Simply Stated: 5 Favorite Party Planning Tips
I often get asked about party planning tips, and sometimes the advice varies based on the type of event or subject of the article, but there are a few things that are applicable no matter what type of party you’re hosting, and that’s the topic of today’s post over at Simply Stated: My 5 Favorite Party Planning Tips.
These 5 tips are the things I find myself telling friends & family over and over again – and most of them are geared towards making hosting a party easier and less stressful, even though I didn’t intentionally focus on that topic. I think this is because whenever I’m asked for tips from loved ones, there’s almost always a hint (or sometimes more than a hint) of stress in their voice, so I find myself wanting to help make the process easier – and, in turn more FUN – for them. If you’re feeling that hint of stress, hopefully something here will help you too… or if YOU have a favorite entertaining tip or piece of advice to add, please share it with us in the comments!
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Thanks for the wonderful tips! I’m planning my daughter’s 1st birthday these days and it just seems that the date is creeping up on me!
I had decided that on her actual birthday I will set up everything the way I want it to be on the day of the party as a trial run! Let’s see how it goes!! :)
Any plans of having an event in the DC/MD/VA area?
Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. You can pick up items when they go on sale, use coupons, or have time to keep an eye on your favorite online stores when they have deals like free shipping.
Stock up on items after the holidays…it will be back around next year.
Remember that your time is just as valuable as your money. Sometimes, it’s better to purchase than to stay up for hours making something. That’s why I love Sandra Dee’s 70-30 rule. http://www.dawnypoo.blogspot.com
grr…Sandra Lee….not the singer Sandra Dee :)
Those are some great tips..I like #5 the best – the party is only as smooth as the hostess appears! :)
My favorite part of throwing a party is the decorating and design of the party space. I am known for setting up the main area(usually the dining room) a week before the event. Then all I have to worry about over the week is cleaning house(a little each day) and preparing food/drink.
I have learned to LOVE my freezer! I like to make dishes ahead of time and freeze them so all I have to do before the party is put it in the oven! Other easy food tricks: meatballs in the crockpot are a no brainer; cut veggie crudite always gets eaten; dips feed a lot of people and are easy to put together ahead of time.
For cocktails, never underestimate the power of those flavored mixers! Just add liquor and you have a signature cocktail for the evening!
Shall I shut up now?!
http://www.celebrationsathome.blogspot.com
There are a few things that I think help you as a hostess:
1. Be a hoarder. Having a lot of different decorative stuff like faux flowers, glass beads, candle holders, napkins and so on will help to decorate the place beautifully. Stock up on sales.
2. Pick a theme and stick to it. Serving food and drinks, and playing music that fits the theme will make people appreciate the party even more.
3. Make sure to have fun both before and during the party. Don’t slave for days or weeks ahead of a party if you don’t like it – it will show in the results, and the guests won’t have fun if the host is stressed and rushed or not taking the time to enjoy it.
I agree, five was definitely the best advice. People can read your expression and if nobody knows you are freaking out because you dropped two dozen deviled eggs, then you are a pro!!!
My 3 helpful hints are:
1.) Go to your local dollar store. They always have candy and fun decorative items that you can use for festive table toppers! I once found pink baby shoes that served a good purpose as balloon holders!
2.) When in doubt on what cocktail to serve, you can never go wrong with champagne! And a raspberry if you need an extra color kick!
3.) I like to use my good china coffee cups and saucers even if it is a casual party! We’ve had coffee out of them and dessert too! I think people appreciate when you make an effort to use your china, plus it brings a touch of elegance to the soirre!
My number 1 tip is to remember that I’m the only one who knows what the big plan is, so if I run out of time or something doesn’t get accomplished, no one knows but me.
Those tips were really helpful. I have a plan to host a surprised party for a friend. I’m sure I will be having the best one ever with those great ideas… Thank you so much!!
Good Afternoon,
I saw the comments about weddings, and parties, and since my best friend Alice is getting married in July, I thought I would add a quick comment. she is seriously worrying about the cost, I think it is all the little things that add up really. I wanted to share a tip with you all. My friend is having a hen weekend which will include a spa day, a day at a theme park, and prob a rather drunken night out! Instead of sending all her hens paper invites (which would have cost a fortune) she is opting for e-Card invites. I was a bit baffled by her idea, but then she explained to me that they are better for the environment as no paper is required, and as long as you choose a free site, then the service won’t cost a penny! Result! She told me that she had found a Free Invitation e-Card site. I checked it out and it looks really cool, lots of funny cards. There are loads of e-Card sites out there, so it may be worth doing your own research and finding one that suites you best. Hope this helps, and good luck everyone on your forthcoming weddings. Love and Hugs, Nicole.
A great way to have a fantastic party is to be a truly relaxed host or hostess. Having a little party help goes a long way toward helping the host de-stress. Hiring a bartender, server or sous-chef is much less expensive than many people think and it is an awesome way to make any event extra special!
This is a very informative blog!! Tons of great ideas to make life easier for the Birthday Party planner. Keep up the great work!