The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Perfect Party

25th June 2019

If you’re a social kind of person, then planning a party can be a hugely satisfying event. Getting all of your favourite people, plus delicious food and drink, together in one place makes for a perfect evening. And if you put in enough planning, you can make a great time for everybody – including yourself. It could be a birthday, an anniversary, a cultural event or even just ‘because’ – there’s never a wrong time for a bit of socialising in your own home.

When it comes to throwing a party that is memorable for all the right reasons, it all comes down to one thing – planning. It’s the difference between everyone having a great time and missing those little details which can quickly derail an evening – not enough seating, having a guest with a dietary intolerance who can’t eat anything you’ve prepared, or running out of a crucial spirit just as you’re about to mix up those long-promised mojitos. So to make your soiree next-level, take some time to walk through the event beforehand and cover everything off. As they say, the devil is in the details…

Start With The Guest List

One thing above all else can make or break a good party – the people you choose to invite. Rather than chucking out a Facebook invite to your whole contacts list, take the time to be a little selective about the mix of people. That way you won’t miss anybody who you really want to be there, either. Aim for a mix of singles and couples, different professions and age groups so that there’s always a new connection to be made. Set the date and use an event planning app to send a quick e-invite to those who make the cut, so that they can add it to their online calendars instantly.

Rope In Some Friends To Help

Unless it’s your full-time job, planning a big party can turn out to be a lot of work, so rope in some friends who are ready and willing to help out a little with things like a big shop, food preparation, and shifting any large items of furniture! Don’t forget that you may also need to rope a few hands in to help clean up the next day.

Plan Your Menu

One thing you never want at a party is hungry guests, so make sure that you have a think in advance about options for food and drink. Sometimes cooking a big pot of chilli is easier than making lots of sandwiches and crudites. Or consider holding a pudding party, where everyone brings a pudding along with them to share. Find local wholesalers where you can bulk buy alcohol cheaper, or do some online research to find out which supermarket is running a multi-buy deal. Estimating food for a party can be difficult, but there are calculators online to help you work it out – and it’s always better to have a few leftovers than risk running out on the night. Remember to check with your guests about dietary requirements ahead of time so that there’s something available for everyone.

To Theme or Not to Theme

When you are putting together a party, one of the first things to consider is if you’d be having a theme or not. Themed parties give people something to be excited about since they get to dress up as someone different. It also helps set a more jovial mood and promotes a cohesive atmosphere for all the guests.

Having a theme will guide your decor choices and activities for the duration of the party. It basically provides the outline for your event, making the planning a breeze.

Make The Mood

You’ll want to create a great atmosphere, as this is the secret sauce that ensures all your guests have a great time. Think about if you’d like to set a theme, and use Spotify to pull together a party playlist or source some pre-mixed options to use – a blend of older classics and current chart-toppers always works well. You may want to set up something extra special if it’s a big occasion – for a big birthday or an engagement you could think about looking into photo booth hire and getting some props in, before pulling together a keepsake photo book full of the results to enjoy after the party.

This is a collaborative post.