If you are looking forward to planning a party in the near future, then the expert tips from Camille Styles, a renowned event planner and party blogger, featured in a recent HGTV article will get you going in the right direction. Styles has been responsible for hosting and planning a wide range of different events, which means that these tips can help you out regardless of the theme or event you are celebrating. Before you delve too far into the details of this party planning wisdom, the key to pulling off a successful event is not letting your nerves or self-imposed pressure ruin the experience.
At the heart of the best tips from Styles is organization. This starts with planning far enough in advance for your event. Rather than making one comprehensive checklist for the entire event, Styles says that it is best to create lists for different timelines before the party. For example, it is extremely useful to have a checklist of items that must be prepared in the final hour before guests are expected to arrive. This includes things like lighting candles, opening windows, checking the toilet paper in all the bathrooms, wiping down all surfaces a final time, getting the music started and clearing out the parking area.
While themed parties are always a hit, Styles warns that it is easy to get bogged down in the details of the theme and miss out on some of the most important party staples. Good food, music and a stress-free atmosphere are the top things that make a party memorable for guests. If you are able to incorporate your theme around those key elements, then you are well on your way to throwing a party to remember.
One of the ways that you can accommodate your adult guests and make their time at your event more relaxing is to create an activity area for children. If children are invited to your event, then it is unrealistic to expect that they will entertain themselves while adults talk for hours. It only takes some crayons, art supplies and toys to keep children at your party entertained and willing to let their parents engage in some well-deserved adult conversation and mingling.
In addition, you can help set the mood for your adult guests with easily accessible alcoholic beverages near the entrance. This will help to create a social and lively tone right from the start. After your guests have enjoyed their initial beverage, they should be welcomed to enjoy a self-serve bar. This will allow guests to create their favorite cocktails without having to wait in a long line to be served or feel like they are imposing by asking for a drink to be made. To keep your fun theme going throughout the night, you should offer a specialty drink recipe at the bar for guests. This should include a cool name for your beverage of choice.
For events that have some flexibility in how food will be served, Styles recommends opting for delicious appetizers over a formal dinner plate. This encourages guests to stand and mingle with each other while enjoying some scrumptious bites. It is also a good idea to keep your appetizers simple so that guests can eat most of them without having to bother with utensils. This will make your setup much simpler and allow your guests to move freely around the venue without feeling tied to a particular table. You can avoid long lines for food if you have appetizer stations spread out throughout the venue.
Mailed invitations are always a nice touch for more formal affairs. While an email might suffice, mailed invitations help to generate excitement for your event. Another thoughtful touch is to leave your guests with party favors when they say farewell. A small token of your gratitude for their attendance will go a long way in solidifying a great experience.
If you want to relieve all of the stress of the party planning process, contacting a seasoned event planning company like Twenty Three Layers can make for a much more relaxed experience. While there are plenty of event planning companies in NYC to choose from for your next event, the party planning experts at Twenty Three Layers take the cake for planning incredible parties for all types of events. If your party is for a work event, it can be even more stressful than inviting over your family and friends. This is why working with experienced NYC corporate event planners is often the smart decision.
What sets Twenty Three Layers apart from the many other event planning companies in New York is that they are completely full-service. This means that you do not even have to have a theme in mind before you contact Twenty Three Layers to help take care of all the planning and logistics for your next major event. Even if you are pressed for time in pulling off a grand function, Twenty Three Layers has the connections throughout the New York area that it takes to secure some of the most exclusive venues and quality vendors. You are in good hands with the refined taste and attention to detail that Twenty Three Layers offers for each of the events it organizes.
Twenty Three Layers leaves no detail overlooked when it comes to creating the ideal environment for all your party guests to enjoy. They work with you to develop the best floor plan for your main event area and then add on their polished eye for all of the styling touches that will impress and delight your guests. This includes finding the best floral decorations and other decor to tie in as many elements as possible with your theme. Twenty Three Layers also understands that lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood and cultivating a unique ambiance for your event. Their skilled and experienced team takes care setting up all the lighting aspects for your venue well in advance of when the guests arrive.
