Party Planning Guide | Party Planning Information

Surprise Party Ideas – What Everyone Should Know About Planning a Surprise Party

Party Planner Guide — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:48:25 +0000

If you are looking for surprise party ideas and need information on how to plan a surprise party, read this article.

• Start planning the party about four to six weeks in advance. A good surprise party requires a bit of planning and organizing to keep it a surprise.

• Create a budget. You don’t have to have a lot of money to have a great party. The secret is creativity. Use the things you already have on hand or ask to borrow serving dishes, holiday decorations such as Christmas lights or extra folding tables and chairs.

• Choose a theme. Deciding on a surprise party theme makes planning the party much easier. Once you have decided on the theme, planning is a breeze because now the food, music, decorations, invitations and even how your guests dress is based on the theme.

• If you are not sure what theme to choose, think about the guest of honor’s favorite movies, hobbies, sports activities or even favorite vacation spots. The theme can be as silly or as serious as appropriate. For example, perhaps a foodie would like a cooking theme party, dinner party or wine tasting party. The avid reader might like a faux-booking signing party.

• Surprise party invitations. Three very important details to include on the surprise party initiation. First, make sure everyone is clear that this is a Surprise Party and not to say anything to the guest of honor. Two, make sure you have your name and contact information so people will call you with any party questions. And finally, to keep the surprise in surprise party to the very last minute, have your guest park where their cars will not be seen when the birthday boy or girl arrives. Noticing the cars of 5 of your closest friends parked outside a house or restaurant is a sure sign that something is up.

• Food and drinks. This will most likely be the biggest part of your budget. If your budget is limited, this not a problem at all and there are lots of options. Have the party early in day, such as a brunch or early afternoon, so your guests will not expect a big meal. Potlucks are always a fun option, especially if the foods are tied in to the theme and you have a group of friends that like to cook! A desserts and coffee menu is another budget saver.

• Get others involved. Planning a party is a lot of little details. After you’ve made some of the big decisions, such as budget and theme, ask a two or three people to help you with some of the really time consuming tasks, such as shopping, food preparation and decorations. Dividing up the work load makes surprise party planning fun and helps relieve the stress and pressure of trying to do a lot of things at the last minute.

Animal Party Themes

Party Planner Guide — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:46:09 +0000

Puppy Party Ultimate Box – $ 105.99
Our Puppy Party Ultimate Party Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Puppy Party decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Farm Friends Ultimate Box – $ 104.99
Our Farm Friends Ultimate Party Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Farm Friends decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Ocean Friends Ultimate Birthday Box – $ 101.99
Our Ocean Friends Ultimate Birthday Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Ocean decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Animal Party Ultimate Box – $ 98.99
Our Animal Party Ultimate Party Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Animal Party decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Zoo Babies Party Ultimate Birthday Box – $ 97.99
Our Zoo Babies Party Ultimate Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Zoo Babies Party decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Safari Party Ultimate Birthday Box – $ 95.99
Our Safari Party Ultimate Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Safari Party decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Barnyard Ultimate Birthday Box – $ 87.99
Our Barnyard Ultimate Birthday Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of barnyard decorations, birthday candles, and fun items for your guests.

Wonder Pets Deluxe Birthday Box – $ 60.99
Our Wonder Pets Deluxe Party Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Wonder Pets party decorations, and birthday candles.

Farm Friends Deluxe Birthday Box – $ 60.99
Our Farm Friends Deluxe Party Box includes everything you need to throw the perfect party for your little one and 7 guests! Contents include full tableware for 8, a variety of Farm Friends party decorations, and birthday candles.

Bachelorette Party Planning – Girl’s Night Out

Party Planner Guide — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:40:43 +0000

Who says guys get to have all the fun? The soon to be new bride has worked for months putting together and planning the perfect wedding. It’s time to celebrate and have one last girl’s night – the Bachelorette Party.

While bachelor parties have been traditional pre-wedding events for years, bachelorette parties are a fairly recent event. While the standard bachelor party is looked as “the last night of freedom”, women tend to view a bachelorette party as a time of bonding with her friends before taking on her new role as wife.

The bachelorette party is as unique as the bride and has far less traditional activities than the bachelor party. Here are a few options to look at when planning a bachelorette party.

A Night at the Clubs

Think of this as ladies night out with a few extra twists. Start by renting a limo for the evening. The night begins with dinner, either at someone’s home or in the bride’s favorite restaurant. After eating, hop in the limo, open a bottle of champagne and head off to which is the local hotspot or the bride’s favorite night club.

Part of the fun of the evening is for the bride to be the center of attention everywhere she goes. How to safely accomplish this? Have the bride wear a tiara or a veil, usually the bigger and tackier the better. If the traditional veil is a little to boring for the bride, a more risqué option would be to handcuff her to a blow up doll for the evening. That will certainly get everyone’s attention.

Depending on the group, spend the night clubbing and crawl home in the wee hours of the morning, or for a tamer crowd, enjoy a night club or two and then wrap the evening up with coffee and dessert on the way home.

Strippers and Booze and Men, Oh My!

For the woman who wants to celebrate her last night of freedom in a more traditional manner, there are exotic dancers who “strip” at private parties, as well as adult night clubs to fill this void. If hiring an exotic dancer be clear about exactly how “exotic” you’d like him to be and give the agency the “type” you are looking for. Do you want a business man to strip down to briefs or a fire fighter stripping down to the tiniest thong you’ve every seen in your entire life?

Dance Lessons – Not You’re Mother’s Jitterbug

Pole dancing and exotic dance are all the rage. Have a private group lesson with a professional dancer either in their studio or in your home. Follow up your lesson with snacks and drinks to replace all those calories you burnt off during class.

Spa Day Visit – A Chance to Relax

What woman doesn’t love a pampering day at the spa? An afternoon at the spa is a perfect girlfriends retreat and a much deserve retreat. Enjoy a massage, pedicure, facial or other spa treatment. Most spas have a signature treatment, which is an especially nice gift for the bride. Also, many spa also now offer either fruit platters and wine or light, healthy lunches. When making the group reservation, let the manager know about the bachelorette party and ask if they have any recommendations or special packages available.

The bachelorette party is a great time to unwind and have that final girl’s night out celebration before the wedding. So laugh, reminisce and share this special time with the bride-to-be.

5 Easy Tips on Planning Your Wedding

Party Planner Guide — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:54:15 +0000

Planning your own wedding can be a very rewarding and a stressful experience all at the same time. Although you can always acquire the services of a wedding planner, there’s nothing more fantastic than the experience of taking a hands-on approach on planning this event.

If you want to take a DIY approach to wedding planning, below are some tips that can help you out.

1. Create a checklist

- having a checklist in handy helps you keep organized and focused when planning your wedding. That way, you can track whether you left out something or not and it also helps prevent you from making unnecessary and unplanned expenses.

