Throw a Party Worth Remembering
As a professional party planner, I’ve planned countless parties and I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a party truly great. Planning and decorating parties for the last 30 years, there are key things that come up all the time that people still get wrong. The key to planning the perfect party is to start with a solid plan and then add in the fun details so that your guests will remember the party for years to come. So, what is the best way to plan a party?
Below is a step by step guide on how we plan our parties at Feel Good Events!
1. The Guest Party Experience
Before you do anything to do with budget, picking a party venue, or your guest list, you need to decide on what sort of party experience you want your guests to have. Some people may be confused by this, but what it really means is what sort of party do you want to plan? Do you want your party to be high energy with lots of dancing or more chilled and just a social gathering? Deciding on the party experience you want your guests to have from the beginning will impact all the decisions you make for everything else.
If you decide you want a high energy party for example, then there would be many things to consider. The party date, size and style of venue, the food & drinks you serve, the lighting you choose, the entertainment you have, and so much more will all play a factor. Choosing the right things in these categories will determine whether your party is high energy or not. Thinking of your guests’ party experience throughout the entire planning process should be your number one priority.
2. Start with the Party Guest List
Before you do any party venue or supplier planning, it’s really important to create a guest list so that you know how many people you will be having at your party. Your budget, venue, food & drinks, and everything else will all be determined by the number of guests you have. There is no point in looking for a venue or any other suppliers until you know the number of guests you are catering for. The first question any supplier will ask you, especially function venues, is: how many guests are you having at your party? Guest numbers determines the price for a lot of the main things. Knowing your guest numbers from the beginning will really make things easier – so try and do this first!
3. Do Your Party Research
First and foremost, pick a date or at least have a few dates in mind. Before you book anything for your party, it’s important to do your research. You can’t really set a budget until you know what things are going to cost. So many people get a shock once they discover how much throwing a party can really cost. You may even decide that throwing a party is too expensive, so it is important to work this out early before you get too far into the planning process.
Google, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram are all great resources for finding inspiration and gathering ideas for your party. Take a look at different party themes or party styles, party services available, and what venue hire costs. This will help you make more informed decisions when it comes to planning your party and setting a budget.
4. Hire the Right Party Help
The secret to enjoying party planning and enjoying the party itself is to be as least stressed as possible. It is a known fact that a lot of people don’t like throwing parties because of the overwhelm and the stress they cause.
So, how do you throw a stress free party? The best way to do this is to hire as much help as possible. A lot will depend on your budget, but hiring the following professionals will make a huge difference:
- Party Planner – To plan all or some of the party
- Function Manager – The go to person on the night to deal with anything that comes up
- Party Decorator – To create the WOW factor and make your party exciting
- Party Entertainment – To create the right Party Energy
- Caterers – To deal with all things food related
- Bar & Cleaning Staff – To serve and clean up all foods & drinks
- Party Cleaners – So you can enjoy the after-party and happy memories
- Photographer/Videographer – So you can relive the happy party moments for years to come
For party planning services, click here.
For party decorating services, click here.
5. Pick a Clear Theme or Style
One of the first steps in planning a party is to decide on a theme or style and how you want your party to look. This will help you determine the overall tone of the party and the type of decorations, food, and entertainment that you’ll need. This will also determine the dress code for your guests and what type of party venue to look for. If you know your theme or style before you look for venues, then this will help you in finding a venue that matches with your theme. If you don’t have a theme or style in mind to begin with, you might pick a venue that costs more to decorate as it has it’s own unique style that you need to cover up.
For more tips on choosing the right party theme, check out our blog post here.
6. Set a Party Budget
Once you have a theme and guest list in mind and you have gotten some quotes for general party services, it’s important to set a party budget. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you don’t overspend on decorations or food. If you have done your research, this shouldn’t be too difficult. Don’t be afraid to go over your budget if the extra money spent will really add the guests’ party experience. It’s really important to decide what are the main things you want and what your party non-negotiables are. Things like food & drinks usually fit into this category, but also the things you want that will make your party fun and unique.
There are a lot of ways to save on costs for your party. If you’re looking for the quickest and easiest way to save money, cutting down on your guest list will do this. The less people you have, the smaller the venue you need and the less food and drinks you’ll need. These are the 3 main cost factors for any party.
7. Choose the Perfect Party Venue
The venue is one of the most important elements of a party. It sets the stage for the event and can make or break the overall atmosphere. It’s important to choose a venue that is the right size for your guest list and that fits the theme or style of your party. Make sure the venue doesn’t have too many different areas and separates your guests too much.
It’s important to choose a venue that not only suits the number of guests you have, but also allows enough room for decorations and party activities like dancing. Location and accessibility for your guests to get to it easily are also really important.
For more tips on choosing the right venue for your party, check out our blog post here.
8. Plan the Party Menu
Food is a crucial part of any party, and it’s important to choose a menu that will appeal to your guests. Consider their dietary restrictions and preferences, and don’t be afraid to get creative with the menu.
Make sure you choose food that will help create the party atmosphere that you want. A sit-down meal will surpress dancing whereas a lighter cocktail menu may help encourage dancing. If your guests are overloaded with food, they tend to be less active which makes for a more mellow party atmosphere.
For our expert tips on how much food you need for your party, check out our blog post here.
