How To Throw a Party Your Friends Will Rave About--Part 1
If you’re going to throw a party, it may as well be one for the ages. That doesn’t mean a rowdy rager, or even something over-the-top and costly. A party your friends will be talking about for weeks is one that makes them feel known, loved, and cared for, while demonstrating your thoughtfulness and generosity. How do you do this? In three steps—planning, preparing, and execution.
How To Throw a Marvelous Party
The first step to having a memorable party is planning. This includes your guest list (I’ll explain why that is a crucial element here), deciding to have a theme or not, selecting that theme if you choose to have one, determining how food will be served, settling on a menu, and choosing your décor and any party activities.
Your guest list is so important because once you know who you are inviting, you can begin to plan the rest of the party totheir tastes and preferences. A gathering for three couples is going to look and feel different than one that involves your extended family, or maybe your gal-pals. Determine the rest, based on the guests.
Let’s go with the idea of a party for three couples. You might decide to forgo a theme; or if you do have a theme, you can center it around the interests that brought you together in the first place. If you’ve bonded over an interest in wine, you might do a wine tasting and have menu items that cleanse the palette. Maybe it was tennis that brought you together, so you might host a Wimbledon watch-party; depending on the time of day of the match, you could make it a brunch or a tea.
Because there are only six of you, maybe you’ll want to serve your food family-style, as opposed to a buffet. Now that you know who you’re inviting, decided on a cohesive reason to gather, as well as a style of service—it’s time to invite and get those RSVP’s.
You’ve invited, they’ve responded; now, let’s work on that menu. This is where you can really demonstrate how much you value your guests. Think about those conversations you’ve had over the years; the times you’ve had dinner, and one of your friends commented on how much they love a particular food or cuisine. Maybe they’ve mentioned how a particular food aggravates their heartburn! This information can guide you in your menu selections. Ask if they have any food allergies or intolerances. If they do, be sure to factor this not only into your menu—but also the methods of food preparation. The threat posed by cross-contact with an allergen is very real for anyone with a food allergy. Be more than mindful; be vigilant, as their life could depend on it. Your attentiveness to their needs will mean the world to them. That said, avoiding cross-contact with food allergens in your home requires an investment of time. Consider having help with your food preparation, and during your event. Even though hosting three couples may not seem so taxing that you’d need help, there are definite advantages to having an extra pair of hands, even for an intimate gathering.
An important point to make here is that this planning is taking place roughly four to six weeks prior to the date of your party. This gives you time to place orders—whether with a caterer, a bakery, or florist—and to reserve any services you may want for your party or to book any hair or nail appointments, as well.
Because our example here is a small gathering, you might not want to use the services of a florist, but rather create your own floral centerpieces from flowers in your garden. Hollowed out pineapple or “personal-sized "watermelons can serve as the vase! Perhaps you can utilize decorative birdcages, filling them with candles. Small potted plants (clay-pot size),wrapped in a beautiful napkin and twined together, resting on a festive platter could also serve as a centerpiece. Additional décor could include string lights or tiki torches; colorful seat cushions; and cozy, lightweight throws—should an evening chill set in.
While you can always conclude your meal with coffee, dessert, and conversation, why not play a lawn game like croquet or horseshoes? You could also break out your favorite playlist and be “dancing in the moonlight,” as the 1970’s hit by King Harvest suggests.
I hope that this has spurred some ideas for you when getting ready to throw a party that your friends won’t be able to stop talking about. If this entry was all about planning, look for the next blogs in this series on preparing for your party, and on executing your plan flawlessly.
Planning a specific type of party? Check out this blog on 5 Ways to Make Your Child's First Holy Communion Party Memorable.
Planning, preparing, and executing an in-home event is a lot of work. Having an extra pair of hands—whether it is in the planning stage, the preparation phase, or at the actual event—allows you to stress less and enjoy hosting! Call Marcia at (201)707-5813 to set up a complimentary consultation on how ChoreVoyant can make you the host with the most!