2. Prepare a list of contact details

- from your tailor to the venue, you should always have a list of their contact details. Share it with your partner so that the two of you can call the offices for follow-ups before the day itself.

3. Make a list of your guests

- having this kind of list will help you estimate how many guests you are planning to invite. This will also help in determining how many guests you can actually invite depending on your budget.

4. Come up with a budget

- from the clothes to the food, you should have a list of your projected expenses for the wedding preparations. You should also remember to add a buffer of several extra dollars just in case unexpected expenses come up.

5. Prepare a program for your reception

- wedding receptions are boring if you only spend the time eating. So make sure to come up with a program for your reception. Make it something creative and something that will be memorable not only for you but for your guests as well.

Baby’s First Birthday: Birthday Party Planning Ideas

Party Planner Guide — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:38:39 +0000

Because a baby’s first birthday is usually a celebration of friends and family, they tend to be a huge milestone. All those people who watched mom grow and give birth, then see how the baby grows throughout the first year now have a reason to get together to celebrate again. When we give birth to a new bundle of joy we typically spend the first year so crazed that it seems only right to celebrate that special time with a big celebration of family and friends.

And because the baby doesn’t remember their first birthday, it really makes it about the parents.

One important thing that the birthday boy or girl does get to do is celebrate with their own piece of cake, or even their own small cake.

Typically they are left to their own accord with it and with a little encouragement, the child digs in with hands and face to enjoy their first birthday treat. It is understood that they will make a mess and pictures will be taken. But that is all part of the fun.

Like with all birthdays, gifts are given to the birthday child. Mostly toys and clothes since they spend their first few years outgrowing everything they have.

And since most baby’s first birthdays are so overwhelming, they tend to fall asleep leaving the parents, family and friends to enjoy the rest of the day with good food and treats.

Baby’s First Birthday Party Supplies

Wedding Crafts Ideas: Tips for Saving Money on Your Wedding

Party Planner Guide — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:20:14 +0000

Weddings are a once in a lifetime occasion but can get expensive in fast. With wedding crafts you can add a personal touch while saving money at the same time. Here are a few fun and simple ideas for wedding crafts to add sparkle and creativity to your big day.

It is not that hard to create your own wedding veil. To make this wedding craft, you will need a length of bridal illusion in the desired length. You will also need a comb to attach it to your hair and a hat or headpiece to cover the comb. Sew large running stitches about an inch from the end of the illusion and gather it tightly. Now sew the veil to the comb. Top with hat or headpiece. As an alternative, you can decorate a wide-brimmed straw hat with silk flowers, ribbon, and pearls.

The bouquets and floral arrangements can also be personally crafted. For a simple outdoor wedding, consider wild flowers. They are free and have a charm all their own. Bouquets can be arranged in large clear vases, with a bow tied elegantly around.

Favors for the guests are particularly appropriate wedding crafts. Refrigerator magnets are a simple and well-received favor. A really nice idea is to make a magnetic picture frame and include a picture of the couple. You could cut a frame out of craft foam in one of the wedding colors, arrange over the photo, and glue all onto a cardboard backing. Place self-adhesive magnet tape on the back of the cardboard. Decorate the front of the frame with foil heart stickers and a monogram of the couple’s last name.

Bows for the ends of the pews or rows make simple wedding crafts. Wide velvet ribbons are nice for fall and winter weddings, while satin is more appropriate for spring and summer weddings. Loop some flat lace in with the ribbons. In the center of the completed bow, attach some silk flowers and pearl sprays with a hot glue gun.

Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at decorating your own cake. Check the craft section of the department store for pans and gadgets of all types to help you create a cake to remember. Do remember, though, that it takes a steady hand. Be sure to practice before starting on the real cake.

Preparing for a wedding can be expensive, but with wedding crafts, you can do a lot with a small budget. Start early, however, because it will take a little while to make favors for everyone and all the other little details you will want to take care of. Maybe creating wedding crafts will even relieve some of those wedding jitters. In any event, crafting your own wedding items is a way to have a personal, beautiful, and less expensive wedding.

Kids Party Themes: The Perfect Kid’s Party Table

Party Planner Guide — Mon, 03 May 2010 01:45:45 +0000

When creating kids party themes, decorating is a huge part of the theme. This video covers the basics of creating the perfect kid’s party table and offers a lot of great ideas for kids party themes.

Hosting the Perfect Party Announces New Party Planning Bonuses

Party Planner Guide — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:53:37 +0000

“Kid’s Birthday Party Planning Tips” and “Party Favors” special reports added to party planning guide package.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – April 24, 2010 – HostingthePerfectParty.com, the premier online party planning guide, announced two new bonuses as part of the “Hosting the Perfect Party” information package now available for download. The new bonuses were adding to the party planning guide in response to customer feedback looking for additional, specialized party planning information.

“We offer an excellent party planning guide chocked full of party planning tips,” commented Amber Coco, website founder, “but we were getting feedback from our customers who were looking for specialized information about certain types of events or event related details. In response to this feedback, we now offer a two additional bonus reports, “Kid’s Birthday Party Planning Tips” and “Party Favors.”

“Kid’s Birthday Party Planning Tips” is a step-by-step guide to planning children’s birthday parties. The special report includes birthday party planning tips, a special birthday party planning checklist, party games, menu suggestions and themes which are perfect for kid’s parties.

“Party Favors” is full of tips and ideas for inexpensive party favors. It contains unique and fun ideas for party favors for every budget and a variety of party themes, including handmade gifts, food items, home décor and personalized party favors.

“Hosting the Perfect Party,” is a party planning guide which focuses on all the necessary “how-to’s” of party planning, including creating a budget, invitations, party theme ideas,” party planning checklist, menus and more, was written with the new party planner or hostess in mind.

“People sometimes get overwhelmed when trying to plan a party. They worry about making a mistake or forgetting to do something important. So instead of having fun and enjoying planning their party, they are stressed out. Our guide introduces a step-by-step party planning method, designed to make planning the party as much fun as hosting the party.”

About HostingthePerfectParty.com

HostingthePerfectParty.com offers a comprehensive step-by-step party planning guide designed to teach the secrets of successful party planning. For more information about the “Hosting the Perfect Party” party planning guide or to sign up for our complimentary party planning mini-course, visit http://hostingtheperfectparty.com

Kids Party Themes: The Perfect Kid’s Party Table

50th Birthday Party Ideas – Over the Hill – Hardly!

Party Planner Guide — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:24:37 +0000

At one time we all heard 40 was the new 30. Of course now we know it’s really 50 that is the new 30! The fiftieth birthday is a time for a grand celebration. Need a few good 50th birthday party ideas? This article offer a couple of unique and fun suggestions for party planning and creating a great 50th birthday bash!

