Hosting Your Virtual House-Warming Party
If you are one of the many new home-owners who have taken advantage of the UK’s Stamp Duty holiday this year and managed to bag your first/ dream home, congratulations!!
The fun of inviting your friends and family around for a house-warming party to celebrate your adulthood has likely been met with disappointment, with further Covid-19 announcements limiting visitors to your homes.
That’s why property experts at Emoov have put together tips on how you can create the best virtual house-warming party that will have your friends and family gushing over your new home from the comfort of their own.
What better way to introduce your virtual guests to your new home than doing an MTV Cribs style house-warming themed party? You could even do outfit changes throughout if you wanted to make that extra effort - and we all know you have a bunch of outfits you’ve been dying to wear all year. It’s the perfect chance to get ‘all dressed up with nowhere to go’ but your new living room.
We all got pretty bored of your standard zoom quizzes a few months ago, so a game of spotting hints around your home will add a new fun twist to your virtual house-warming. After your tour, you can ask guests questions about your new adobe, just to check they were really taking in all the little details - after all the effort you have put in decorating.
These virtual house-warming tips include online invites, to get your party guest excited in advance, as well as how to prepare a virtual tour and entertainment. Go on, give yourself a reason to smile!
Send a fancy invitation
First things first, you need a way to let your guests know when you are planning to host a ‘virtual house-warming’. Like in MTV Cribs, the producers will give themselves enough time in advance to plan their visit. So get yourself into the V.I.P mindset by being prepared.
Using online tools, you can create the perfect invite that sets the scene for your tour. Include a few sneaky previews of what to expect on your virtual house-warming party and send them directly to your invitees without having to leave the house.
Be as creative as you want! But, don’t forget to mention the important details like a date, time and what streaming platform it will be held on.
Prepare a theme
You want to make your house warming something to remember, so why not create a theme? As it’s nearly Christmas, put on your favourite festive jumper and warm up the mince pies to create that holiday atmosphere.
Or if you want to keep it classy, why not go for a black-tie theme and crack open your best bottle of fizz and favourite canopies. Famous boxer, Chris Eubank Jr’s luxurious, spotless house is an example featured on MTV Cribs. Remember that a tidy house is always welcoming.
The virtual tour
Essentially, the tour is the most important part, as you want to capture the best assets of the house for your guest’s enjoyment.
Firstly, plan what order you want to showcase your rooms in, ideally leave the best room until last for the grand finale. If you are hosting alongside either a partner, friend or family, you may want to choose one person to join the call with their phone to film the tour as you share your interior design tips and tricks.
Alternatively, if you are alone you can always take a pre-recorded video during the day to share to your guests during the call. If you want to go the extra mile, take a look at some of the quirky filming techniques and on-screen graphics from MTV Cribs to create some TV gold.
Entertainment
Entertainment is key for hosting a good party, and this is no exception online. The advantage of video calling platforms is they allow you to share your screen, which makes doing quizzes an easy entertainment option.
Instead of a bog-standard general knowledge quiz, why not change things up and make it personal by adding questions based on memories you have had. Not only does it add that humorous, personal touch but also reminds you of the good times shared.
If you want to push the boat out, try hosting an online cocktail making class. During lockdown, many high-street bars such as Revolution De Cuba and Dirty Martini held virtual classes to create a fun cocktail experience. This is also a perfect chance to showcase some of your brand new glassware.
Recreate those ‘extra’ celeb moments
Since the programme aired over 20 years ago, we have seen some of the worlds most iconic celebrities show off their inner diva. It’s your house warming and you are the star of the show, so why not step into that celebrity lifestyle for the day.
In 2002, MTV’s Cribs aired an episode with pop diva Mariah Carey and it was one of the stand-out moments of the series. Strutting around her showstopper apartment in New York, she created a number of memorable moments, like when she revealed her walk-in wardrobe.
Receive gifts safely
Traditionally, your family and friends will want to send you a gift as a celebration of your new home however due to current restrictions, physically delivering these aren’t advised.
By creating an online registry, you can create a wishlist for the types of gifts you may want or need for your new home. An online gift registry is a great, free tool you can use all-year-round for any occasion.
So instead of awkwardly hinting at what you want, your friends and family can access the list online and electronically indicate which gift they have purchased, leaving the remaining guests still to purchase.
Let us know if this helped to bring you some joy, homeowner!