The Student Room Group

18th Birthday Party - Security?

Basically, I'm having my 18th birthday party in September, and it seems word has got round that I'm having it, so lots of people know. Now my area is that kind of area, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to gatecrash, so I'm obviously going to get a security guard on the door. But how many do I need?

Someone in the Shoutbox suggested to me that I'd need three; one man and woman on the door, and a third inside walking around and keeping an eye on everything there. Just a few questions. Is it really necessary to have two on the door? I know a man can only search a man,and vice versa, but to be honest, I don't really care if they bring in drugs or whatever - all I want is for the security to prevent people without an invitation from coming into the party. So, would I need two on the door? And do I really need someone inside? There will be a fair amount of adults there who won't be drinking, and can keep an eye on what's going on, plus there will be the staff on the bar and people that work at the hall anyway, so is it really necessary?

Thoughts please :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I'd say a man and woman on the door and someone inside sounds about right... how are you going to make sure only people you want come in, do you have a list of names or do they have to present an invitation?
Reply 2
They'll have to have an invitation on them if they want to come in :smile: Not completely gatecrasher-proof, but it'll have to do.
You'll probably need two on the door, so a man and a woman sounds fair enough. I wouldn't bother with an inside patroller.
Make sure there's a list of who's invited, and make people present an invite/some other ID to the door security.
Reply 4
:| I've never been to an 18th with security...I think that's kinda odd, tbh. I wouldn't have any. People are always gonna crash.

How would they know who's invited anyway? Don't tell me you're going to have actual invitations. Or will you have a list of people who are invited?

Also, it's in September, that's ages away! Half the people who've heard about it won't care or will have forgotten.

Honestly, I think you're being a bit over the top, it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't care...people have crashed all of my parties, all of them house parties. I'd care even less if it was at a hired-out place! I've crashed loads of 18ths and house parties, no one cares.
Reply 5
calcium878
You'll probably need two on the door, so a man and a woman sounds fair enough. I wouldn't bother with an inside patroller.
Make sure there's a list of who's invited, and make people present an invite/some other ID to the door security.

o0o okay I will do :p:. An invite AND some other form of ID?! :eek: I haven't said that on the invites :s-smilie:
Reply 6
i would say three on the door personally. if some people decide to kick off outside, 2 will need to break it up and calm the situation and the other to stop people wandering in while that happens.
Reply 7
Kate.
:| I've never been to an 18th with security...I think that's kinda odd, tbh. I wouldn't have any. People are always gonna crash.

How would they know who's invited anyway? Don't tell me you're going to have actual invitations. Or will you have a list of people who are invited?

Also, it's in September, that's ages away! Half the people who've heard about it won't care or will have forgotten.

Honestly, I think you're being a bit over the top, it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't care...people have crashed all of my parties, all of them house parties. I'd care even less if it was at a hired-out place! I've crashed loads of 18ths and house parties, no one cares.

Well, where I live, people have been known to gatecrash parties, smash the place up and stab people, which I wouldn't appreciate. Plus, there are plenty of people out there that don't like me :\.

Yep, invitations - what's wrong with that?

We had no choice but to give out invitations in May - we wanted to give them to the Year 13s in our school before they left, and we wouldn't see them again except at parties where they're all too drunk to keep hold of an invite.

Meh, if you lived here you wouldn't think I was OTT. I'd care if myself or someone I knew got stabbed or beaten up at my party by a gatecrasher. But the fact that it's a hired out place and not my house makes me feel better :p:
brimstone
o0o okay I will do :p:. An invite AND some other form of ID?! :eek: I haven't said that on the invites :s-smilie:


Slash means 'or', Alfster :wink:
Reply 9
dh00001
i would say three on the door personally. if some people decide to kick off outside, 2 will need to break it up and calm the situation and the other to stop people wandering in while that happens.

That's a point, but can't the adults in the party break up the fight? They might be middle aged and overweight, but still :p:.
I don't think things are likely to kick off inside; it's just people trying to get in that is the real concern.
Reply 10
Kate.
:| I've never been to an 18th with security...I think that's kinda odd, tbh. I wouldn't have any. People are always gonna crash.

How would they know who's invited anyway? Don't tell me you're going to have actual invitations. Or will you have a list of people who are invited?

Also, it's in September, that's ages away! Half the people who've heard about it won't care or will have forgotten.

