How to make an event Instagrammable

Last weekend, I attended ArtsWorcester’s Studio 54 themed discotheque at the Printer’s Building. The event functioned on two planes. Aside from being a kick-ass dance party with excellent music, the layout was cleverly designed for content creation.

Guests were greeted on a red carpet by a sassy doorperson wielding a velvet rope. We fawned over one another’s costumes while waiting in line to snap photos on an iridescent swing. The disco room glittered like a miraculous capsule of holographic FLEXcon. A shadowy recording studio at the end of the hall pulsed with the beats of the William Thompson Funk Experiment. This bash was built for photos.

I feel fortunate that my social calendar fills up fast these days. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that the persistent invites are not on account of my bank account or my charisma. Even in a shifting media landscape, people like to see their names in the newspaper. That’s where I come in. Take it from Andy Warhol: “Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.”

I arrive at most events aiming to get a requisite picture out of the way. Sometimes I’m hoping to snap an image to run alongside my column, but other times it’s just for my own feed or story. Social media dopamine is real. I’ve come to especially appreciate events designed for ease of photography.

Here are a few tips to make your next gala, ball, fundraising dinner, silent auction, or meat raffle more attractive in the digital age:

Interactive Props

I’m talking more than top hats and oversized sunglasses in a photo booth. Give your guests something to do. Establish an “activation” site where they can engage in a hands-on experiential activity. For example, there was someone pumping their legs on the swing at ArtsWorcester every single moment of the night. I also enjoy live animals, edgy crafts, planetariums and garnishing my own cocktail with wildflowers I picked myself. Just a few ideas.

Tastemakers

You don’t need Anna Wintour in your Rolodex to get people to your party. Think local. Worcester’s own Mal E. Fishn't hand-delivered my invitation in full drag and I immediately marked my calendar. Whose ethos will resonate with the people you are hoping to attend? Likewise, who doesn’t mind having their photo taken with your guests to help incite FOMO across the interweb?

Step and Repeat

You’ve seen step and repeats before. They’re the publicity backdrops with sponsor logos printed in a repetitive pattern. Every red carpet has one. If you’re not ready to hire a live elephant or allow guests to tag the walls with spray paint, a step and repeat is literally the least you can do to encourage a few photos.

Lighting

I cannot stress this enough: Dark corners are great for intimate gatherings but terrible for content. Elect a designated area, maybe your activation location, and pump up the rays. Invest in a ring light for $30 to create even illumination across your guests’ faces. Uplight the dance floor. Project iconic videos on an otherwise barren wall. Create a bright spot where guests will want to capture the night, and I promise the world outside will take notice.