Party Planning Tips

Do you have the responsibility of an upcoming party? Are you lost on decorations, themes, ideas, etc. ? Than you have come to the right place!

As a person who is very organized and loves to be creative, party planning is one of my absolute favorite things to do! I love to be able to decorate and come up with "pinterest-worthy" ideas. Take these next tips and apply them for your upcoming party to help it be one-of-a-kind.

1. Come up with a theme that is easy to shop for

There are a lot of cute decorations at party stores with themes, but to me picking out simple colors as the theme of a party is the easiest and most creative way to go. If you pick out a strict theme, it can be harder to find decorations and activities for your party. However, if you pick out colors, you can find the decorations almost anywhere. Typically, I will plan my parties with one main color and always add a "wow" color (i.e. gold) and of course all the glitter and sparkles! BONUS: you can save colored decorations for future parties to re-use without it being the same theme.

2. Plan Ahead

If you know me, you know that I am the queen at making list. There's a list for food, decorations, where everything is going, and everything you need. Planning ahead helps everything to flow better and for you to know what you have and what you need. Planning ahead is not for everyone, but it definitely helps the planning process when it comes down to it! However, I always end up scrambling at the last minute;)

3. ALWAYS have the best food ready

Who doesn't love food! It keeps everyone entertained with full tummies and energetic spirits! My typical go-to food for parties is Buffalo Chicken Dip (crowd favorite), any type of small sandwhiches, fruit and/or veggie tray, and chips and dip. Now depending on the size of your party you might need more than this, but these few snacks will always provide!

4. Make a self-serve "build your own" station

A build your own station is one of my favorite things to do at a party! It gives the guest something to do and takes something that is simple and makes it fun! At a recent baby shower we had a "MOM-osa" bar with champagne, various flavors of juice, and fresh fruit! Other build your own ideas I have recently done is a popcorn bar with lots of colorful candy! You can find more ideas like this this here >>>>> https://lydioutloud.com/fabulous-food-bars-entertaining/

5. Have small activities for guest

Games are not always my favorite for every party, but I love little activities for guest to do. Come up with the "Guessing Game" as I call it with filling a vase with candy and see who can guess the right mount. Other ideas are to make predictions about the show or movie if you are having a viewing party, have people guess the weight and height of the baby for a baby shower, or make new year's resolutions for a New Year's Eve party. All of these small activities always add a little something extra to parties and make everything more fun!

6. Have a photo booth

This is always one of the biggest hits at any party I have ever thrown! It is so amazing for capturing the sweetest pictures, but for also capturing the funniest pictures for when you reach around and tickle that friend who absolutely hates it;) It is also so easy to throw together and can be cheap to get done depending on how you want it set up. I typically will get a plain background, a couple of pop decorations, and photo booth props. The best thing is that you can also save all of the materials for future parties.

7. Don't forget the cake!

Everyone has that sweet tooth the moment they hear the word party! With me being a baker, this is no problem! A center piece cake is typically a hit, as it draws people's attention and also doubles as a party decoration. Small sweet things to snack on are always a must too though. Throw out some mini chocolates and something sour and people are happy! Desserts are also one of the many things that you can get extremely creative with at a party!

Anytime I need inspiration for something Pinterest is my best friend!

These are my 7 tips for party planning! If you love to decorate and be creative than party planning is definitely in your future! Take a look at some of the next photos to help you get ideas your next party!