College or High School Graduations, Weddings, Father's Day, and Mother's Day (affiliate) are coming up soon! Are you planning a party? These parties can range from small gatherings at home to significant events where you rent out a hall. However, every party has some standard, basic steps that you need to follow to make it a success. Don't forget that planning a party should also be fun. I know it's a lot of work, but my goal is to help you establish simple steps that can be applied to any size party. It usually takes weeks to plan a party, so be patient through the process, and you will see it all come together on the day of the event.
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- Ask yourself these questions:
- Decide on the color theme and type of party.
- Decide whether you will have flowers and, if so, what type of flowers.
- Decide whether you want balloons and what other decorations you would like.
- Pick and send out the invitations.
- Plan the menu. Don't forget the drinks.
- Set up a timeline for what needs to be picked up and made the week before the party.
- Plan and create the music playlist.
- Plan the activities that you will be doing.
- Set up sit-down dinners appropriately.
- Lastly, here are some activities to do on the day of the event.
Ask yourself these questions:
What is the purpose of the party, and what is the theme of the event?
I find that asking these questions helps me get on track with what I need to do next. I usually like to do this about a month before the event. If the party is a larger one, I recommend that two to three months works best. If it is a wedding, it could be up to a year or more. Remember that weddings are a significant event, and we won't focus on them in this post.
I find that asking these questions helps me get on track with what I need to do next. I usually like to do this about a month before the event. If the party is a larger one, I recommend two to three months works best. If it is a wedding, it could be up to a year or more. Remember that weddings are a huge event, that we aren't going to focus on them for this post.
Decide on the color theme and type of party.
Selecting colors for a party can be a fun experience. For graduations, you can use the school colors. For Father's or Mother's Day (affiliate), you can use blues, greens, pinks, yellows, or your father's or mother's favorite color.
Decide whether you will have flowers and, if so, what type of flowers.
If you choose, you can select a specific type of flower as the theme for the party. Don't just look at real flowers. You can also accessorize your party with lovely silk or dried flowers.
Decide whether you want balloons and what other decorations you would like.
This could be one-color latex balloons or a variety of different colors. Check out these 22 Awesome DIY Balloon Decorations. My favorite is the balloons with glow sticks inside for a nighttime pool party.
Tip: I find that going to a party store for inspiration also helps me determine the theme.
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After you have decided on the theme and what colors you will be using, it's time to find invitations. Send out the message around 4 weeks before the big event.
Pick and send out the invitations.
NOW the invitations! Here's the fun part. If you prefer, you can opt for more affordable invitations that allow for handwriting. Alternatively, you can purchase printed invitations, such as the ones shown below.
Tip: To ensure accuracy in the event's details, write the information on a separate piece of paper. If you decide to write out the invitations or create them online, you have all the necessary information as a reference. Include the following on your sheet of paper:
- Who is the event for?
- The event location name and address.
- The date and time of the event.
- The hostname.
- RSVP with the name of the contact person and their phone number or email address.
Plan the menu. Don't forget the drinks.
Yes, it's time to finalize what you plan to serve at this bash. Picking one or two main dishes and adding sides works nicely-a vegetarian dish and a meat dish work great. I also like to make a salad something like this one: Cucumber Tomato Chickpea Feta Salad. In the past, people enjoyed my blueberry iced tea made with real blueberries. We also make iced tea from scratch and lemonade. It saves a lot of money when you don't have to buy drinks for the party. Making them at home is easy and tastes great!
Tips: Leave a permanent marker (affiliate) near the drinks so people can write their names on their plastic cups.
Set up a timeline for what needs to be picked up and made the week before the party.
Create a schedule similar to the one below and determine what needs to be done each day until the event begins. There may be activities that need to be done during the event, so be sure to make a note of them. Don't forget the paper products, cups, utensils (affiliate), serving plates, and consider where the food and drinks will be served at the party, as well as whether you will have a buffet or a sit-down meal.
Plan and create the music playlist.
Are you planning on having music? I find that jazz music works nicely for adults.However, if you're hosting a kids' party, create a playlist that the kids will enjoy. If you have a theme party, such as a Hawaiian event, we purchased Hawaiian music to play at my daughter's birthday party one year ago.
Plan the activities that you will be doing.
For kids' parties, we played various games like painting with water pistols, and then we created a massive painting with all our friends. Here's what the kids made. Each kid took home their water gun painting as a favor gift. My daughter then added a quote (affiliate) to the top of hers and still has it in her room to this day.
Set up sit-down dinners appropriately.
If you decide to host a sit-down dinner event, be sure to review your list of guests and pair them with people they have in common. Ensure that you have enough seats for everyone. If you don't have enough seats at home, consider asking a neighbor or family member.
Lastly, here are some activities to do on the day of the event.
Relax, and follow your timeline sheet. Because you have a detailed list of activities, you can delegate different tasks to make your day easier. You deserve to enjoy yourself at this beautiful party you planned.
One more thing: if you're looking for specific party tips for your next event, you can find more information in my other posts on the subject.
Organizing a Large Party
Organizing a New Year's Eve party
While researching this topic, I came across these insightful articles. Feel free to visit them for more tips.
9 Ways to Simplify Party Planning
Well, there you have it. I hope these tips help you make your next party a fabulous success! Please share. Do you have any suggestions you'd like to share about party planning? Please leave a comment below.
Below are more party planning ideas for you!
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