Party Planning at Home

• Firstly, partying at home means no hire fee! So, you have more budget to spend on the things to make your party awesome.
• However; will you have enough space for everyone? If you only need room for a few close friends and family and you have the space, a party at home could be ideal. Start inviting 100s and your neighbours may not be too happy….
• You’ll need to set everything up and either serve it yourself OR set it up to be self-serve OR hire in staff.
• You’ll need to organise the food and drinks; either get in a mobile bar service and caterers or do it yourself. Remember for every do it yourself option, this means you aren’t socialising at the same time.
• You could do BYOB or provide it for guests; just need to think of your budget and go from there.
• No need to worry about the clean up immediately when you’re at home – just do it when suits you.
• Consider the time of year; summer usually means you can use your garden for space, but in winter this is probably not an option.
• You make your own rules! Want to put something up on the wall – go for it. Want to have a water fight indoors – do it!

Party Planning in a Venue

• You get dedicated staff and space on the night; usually venues will have a bar and all the tables and chairs you need along with space for the dance floor and activities. You can choose a venue that will fit with your guest list numbers, and have staff to serve.
• You can choose to hire somewhere with the areas you need; want somewhere for people to go outside, hire a place with this. Not fussed about going outside – don’t need to hire it.
• Normally, venues offer a catered option or provide space for caterers to work. You can always ask if they offer a do it yourself option but remember you need to consider doing all the cooking ahead of time, getting it there and clearing up after IF the venue don’t offer a clear down service.
• You’ll also need to think about clearing down when your party finishes. Anything you do yourself will need to go back home – but if you get a company in for services, they will normally do this themselves.
• You’ll need to follow the rules. Some venues won’t allow certain decorations or services to happen on their site. You’ll need to think about what you want to do and whether its possible.
• Guests will need to pay for their own drinks in a licensed venue. Normally not an issue, but some places can be pricey.

Entertaining Your Guests

So, whether you’re having a party at home or you’ve hired a venue, you need to think about how you’re going to entertain your guests. Different things will work for different people, and some ideas lend themselves to doing something at home vs something in a venue. You know your guests and consider their ages, abilities and what they’d enjoy.

• Silent Disco: works for both at home or in a venue, allow your guests the option to pick and choose what they want to listen to. Added bonus, those who want to chat can!
• Photobooth: give guests something to take home when you book a venue space – let them take photos with friends and family
• Dance Off: men vs women or young vs old, get everyone invited on the dance floor for a good old dance off.
• Games: put garden games if you’re going outside, set aside some group board games for those who may not want to dance around, or do some classics like charades, who am I, or even musical chairs (note, our experience shows the adults get MUCH more competitive than the kids)
• Glitter Bar & Face Painting: literally get everyone involved and create a party vibe by getting the face paint and glitter out. Easily a DIY option or hire in for a couple of hours.
• Quiz: if you want a slightly more sedate option, nothing beats a quiz to give guests something to join in. We’ve even done a smart phone quiz at a wedding and it was just awesome!
• Scavenger Hunt: takes a bit of prep, but ideal when you’re in your own space. Create a scavenger hunt for guests to complete throughout the night and provide a prize at the end – even if its sweets, we’ve seen guests of all ages enjoy finding their prize!
• Karaoke: an absolute classic, that once started tends to never stop. When you’ve booked a venue get a karaoke host who can DJ in between songs and you’ll have a full dance floor with your own soundtrack. At home, pick up a small portable set to have some fun.

Decorating your Space

Guests will know they are in for a good time if they see you’ve taken the time and made an effort with how the space looks. Again, whether you’re at home or in a venue, different things will work according to your budget and space available. Create a wow factor with something big and showy, or let the little details do the talking.

• Backdrops & Balloons: create a spot for those photos with the host – it’s really easy to get a backdrop to suit your style or theme, and balloons now come in a huge range of colours. Hire from a professional or DIY it too and it works wherever you are
• Numbers or Letters: these are so popular but for good reason, they look awesome. Get from a reputable hirer to ensure they are safe and set up correctly by a professional.
• Dance floors: you might have to create a space at home to dance, but if you’ve hired a venue adding a specific dance floor can look incredible.
• Centre Pieces: we’re not talking wedding centre pieces here, but rather something more sedate where you could put small card games or gifts for your guests, like sweets and treats
• Florals: since there is so much choice when it comes to florals, from real to faux, dried or not, in every colour going this is an easy option to create some gorgeous detail for your party
• Signage: not just helpful for guests; putting up cohesive and beautiful signs can pull a party together as well as provide spots for photos if you opt for something like a neon sign.

Just remember the MOST Important bit when party planning – ENJOY YOURSELF AT YOUR PARTY