50th Birthday Party Idea 1: The Grim Reaper

Looking for a little humor? The Grim Reaper party theme is a blast, especially if your birthday person just happens to have a birthday around Halloween or he would enjoy a fun custom party. A fun activity for this party is to have a “life review” where each guest shares a story about the birthday guest.

50th Birthday Party Idea 2: The Roast

Depending on the birthday guest’s personality, this can either be a bit serious and soulful or wild and crazy. Prepare a nice dinner and invite guest to toast or roast the birthday man or woman. Again, your guests have the opportunity to share the life stories about the guest of honor, which is very meaningful and memorable.

50th Birthday Party Idea 3: The Tribute Dinner

This is a red carpet, glamorous type dinner-birthday party. Ask your guest to dress there best, such as cocktail or festive attire. Show photos or movie clips of events from the guest of honor’s life. Old home movies, clips from newspapers or even short interviews with friends and family add to the excitement and entertainment of the evening.

50th Birthday Party Idea 4: Hobby Themed Costume Party

This theme is great because it can be personalized for a perfect fit. Does the birthday person have a special hobby? Are they a fanatic about a certain period in time? Whether it be cooking, model trains, sailing or even the Revolutionary War, any hobby or pastime can be used as a theme for a 50th birthday party. Have everyone dress in costume; add themed music and food, a few decoration and viola you are set!

A great keepsake to for the party is either a scrapbook or even a photo book. Both are easy to make, especially with online sites such as SmugMug or PhotoWorks.

The 50th birthday is a grand celebration and a once in a lifetime occurrence. So invite your closest friends and family and take this occasion to celebrate your successes, joys and adventures. You never know, your life story just might be the inspiration for someone else to jump starts their dreams and aspirations!

Party Planning Tips: Dinner Party Ideas

Party Planner Guide — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:57:29 +0000

Looking for dinner party ideas? Here’s a video full of great party planning tips for your next dinner party.

Party Planning Themes

Party Planner Guide — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:59:29 +0000

Princess Birthday Parties

One of the most popular party planning theme for little girls is the princess birthday party. Princess parties are absolutely wonderful because the princess theme is always magical, creative and lots of fun If you are fortune enough to be planning a princess party, here are a few princess party ideas to jump start your creativity.

Princess Party Ideas for Decorating

Pink, white, gold or silver are perfect decorating colors for the princess theme. Decorating include creating an enchantment kingdom entrance, a princess throne for the birthday girl and an elegant special table for the royal feast.

Creating an Enchanted Kingdom Entrance

Create a castle entrance using a large box, such as refrigerator or appliance box, and spraying painting it gray. Add turrets to the top and a flag. Make the path to the enchanted kingdom by creating a path using a small rug or balloons. Have guests enter the party through the castle door. Announce each guest using an old English flair such as “My Lady Jessica has arrived” or “Sir David, welcome to the royal kingdom.”

Royal Ballroom: Princess Party Salon

Decorating the main party area is a snap. Keeping with the color theme, hang pink and white streamers from the center of the ceiling to the corners of the walls. Use tulle, gauze or even glittery fabrics to drape gift tables or counters. Strategically positioned white holiday lights add a touch of magic to the room. Finish with lots of balloons and the royal party room is ready.

Princess Throne

All princesses must have a throne. Create a princess throne for the birthday girl by decorating a chair with flowers, balloons, a large bow, sparkly fabric or any glittery decorations you find.

A Table for the Royal Feast

As with most royal festivals and gatherings, this party requires a table fit for a princess! The next princess party idea is to create an elegant table for the royal feast.

First cover the table with either a white or pink table cloth. Keeping with the theme color of pink, white and gold or silver, decorate the table with flowers, streamers and perhaps a few sparkly jewels. Use gold or silver paper dollies for place mats, fancy white plastic plates and plastic water goblets or champagne glasses. For a final touch, add disposable silver colored eating utensils.

There are lots of princess parties ideas, which makes this party planning theme so wonderful to work with and also such a creative adventure. Both kids and adults enjoy the enchantment and fairytale magic of the princess party. So take lots of pictures and enjoy the occasion to treat yourself and your guests to a few hours of pure imagination and fun.

Dinner Party Planning: Dinner Party Basics

Party Planner Guide — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:49:47 +0000

Sitting down to an exquisite feast surrounded by your family or friends can be a truly wonderful experience. Perhaps it’s the feeling created by the warm, radiant light of well-placed candles. Or maybe it’s the sounds of silverware tinkling against fine china. Or perhaps, more than anything, it is the simple joy of partaking in one of man’s oldest traditions, appreciating a great meal with those family and friends. You certainly don’t need an excuse to have a dinner party, just the inclination to have fun and enjoy each others company.

Your average party is slightly different than a dinner party, however, and should be designed as such. In most instances, dinner parties are more intimate affairs than the often crowded parties that occur more frequently.

The atmosphere at a dinner party is a more friendly, conversational and intimate. Food seems almost an after-thought at regular parties, but a dinner party (as so suitably named) is centered on the food itself. With your average party, you may have people flitting in and out of the kitchen, grabbing appetizers and then sitting wherever there may be room, whereas at a dinner party, everyone sits around a table together to partake in a delicious meal together.

Of course, you should figure out how many guests can be placed comfortably around your table before sending out invites. And the host is never indebted to invite anyone he or she does not wish to invite.

Dinner parties can be a great way to expand your circle of friends. Or perhaps you’ve been dying to try out a new dish on somebody. You certainly shouldn’t create a guest list flippantly; who you invite is important. You must consider if the people you are thinking of inviting will mix well with one another, and have enough in common to keep the party lively. It wouldn’t make much sense to invite a single person if you are inviting couples, as an example.

And let’s not forget that the supplies you choose for your dinner party are equally as significant. Paper plates and plastic-ware are certainly not appropriate for a posh dinner party. If you want to make a lasting impression, then it’s time to get out the fine china and your sterling silverware. And not to fret if you don’t own these items; renting them is always an acceptable option.

Centerpieces which integrate candles are always a sophisticated touch to your dinner table. While candles are not necessarily a necessity, they do add a certain warmth and radiance to the atmosphere, should your party be centered on such a mood. Plastic table cloths are usually not utilized, and are substituted instead for linen, with paired cloth napkins for effect. These, too, can be rented should you find yourself not owning any.

Look around and make sure you have set up your space to suitably accommodate your guests. Organize a space where your guests can enjoy their pre-dinner cocktails and mingle… Make sure the table is roomy enough to accommodate for guests pulling their chair in and out from the table, and see to it that there is space for their place settings, as well as their elbows! You’ll want to try and make the seating as relaxing as possible if you plan to dish up multiple courses, as you and your guests will be seated for a while.

