Hooray, you’re going to throw a party! Maybe because it’s your birthday or you just got your diploma. You have moved into a new home, or you and your partner have been in a relationship for exactly five years. There is always a reason for a party. However, organizing and arranging in advance is often seen as a less fun task, because what else is involved when you are going to throw a party? After all, you want your guests to have everything they need and to go home with a good feeling. This article is a step-by-step plan for organizing a party, so that you too can enjoy it with peace of mind!
Prior to
What you need depends on many factors. Below are the most important:
- What occasion is the party celebrating?
- How many people are coming?
- How long will it take?
- How much can it cost?
Every party is different, so ask yourself what the answer to these questions is in your case. Keep them in mind during this article, so that you can give your own interpretation to the tips mentioned. This way, everyone can make a party plan for every occasion!
Party components
Location
A beautiful location that is one of the greatest atmosphere creators.
- Renting a hall or estate is an excellent option for a wedding party.
- For more closed and smaller parties, the living room is often sufficient, and when the weather is sunny, the garden can be added. If the weather is changeable or you want to create a ‘real’ party feeling, you can hire a party tent.
Environment
Once you have the location, it is useful to inform the surrounding residents that you are going to throw a party. Whether this is necessary depends of course on the amount of noise that will be made. Below is a sample note that you can fill out and put through the neighbors’ letterbox.
Dear Neighbors,
Through this letter we would like to let you know that we are having a party on ……… from ……… We are celebrating our birthday in the backyard where music will also be played. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused and will try to keep it to a minimum. From ………….. we will turn the music down. Of course you are also very welcome to have a drink with us.
For questions or inconvenience you can call:……………..Kind regards,
To invite
On birthdays, friends and family are usually called to invite them personally. For larger parties it is practical to send an invitation. Indicate the date, time, location and any gift tip. Include your telephone number and ask people to let them know if they will be present. With every party you throw, keep in mind that there will always be people who don’t cancel and can’t come.
Decoration
This part is not necessary in itself, but it makes the whole thing more festive.
- You can think of balloons and flags, for example, but sufficient chairs are also part of the decoration. Candles or a fire basket are ideal for the evening. With standing tables you create a real party atmosphere, and they also invite guests who don’t know each other yet to have a chat.
- If you are having a themed party, match the decoration. Lots of pink for a ‘sweet sixteen’ and a pop for a 50 year old Abraham or Sarah. You can also have themes such as Seventies, Hawaii or you choose a color that is central. Let your imagination run wild and mention the theme on the invitation.
Food and drink
All that partying naturally makes you hungry and thirsty. Still, it’s no fun having to spend your entire birthday in the kitchen while the guests are sitting outside.
- If you are having a large party, hiring catering is the solution. You tell them what you want to serve and they do the rest.
- At birthdays for smaller groups, coffee and a piece of cake is the most common variant. As long as it’s easy. Especially for birthdays at home, it is an idea to prepare snacks in advance and store them in the refrigerator for a while.
- People often come around noon and depending on what you want, you can have dinner in the evening. Pastas, soups and pizzas are ideal for this. You can also choose to serve small snacks, or put cheese and other toppings on the table with baguette and crackers. Or have a barbecue!
- There is usually a picky eater, or vegetarians and people on a diet. This way everyone can choose for themselves. Don’t serve strange, exotic dishes to children, but keep it simple with fries, pancakes or tacos that you can fill yourself.
- To avoid mountains of dishes, purchasing plastic plates and cutlery is the solution. If you are with less than ten people, gourmet dining is an option.
- The type of drink obviously depends on your guests, but just to be safe, get a little bit of everything. If people have to drive home in the evening, they will not drink alcohol. Get some juices and soft drinks at home for the children, non-alcoholic drinks or for mixed drinks.
The golden rule with food and drink is that you always get just a little more than you think you need. What’s left can be saved for tomorrow’s lunch, and let’s be honest: you don’t want your guests to have to go home because they’re starting to get hungry, do you? If you do decide to do something with food, it would be a shame if everyone has already eaten at home. So don’t forget to put on the invitation whether people can join us for dinner or not!
Music
Good music creates atmosphere in the tent. For larger parties you can hire a band or DJ. Make clear agreements about what music may and may not be played.
- If you have to make do with the CD player in the living room, make sure you have some collection CDs at home. With additional speakers the sound spreads better.
- Don’t turn on the radio, because before you know it everyone is just listening to it.
- Also make sure that the music is not too loud: people must still be able to hear each other.
photos
To ensure that you can enjoy your party afterwards, it is fun to take photos. Ask a friend to take some photos in between, or hire a professional photographer.
- Filming is also an option.
And the most important tips: try to enjoy your party yourself! Of course you want to be a good host or hostess, but in between you should also sit quietly and enjoy the visit. And don’t start cleaning up until everyone is gone!