Do you charge any additional fees for your services or is the price quoted the final cost?

No, we do not charge any planning fees on top of your total contract price. The estimated total cost on your proposal is the final, exact cost for the amount of guests listed.

What cities are you able to work with?

We have planned events in 40+ cities around the US and Canada, and have the capability to create a package for whatever city you may be interested in. Some top destinations include Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Chicago, and Toronto.

Are your events limited to 21+?

All of our contracted private events are 18+ for entry and 21+ to utilize the bar. In some instances, such as in the case of a fully 21+ group of clients, we can plan a wholly 21+ event.

How long does it take to get a quote?

Turn around time on a quote from our sales team ranges from 2 to 5 business days, depending on the requested destination, group size, and date set.

What are the available payment methods?

We accept wire transfer, ACH, check, or credit card (4% fee applicable).

Is there an option for a portal for individual sign-ups with split payment functionality when a large group of people orders an event?

Yes – we use Fuse Technologies back-end booking software to help groups split payments and bundle hotel, transportation, and events.

Are you limited to just Greek life events?

Not at all! We can put together packages for any group regardless of Greek affiliation.

How far out do we need to inquire/book?

We recommend inquiring 6 months in advance for most destinations, and further out for popular tourism cities such as Nashville and Savannah.

What's included in the free quote?

Our standard quote includes charter bus transportation, hotel accommodations, and a private event. In select cities, we also offer club access services, group brunches, and more.

Creating a cooler for your next fraternity formal

All the tips and tricks you need before making your next cooler

August 1, 2023

When getting ready to attend a fraternity formal, following the tradition of creating a decorated cooler for your date has become a popular trend. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know before taking on the task of painting a cooler. From what kind of paint to use, to what fun things to throw inside, after reading this guide the daunting task of painting a cooler will be just another simple task.

Why Paint a Cooler for your Next Formal?
Discover the tradition
What do I Need to Paint my Cooler?
The Necessary Supplies
Getting Started: The Cooler Check-list
Step-by-Step: A Simple Breakdown
Tips & Tricks
The Do’s & Don’ts
As seen on TikTok: Cooler Examples
Conclusion

Why Paint a Cooler for your Next Formal?

Discover the Tradition

Fraternities host many events, one major event hosted by fraternities across the country is traveling fraternity formals. Traveling to places such as New Orleans, Nashville and many other major cities and destinations. A common trend that has come with formals is “Cooler Season”, the time right before the formal where the dates get together and paint coolers. When the fraternity member invites a woman to formal, she decorates the cooler as a thank you. This concept stemming from the idea of them pitching in to the cost of the trip. The fraternity member paying for the weekend in its entirety, and the date providing a cooler full of alcohol to jump start the weekend. This long standing tradition has become a fun way to give a thank you to your date.

What do I Need to Paint my Cooler?

The Necessary Supplies

When looking to begin the painting process there are a variety of essentials needed to be able to start. These are as follows;

Cooler
Sandpaper
Spackling paste
Primer
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Sealant spray

These supplies will give you everything you need to complete the decorating of the outside of the cooler. Once these are purchased the fun part comes in, buying the necessary supplies for the inside. To fill the inside of the cooler you need to know your date just a little bit, but also can fill it with some basic items;

Red solo cups
Shot glasses
Soda, Mixers, Chasers

Then with your choice of drink and whatever your date likes to drink. Typically grab a lighter drink like a 12 pack of beer and a bottle of liquor. Grab a bag of ice once you arrive at your hotel and let the fun of the weekend begin!

Getting Started

The Cooler Check-List

Getting started; the cooler check-list explains the purpose of each item in the creative process. First off the cooler, the cooler is the base to the whole operation. Ideally you want to search for a white cooler, this way you don’t have to paint the whole cooler white before starting the process of sketching the other designs. Next you need to purchase spackling paste, filling in the grooves and logo with the spackling paste gives the smoothest possible surface to paint on. Following this purchase is the sandpaper, which is necessary for similar reasons, to smooth out the entirety of your cooler. After the sanding it is important to spray paint the cooler with primer, this will help ensure the paint sticks on well. Lastly the fun purchases, buying all the paint and paintbrushes needed for the designs of your choice. And to seal it all off, purchase sealant spray to make sure your designs don’t chip off and all that hard work doesn’t go to waste!

Step-by-Step

A Simple Breakdown

Now that we know the importance of each of the items, here is a simplified step-by-step breakdown of what to do;

Purchase all of the necessary supplies to get started in the creative process.
Secondly; sand your cooler, this process will take a little bit of time, so make sure to get started early!
Now we move onto spackle, covering the logo and any other major grooves. Once the spackle drives, go ahead and sand over this too, creating a good smooth base all the way around.
Once we have the coolers surface as smooth as possible, we are going to go ahead and paint on a coat of primer. Throw on a couple coats to make it even!
Now it’s time to grab your pencil and get to sketching, use stencils, friends help or whatever works to get a fun sketch on the cooler.
Next grab those brushes and paint and get to work, paint one side at a time to ensure it dries and you don’t smudge any designs.
Lastly, seal your creation with a good sealant, repeat this a couple of times to make sure it is both waterproof and no paint will chip off.
Now that you’re done with the hard part, fill the cooler up and deliver it to your date!

Tips & Tricks

The Do’s & Don’ts

Now that we know the basics on how to get started on painting our next fraternity formal cooler, it’s time to get down to some of the best tips and tricks. Starting off with the cooler; we recommended purchasing a pre-sanded and pre-primed cooler. This saves you both time and money, eliminating the time consuming task of sanding and priming your cooler.

Purchasing supplies; find a group of girls also going on the formal who are painting coolers. Split up the purchasing of paint between the group, this way you don’t have six of one color. And on the plus side you can all paint together and bounce ideas off of each other!

When beginning to sketch the design, text your dates friends! Making the cooler as personable to them as possible will make your cooler stand out amongst the rest. Add details like; the destination of the formal, his favorite alcohol and his fraternities logo.

For the inside of the cooler, add fun accessories, koozies or personalized cups. Your date may only be interested in the alcohol you have provided on the inside, but adding the extra fun accessories will surprise them and add a unique, fun look.

Another final touch you can add to your cooler is outline the lettering and artwork on your cooler. It makes everything stand out and gives your color a big pop!

The best tip we can throw your way is to let your creativity shine! This cooler is a fun addition to the weekend your date and you are going to have. Don’t stress and have as much fun as possible creating a fun memory for your weekend to come!

As Seen on TikTok

View Cooler Examples ❯

Conclusion

Overall when prepping for your next fraternity formal it is not essential to create a cooler, however it is a fun transition and trend that students look forward to every year. It is a fun opportunity to show creativity, give a good thank you to your date and take a fun break from school. When painting your next cooler, follow this guide to; discover the tradition, know the supplies, step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks and the next examples we’ve seen. Have fun painting!