Planning a party can get pretty stressful, especially if entertaining isn’t your thing. I’ve been passionate about entertaining since I had my own place in college! So much so, I have a B.S. in Hospitality Management, and worked as an event planner for 2 years. Since then, I’ve learned even more from my own experiences, and am sharing 5 tips to help you enjoy party planning without the stress! Obviously these tips were written with “kid-party planning” in mind, but these tips can be applied to most any type of party or shower.
1. Mix home decor with party decor
Using a splash of themed party decor here and there throughout the space is the easiest way to create a unique experience for your guests. For example, changing out wall or mantel decor and centerpieces to compliment the party theme or color scheme is a great way to create a cohesive look.
2. Know your audience
What I mean by this is simply, create for the specific age and interests of the guests. If it’s a kid’s party, they’re ONLY concerned about what the party has to offer them! Activities and favors need to be the focus for kids. “What did I do and what did I get?” will be the only two questions on a child’s mind when they leave a party. It’s how they’ll rate their whole experience. Make it count! For adults, they’ll focus on the food (and drinks) and how the experience made them feel. Focus on the menu, flow and overall atmosphere (smells, sounds, space) for adult parties.
3. Stay organized (FREE party planner download)
One way I stay organized on party day is by keeping all my info in one place. I use this printable to keep track and am sharing it with you as a FREE download!
4. Personal touches
I love to use the name of the person that is being celebrated as much as possible! Creating a diy sign or message board is simple and meaningful, while ordering a custom banner or customized party favors is an option for a more elaborate event. No matter how big or small, making something meaningful by adding the guest of honor’s name, will always make them feel special!
5. Be flexible
Nothing always goes exactly as planned, so plan to be FLEXIBLE! Sometimes weather won’t cooperate (see video), or a vendor will be late, or a menu item flops, cakes fall… trust me, things happen. At the end of the day, the party must go on, so being open to change and being able to adapt, will make it more pleasant for everyone involved!
I hope these tips help you when planning an event for you loved one. We ended up having a great party regardless of the terrible weather!
Watch the full video to see how it all turned out, plus more party tips! Let the party planning begin!
Thanks for stopping by, Jamie xo