcasing our influences.

The guest experience. A goal of every event should be creating an exceptional experience for your guest. Whatever story you’re trying to tell, it should be considered through the lens of how your guests will experience and most importantly, enjoy it.