Unique Dating: How to Meet Singles by Sponsoring a Mingle Party
Having a mingle is a little bit of work but it’ll be fun and exciting. First you need to decide where the mingle will be held. If you belong to a social club that’s a possibility, if not, try the YMCA or local Civic Center. Places like the Civic Center are usually free or are rented to locals for minimum fees. Make sure you reserve the room or building months in advance to be sure you have a spot for the meeting. Make sure you check to see if there are limitations as to how many people can attend. Some places limit the amount of people they’ll allow so that rooms or meeting places aren’t too crowded.
Advertise the single mingle in the local paper and in surrounding towns. State in your ad the date and time of the party but not the location. By announcing the location you’ll be surprised at how many people show up and lurk outside, not wanting to pay the fee, but still wanting to meet singles. State a phone number or email address where you can be reached. It’s not a good idea to use your regular household number for these calls.
Have those interested pay a nominal fee to cover snacks, drinks, and building rental. Extra money, leftover after paying for snacks and building, should be used for decorations, name tags, and supplies like paper plates and napkins. The fee should be received at least a couple of weeks before the party. Make sure you state that it is non-refundable. That way, you’re not out the cost of party supplies for people who are no-shows. Upon receiving the money from an individual send them the information, including the location of the party, map, and other important info.
Enlist other single friends to help decorate, set tables, and put out snacks. It’s best to keep the social a non-alcohol party to prevent mishaps and unruly guests. If you plan on serving alcohol it’s a good idea to hire security personnel for the evening.
Hire a DJ, if possible, or have someone who will play tunes during the event. The DJ should be at least semi-professional, with a feel for what the crowd will like. If the DJ is young, but most of the crowd is forty-ish, they probably won’t enjoy the same music. Nothing clears a dance out quicker than music people feel they can’t dance to, or simply, don’t like.
On the night of the party have a welcoming crew that will meet the guests, pass out name tags (first name only), and show them into the room. It’s really nice if you have several rooms so you can group people together in age categories. Singles will be much more likely to meet someone they have things in common with if they’re mingling mostly with people their own ages. Later, all singles can come together for one large mingling session, rather than limiting singles only to their age group.
The schedule of events is entirely up to you. Allow a minute for each person to tell something about themselves, while everyone snacks, or just keep the music and laughs coming. There should be an area where there’s a little less noise for those who would prefer to chat. Make sure there is a designated place for smokers as well.
Plan for the party to last at least two to three hours. Those who want to exchange phone numbers or email addresses can. The mingles can be held once a month, every few months, or once a year. Those who have been a guest once will likely come again. Planning a mingling party is lots of fun and a great way to meet new people. It’s too much work for one person so gather up some friends and start planning.
