I am posting this because I have attended so many showers and parties, where it's unorganized and the guests feel like no one ever even noticed they were there. Usually the guest of honor is also feeling like no one ever paid attention to them either.Because of that, I am going to share with you how we throw our parties!! I have had soooo many people come up to me the next day after one of our parties, or sometimes even months later, (even as in this last weekend) and tell me how much fun they had at our party and how welcome they felt! Those are the words EVERY Hostess wants to hear!!
I am only going into the
THE BASIC ORDER A PARTY SHOULD GO IN
1. Start EVERY party with a
GAME/ICEBREAKER
This is REALLY a key element to every party. ESPECIALLY baby showers and bridal showers!! At kids birthdays, while they love games, if they are under the age of seven or so just let them play for a while.
There are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of cute party game ideas all over the internet. Most of them are basically free and you can use things you already have at home. Some take a little creativity and maybe a small investment of your money and time...but if you want your party to be the one that everyone enjoys....invest that hour into planning your games and get
CREATIVE
I have been to SO MANY showers that skip this, and they just go straight to the food, and then open gifts, most of the guests never mingle with anyone else, no one is paying attention while the bride or mom to be is opening her presents, and it just drives me
CRAZY!!
What I think the "game playing" does is it draws the guests in where they feel connected, connected to the other guests and to the guest of honor!! If it's a game that makes them laugh, it's all the better!!
2. EAT NEXT
The food at a party is something everyone remembers as well. The key here too is to REMEMBER who your guests are and keep it simple and geared towards what their tastes are.
Kids parties don't need ten thousand choices, it's tempting I know, but they won't eat 1/2 of it, and if it's too unusual or hard to manipulate they will leave it alone.
At showers it is usually best to keep the dishes "finger foods"
I love fancy foods just as much (actually probably more) than the next person, but really, people like to just feel "at home".
At my daughter's Bridal Shower we had Cheeseburger Sliders with all the condiments, Pigs in Blankets (both were in chafing dishes) Fruit, Veggie, and Cheese Trays, and Gourmet Cookies
It was simple and everyone loved it...and the sliders were enough of being out of the "ordinary" that it made a great impression on the guests.
3. CAKE CUTTING/PRESENT OPENING
We always save this for LAST....that way everyone can eat their cake while watching the guest open his/her presents!!
Assign a person to sit by the Guest of Honor to write down in a notebook what the presents are and who they are from!! It makes it so much easier to send thank you notes later!!
THIS IS MY NO FAIL ORDER OF PARTY EVENTS :)
I will start writing blogs on the basics of party planning, or how "we do it" in the next couple of weeks!!
Don't let throwing a spectacular party intimidate you....they aren't as hard as you think, and I want you to have a party that your guests
TALK ABOUT FOR THE WHOLE NEXT YEAR!!
HAPPY PARTY PLANNING!!
