Happy Friday! ???? I love celebrating special occasions, and recently we had so much fun throwing a party for Guido’s birthday! I also love hosting and entertaining guests at our apartment because we have a big open space with floor-to-ceiling windows, which makes for a great party space! So I thought it would be fun to share a few easy party planning tips for your next celebration. I know it can be a little scary planning a party, but it shouldn’t be! You’re bringing a whole bunch of people together to have a good time, and you should be able to enjoy yourself too!
Of course you can go all out in party planning and throw the bash of the year, and while some occasions definitely call for that, not all parties need to be that extravagant! It’s amazing how a few special touches can go a long way. There are a also handful of easy tips and tricks to make the party planning process go smoothly and stress-free. So keep reading for my favourite ones! 🙂
Send out clear invites!
While this might seem straightforward and obvious to some, clearly that’s not always true. Case in point – when I left Guido in charge of the invites for the party. 😛 It was a casual dinner party that started at 7pm, and we were planning on having lots of food and serving everyone dinner. That was the plan, haha but Guido told some people to come at 7pm, others to “swing by anytime after 7pm”, and who knows what else…
So the party didn’t really get going until after 8:30pm (our first guests didn’t arrive until 7:30pm), and dinner wasn’t served until after 9:30pm. And a few people had already eaten because he didn’t say that there would be food! Haha so if you have a rough outline of your party’s schedule (i.e. when you would like to serve guests dinner), make sure you kindly let them know that the party starts at “x” time, and that you’ll be serving dinner. This way you won’t be stressed because people are arriving “late” and then everyone knows to expect delicious food and a great time!
Don’t slave away in the kitchen
The last thing you want to do is spend the entire night slaving away in the kitchen when your guests are all mingling and having fun! You’re already going to spend enough time refilling drinks and clearing plates, so keep the rest to a minimum. Try and prep as much as you can beforehand, and pick a meal that is easy to cook and serve!
For Guido’s birthday, I made a delicious pasta salad beforehand (from Baker by Nature’s blog), and tossed together a pre-packaged salad mix. We also made mashed potatoes (Guido’s favourite!) which we prepped ahead of time and then only had to boil and mash when guests arrived. For the main protein, we grilled salmon fillets on the BBQ! I love barbecuing food for parties because it always turns out delicious, and it’s quick to cook! It’s also not ideal turning on the oven when you have too many people over. It’ll heat up your apartment real quick, so keep that in mind. Haha nobody wants to be sweating at a dinner party!
Have fun with simple decorations
You can definitely go all-out with decorations, but it’s amazing what you can do with a few simple touches! First, fresh flowers are always a must! I like to put a whole bunch of small bouquets around our apartment. Then I sprinkle confetti on all the tables and surfaces, alongside similar coloured and patterned napkins. I’ll also add a few balloons and streamers – because why not?! It’s a party! But if you’re trying to keep it simple, you can always skip this last step, or just add a few balloons around the room. You really can’t go wrong with decorations, so have fun with it!
Lastly, relax and have fun!
At the end of the day, don’t forget to relax and enjoy your party! You’ve worked hard to prepare and make sure everything is just right, so have that glass of wine! Talk to your guests, eat the delicious food you made, and have a good time! Don’t sweat the small stuff. Everyone is there to have fun, and is grateful for the invite to a great party. Sure, it helps to tidy up a little as you go (i.e. take people’s plates and/or glasses), but don’t spend the whole night running around like a mad woman. It’ll all be there tomorrow to clean up 😉 Tonight, be present and have fun!!
I hope you enjoyed these easy tips for your next party planning! I always have a blast hosting parties and I want you to as well! If you’re also in need of a special card for your next celebration, be sure to check out my handmade card DIY post! And if you want to impress your guests with a delicious cake, I have an amazing recipe for a red velvet cheesecake that is always a hit, and tips for decorating your cake! All the little extras for your next party or celebration! 😉
Do you have any go-to party planning tips or blog posts to share? Share them in the comments below, I’d love to hear them!
Have a fantastic weekend!
XO
Danielle