Honestly, I think you're being a bit over the top, it's not the end of the world. I wouldn't care...people have crashed all of my parties, all of them house parties. I'd care even less if it was at a hired-out place! I've crashed loads of 18ths and house parties, no one cares.


Fair point me neither but I think it depends where you live and who you think might gatecrash. A friend of mine's 16th was gatechrashed by some really aggressive guys (i.e. no one could tell them to leave or there would have been a fight) and they stole 2 laptops (I don't know how either, but they managed it), some GHDs, and all the jewellery from the house. And she had taken precautions- everything valuble was locked in a room upstairs...and they'd picked the lock. It pretty much ruined this girls birthday and the police couldn't find the guys who did it so she never got her stuff back :frown:
Reply 11
calcium878
Slash means 'or', Alfster :wink:

:p: I didn't notice the slash; I read it as an 'and' :redface:.
Reply 12
brimstone
Well, where I live, people have been known to gatecrash parties, smash the place up and stab people, which I wouldn't appreciate. Plus, there are plenty of people out there that don't like me :\.

Yep, invitations - what's wrong with that?

We had no choice but to give out invitations in May - we wanted to give them to the Year 13s in our school before they left, and we wouldn't see them again except at parties where they're all too drunk to keep hold of an invite.

Meh, if you lived here you wouldn't think I was OTT. I'd care if myself or someone I knew got stabbed or beaten up at my party by a gatecrasher. But the fact that it's a hired out place and not my house makes me feel better :p:


And you think most people will still have the invitations by September? I very much doubt it.

I've been to one 18th with invites and they were given out a couple of weeks before the party...pretty much everyone I know forgot them. Thankfully we didn't actually need them in the end, everyone just got let in.

Fair enough if you live in a rough area I guess. Round here it'd be really strange :P
Reply 13
brimstone
That's a point, but can't the adults in the party break up the fight? They might be middle aged and overweight, but still :p:.
I don't think things are likely to kick off inside; it's just people trying to get in that is the real concern.

well you would like to think so but i was thinking of someone started to fight with security. or if a number of people try to get in at once
Reply 14
Kate.
And you think most people will still have the invitations by September? I very much doubt it.

I've been to one 18th with invites and they were given out a couple of weeks before the party...pretty much everyone I know forgot them. Thankfully we didn't actually need them in the end, everyone just got let in.

Fair enough if you live in a rough area I guess. Round here it'd be really strange :P

Pft, if it was me, I'd keep the invitations :redface:.

Meh, I spose I'll send an email to/message the people a little bit before it, but in general, I've received invitations to most 18ths I've been to. In fact, the only party I haven't received a physical invite to is one I went to last Friday.

Maybe I'm not that popular to have been invited to that many parties :redface: :frown: :p:

Yeah, East London does sucketh.
Reply 15
dh00001
well you would like to think so but i was thinking of someone started to fight with security. or if a number of people try to get in at once

Oh, that's a point... :s-smilie:
Reply 16
Bloody hell, this is all a bit overboard, surely?

If you really think you need a doorman, why wouldn't one suffice? It's a simple "hello" or "get lost" really. If anything else happens, telephone the police or simply have a few folk from inside help get rid of them if they clutter up the driveway.
Reply 17
mizzy87
:s Invitations is nothing out of the ordinary. You'd need two at the door minimum - one will be checking invitations and letting people in, another in case some trouble were to start - also to check people for weapons? I'd also say one more inside would be good - what if there was a fight or something? Three in total sounds good.

Also, are you supplying alcohol at the party? If so, you'd need to make sure your friends bring I.D I think - what if the police for some reason were to turn up? I'm pretty sure they'd ruin things if there was alcohol being supplied and there were people without I.D or under 18.

Hmmm, I don't know if the people I've invited will be carrying weapons... but then, you never know :rolleyes:

An 18th party without alcohol? :p: Are you mad :p:? Stuff the police turning up, there'll be enough over 18s to buy drinks on behalf of the 18s and below. Actually, thinking about it, I'll still be under 18 at the time of the party...
Reply 18
Just get a couple of bouncers. Make sure they have the relevant qualifications. Alternatively, just use a club's top floor or something, then you don't have to worry about doormen.
Reply 19
Cage
Just get a couple of bouncers. Make sure they have the relevant qualifications. Alternatively, just use a club's top floor or something, then you don't have to worry about doormen.

What's the difference between a bouncer and a doorman? :s-smilie:
Too late to book a club, already booked and given the invitations out :wink:
Plus, if I pull out of the hall, I lose my £100 deposit :\