You may want to fix up a separate area for after-dinner coffee and a place for your guests to unwind. After all, they’ll surely want to sit back and let your exquisite meal digest! You could always utilize your living room, as it is already set up as a place of relaxation and conversation.

It may seem somewhat challenging but in all honesty dinner party planning is much easier than trying to plan other parties. Just keep in mind that as the host, you are responsible for setting the atmosphere for the evening. If you find that your guests are starting to become less lively, takes a few moments to get everyone mingling again.

Perhaps it a combination of an intimate group of friends and a delicious dinner, but dinner parties are always a huge success. Enjoy your evening and congratulations on hosting a fabulous dinner party!

Party Planning Tips: Dinner Party Ideas

Luau Party Planning

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:16:04 +0000

How to Host a Hawaiian Luau Party

When you want to have a definitively different type of celebration you should consider a Hawaiian Luau Party. A luau is perfect for any type of get-together. These parties blend casual fun with irresistible splashes of tropical flair. Although you can host a Luau indoors most of these fun events are hosted outdoors. A poolside setting is an ideal luau location, but a deck or backyard will also work.

Planning the Perfect Hawaiian Luau Party

Luau party planning can be used for a small, informal gathering, or you can take it to the next level by inviting a large number of guests. If there are more than 20-30 people coming to the event it might be easier for you to divide up the workload. You can always ask for volunteers to handle some of the party tasks such as music, food or decorations.

Begin by setting a date and location for the event. Next you will need to make a guest list, and create invitations. A great party planning idea to keep in mind is handmade invitations. Cut out paper in the shape of pineapples, palm trees or hula girls and glue tiny decorations onto them. You will find tiny wooden items shaped like fruit, islands and palm trees at your local craft shop that can be used for this purpose.

Luau Party Ideas: Creating the Atmosphere

You need to create the right kind of atmosphere, and this should be one of the major aspects of your Luau party planning. Just think Color-Color-Color and incorporate it as your main party planning idea. The feel should be one of tropical enchantment so choose flowers with bright colors and large blossoms.

Decorate the table with colorful cloths and those fake grass skirts that can be purchased at the party shops. If you have some indoor ferns or trees bring those to the party and let them help you create the perfect tropical island look. Paint fun faces on coconuts and use them to construct an exotic coconut totem pole. You can easily do this with hot glue or make a sturdier version with an electric drill and dowel rods.

While fresh flowers are certain to add pizzazz to the festivities the inexpensive leis and table top decorations that are made from paper are a wonderful alternative. Balloon bouquets and brightly colored streamers can also be used to add some island magic atmosphere. Tiki torches can be set up along the perimeter of the party grounds. These are the perfect decorative accents for an evening luau event.

Hawaiian Luau Party Party Favors

You will want to have flowers on the tables, but make sure that you include an assortment of colorful leis for all the guests to wear. Why not make your own leis, bracelets and anklets as party favors? Buy some of the tiny seashells from a craft store and add these to the leis as well. If you do not want to do all of this work yourself you can recruit your kids or friends to help.

Menu Favorites for Luau Party Planning

The menu for a luau can be as simple or as exotic as you like. You will want to have at least one or two traditional luau foods. Pork is a staple at most luaus and this can be the main course at your own party.

Roast plantains and fresh fruit are additional menu items that you may want to include. Make your table look really special by highlighting it with several bowls piled high with pineapples, mangoes, papayas and bananas.

Don’t feel restricted in the choices of foods you can serve, because a luau is meant to be a celebration of food, friendship, love and family. The menu can be tailored to the needs and tastes of everyone who will be in attendance. Instead of a traditional roast pig you can serve BBQ items such as hot dogs, burgers and ribs. There are even veggie versions of these foods available.

If you choose to serve some alcoholic island cocktails remember the details make all the difference. One luau party planning idea that should be included is that of decorating the drinks with spears of freshly diced fruit and cute little umbrellas. Make sure to have some pineapple and cherries on hand to add both flavor and color to the drinks. There should also be a non-alcoholic drink station set up for your guests to enjoy. You might want to serve a fantastic island inspired punch that is made from a blend of ginger ale, sherbet and fruit juice.

Aloha

All it takes for any successful luau party planning is a bit of creative imagination. Invite your friends and guests to share their own favorite party planning idea with you and try to incorporate a few of the best suggestions into the event. This will help them feel that they are a part of the Aloha spirit when they arrive to share in your luau

Party Planning Themes

Party Planning Information – Tips On Planning Your Next Party

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:06:24 +0000

Everyone enjoys hosting a party almost as much as attending one. When you were young, it was a lot simpler to throw a party; you simply waited for your parents to leave town, and invited your friends over. Before you knew it, you have a party. Life was simple then and you really didn’t need much party planning information because quite often the main attraction was either a drinking game or meeting someone new to date.

When you grow up to be an adult, responsibilities make planning a party a little more difficult to achieve. Now, there are party musts and mistakes, and your friends are going to have loftier expectations of your party’s quality. Don’t fret about any of this, however, because this article will help you learn some tips and tricks for throwing the best party.

Before you do anything, find out the theme of party you would like to put together. What occasion is it for – graduation, promotion, or housewarming? Is it a suprise party? At this point, you have already likely decided the answers to these questions.

Next you’ll want to know the age range of your guests and the number of people invited, and who are planning to attend. These pieces of information are important logistical concerns you need to have for throwing the perfect party.

Once you figure out your guest’s age range, you might need to figure out some activities to occupy your guests. If you have a lot of kids coming to the party, for example, you’ll want simple games or activities in which everyone can participate. You also need to have a general idea how many people are coming to the party, so you have plenty of party supplies purchased for everyone. How much money are you planning to spend?

Many times, the preferred method of inviting people to parties is by giving them an invitation. You could find unusual types of invitations for your guests. You can mail save-the-dates to them, or email them out to your guest list. You can also spread the word. All you need to do is tell the invitees about the party you’re planning.

There are also several online options also, like emailing guests your invitation. This method is becoming very widely used because it quick and easy to do. Websites including Evite are useful. All you do is acquire an account – they are free – and set up your party, sending out the invitations to your guests via e-mail.

One wonderful aspect to Evite is its ability to track and keep count of who has RSVP’d and who hasn’t, even those who haven’t even seen the e-vite yet, so you can figure out how many people are truly coming to the party. As soon as they RSVP, guests can also reply with a message.

One additional element you must consider is the location of your party. Do you desire it inside or outside? If it’s outside, are your guests protected from the weather? Will your guests just be coming to your place, or are you renting a separate room? Do you have adequate space in your area to fit each guest who is going to be there?

One huge plus to holding your party at a rented venue is the small setup time, and eliminating the need for cleaning up your home. If you thrown your own party at home, you’ll use the majority of the time with setup, cleaning, and hosting the party, so you don’t even have much fun yourself. What’s more, you need to clean up the day after. Venues can cost a lot a bit more money, but it frees the host from great responsibility and stress, and they can have fun and socialize with your guests.

