Entertainment, photos and gifts

Extras are where holiday budgets quietly double. The good news is that the things people remember are not the expensive ones. Spend on the few things that change how the night feels, and skip the rest.

Worth paying for

• Good sound: a speaker or a DJ that fills the room without drowning out conversation.
• A photo wall: people love a team photo, and it gives quieter guests something to do.
• A photographer for a few hours: the photos end up in the company newsletter, on LinkedIn and in next year's invite.
• A short toast or awards moment: ten minutes that make people feel seen.

Usually not worth it

• Long programs and multiple speeches. Keep it to one toast and, if you do awards, a quick list.
• Forced games. A gift exchange or a photo wall works better than activities people have to be talked into.
• Expensive favors with the company logo on them. Most get left on the table.
• Heavy decor in a room that already has character.

Music that fits the night

A playlist on good speakers is plenty for a mixer. A DJ earns their fee when you want dancing, or when the party is big enough that someone needs to read the room. Either way, keep the volume low during food and the toast, then turn it up after dessert.

Plan the toast

Pick one person to speak, give them a two minute limit and put it on the run of show. If you do awards, put the names on a screen so the room can follow along, and keep each one to a sentence or two. Then get people back to the party.

Gifts people actually keep

The best gifts are consumable or useful: good coffee, a local treat, a gift card, or something made nearby. If you give a gift, hand it out at the door on the way out so nobody has to carry it all night.

Tip: Remote staff count too. If part of your team cannot make it, send the same gift to their door the same week so the party includes them.

At The Gallery

There is a speaker for your playlist and a TV for slides or awards. A DJ is available as an add on. The photo wall is included in the Celebrate and Gala packages, and Gala also includes a photographer and a recap reel of the night. Gift bags of coffee, tea and Visage Bodega merch are available too.

Next up: the final two weeks and the day itself.

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About The Gallery on Montana

A curated event space, photo and film location, and vintage gallery at 701 Montana Street on the East Side of San Antonio, one block from the Alamodome. Built around a twenty year collection of vintage furniture and objects, rented by the hour or the day for photo shoots, private dinners, podcasts, workshops and pop-up markets.

Capacity: 35 seated indoors, 12 on the porch, 25 on the patio under the art arch, 50 to 60 in the yard, and up to 100 standing inside.

The Gallery on Montana, 701 Montana St, San Antonio, TX 78203. Events, shoots and meetings book on our booking page. Explore: Home · The space · Private events · Holiday parties · Weddings · Photo and video shoots · Workshops · Planning guides · Book a tour