9. Create the Right Party Atmosphere
Once the main elements of the party are in place such as choosing a venue and organising food & drinks, it’s time to add the decorating and styling. This includes decorations, lighting, and creating the general party vibe. These things are critical in creating a party atmosphere that aligns with the type of party you want to create. Decorations done well should stimulate your guests and enhance the party experience. Even if you are on a really tight party budget, the right lighting can still make a huge impact.
I would highly suggest spending your budget on both mood and party lighting as this will make a big difference at a reasonable cost. I always say that party decorating or styling should change how your guests feel and if possible, take them to another world. Of course a lot of this depends on budget but there are many tricks to saving money on party decorating.
Click here for party decorating tips.
Click here for lighting options.
10. Hire the Right Party Entertainment
The entertainment you choose will have a major impact on your guests’ party experience. The right entertainment will get people up and dancing where the wrong entertainment could kill your party. Whether it’s a DJ, live band, or some other form of entertainment, this is a must at every party. Setting up a games area for your non-dancing guests is ano0ther way for your guests to enjoy the party. Entertainment is critical if you want your party to be fun.
Click here to see some great entertainment options.
11. Plan a Party Surprise
A surprise or something that the guests aren’t expecting is a great way to make your party more memorable. A flash mob or singing waiters or some sort of unexpected entertainment will always make your party more exciting. You could even do some dancing lessons and put on a show yourself if you are feeling confident!
Whatever you can do to stand out and be different will definitely be worth while and worth the investment.
12. Have a Party Backup Plan
No matter how well you plan your party, things can always go wrong. It’s important to have a backup plan in case of bad weather or other unexpected events. Most of the time things will go as plan but it is always good to be safe.
If you do have a plan B for bad weather or other possible scenarios make sure you have thought about how you will execute this. Plan who will be there to sort these issues out at the party if things do go wrong. Will it be you who deals with the problems or will you have a party planner or similar on site to take care of any issues.
13. Send Out the Party Invitations
Once you have all of the party details in place, it’s time to send out the invitations. Make sure that they are in line with the theme or style of the party. Make sure that they are sent out well in advance of the event as this will mean more people can come. Make sure the invitation sounds exciting so that guests want to come and will have a fear of missing out if they don’t. Boring invitations are never going to encourage people to show up.
14. Create a Detailed Party Schedule
It is important to create a timeline of events for the day of the party. This will help you stay organised and on track, and will also help you communicate any specific instructions or expectations to your guests. This will also help with suppliers and when they are arriving and what they need to do.
Creating a running sheet for the night is also important so that you don’t miss anything. Sticking to a party timeline will maximise dancing time and make sure you don’t miss speeches and anything else happening.
15. Make Sure You Have Plenty of Party Supplies
It is really important to create a list of possible party supplies that may run out on the night. This includes things like food, plates, cups, napkins, utensils, ice for drinks and more alcohol. You don’t want to run out halfway through the party and have to get someone to go to the shops to buy more supplies.
16. Party Supplier Confirmations
If you’re hiring party suppliers, such as a catering companies, party decorators, DJs, or function venues, make sure to confirm all the details well in advance of the party. This will help avoid any last-minute surprises or complications and will definitely relive stress levels.
17. Make Sure You Have Enough Party Seating
To me, if you want your party to be high energy you don’t want too much seating. Too much seating can take away from the party atmosphere especially if you want your guests to be on the dance floor.
On the other hand if you are going for a chilled party vibe it is important to have seating for at least a quarter of your guest numbers. The only time you really want tables and chairs for everyone is if you are having a sit down dinner. If you’re expecting a large number of guests, consider renting tables and chairs.
My rule of thumb is never have more than enough chairs or some sort of seating for more than half your guest numbers.
18. Make Sure You Have Enough Parking for Guests
If you’re hosting the party at your home, consider where your guests will park. A possible option if you are short on car park space is renting a parking lot or having a shuttle service available to transport guests. The easier it is for your guests to get to your party, the better the party experience from the beginning.
19. Be a Great Party Host
As the host of the party, it’s your job to make sure that your guests are having a good time. This means being available to answer questions, making sure that everyone has enough to eat and drink, and making sure that everyone is having a good time. If you really want to enjoy your party though, have staff on hand to deal with anything that pops up so you can relax and enjoy your own party.
20. Have a Plan for Clean-Up
This is quite often overlooked, especially for house parties. There is nothing worse than having to clean up the next day especially if you’re tired or hungover. Make sure you have enough trash bags, cleaning supplies, and volunteers to help clean up after the party. Even better still if you have the budget hire cleaners so you don’t have to do it yourself.
Getting waiters and bar staff to clean as they go on the night can make a big difference in your overall party experience.
21. Follow Up With Your Party Guests
It is always a good idea in the following week after the party to thank your guests for coming and to get feedback on what they liked and didn’t like. Use this feedback to make any improvements for your next party. The party feedback you get could make a big difference in improving future parties that you host.
22. HAVE FUN
Last but not least, remember to have fun! This is your party, and you should enjoy it just as much as your guests. The best parties are the ones where the host is relaxed and enjoying themselves.
I have seen so many party hosts have a terrible time because they hadn’t planned properly or didn’t hire the help they needed. The more organized you are and the less work you need to do on the night the more time you have to enjoy yourself.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you’ll be able to plan a party that is truly memorable. Your guests will have a great time, and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the party as well. So go ahead and start planning, and let the good times roll!
Author – Partyologist Marcus Prentice
