Party Planning Guide

Party planning takes time, creativity, and the ability to stay organised. Unless it’s a small gathering of family and friends, planning a party should be a structured process with carefully defined steps. That goes for any type of party, be it a throwback Disco party or a Halloween party for kids. It’s key to know how many guests you are anticipating! Take into consideration the size of the marquee and space you have to comfortably accommodate your guests, this will dictate how much help, you will need to make it a successful night.

The amount of food and drink might be more important than the kind of food and drink.

Many of us fixate on what to serve, what pairs well with what, that sort of thing. Instead, you’ll want to start out by planning how much you’ll need to sufficiently serve your group. “One of the trickiest parts of throwing a party is anticipating how much food and drinks will be needed and how that will fit into your budget for the party. For appetisers for a party, a good estimate is to assume each guest will eat 3-5 appetisers each.

Don’t worry about decor. Instead, turn your attention to seating.

No, you don’t need a seating chart, but you do need to figure out who will go where in the broader sense. Small, intimate gatherings still need seats. Make sure to have enough chairs, or stools for at least 85% of your guests. It will initiate a lovely conversation (maybe even between strangers that you introduced when they arrived) and give guests a place to sit and enjoy their food.

Leave the beer, wine, and spirits out and in reach.

Do a self-serve bar! Instead of running around trying to fill everyone’s drinks, a great alternative is to direct your guests to the cart or table where spirits, glasses, mixers, and ice are accessible. Do not guilt trip yourself over this shortcut. At the end of the day, if you have good music, cocktails, and food – your gathering will be a success, large or small.

Have more glasses than you think you’d need.

A change in the drink is a change of glass — you may need to calculate up to 3-4 per guest. If that count causes panic, go for plastic. After the second drink, who is in the mood to judge?

Date & timing of your event.

Settle on the date and time for your party. Try to schedule the party so that it doesn’t conflict with any major celebrations, holidays, or festivals. This way, you’ll have a better chance of people showing up.