And Still Execute a Party to Remember
Knowing where to start when you’re planning a party is often the hardest part. One thing I always do when prepping for a big shindig is work backwards from the party date. I’ll pick the major items I need to work on, like the theme, menu, and decorations, and break those down into smaller tasks. It makes the whole process much more manageable.
With a party happening at the end of a very busy week, I’m currently living this list out in real life.
One Week (6-7 Days) Out
Decide on your theme and atmosphere. Now is the time to nail down these important components. What’s the theme of your party? It could be a low-key brunch at home, a nautical birthday party, or even a Galentines celebration. Once you’ve picked your theme, decide what kind of feel or atmosphere you’d like to have that day or night. If it’s a brunch party at home, you may want it to have a casual, relaxed feel.
Send out your invites. I always try to give guests a start time and an end time. Everyone gets busy and it’s nice to know if the party is a fixed two-hour event or more of a drop-in. This also helps friends with children who need to take babysitter availability into account. Make sure you’re thinking about your atmosphere and theme, too. If it’s a chic cocktail party, you’ll want to let your guests know so that they can dress accordingly.
Pro tip: Set aside a day to clean and straighten up before the party, or schedule your housekeeper appropriately. This should happen as close to the party date as possible. I normally aim for a good thorough cleaning to happen 3 days prior to the party.
Pick out your colors. You may want to go with a vibrant yellow (like this party) if you’re hosting a brunch party, or something black and white with lots of candlelight (like this one) for a cocktail themed get-together in the evening.
Decide what you’re going to need to shop for and what you already have. Pick out your linens, cocktail napkins, and serving pieces well in advance. This is important as you’ll have to fill in any gaps by taking the time to shop, borrow something from a friend, or order it online. Rush delivery fees are for the birds.
(Slight obsession here: I don’t go anywhere without these pens)
5 Days Out
Finalize your menu. Remember to stick to your theme, time of day, and atmosphere and come up with a few items that will leave your guests full and happy. You can check out a few of my past party menus here. I always try to have more food and more beverages than I actually need. You don’t want to be the hostess that runs out of food, drinks, or ice. Use this time to think about signature drinks. I think it’s always fun to have one, as I mentioned in my holiday entertaining checklist a month ago.
4 Days Out
Jot down your shopping lists. Separate out your shopping lists into three separate lists: one for decor/entertaining items (non-grocery), one for nonperishable grocery items, and one for perishable grocery items. I’ll often include flowers separately since I always try to buy those the day before the party as I’m pulling my tablescape together (see this post on 5 entertaining tips). Now is also a good time to decide whether or not you’re going to hand out party favors to your guests. If so, add those to your appropriate list.
3 Days Out
Shop for decor items and nonperishable grocery items. Knock these items off your lists a few days out – the earlier the better in case you find yourself needing to order an item or two online.
Nail down the design and layout. Next, figure out where your bar is going to be, where your food stations will live, and where you’ll house your party favors (if you’re having some). I always try to nudge a few chairs together with an end table to create cozy nooks for conversations. Try to map out your party to avoid bottlenecks at the bar (see what I did there, y’all?) and overcrowding in other areas of your house.
2 Days Out
Shop for your perishables. I’ll usually try to carve out space in my pantry and fridge to group the party items together, especially since the more delicious items tend to disappear from my fridge before the party if they aren’t appropriate marked.
Locate and group your entertaining items. Pick out your platters, cocktail napkins, etc. that you’re going to be using for the party. Make sure everything is washed, shined, and ready to go.
The Day Before
Shop for your flowers. You’ll want them to be as fresh as possible, so wait until the day before your party to bring your blooms home. Here’s an earlier post on how to make a flower grid that’ll keep your arrangement in place. Make sure that you also pick up any last-minute items you need today. You don’t want to be scrambling the day of your party. I’ve made it a habit to go out and grab an extra bag of ice the day before – just in case.
Set the stage. Place your platters, serving pieces, decorations, etc. where they’re going to go the night before. I always stick post-it notes to my serving platters so that I’ll know what goes where.
The Day of
Pour yourself a glass of something sparkling and enjoy! Today should be relatively stress-free as you tend to the final finishes – and inevitably an “emergency” or two. Cheers!
