Phase 1: Decisions about the party
Step 1: Decide the type of the party
Yes, it is a surprise party but of what kind? Is it a children’s birthday party? A surprise dinner party to congratulate a friend? Formal or informal? Do you want it to be indoors or outdoors? There are a lot of options to choose from, and deciding on one would really steer the planning in a definite direction. So choose carefully and wisely. Read our blog for gifting ideas!
Step 2: Decide the time
Deciding on the time would really help you know how to plan your party going forward. If you want to host your party in the early evening, you might have to think about the decorations, music, lights, and drinks accordingly. If it is a late-night party, the ambience should be very different from that of an early evening party.
Step 3: Decide the budget
What is the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend? Make a list and try to stick to it. Parties may be costly, especially if you are offering the majority of the food and beverages. If you don’t want to pay for it yourself or can’t afford it, consider enlisting the support of friends and family. Plus, there are always cheaper options for everything.
Step 4: Make a guest list
Because the party is last-minute, this doesn’t have to be a long list, but writing down the names of individuals you want to invite will give you an idea of how many people to expect. This will make it simpler to contact everyone to let them know about the party. Pro Tip: When making your list, consider if this individual is likely to bring a visitor. If you’re okay with it and believe they’ll bring someone, put a “+1” next to their name so you can keep track of how many people are coming.
Phase 2: Preps for the Party
Step 1: Make a list of things to do
Even if you believe it’s a waste of time, making a list of everything you need to do before the party lessens your stress in the long run. You won’t be running about trying to remember what you need to accomplish next since you’ll have a clear notion of your responsibilities. List the most critical activities at the head of the list and the ideal but less important ones towards the bottom to prioritise them.
Step 2: Delegate the tasks from this list
If you are fortunate enough to have one or two people ready to assist you, you should make the most of it. Look over your to-do list and identify what you can delegate. It’s critical to offer someone authority over a task while delegating it. Don’t stroll around behind your help criticising their decisions if you ask them to take care of hanging decorations. This will waste a lot of time and probably irritate your assistant.
Step 3: Decorations for the Party venue
The level of decoration you use will be determined by the sort of party you are throwing. If you’re hosting a formal dinner party, you might not need to do much more than placing a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table beside the plates, bowls, knives, forks, and other serving pieces. If you’re throwing a kids’ party, you’ll want to choose bright, colourful décor that will keep the kids entertained. If you don’t have enough time to get the decorations right, don’t worry. Do your best, but keep in mind that it won’t make or break the celebration.
Step 4: Take care of the food
If you’re eating meals and intend to prepare them yourself, make sure you leave enough time to complete the task. Alternatively, you might order food if you wish to eat something. This will be more expensive, but it will save you a great deal of time. You may pick up a variety of pre-prepared items if you don’t want to order food but don’t have time to cook from scratch. Frozen appetizers, for example, are delectable and simple to reheat.
Ordering a big and delicious cake is something that just comes naturally with parties. Everybody loves dessert, don’t you?
Step 5: Party Music is important
A little background music may be beneficial to almost any sort of celebration. Even if you’re hosting a formal dinner party, having a speaker playing mild jazz or classical music will enhance the atmosphere. Set up an MP3 player with speakers, if you wish to have dancing at your party. If you’re not hosting a dance party but still want background music, place it where it’s loud enough to hear but not in the way.
While being a good host is important, you also want to enjoy the results of your effort. Enjoy the food and beverages, dance, and mingle with your visitors. Spending your time attempting to satisfy everyone is a waste of time. Keep calm and party on!
