Special events need a different kind of planning than the "corporate events" we normally discuss. Special events can include:

• Significant birthday's
• Baby's Christening
• Wedding days
• Engagement parties
• Special days - for example Hallowe'en, Easter, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Mother's Day and a whole host of other special days we can choose to celebrate with family and friends.

Whilst we still need to organise the date, the venue, the guest list, the invitations and catering, we can be a little more creative with everything.

There are a million and one different kinds of themes one can pick to enhance any kind of party. I know of one family who threw a stone picking party, followed by a barbecue. They were planning on laying new turf and the area was a regular quarry - so, stone picking it was.

I also know of one couple who held their wedding day on Halloween and everyone and I do mean everyone was dressed appropriately. The food and the decor followed the theme and everyone had a ghost of a time.

I have personally held many a party themed "because we can". Because we can and because we had no particular reason to, other than we wanted to throw one. So a Teddy Bear's picnic and everyone had to bring a bear. A Children's party for adults complete with games and goody bags and a midnight feast - starting at midnight.

So if you are tired of holding the same kind of party or event and running them in the same way - be a little creative. Hire a strange venue, or borrow one if you know of anyone with somewhere weird and / or wonderful. Check the dates and see if you can't tie two different things together. You'd be amazed at the options once you start thinking about it.