So, you’ve decided to host a party and don’t know where to start? Well, you are just like the rest of us then and you’ve come to the right place. Planning a party can very quickly get very stressful and confusing to work on. Don’t worry, EventStan has a step-by-step guide to party planning that can work as a checklist too with all the must-do things before, during, and after your party to have an amazing and relaxed time, even as the party host.
Before the Party:
- Choose date & time– This is the most important step of planning a party as the selection of your date needs to be convenient for the majority of your guests.
- Create an invitation list – Next, write out a list of all the attendees you plan to invite. It would be beneficial to keep a rough mental budget in mind so that you don’t go overboard with your guest list.
- Decide a theme – Your theme for the party will depend on your occasion and your party invitees, which also sets the tone of the party. For example, you may decide to have a pajama-themed party if your guests mainly include friends or family. However, if it also involves your professional circle you might want to go with a slightly more formal theme like a White Party.
- Draw up a budget – Now that you know the approximate number of attendees for your event and have decided on a theme, it’s time to set a budget range for your party. Don’t forget to keep aside some amount as a buffer for any extra/ unexpected expenses.
- Send out invitations – Once your budget is fixed and you have filtered out or added any extra guests to your list, it’s time to roll out the invitations. Get creative here and try designing your invitation card to suit your party theme.
- Book your services and venue – Now starts the challenging part of searching for venues and relevant service providers for catering, décor, entertainment, etc. Well, here we would suggest using EventStan to find all your vendors under one roof. You can view prices, availability, reviews & ratings whilst booking all your service providers through the app. It really is so simple.
- Come up with a playlist – Set the mood for your party with a solid playlist to keep the party going through the night. Make sure you either own or rent some good audio equipment rather than play your music through a single small Bluetooth speaker.
- Lineup extra help – Being the sole host of any event can be burdensome and stressful so be sure to line up some extra help such as friends and family or hire staff to assist you on a special day.
- Notify neighbors – If you’re holding the party at your own place be sure to notify your neighbors so that they can make other plans to hang out outside for the duration of the party if they wish to.
- Finish last-minute shopping – Make sure you finish any last-minute grocery errands at least a day before the party.
On the Day:
- Welcome drinks – If you’re like one of us and like going the extra mile, you can create a special welcome drink for your guests and add your personalized touch to it.
- Display food – When the caterers arrive, ensure that there is ample space to place the food and condiments.
- Greet guests – Greet your guests at the door to make them feel more welcomed and special. You can also introduce them to other party guests to get the conversation going.
- Have a great time– Being the host of the party does not mean that you don’t get to have just as much fun as everybody else. Relax and enjoy the efforts that you put in to create this amazing party.
After the Party:
- Farewell greetings – Thank your guests for attending your party and let them know that you’re always so happy to see them.
- Clean up – Call in your cleaning crew if you have arranged one or call in your close family or friends to help you clean up.
- Check your camera – If you recorded the event by yourself check your camera to make sure footage has been saved, or if you had arranged a photographer, discuss any arrangement as to when your photos will be received.
And that’s it, it’s a wrap! Hosting a party is for sure a lot of work, but with the right approach and method, it can become a piece of cake and soon you’ll be counting down the days to your next event. Are you looking to plan a different kind of party, perhaps one for your team? Here are some cool ideas for your next team-building activity.
At the end, it can be said that there’s a lot to be done but doesn’t it just feel great when it all turns out just right on the day?
