Congratulations! You want to plan your first party, but don’t know where to start.  Don’t worry; in this blog, I will go over the steps required to plan and host a great party .  The first thing we’ll do is relax and not stress out (breathe in and breathe out).  Remember, the planning process can be as fun as the party itself!

For entirely new beginners, I would suggest starting small (luncheons, dinner parties, and brunch are just some of the ways you can host a party and not feel overwhelmed). Also, keep your guest list to a minimum of 5-10 people: not more than that. Remember, more people mean more work.

For this blog, we’ll use movie night as an example.

First, create your guest list; this is an excellent opportunity to invite new and old friends together.

Next, we’ll invite the people on the guest list. Rule of thumb: ask people at least two weeks in advance for house parties.

There are many ways you can do this:

1. Text or call your guests individually and invite them

2. You can group message everyone

3. You can use social media such as Facebook invite or messenger, Instagram messaging, etc.

4. Even electronic invitation apps such as Punchbowl or Evite. 

I prefer Evite because it helps me stay organized. I can check who’s coming and who’s not in one place.  Once you have invited everyone on your guest list, keep it to the side (if it’s a digital list, then save it) because we will go over it one more time.

Now that we have made our guest list and invited everyone, next step is to plan your menu. 

Since we are hosting a movie night, finger foods are the best option; for example, you could serve pizza and nachos and serve popcorn in individual bags for guests to enjoy while watching the movie.

 For dessert, have an ice cream sundae bar which would consist of:

1.Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream

2. Caramel and Chocolate Fudge

3. Rainbow and Chocolate Sprinkles

4. Whip Cream

 The best place to look for ideas for what to serve is Pinterest; it is the holy grail of finding endless menu options for every party. Once you have your menu finalized, order your food two days before the party.  Often wholesale stores will have the option of catering, and you can order from their menu or pick up readymade platters for a reasonable price.

Third step is the décor (now, you can skip this part if you like and are on a tight budget, but I like to decorate because I feel that it brings the entire party together).  You can keep it simple and hang a few streamers and balloons, get a poster board from a bargain store and make a sign that has the name of the movie that you will be showing.  You can make it look like an opening show or a premiere movie night (use your creativity and have fun with it!)

Remember, the more fun you make it, the more fun your guests will have. If you do plan on decorating, then buy your supplies two weeks before the part and decorate at least 2 days before the party but definitely have it done the night before the party.

It is the week of the party; remember that guest list we put aside? We’re going to finalize it.

I will review my list and see who has not replied yet, and text them individually to remind them of the upcoming party.  It is best practice to always follow up with your guests because it gives you the final headcount of who is coming and reminds your guests of the party.  Having a final guest list helps to determine how much food to order. 

Start setting up in the afternoon of the party: from the seating arrangements to arranging the food, this is when you want to do it.  Once everything is ready, then it’s time to get ready yourself. By this time, your guests will start to arrive, and then you only have one task left, which is an essential task: have fun and enjoy yourself!

For those who plan parties regularly, what works for you?  I would love to hear about your experience.

I hope this blog helps you plan your first party!

Until next time!