The hardest obstacle you’ll face is figuring out the amount of food you’ll likely need for your party. Selecting the menu, whether the food is a sit down dinner or buffet style, serving it catered or cooking it on your own, all of these things can be a bit of a challenge.

A great party simply needs to serve food! When guests go to parties, it’s a part they expect. When people talk about the party afterward, they’ll ask about the refreshment. Make sure that you put enough consideration into the food that your guests respond well to that question; make it the top item on your budget.

We’ve reviewed the major concerns you should have when throwing a party, but there are so many other things to consider. Before you consider yourself a party expert, you’ve got a lot more to learn; hopefully, this article has gotten you started on that journey to the best party.

Theme Party Planning: Adding a Little Pizzazz to Your Next Party

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:00:59 +0000

Instead of planning the standard dinner or birthday party, why not add a little pizzazz and have a themed dinner or birthday party? While theme party planning is a little extra work in some ways, it is a way to make your party different and definitely a bit more exciting.

The great thing about a themed party is your can be as creative as you’d like and you can incorporate as many or as few elements as you’d like. So what are examples of some of the “props” used to create a theme? Invitations, decorations, food, music and even the dress code for your party can all be incorporated into a theme. Guests have the option of participating in the theme by wearing a dressing to match the theme or they can just attend and enjoy the atmosphere.

The theme for your party can be whatever you want and does not have to relate to the actual holiday. For example, there are murder mystery dinner parties, casino birthday parties, wine tasting house parties and roaring 20’s New Year’s Eve parties. Again, creativity and fun are the keys.

The host can set the theme by sending out an invitation that ties into the theme and encourage your guests to dress according to the theme and let them know you will be dressing in costume, also. No one wants to be the only one dressed in a costume at party.

Next consider entertainment. Again, there are lots of options here. Hiring entertainers, anything from a live band to clowns to tarot card readers, can add a new energy to your party. If hiring entertainment is not in your budget, not a problem at all. There are interactive group games, CD for background music and even movies to go along with your theme. One money saving tip to check your local library to see what they offer in terms of music movies you can borrow for your party.

Food should is a big part of themed party planning. Check the internet for menu suggestions. Plates, napkins and glasses can also be included in the theme. For example, if your party has a Western theme, think chili or stew for your meal, handkerchiefs for napkins and beer can be served in the old Western saloon glass mug.

Decorations are a very important element in theme party planning. A prop near the front door or entrance really helps establish the mood for the evening. Imagine a red carpet welcoming your guest to a New Year’s Eve “Hollywood Opening” party or tiki torches for a luau or tropical themed party. Decorative theme touches in the main gathering and food areas.

Adding a theme to your party creates a new and interesting twist to a traditional celebration. Be creative, have fun and let the party begin!

50th Birthday Party Ideas – Over the Hill – Hardly!

Party Planning Checklist – The Secret To Keeping Organized

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:28:28 +0000

Party planning requires a bit of work and effort for the party host. The simplest thing that you can do for yourself is to write out a checklist of all the things that need to be accomplished and when you need to have them completed.

Creating a budget for the party is the first item on your party planning checklist. By creating a budget first you can figure out how many people you can invite which leads to the next section of your checklist. The next set of things on your checklist will be in reference to the guests.

For example, you will need to make a list of who you would like to invite, purchase invitations and then prepare, address and mail the invitations. To stay on schedule, make sure to set a deadline for mailing the invitations. Invitations should be set at least three weeks in advance of the party. Give your guest two weeks to RSVP to let you know if they will or will not be attending the party. Create a second checklist to keep track of the people who will be attending the party.

Next on your checklist should be in reference to the place where the party is to be held. If you are not sure where your party is going to be held and if you have it in your budget to host the party at an outside venue, you will need to do a little research. Add a note to your party planning checklist to telephone local venues to get pricing information.

Find out if the venue supplies the food, the menu options available and the cost. Once you know the cost, you can decide if you’d rather have the party at home and hire a catering company to prepare the food. If you are thinking of hiring a caterer, add this to your checklist so you can keep track of who you have contacted and what their quote for services.

Or you might want to make all the food yourself in which case you will need to place on your checklist to investigate how much supplies and food will cost you. Once you choose which option you would like, you will need to either reserve the venue or caterer. Make a note on your checklist to verify the party details closer to the actual day of the party.

Other things on your checklist may include buying party supplies like plates, napkins, utensils, cups, drinks and food. If you need to rent tables, chairs, serving dishes or other party items, add this to your checklist. Call rental companies for pricing and reserve your items early, especially during the holiday party season.

Each checklist varies from host to host and party to party. But it is clear that creating a party planning checklist is a wonderful way to stay organized, get everything done in the proper amount of time and the ability to give the best party you can.

Party Planning Checklist – A Must Have Party Planning Tool

Bachelor Party Planning Tips

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:22:13 +0000

He has stood beside his future bride through almost every step of the wedding planning process. He’s been to appointment after appointment, knows the difference between an orchid and a lily and heck, he can even knows royal blue and power blue really are two different colors.

It’s not that men don’t appreciate all that hard work that goes into a wedding, but in reality, it’s the bride who is the star of a wedding. The bride is turning her fantasy into reality as she organizes the exact scene that she’s held in her mind since childhood.

He did ask her to marry him and he’s looking forward to their life together, but before he takes that step, there’s one moment that really all about him: the bachelor party.

It’s finally the man’s turn to be the lead. The bachelor party is the only thing that completely focuses on the groom. Bachelor party planning is about celebrating both his life as a single man and his new role as a husband.

The best man is generally the one who will plan the bachelor party. The best man needs to be the lead, but the ushers should be there to assist. Finding out what the groom wants to do on his final night of freedom should be the first order of business for the best man.

It’s a bit of a stereotype to say that every guy is dreaming of scantily clad woman upon his lap. However, depending on the groom age and shall we say “life experience” he may see this as his final opportunity to “go out with a bang” before closing the deal as it were.

But, again, this really should be the groom’s choice. If he wants a wild last night of “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” well, there are gentleman’s club in most cities where, the best man and ushers can plan an adventurous evening. However, if the groom isn’t interested in this kind of thing, you are going to need some options.

Maybe the groom only has eyes for his future spouse and isn’t interested in seeing what other women might have to offer. Hey, that’s acceptable too. Head to a gamers’ club instead of a gentleman’s club; at an adult arcade, you can have your video games, grab a snack, and get your drink on too.

Is the groom sports minded? Take in a local sporting event. If you’re looking for a few days away, there’s always a “boy’s weekend” of camping or backpacking. Consider getting all of the guys together for a serious game of paint ball. It’s a great way to spend an evening en masse and calm some nerves. You can dodge the dilemma of who has to be designated driver by hiring a limo. That way everybody at the party gets to relax and have fun.

