Day 2: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
So this one is a tricky one, and for as much as I would love to be funny and sarcastic...I just don't see it happening! Anyway, here goes...
I love throwing parties...a good party with the perfect mix of people and food makes me happy, and I can't really think of anything that gives me greater satisfaction than people saying that they had a great time and hit it off with someone they'd never met before.
Step 1: The Basics
Decide what type of party you want to have and when you want to have it. This includes everything from the number of people you want to invite to the style of the party: casual (i.e. backyard bbq), dinner, theme-based, special occasion. Sometimes it helps to start thinking of a guest list beforehand because you know that a specific group of people might enjoy something more casual than a formal sit down dinner. Usually the ideas for my parties are born from wanting to see groups of friends without having to book up my calendar for a whole month of double dates! When deciding who to invite I definitely think about how people will match up. I have a handful of extroverted friends who make up a great guest list foundation. I pretty much invite these people to every party I throw because they are great at making conversation, taking pressure off of me as a host! Decide on a date and send out invitations...you can be as informal (a quick email) to formal (printed invitations). Three weeks advance notice usually works for my parties, but if it is a particularly special occasion, the earlier you get it on your friends' calendars the better! I also try to match the invitation to the type of party, for example I probably wouldn't send out an Evite for a baby shower, but wouldn't necessarily print out formal invitations for a backyard bbq. I feel like the invitation sets the tone for the party, and gives your guests an idea of what to expect!
Step 2: Style the Party
Once you've decided on the number of people you want to invite and the style of the party, begin to brainstorm what you think the party should look like. This is probably going to be your most lengthy step. For example, say I wanted to throw a backyard bbq/pool party. Within this party I know I could reasonably handle about 10 couples or 20 people in my backyard (given that not everyone will be able to to make it.) I would start by dreaming up the menu, which might consist of beef sliders with a wide variety of toppings, finger foods that could be easily grabbed by the handful (chips, veggies, fruits, and desserts) I don't usually know ahead of time exactly what these food choices will look like, but Pinterest is a great place for getting ideas...maybe instead of offering up a veggie tray, I might put together a caprese salad skewer for guests to grab and enjoy. After deciding the menu, I start thinking about decor. Having a nice set up for guests to fix their plates, plenty of seating and possibly table space is important. I also like to think ahead about what my guests will be doing. If they'll be hopping in the pool, sunscreen, towels and pool noodles are great to have on hand. Galvanized tubs with plenty of ice are perfect for stashing beer and bottles of water (all plastic of course!) If my party is going to go into the evening, some string lights for ambiance make a fun addition as the sun sets. Sky is really the limit here, and being creative will make your party unique and fun!
Step 3: Make Lists
When it comes to planning, I am definitely a list maker. How else am I going to remember to get all those toppings for my sliders?! Make separate lists for food and decor and plan out your shopping accordingly. When I was working full time and planning my book club's holiday dinner party, I broke up my shopping so I was able to do it on my lunch break...planning ahead coupled with my lists made my evening preparation so much easier! My mother-in-law also offered me a few great tips years ago. First, she makes a list of the items needed to be cooked or baked what time they need to go in the oven, and how long they need to be cooked. She also sets out all her serving dishes a few days ahead of time and labels what food will go in which dish. It makes it so much easier to have it planned out so that you aren't running around trying to find a serving bowl the day of the event or realizing last minute that your brownies needed to go in an hour ago!
Step 4: Setting Up
Remember to set up and prep as much as you can ahead of time either the day before or as early in the day as possible. Those caprese skewers could easily be put together the night before, and cookies or desserts made ahead of time. My sliders would need to be cooked and kept on warm until the guests arrive, so it would be smart for me to wait until closer to party time! I read once in Kate Spade's Occasions that when she hosts a party she always makes sure to be dressed and put together at least one hour before the party starts. You never know who is going to be early, and you never want to feel like a frazzled, unkempt hostess!
Step 5: Enjoy the Fruits of your Labor
This one is pretty self explanatory, but remember to be a good hostess! Greet guests at the door and have someone designated (a spouse or a good friend) in the kitchen to be offering up drinks and directing guests to the party hub. Introduce people who don't know each other and give them some common ground. This can sometimes be challenging, but with a little practice it gets easier...and all the more reason to consider the guest list ahead of time - it makes it easy when you know you have two people who enjoy certain hobbies or sports, which they can use as a jumping off point for conversation.
Step 6: Evaluate Your Success
Another tip I got from my MIL was to keep an Event Journal. After every holiday she writes down what worked and what didn't work for the party...everything from 'Everyone raved about the caprese skewers' to 'Maybe only provide cookies instead of an ice cream buffet because it melted!' It's also a good idea to keep a list of the guests you invited or were able to come so that you know who to invite the next time. Don't be too hard on yourself in your evaluation though...if even one person had a good time, your party was a success!
No comments:
Post a Comment