How many times have you decided it was time to throw a great party and then backed out due to lack of time or resources? Did you get the last minute jitters thinking about how much time and attention it takes to pull off a really good party? So many people try to convince themselves that they CAN throw a great party and then when they start thinking about how much it entails they just don't go through with it.
Maybe it is lack of money, too little time or negative self talk that lies to you and makes yo think yo are not capable of having a party where everyone has fun and hated to leave.
That's too bad because, with proper planning, virtually anyone can host a wonderful event that eaves them talking and wanting more.
See, love is in the details and when you get all the details lined up just right, it is almost impossible not to have a successful event.
I have laid out a simple but basic approach to planning that starts with your own creativity brainstorming and evolves into a solid agenda with clear tasks ans timelines.
This approach should help you keep a clear head when doing all the things it takes to throw a great party.
Think about these tips when you next consider putting together some nice food, some drink, and most importantly, some happy friends.
1.
Keep pen and paper nearby all the time.
Our minds come up with wonderful ideas that are pretty elusive sometimes.
so, when you get that idea to carve melons into baskets, write it down! Braise the crudites: write it down! Create a temporary chandelier from a string of white Christmas lights: write it down! 2.
After a couple days or ruminating and brainstorming you will have a wonderful list of some crazy and some excellent ideas.
Now, "chunk" them into categories such as food, ambiance, invites, helpers, etc.
3.
Work on each category at a time and be prudent about the amount of time each will take to do.
You will need to flesh out these top-of-mind ideas and put some common sense into your plans.
For example, maybe the chandelier was not such a good idea, so dump it and use your normal lights.
As you put your list into realistic tasks, assign a time frame to each one.
How long will it take to accomplish each task? If something is going to take two days to do, dump it.
For example, you may think you need to festoon your entire living rooms with garland or flowers.
But, weigh the effort against the outcome.
Really.
Are your guests going to notice the 10,000 twinkly lights lining all the window frames in your house? No.
People notice whether they look good in certain lighting or not, not the sheer amount of lighting that you could be slaving over.
4.
Now, string all the categories and the timing across one piece of paper and see if you need to eliminate anything else.
Work backwards from The Day (of the party) on your list and see if it is possible to fit all the tasks into your schedule.
This approach is the basic method of planning for many types of events, not just for parties.
5.
To summarize: write down any and all ideas, chunk them into like categories, give each task an amount of time it will take to do and string this information across ONE piece of paper to see if you have enough time to throw a great party or not.
When the host or hostess has a solid plan for their party it is much more likely to go off without a hitch and to be a hit for all the attendees.
Have a great time!