Whether you are hosting an internal corporate award ceremony or focusing on celebrating the industry, both are fantastic opportunities to get everyone together to express gratitude for their hard work and dedication.
Writing a brief for the event
Before you dive in, start with a clear event brief. Having a detailed brief will give you a plan of action and helps ensure you’re on brand by maintaining the company or industry values.
A helpful brief will include details on:
- Target audience
- Objectives
- Event details
- Key messages
- Budget
- End goal -such as boosting team morale or raising money for a good cause
Setting your award ceremony budget
Setting and sticking to your budget is important for any event. When you’re organising your budget, consider whether it will be ticketed or free to attend. If tickets will need to be purchased, you can consider anticipated revenue when creating your budget. Don't forget you'll also need to budget for staff to check tickets and guest lists at the entrance.
Things to remember:
- Consider if your event is ticketed or free
- Don’t forget essentials: venue, catering, decor, entertainment, AV, and VIPs
- Allocate for staff to manage guest lists and tickets
Choosing the judges
Choosing the right judges makes a huge impact on your event, you want to choose a selection of well-known people in your industry, all whilst staying within your budget. VIP judges can eat up a lot of the budget quickly! Research industry experts or standout individuals who uphold your brand values, or ask previous winners to return as judges. Whoever you choose, they need to be industry relevant and well-respected! Most importantly, the awards should be judged without bias.
Finding the perfect theme
A well-chosen theme can transform your awards ceremony into a memorable event. Pick something inspiring that matches the occasion’s glamour and resonates with your audience. Consider what your guests will find engaging or meaningful.
Need ideas? Explore our gallery of past events for inspiration.
Choosing the perfect London award ceremony venue
When selecting a London award ceremony venue, prioritise your budget and how many guests you are going to invite. Consider if the venue reflects your brand and adds a sense of occasion—glamorous spaces can also help you save on décor.
Consider seating, space for mingling, and stage access. Check if the venue provides a stage and AV equipment, or if you’ll need to hire them.
For large award ceremonies in London, the Prince Consort Rooms is our most popular choice, comfortably hosting up to 700 guests.
- Confirm budget and guest list
- Choose a London venue that fits your brand
- Plan for seating, networking, and stage access
- Ask about included AV and staging
Explore the Prince Consort Rooms or book a tour here.
Choosing award ceremony entertainment
Entertainment at an awards ceremony is a must. The entertainment can either continue throughout the entire ceremony, filling gaps between awards, or take place before or after the awards. Remember that not everyone will be an award winner, so having some exciting entertainment will help all guests feel involved and included, even if they aren’t gracing the stage themselves. Pick something that ties in with your theme and complements the atmosphere of an awards show.
"I just wanted to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Words cannot express how grateful we are for the exceptional service provided by you and your onsite team! Considering we only had a week and a half to turn this event around, I am so pleased the event ran seamlessly on the day. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you Maria, thank you for being so efficient and contactable during any time of the day. The service and food on the day was excellent and we are so pleased the turn-out was fantastic!"
Providing value
Create areas for guests to network and mingle by including dedicated spaces or a drinks area. Encourage conversation with buffet-style catering.
Add value beyond your event by supporting a chosen charity—donate a portion of proceeds or host a raffle during the evening to raise additional funds.
Sourcing the right suppliers
Check with your venue to see what’s included—such as catering, AV, and preferred suppliers. Many venues offer in-house catering with menus tailored to your theme. High-quality AV and lighting set the mood, while a skilled host and a professional photographer ensure your event goes to plan and is well-documented. Always confirm which services are provided and which you’ll need to arrange separately.
Promoting your awards ceremony
As many people chose social media as their search engine, make sure you have created eye-catching graphics and a branded hashtag to increase awareness and curiosity.
You could also prepare winners’ handles for quick announcements on the night.
Create an event web page with all the essentials—timings, address, theme and the shortlist—plus links to your venue and any other information your guests would find helpful..
- Create branded hashtag and share winner announcements live
- Set up an event web page with all the details
The HAC offers elegant historic spaces and versatile rooms, including the impressive Prince Consort Rooms, all equipped with state-of-the-art AV and exceptional catering. Our dedicated events team is ready to help—contact us to arrange a tour or for any assistance with your event plans.