Lots of guys do awesome planning the party until it comes to the guest list and who’s getting the bill. So, who do you ask to the festivities? The fiancé, the bride’s father, and any other male family members are undoubtedly on the list. The ushers are other apparent men on the invite list.

When in confusion about the bachelor party guest list, consult the bride to be. Not only can she give you a complete list of appropriate people to invite, but she can probably add addresses and telephone numbers too. Since you’ve already got the ball rolling, you might as well take the opportunity to discover what sort of bachelor party business would upset her. If you’re a true friend, you won’t want to create any future problems.

Splitting costs can be a bit complicated. Maybe luck will be with you and either the bride’s or the groom’s father will offer to pay for the bachelor party. If you’re not quite so fortunate, estimate the overall cost of the bachelor party and then share it equally among everybody who will be in attendance. Remember to figure in relative cost of tips at each separate activity. Oh, and leave the future husband out of your accounting; you don’t want him paying for anything.

Whatever else the bachelor party may symbolize, it is the time to relax and have fun. They use the term “best man” for a reason; give the groom a perfect night to celebrate and remember.

Christmas Party Planning Tips for Busy People

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:18:24 +0000

Christmas parties and festivities are a very special time of year we get to see family and friends, catch up on the latest news from the past year, share memories and enjoy fabulous food. If you are in charge of planning a a holiday party, there are lots of things that probably go into your Christmas party planning to do list such as preparing food, creating a guest list, mailing party invitations, decorating your home and possibly setting up a spare room for overnight guests. Here’s a few ideas that you can use to make party planning a bit easier and smoother.

Christmas crackers, cookies, and some simple foods will make feeding your guests quite simple. If you want to have more filling foods, you might want to consider having the party catered or purchasing pre-cooked foods so that you do not have to worry about cooking great food for you and all of your guests to eat at your party. Another option is to have friends or family over to help prepare the holiday feast.

Preparing a holiday meal with friends and family is a wonderful tradition and can also be as much fun as the meal itself. Potlucks are always a great option. Not only is the work shared amongst the group, but there is usually a lot of variety and everyone gets to share their favorite recipes.

If you are busy preparing food and Christmas table arrangements and other decorations and you just can’t seem to find time to clean the house, consider asking your kids or a neighbor to help you get things tidied up quickly. Hiring someone to help for a few hours can really make Christmas party planning much less work and less stressful. Another time and stress saver is to create a party planning checklist. Each day, tackle a few items on your list so there is not a huge last minute push to get a lot of little details taken care of.

Ideas for Christmas centerpieces as well as other holiday decorations are abundant both online and in craft stores. If time is limited, check your local grocery store or florist for holiday plants or centerpieces made from live plants to decorate your house. Just hanging strands of garland on your door frames is a simple and inexpensive way to make your home look great for your Christmas parties, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money to make your house look great.

A great Christmas party table decoration is to simply buy a pre-decorated wreath to place on the table and then find a great scented candle to put in the middle of it. If you have a large table you might think about placing more than one on the table.

Holiday party planning can be a bit of work, but it should also be a lot of fun. One way to really enjoy planning a party is to keep the big picture in mind and not to stress over the little things. Sharing the holidays with friend and family can be stressful if we worry about getting every single detail perfect.

Holiday celebrations are really about enjoying everyone’s company and the magic and miracles of the season. Friends and family come together to create happy memories through gatherings and celebrations, so don’t get stressed about the details. Enjoy sharing the magic of Christmas with the people closet to you. It’s all about sharing the Christmas and creating fond holiday memories to look back on throughout the years.

Holiday Party Planning

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:12:29 +0000

Quick and Easy Steps to Prepare Your Home For the Party

Are you planning to host a holiday party? If so, congratulations! Holiday party planning is a lot of fun; however it can also be a bit stressful. A great way to reduce holiday party planning stress is to take care of as many details as possible in advance. An early start help ensures that you get everything done on time and reduces the stress load considerably.

As crucial as it is to start working on party details early, there are some things that you just can’t do a head of time. One of those things is preparing your house for the party. Quite often you will find that you may want to or need to wait till the day or two before your party to start officially preparing your home.

As you know, there are a many different things that are necessary to get your home ready for a party. One of those things would be a good cleaning, especially in the areas your guest will be using such as the kitchen, bathroom, dining area and living room.

Make sure to clean mirrors, dust all surfaces, and vacuum or sweep the floors. Take care to remove any personal items from the bathroom, so your guest looking for an aspirin won’t accidentally find more than he bargained for in the medicine cabinet.

Part of your holiday party planning includes creating a festive environment. For example, perhaps you have holiday decorations to display or special lights you use to decorate the outside of your home. No matter what you decorations have, you will want them set up at least a day or so before your celebration. Setting them up in advance will make sure your decorations are ready for the party and give you time to shop for replacement bulbs, batteries or last minute decorative touches.

Another big holiday party planning detail is to make sure you have enough chairs or seating arrangements for everyone. If your guests will also be eating dinner at your holiday party, you will make sure you table is large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.

If you are hosting a large dinner party, now is the time to purchase or rent additional tables and chairs. If are planning to rent linens, glassware or other party supplies, submit your rental request as soon as possible to avoid any last minute disappointments. Even if you are serving simple appetizers and drinks, it’s still crucial to make sure that you have sufficient seating for everyone; although additional tables may not be necessarily.

Holiday party planning involves preparing the both the inside and outside of your home. Take a look at the entry to your household. Is it welcoming? If you have any unused items or miscellaneous debris around the entrance way to your house, now is a good time to remove it. Make sure there is adequate lighting, because all your guests may not be familiar with the steps or walkway to the house.

You may also want to consider the parking arrangements, especially if you are planning on having a big party. You may want to clear as many spots in your driveway and possibly ask your neighbors to keep the area in front of your house clear.

Holiday party planning is very rewarding. Not only will you have a great time, your holiday celebration will create long lasting, happy memories for those close to you. So the next time you are start your holiday party planning keep these suggestions in mind. Not only will you feel successful in your holiday party planning adventures, but your home will be welcoming plus you will be relaxed when your guests arrive knowing your are putting your very best foot forward for your celebration.

Wine Tasting Parties – 3 Steps To Properly Tasting Wine

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:52:55 +0000

Wine tasting parties are a fun, educational and relaxing party option. Before hosting your next wine tasting party, here are the three steps to properly tasting wine.

How do professional wine tasters determine the quality of wine? The image is usually of a lab coated individual who pours wine from a bottle into a beaker, sips it, swirls it around in his mouth and then spits it out into another glass.

