Party Planning 101: Tips for a Perfect Soirée
Who doesn’t love a great party? Here are some basic tips that will ensure that you pull off the perfect soirée for you and your guests! Being organized is the KEY to hosting a great party. What type of Event will it be? Will it be a casual affair, or a more formal type of party? Will it be a themed event? These questions will determine the type of location you will choose. How many people do I want to invite? This is extremely important since it also sets the bar for your budget.
What is my budget?
This is the most important part of your agenda. If you made a budget from the get go, try to stick to it. I know how easy it can be to get carried away with all these great ideas and drift from your original budget, but be realistic, and do what you can with the budget you set. You want to plan a great party, but you also don’t want to max out that credit card you just paid off or put yourself in a ton of debt.
Will I send out invitations? If it is an informal get together, invites are not necessary, a telephone call or email will do. For more formal affairs, invitations should be sent out at least 4-6 weeks in advance. Don’t forget to include an RSVP date. Keeping a guest checklist is also handy so that you can keep track of who has responded, and will allow you to follow up with those last minute guests. Am I going to have entertainment? Will there be entertainment? Look at the demographics, are there a lot of elderly people or kids, a younger crowd, or is it a mixed bag? Decide on something that everyone will enjoy; whether it is the type of music you play, or the types of activities you have planned.
What type of food should I serve? Make sure that you pay close attention to the allergies your guests may have and if you plan to make some of the food yourself, ensure that you have prepared enough for your guests, the worst thing that can happen is that you realize mid-party that there isn’t enough food, and this can be totally embarrassing!
How will I execute it?
This is the final piece of the puzzle. Give yourself enough time to decorate the space, have a glass of wine, and get ready to receive guests. It can be frustrating when you are down to the wire, with guests are arriving in less than 30 minutes and you are not fully set up - this can throw everything off. Set aside at least 2-3 hours for decorating, and setting up the food. Make sure you are not doing any major food preparations on the day of, prep the night before. If you have DIY pieces to assemble do them a week or two prior to the event so that you are not scrambling to do these last minute.
I hope you found these tips helpful, happy planning!
