Parties are primarily FUN!! In my book the best parties involve great company, a great location, fabulous food and entertainment. But, where do you start? How can you ensure that the party you are planning is going to be a success?

1.What are you celebrating? Whether it is a wedding vow renewal, a birthday, wedding anniversary or retirement for example, this is likely to set the scene for your guest list, venue and theme. Think about the people the party is for, what are their favourite things, their hobbies, are they wine lovers, BBQ-kings, disco divas? With some upfront consideration and thinking outside the box you can really come up with some clever ways to make your celebration really personal. Pinterest is great for inspiration so if you get stuck for ideas, start there.

2. The next big consideration is the venue for your party. This will very much be related to the type of celebration you are planning, the guest numbers and your ideas of how you want to entertain your guests. Whether you have the space to host at home or in your garden or the budget to hire a luxurious hotel there are many many options to pick from.

3. Your budget for your party will be very much influenced by the food you wish to serve your guests. Is your guest of honour a massive foodie? Is your party going to be an evening soiree where a simple canapé service would be perfect? If you have a huge guest list you may want to think about some more economical ways of feeding everyone such as a big paella or big roast. If wining and dining your guests is to be the main focus of your party then maybe a silver service, sit down meal is more what you should be considering. You can really theme your food to add to the overall feel and design of your event, this is one area where you can get creative. Finding an excellent caterer who can help with your menu selection and event management (assuming you haven’t employed  a professional party planner) is such an important part of your party plans. Do your research and vet your caterer. Look for references and ask your caterer for a tasting to double check your menu. Don’t forget to make sure your guests’s dietary requirements are taken into account and the food is clearly labelled or guests are provided with a menu so they know what they are eating.

4. So, the food is sorted, next step is the drink. The drink you serve will depend on the time of day your celebration is being held at and the budget you have allocated for this. If you love cocktails then maybe you would consider having cocktails themed to your event? If budget is a consideration you could hire a pay bar (just check the licensing agreement that the venue has in place). Double check all the legalities of this with your venue. You may want to select your drink to your menu choice. Also think about the way your drinks will be served, will you have a drinks station for guests to help themselves to or will you have waiters handing round drinks on trays? Perhaps you would hire a dry bar for you to serve the drinks?

5. Entertainment is a massive element of a successful party. This could be as simple as plugging in your iPhone and playing music or as complex as hiring a band. If music isn’t your bag then think about how else you could entertain your guests and create a party atmosphere. Do you want background music or music to dance to? What about other types of entertainment? You can plan you entertainment to be inspired by your theme. What about a Casino, a magician, fire eaters or a photo-booth. Get creative and your guests will certainly enjoy a memorable event!

If you feel you would like some professional assistance with planning your party then do get in touch.

 

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