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Ship christening

We christen your ship

Broken glass brings good luck — we make sure the bottle always breaks

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Ship christening
Serieus Leuk.

Broken glass brings good luck: the art of the perfect smash

On the quay it fell silent as the christening lady held her breath. The heavy bottle traced a tight arc towards the steel bow. After months of work by hundreds of craftspeople, this is the moment: the christening, just before the launch. And everyone knows the risk: a dull thud, a bottle that stays intact, and a silence that lasts painfully long.

We don't take that risk. You only get one chance, so that smash has to land. That's why we developed our own Champagne Crusher. It ensures the bottle always breaks at the moment of christening. Whether it's a sixty-metre yacht or an industrial colossus: those shards are part of it.

That's 'Seriously fun'. We safeguard the tradition and the execution, so the champagne really does flow over the bow. You do the christening, we make sure it's right. And after that: safe sailing!

More than just the bottle

A christening lasts two minutes and everyone is watching. The shipyard, the client, the family and the press all stand on the same quay. We build the moment around it. Think of the layout on the quay and the sound carrying across the water. We handle the countdown and the move to the reception as well.

And the weather counts. A christening on the quay goes ahead in almost any conditions, so the equipment has to cope.

One chance, and it has to land

If you are organising the christening, a great deal hangs on that single moment. The yard's planning shifts, the person doing the honours is nervous and the press is ready. We take that pressure off you.

We run through the moment beforehand with whoever swings the bottle, so they know exactly what to do. The Champagne Crusher comes to the quay and does not go into the moment untested. The running order says who speaks when. So you know how the morning goes, even if the launch shifts by an hour.

Read more

Also read: Organising a business event — or browse our frequently asked questions.

A christening in the planning? Let's talk.

Tell us what kind of vessel it is and when it has to go into the water. A sixty-metre yacht asks something different from an industrial giant. We look at the quay with you, and at what happens after the moment. Even if the date can still move. Serieus Leuk. Call +31 85 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl.

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Veelgestelde vragen

What does an event marketing agency cost?

An event marketing agency works with roughly three cost models:

  • Fee-based: a fixed project amount of 10,000 to 75,000 euros for a complete event
  • Hourly rate: 95 to 150 euros per hour for concept, production and project management
  • Commission: 10 to 20 per cent on the total event budget

Live Impact works fee-based per project. That is the easiest for clients to budget for. What drives the costs up: number of guests, venue choice, entertainment level, custom production and lead time.

A team building for 30 people quickly costs 8,000 to 15,000 euros including the agency fee. An international conference for 500 attendees runs towards 250,000 to 500,000 euros. Always ask for a transparent quote with a distinction between agency fee, production costs and pass-through items. See our contact page for a no-obligation conversation.

How do you discover your company's event DNA?

Your company's event DNA is the set of core characteristics that make every event recognisable as yours. At Live Impact we start every project with four questions:

  1. The reason for this event
  2. The story behind your company
  3. The feeling at arrival
  4. The message to take away

Then collect concrete building blocks: the words clients use about your brand, the images at the office, the music at Friday afternoon drinks. These are signals of what authentically belongs to you.

Then test whether it also fits the audience of the event. A tech start-up has a different DNA from a family business with 75 years of history. Write the DNA down together on an A4: three core values, three taboos, three iconic images. You use that document as a compass for venue, programme, catering, décor and communication. That way you avoid generic events that could just as well have come from any random competitor.

What is catering at a corporate event?

Catering at a corporate event is everything to do with food and drink. From coffee on arrival to the walking dinner at the end. The form depends on the type of event:

  • Conference: coffee breaks, lunch in two shifts, networking drinks
  • Staff party: walking food, food trucks or live cooking stations
  • Executive dinner: plated four- or five-course menu with a wine pairing

Expect on average 35 to 95 euros per person for the catering, excluding venue and staff. Catering determines 30 to 40 per cent of guest satisfaction.

Always ask about options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal. In a business audience, 15 to 25 per cent have a dietary requirement. Live Impact matches caterers per region on style, dietary requirements and budget. Read more about our approach on the contact page.

What practical steps do you take for diversity at events?

Diversity at your event calls for concrete choices, not intentions. Five steps that work:

  1. Diverse speaker panel: aim for at least 40 per cent women on stage and two speakers with a bicultural background
  2. Accessible location: check wheelchair access, a quiet space for those sensitive to stimuli, and gender-neutral toilets
  3. Inclusive catering: offer halal, kosher and gluten-free as standard, not as an exception
  4. Accessible communication: avoid jargon, offer programmes in large print, arrange a sign language interpreter or live subtitling
  5. Easy-to-approach networking: speed-dating formats work better than loose stand-up drinks receptions for introverts and newcomers

Live Impact works with a diversity checklist that we run through for every event. The result: events where everyone feels welcome, not just the majority group.

Which steps do you follow for an event communication plan?

An event communication plan prevents fires in the final week. Guests, speakers and suppliers know exactly what they need and when. Six steps:

  1. Map your audiences: invitees want practical info, speakers want briefs, suppliers want run sheets
  2. Set up a timeline: save-the-date 8 weeks beforehand, invitation 6 weeks, programme 3 weeks, practical info 1 week, reminder 2 days
  3. Choose channels: email for formal, WhatsApp for last-minute, app or microsite for the programme
  4. Hold your tone of voice: not suddenly corporate if the rest is informal
  5. On-site: signage, programmes on seats, push notifications via the event app
  6. Afterwards: thank-you email within 48 hours, photos within a week, evaluation within two weeks

Live Impact builds the communication plan alongside the concept, not as an afterthought.

Let'sdance!

Wil je een event organiseren, of weet je nog niet precies wat je zoekt? Laat het ons weten. We denken graag mee over wat bij je organisatie past.

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hello@live-impact.nl+31 85 401 40 14