Are you trying to plan a Miami event and feeling overwhelmed by a multitude of choices? Are you in need of a few tips on planning your event? It's not surprising. Right now, you're probably trying to figure everything from catering to entertainment and what kind of décor. Should you have swag or gift bags for your event? Those just a few of the many decisions that you need make during event planning.

One of the best ways to narrow your choices down is to have event management choose a theme for the event. Having a theme will also give the event an overall cohesive look. Even "serious" events such as business conferences can benefit from having a theme.

The theme that event management chooses should be one that ties in with the general purpose of your conference or event. For instance, a company beginning a new venture could use "sailing" as its theme, as in "Sailing into a bright new future."

Once a theme is chosen, you will see how the other pieces will fall into place. With the "Sailing" theme, for example, you can now choose nautical colors and decorations. If you are going to have swag, select items related to sailing or the ocean and then present them in gift bags adorned with sea creatures. As for dining options, you might want to choose seafood or give your menu items names with sailing references such as "Barnacle Bill's Burgers."

When choosing a venue, try to find one that will naturally compliment your chosen theme, such as a seaside location for the "Sailing" event, or one that is neutral, such as Soho Studios, which is located in Miami's vibrant Wynwood Art District. This is a 70,000-square-foot "blank canvas" of a structure that can be transformed to meet the needs of your theme.

While not every event needs a theme, having one will help you greatly narrow down your choices and will also help make marketing your event easier. Potential attendees are more likely to remember an interesting themed event over one that fails to conjure up a mental image.