Who doesn’t like parties? Be it a summer barbeque, a graduation party, a house warming party, a baby shower or the best kind, a birthday party, they’re all fun in their own ways. While most people can be good guests, not everyone has the innate ability to be a good host. Many people are simply too daunted by the prospect of hosting a party that they don’t even give it a try. On the other hand, there are those folks who are natural entertainers.
Every time they have a party, you’re forced to wonder how they manage to set up the venue perfectly, put out great food, make sure the party’s entertaining, all without breaking into a sweat. Have no fear, because if you have a party-worthy occasion coming up and you can’t begin to fathom a party planning list, we’re here to tell you all the things that you need to consider and plan ahead to make sure that your gathering becomes the talk of the town and the next time you host a soiree, people are wishful of getting an invite.
The Venue
Your first and foremost concern should be the venue of the party because only after you’ve decided the actual space, you can move further into deciding things like choosing décor and arrangement and furniture set up. This is also the first decision that you should take when planning a party because the demographics of the location are tied closely to all other major decisions. For example, if you were to have a set-up in your backyard, you would need to arrange tables and chairs and also look up the weather forecast to see the chances of rain and maybe add a canopy to your list of stuff to be rented. Once you’ve decided on a place for the party, you will also have a clear idea of how many people can be accommodated in your selected area and so you can then devise your guest list with more precision.
Clean up
A house party appears scary to most people largely because of the cleaning that’s required both before and after the event. We would suggest hiring a house cleaning service. The companies that provide these services will send trained professionals to your house, who you will choose to hire to clean either your entire house or the dedicated area of the party. You can avail of these services not only for the havoc of the after-party but also for before the party so that you don’t have to stress about your guests noticing dust on your window panes. This will be a major tick on your checklist and will considerably reduce the workload on your hands before the event. You are bound to enjoy your own party so much more without having to continuously keep a stressful eye on the piling dishes or the spilled drinks, all throughout the party. The knowledge that you won’t have to do any cleanup and can go straight to bed afterward, is sure to make you a great carefree host, the kind that everyone loves best.
The Food
When you’re setting the budget for your function, we recommend dedicating the largest amount to the food department because it really is the most important part of any event. Even if you have a beautiful setup and the perfect entertainment, if your menu is lacking either in the selection or in taste, the mood of the party is bound to turn sour. It’s a known fact that the life of a party is, in fact, the free food, and so a disappointing menu will surely be a downer. Sit down one evening and finalize your guest list. After you’ve decided on the number of people to be invited and the type of crowd you’ll be entertaining, the selection of a menu will become much easier. Do not overburden yourself with the food or you’ll be slaving away in the kitchen while your guest will be unattended.
Devise a menu that accommodates everyone. Have a specialty item for the adults, a few snacks to go with drinks, an item suitable for children and perhaps an item for vegetarians. Out of this selection, prepare one item yourself and order the rest ready-made or frozen.
The Décor
The reason for your celebration should be the deciding factor when it comes to décor. You can’t have cartoon-shaped balloons at a graduation party or a Frozen-themed barbeque. Decide on a theme to follow and if you aren’t the artsy kind, head over to Pinterest for party décor ideas for all occasions. Once you’ve selected a color scheme or style to follow, you can both visit stores or look up online sites that offer party supplies.
Online stores will provide the added benefit of delivering items to your doorstep and cut down one extra trip to the market. If you intend on doing any DIY projects, it is advisable that you start a couple of days ahead of the party so that you have ample amount of time to not just complete said projects but also to get off-the-rack products if an idea doesn’t materialize the way you want it to.
CONCLUSION
Even though it is true to an extent, that planning and hosting a party is an art that one needs to acquire, never let the pressure of pulling things off perfectly, stop you from either hosting a party or enjoying your own party to the fullest.
Be sure to create a checklist of all the chores to be done and arrangements to make. Start planning early and setting up early so you aren’t running around in circles the day of the event.
Create a crowd-appropriate playlist so that your party always has a good background score. And most importantly, don’t fret over perfection. Even if things get a little chaotic, don’t let that smile on your lips waver. Nobody likes a party where the host is uncomfortable and stressed out so do as many things as you can, ahead of time, and ensure that you enjoy this occasion as much as the guests because only this will be a guarantee for all future parties.