That process might prove a bit awkward if you are having dinner at a fine restaurant and are asked to approve the wine. There is a better way for the majority of us who are not professional wine tasters, but wish to do it right.

Art Versus Science

Wine tasting is actually a combination of art and science and leans more toward being an art. That is why it is so subjective and needs some element of science or method to balance the process for most people.

As human beings we have the ability to distinguish between sweet and sour tastes and points in between. We also can distinguish aromas. These senses, working in conjunction with each other, comprise our gustatory system. They are the basis of our ability to taste effectively.

Even though this is more of an art form, professional wine tasters do follow some specific protocols we can borrow to help us move to a higher level. Here are three steps to follow to do it like a professional wine taster:

Step One – Observe

Yogi Berra (former catcher for the New York Yankees and famous for his malapropisms) once said, “You can see a lot just by observing.” That defines the first step in wine tasting: Observation. Begin by pouring the wine into a clear glass. Hold it up to the light and swirl it around.

Step Two – Focus

Focus on the “legs” and the color. The “legs” are those vertical strands that cling to the sides of the glass and flow downward as the wine settles. They should do this evenly leaving a faint transparent film. If they leave odd colored striations clinging to the sides of the glass, the wine is not quality. This is especially true of red wines.

When observing the color note whether it has a uniform consistency and that there are no congealed floaters or sediment. This has a lot to do with the quality of the grapes used, when they were picked, how they were stored, how they were processed and how the wine was aged.

Step Three – Savor the Aroma

Finally, up close with nose almost in the glass, determine its bouquet, which is the aroma. Breathe it in with a long deep inhalation as though smelling a rose. Then, sip a small amount, swirl and swallow it. By going through this exercise you will experience the flavor, quality and lingering taste that is the whole joy of wine tasting. The ability to distinguish aroma is the most important sense.

By continuing to follow this three step protocol, you eventually will be able to judge your wine almost like a professional. In the process you will certainly enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures.

Wine tasting parties can be combined with a house-warming party, dinner party or even a birthday party. It’s a fun, easy to work with theme and can be as formal or as informal as you wish. Just remember, practice makes perfect.

Wine Tasting Party Ideas

Party Planning Checklist – A Must Have Party Planning Tool

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:34:13 +0000

If you have ever hosted a party before, then you know how much preparation and elbow grease goes into the planning process. You can make things easier on yourself by creating a party planning checklist formatted to help you get the most important things done and out of the way first.

Probably the most critical item on your checklist will be your expenses for the party. Budgeting will allow you to get a more accurate idea of how many guests you can comfortably entertain, which brings us to item number two on the checklist. Guests should come next on your checklist, as there are multiple parts to this item.

For instance, you should decide how many people to invite, as well as the process of buying, writing out, and sending invitations. Be sure to create a deadline for sending out the invitations, and adhere to it. Invitations should go out no less than three weeks before your party is scheduled to occur. You should allow guests up to two weeks to RSVP, so that they don’t feel constrained if they need to figure out their schedules. Syntax Error: Please check that all spins are closed

The site where the party is to occur should be next on your party planning checklist. If the location is foggy to you, you can always research hiring a professional vendor, if you have the budget to do so. Use your checklist to list pricing and estimates when you communicate with the vendors on the phone.

Many vendors will customarily supply any food you may need, but it will cost you so be sure to find out if the price is worth the monetary output. Doing so will help you choose whether having the party in your own home with a hired caterer might be less expensive. If you should decide to go ahead and hire a caterer, you will need to list the prices given by them as well. If you end up deciding that you don’t want to employ a caterer, nor do you want to seek outside vendors for help with the food, you could always take on the food making yourself, but you will need to figure out how much this will cost you as well.

Whichever you choose, be sure to add a space on your party planning checklist for reminders so that you can confirm any venues or caterers you may have decided on chosen as the date of your party draws closer.

Some of the less crucial, but equally as important items on your checklist may include plates and utensils, cups or glasses, napkins, food and drinks. Some hosts will choose to extend party favors at the end of the evening to thank their guests for attending, in which case you will also need to research, buy, and prepare the favors. If the accommodations you have decided on are not quite sufficient, you may also have to think about renting tables and chairs, or even a tent, all of which will need to be researched.

While this is simply a general guideline to use when creating a checklist, it’s important to realize that all parties vary in detail, as do the preferences of the host. All of that said, you can be sure that you and your party planning will stay organized, and you’ll discover why a party planning checklist is a party planners best friend.

Party Planning Checklist – The Secret To Keeping Organized

50th Anniversary Party Ideas

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:25:12 +0000

The 50th wedding anniversary is quite magical and those who have the opportunity to celebrate such an occasion are very fortunate indeed. Here are a few 50th anniversary party ideas to help you both with planning the party and making the event an extra special occasion for everyone.

Decorations and Theme

Traditionally, gold is the symbol for the 50th wedding anniversary. So think of the color gold for invitations and decorations. Gold is always beautiful, festive and elegant, so it is a natural for an anniversary celebration.

To make the party even festive, play music from era of the anniversary couple’s courtship. If the couple has a special song, make sure to add this to the collection. Encourage everyone to dress in vintage attire.

Activities to Make the 50th Anniversary Party Extra Special for Everyone

Each couple has a special history and an anniversary is a wonderful time to share this history with family and friends.

Have the couple share with everyone the story of how they met. Courtships from fifty years ago are quite different than the ones of today, so this is usually both an entertaining and endearing story for everyone. If you can capture the story on video, even better.

Request that friends and family contribute a story, photograph or piece of memorabilia and create a scrapbook for the anniversary couple.

The 50th anniversary is the perfect time to renew vows. Either just the anniversary couple or all married couples at the event can take the opportunity to renew their marriage vows.

Create a Special Keepsake

With so many family and friends present, this is the perfect opportunity to take a group picture of family portrait. Before the party starts, scout out a good location which can accommodate the group, especially if you are expecting a lot of people. Remember lighting is a big factor in creating a nice photo, and the close to sunset is the perfect lighting for an outdoor photo. Large groups can take a while to get set up, so allow plenty of time for everyone to get situated.

Request for the guests to bring their cameras and to take pictures of the party. Set up a gallery through an online website and ask everyone to share their photos. Create an online photo book and have a copy published as a gift for the anniversary couple.

Tips for Planning a Graduation Party

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:17:04 +0000

It could be just a pre-school graduation, when your child grows up into a big kid. They could be graduating from elementary school, saying goodbye to hour-long recess time every day. It could be a high school graduation, leaving behind the clumsiness and strange hair styles. Their life could be just beginning, as they leave college, donning a cap and gown, carrying a diploma. A graduation party is important, no matter what they are graduating from, as there was plenty of commitment and hard work to celebrate.

