Throwing the perfect party doesn’t have to be party poppers and paper hats. You can make it a big occasion and spend as much time as you like planning it. After all, aren’t parties meant to be a little bit indulgent? It could be a big occasion coming up like a wedding, baby shower, gender reveal or big birthday (although all birthdays are a bit special aren’t they?)
It is the perfect time to get your glamorous dresses out, sparkly heels and use that gorgeous red lippy. Who doesn’t love to get glammed up and spend the night dancing away with your friends and family?
But let’s get down to it, how do you plan the perfect party?
- Think about who the party is for, what kind of theme would they love? Alice in Wonderland? Disney? Black and White ball? Try and think about something fun but not unobtainable for attendees.
- Speaking of attendees – who is on the list? Make sure you remember all the people that the guest of honour is close to.
- Pick a location! Although it might be tempting to try and take on the responsibility and have it in your home, it leaves you with a thankless job at the end – the cleaning. Think about hiring a space instead; there are so many types of party houses to rent it would be worth checking them out before offering out your living room.
- Have fun on Pinterest for a while. After all, it isn’t party planning if you don’t have six boards with multiple themes and at least one outfit board, is it?
- Pick a date and a time. Often people are more free on the weekends, so try and book it for when the most amount of people will be able to make it. If you know for sure that someone important to the guest of honour might struggle, then try and liaise with them to get that kink ironed out.
- Start thinking about entertainment. You will likely have a hall filled with all ages from baby to some elderly. A disco is usually a given, but what about a children’s entertainer, a magician or an act that everyone can enjoy. Here are a few suggestions:
- Family Friendly Comedian – think more slapstick and fewer swear-words.
- A Magician – this one can be hit or miss, so hire well and see if you can get a preview.
- Photo Booths – ever popular at weddings now, they come with a lot of props and the photos are great keepsakes.
- Bar Games – Foosball, Ping-Pong and similar games work well for kids and teens. Excellent if you’ve hired a big space that you want to make the most of.
- Balloon Modelling – Children love them most of the time, and so do adults!
- If your event is in the evening, think about something like a Glow-show. Stunning and very unusual.
- Start getting your supplies early. Make a note of everything you’re going to need, check with the venue about table decorations or room decoration and if they supply some, make sure they match your theme. Rope in a friend or two to make sure you have help to prep the supplies too. Think about:
- Games
- Favours
- Decorations
- Centerpieces
- Cups
- Plates
- Table Cloths
- Goodie Bags
- Invitations – you can always go paper-free and set it up on Facebook or with an E-vite, but some occasions deserve something a little extra special. Remember that if you have booked a party location, send directions too!
- Party Game Prizes
- Cakes
- Flowers
If you want to be well on the ball, grab a few first aid kits, with plasters and savlon. Kids get bumps and bruises so easily. Maybe even pick up some spare kids sized underwear too – in case of any accidents.
Keep all of your receipts in case anything should go wrong, not arrive on time or not be up to standard and you can fix it after the party.
- If there is going to be food served, make sure that you are checking with attendees about any allergies and food preferences like vegans and vegetarians. The idea is for everyone to have fun – which is unlikely if you don’t take care of those details.
- Plan a playlist. DJs are brilliant and usually have a lot of the newest hits and golden oldies, but take the time to tailor a playlist for the guest of honour, after all, it is their big day.
- Don’t forget to have fun too. With all the planning and prep it can be easy to forget to relax and kick back.
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