If you’re going to plan a party for a birthday, a graduation, an anniversary, or something else sometime soon, you could run out and hire a party planner to help. But event planners often charge anywhere from $40 all the way to $250 per hour for their services.
So instead of taking that approach, consider planning your party yourself. You can put together an awesome party for any occasion without stressing yourself out too much by taking the right steps.
Here are 9 tips that will help your party come together.
1. Create a Guest List
Who are you going to invite to your party? That’s the first question you should ask yourself when you begin planning a party out.
Sit down and write down the names of everyone who you would like to invite. This will help you pick out an appropriate venue (more on that in a second!) and create a realistic budget for your party plans.
2. Choose a Date
In addition to creating a guest list, you should also look at a calendar and choose the best date for your party before you get too far into the planning process.
If possible, try not to hold your party on a holiday weekend or a day/night that might not work well for those on your guest list. It’s not easy picking a date that will work for everyone. But your goal should be to find a date that’ll work for most of the people on your guest list.
3. Find a Venue
Do you only have 20 or 30 people on the guest list for your party? If so, you might be able to host it right in your home.
Just make sure you declutter your house before bringing a bunch of people into it for a party.
And make sure you consider a larger venue if you’re expecting a large group of people to show up for your party. The last thing you want to do is be forced to cram people inside your home like sardines.
Look for an event space that will cater to your specific crowd. It should fit everyone comfortably and give them more than enough room to stretch out and have a good time.
4. Send Out Invitations
Once you’ve created a guest list for your party, picked out a date for it, and decided on a venue, it’ll be time to send out party invitations.
You have two options here. You can either:
- Email an “evite” to everyone on your guest list and ask them to RSVP online
- Mail out physical invitations and give people the option of RSVPing by either calling/texting or emailing you
The first option will make it easy to keep track of the RSVPs you receive. It’ll also prove to be the more cost-effective of the two options.
But the second option is better for those putting together a more formal event. Your party will feel like a bigger deal when people receive an invitation in the mail.
5. Come Up with a Menu
What kind of food are you going to serve at your party? It should all depend on what kind of party it is.
If you’re throwing an informal birthday party for your spouse, finger foods and options like pizza and hoagies might be best. But if you’re putting together plans for an anniversary party, a catered sit-down meal might be the right choice.
Keep in mind that some of the people on your guest list might be vegetarian/vegan or have food allergies. It’s a good idea to ask guests to let you know if they fall into one of these categories so that you can make the proper arrangements.
6. Pick Out Entertainment
The key to throwing an awesome party is providing plenty of entertainment for people. You don’t want everyone to be left standing around and bored while attending your party.
Entertain your party guests by:
- Hiring a DJ or band
- Setting up games
- Putting together fun activities
- Holding a raffle
Find the right type of entertainment for your party and put it together ahead of time.
7. Decide on Decorations
When people walk into your party, you want them to be blown away by how amazing it looks. You can transform any space with the right decorations.
From balloons and streamers to banners and even personal photos, there are so many things you can use to bring a party to life. Small decorative touches will go a long way towards ensuring everyone has a great time.
8. Find Party Favors
At the end of your party, send your guests on their way with some kind of favor or goodie bag. Whether you give them a plant, a wine glass, a small bag of candy, or something else, it’ll remind them of how much fun they had at your event.
9. Adjust Plans as Necessary
No matter how much you try to avoid it, there are going to be road bumps that you run into along the way while planning a party. And they can cause a lot of stress if you’re not careful.
Instead of freaking out every time a problem pops up, embrace change and adjust your plans accordingly. You’ll be tempted to get stressed out when your DJ cancels at the last minute or your decorations don’t look like you expected them to. But you don’t have to let stress get the best of you.
Start Planning an Awesome Party Today
Planning an awesome party for a birthday, graduation, or anniversary isn’t always going to be easy. There will be times when you’re going to wish you had just paid someone else to plan the party for you.
But if you’re willing to work at it, you can put your own personal touch on a party and be proud of it. Keep the tips listed here in mind at all times, and you’ll be just fine.
Read our blog to find some advice on how to look your best on the day of your big party.