Event planning and graduation party planning are not much different from one another. It is imperative to pay close attention to your guest list, if you have decided to host a graduation party. For younger kids, figuring out who to ask is not a very daunting task. The invitee list can get more confusing, as your child grows up. This is why you should ask the guest of honor for assistance when it comes to who to invite, except of course, if it is a surprise party!

For assistance with the guest list, enroll a small group of people to help you. Leaving someone out and not sending them an invitation is the worst party faux-pas. You might be one of their family members. Your guest of honor has friends at school that they would want there, so ask one of their friends for guest list recommendations for your surprise graduation party. You will also have an insider to assure you which friends from school should not be invited to the special day.

Your guest of honor may also have a husband or better half. You can ask your guest of honor’s spouse to help you choose the right people that should be invited. If the star of the big day is an active community member, is involved in other activities or is friends with the neighbors, take the time to look into this area.

As soon as you have finalized your guest list, the next step is to send out invitations. If the party is a surprise, make sure this piece of information is prominently displayed on the invitation. You don’t want someone to slip up and let the guest of honor in on the information that there is something going on. If this happens, the surprise party is no longer a surprise.

There are so many graduation party decorations to choose at local party supply store, you’ll have no problem finding a fun and festive look. If you’re looking for a color theme, one option is guest of honor’s school colors. You can use the graduating year when decorating the cake. If you’re looking to do something unique, you can turn a common graduation party into a flashback party, a masquerade party or a luau. You can flashback to a specific year and celebrate all of the years of hard work.

Make it simple for your grad to relax and enjoy the party. There will be no more tests, texts or teachers. Let your grad have the time of their life, while leaving behind all of the pressure and headaches that they’ve dealt with and moving on to a new phase of life.

Wine Tasting Party Ideas

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:06:33 +0000

A wine tasting party is a great way to bring together friends, family and new acquaintances in a relaxed environment where people may share their love and knowledge of wine. What prevents many people from actually hosting a wine and cheese party is that they think they have to be sommeliers to do it. But you don’t need to know a lot about wine to throw a successful party. Here are a few wine tasting party ideas to get you ready to host your own wine tasting party.

How to start?

To begin with, you need to decide what type of wine tasting party you want to throw. You can either host a vertical or horizontal price point party or a wine and cheese pairing party. It all depends on your budget and the number of guests you intend to invite. Most new party host decide on a wine and cheese pairing party because they are often less serious affairs than the straight wine tasting parties.

Next, you will want to send out invitations at least a couple of weeks in advance. Like any party, it is best to ask your guests to RSVP so that you know exactly how many bottles of wine you will need.

Wine Tasting Game

One of the easiest best wine tasting party ideas is to have a simple, fun wine tasting game. Purchase or design your own tasting cards that record the type of wine, the vineyard, and the year it was produced. Make sure that each person has a card on which they can record the wine’s appearance, taste, aroma, and overall score.

Less experienced wine tasters should probably only rate which wines they liked best and which wines that did not care for. Then they can listen and learn from the other guests and perhaps participate in more involved wine tasting and scoring at the next party.

If, however, you have an experienced group of wine tasters, you might decide to make things more challenging and insist on a blind tasting. In this instance, you still give your guest their tasting cards, but your pour all of the wines without revealing the label (simply place bottles in brown paper bags).

The goal of the wine tasting game is to correctly identify the wines based on the descriptions on the labels. The person who is able to identify the most wines wins a prize-often a fine bottle of wine.

Decorations and Activities

A great thing about this type of event is that does not require you to go all out and purchase anything you might not already have around the house. All you will need is a good-sized table and a white tablecloth on which to place all of the wines. You may also choose to light a few unscented candles to add to the mood.

As for activities, it is often a good idea to break the ice and get the evening started with a few games of wine trivia. You may award the winner of each game a small prize or party favor, like an inexpensive bottle of wine or a corkscrew (gag gift).

What you will need:

Four to six bottles of wine

Some light appetizers, such as cheese and crackers
A few loaves of French or Italian bread
A pitcher of water for cleaning palates between tastings
A bucket or dumper for guests to spit wine into
Glasses
Grading Cards
Pens and pencils

Holiday Party Planning Secrets

Party Planner Guide — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:10:04 +0000

Holiday parties are a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the people you appreciate the most, your friends and family. However, a success holiday party requires a bit of planning and preparation, so keep this in mind.

Lucky for us, there are many holidays that would be great to have a huge get together and different types of celebrations for each holiday. For example, for a Fourth of July function, you may want to have a pool party or barbecue. Christmas parties are usually cocktail parties, while Thanksgiving celebrations are usually a type of dinner party.

Holiday party planning is very similar to planning for any other type of party. Since you have a theme in mind, the next step is deciding on whom to invite. You’ll want a group of people that mix well together and it’s always nice to have a few new faces in the crowd.

A crucial part of party planning is making sure that you will have plenty of food to feed all of the people that are going to attend. Menu is also important. If you are on a tight budget, a potluck is always a great option. Potlucks are easier when everyone has a category, such as beverage, dessert, appetizer, etc. assigned to them. This way you can make sure you have a nice mix of food everyone will enjoy.

Next is purchasing party supplies, possibly renting tables and chairs, and deciding on the location of your party. The main difference between a party and a holiday party is usually a holiday party is part of the festivities of a season and there are lots of other activities which will need you time and attention.

For example, during Christmas time, we usually need to decorate and we have shopping for gifts. So, if you decide on having a Christmas party, you will have to work in gift shopping, all of your holiday decorating, and any additional preparations that you have to do, on top of your holiday party planning. To get everything done in a timely manner without stressing yourself out, you may require assistance. Once option is to hire an event planning or perhaps even just a caterer so you have more time to attend to other details…

When you finally decide on a holiday party, you need not worry about the theme, but there are options to make your event a little different by adding in fun and unique or non-traditional activities.

So what are a few options to make things different? One simple option is a funky, handmade invitation or to invite guests using an online option such as evite.com. Perhaps you can send the party favors out to your guests ahead of your Christmas or Chanukah party. You could pick out a small gift to send to every guest, as a wrapped present and in the gift, include the party invitation.

As a Thanksgiving social gathering invitation, write the invitation like the Pilgrims would have spoken, and you can age the paper by placing it in the oven for a short amount of time. You can roll up the invitation, tie it with a string, and send it to your guests. All you require is a slight creativity to make your party unique from all of the others out there. Holidays are the perfect excuse to act silly, and let it all hang out. Take it to the next level, and look into things that seem silly or uncommon.

Remember the main reason that people attend a party, is to have a wonderful time and to spend time with the people they care about. As the hostess or host, you create the atmosphere and environment for everyone to have a great time. You want your guests to leave your party, thinking about what a terrific fun they had, and talking about it for months. As time passes, folks begin to draw a blank about different parties they have gone to. Make your memorable and your guests will be sure to think fondly of it for years to come.