Whether it’s for this festive season, a forthcoming birthday or special anniversary – or just for the fun of it – there is a good reason to throw a party. If you’ve got one in mind, here are some tips for how to throw the perfect party at home.
The perfect party begins with an enticing invitation
One perfect party planning ingredient that is often overlooked is the invitation? In the age of WhatsApp chats and Facebook it’s all too easy to communicate with everybody we know in a matter of seconds. That’s a good thing – generally – of course; but sometimes it does mean that some of traditions and conventions get passed over too. This is a shame as the invitation is something that really sets the tone for the event.
Send an interesting and enticing invitation and guests will already feel a sense of anticipation about the party to come. Naturally, all the pertinent information (date, time, location, occasion, dress code, etc.) should be included, and the more personal tone, the better.
The perfect party needs a perfect guest list
Generally speaking, you don’t want to invite everyone you know. There should be a sense of exclusivity about any event. A lot depends on the occasion – a family birthday might call for a quite different guest list to a New Year’s Eve or Halloween shindig. A lot of the headaches that come attached to invitations for large events such as weddings – getting the seat plans right – aren’t an issue for a house party. It’s more about bringing an interesting mix of people together.
Think of a theme
For every single person who rolls their eyes and sighs deeply when they receive an invitation to fancy dress or themed party, there are another nine people who embrace the idea and throw themselves wholeheartedly into the spirit of the occasion. A theme gives something for guests to hang onto. It becomes a point of reference and a ready-made icebreaker. However, it doesn’t have to be the be-all-and-end-all. It shouldn’t take over.
Similarly, although everybody wants to get everything right for their party, people can get too hung up about making sure every finest detail is absolutely spot on. Ultimately, the aim of any party is to celebrate something and have fun. Spontaneity and a relaxed atmosphere are the aim – not military precision.
Food, drink and music
Last but not least, we come to the three most important elements of the perfect party at home. The food and drink choices will depend a lot on the occasion and the event, but the golden rules are to always have more than enough – both in terms of quantity and choice. A Spotify playlist is probably the easiest (and best) options. It means you can literally have several hours of music to hand. Choose tracks that will the move the party along. There are points when you will want to get everybody up on the kitchen dance floor. You’ll also want a more chilled and downtempo period at some point.
Without music, a party can feel a bit like a meeting. So, give it some serious thought. For particularly special occasions you might want to consider live music or entertainment. Get in touch to discuss your event with our friendly team.
