Have you ever had a disaster at a party that could have been prevented with a good plan? My question to you, even before starting this journey is, “can you afford to have a party somewhere or just at home”? matter. A lot. I could tell you some party horror stories for lack of budget. A party I attended ended early, no one wanted to stay as there was no food available. That goes for cheap buffets too, some people would rather go for street takeaways, than eat bland sandwiches and mini buns thrown on a foil plate and some won’t go back unless the beer is really good. I’ve seen horrible places with sticky floors and disgusting bathrooms, sometimes the party can be okay, but if the place you’ve chosen is horrible, people will remember it more. And what about the day when all the caterers for a party showed up at the venue that was closed and upon calling and asking why they found out they had no record of the reservation?

Don’t let these embarrassing things happen to you. If you’re going to have a party it has to be epic, even a party at your house has to be memorable for all the right reasons. Have a great plan, these 10 simple steps will help you get to an epic party.

The first 3 steps are the most important. members of your group and do these steps before doing anything else. These top 3 are party makers and breakers, the must have items for your party and if you are budget constrained, these 3 are the only things you need.

1. Pick a date.

Start planning your party at least 3 months in advance, 9 if you are really organized. The places are cheaper during the week, from Sunday to Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays are the weekend and ‘holidays’ and can be more expensive. Think of the holidays as great dates for parties, a Sunday night means no work on Monday, a fabulous idea. Keep these things in mind when you take the next step.

2. Choose your place.

For a party, a birthday, anniversary, etc. choose a place like your home, a pub, a social club or a function room; for a more formal occasion, you can choose a hotel, a park or a farm. After booking, pay your deposit and get your reservation in writing, it must be a contract, but at least one confirmation email with a receipt for your deposit, which you can print as proof.

No; The book arrived without having seen it.

No; Make further party plans until you have the venue reservation in writing.

Do; Beware of the place that says free event room when you buy your buffet. Remember the bland sandwiches and mini rolls thrown on a foil plate…avoid at all costs! The only time to consider this is if you have checked the reviews and hygiene ratings, if everything is good and it looks great then book, it could be a great deal.

Do; Choose a place that has the facilities you need. For example, do you have a bar, wheelchair access, stairs, restrooms, a place for the DJ to set up? Smoking area, tables, chairs, catering tables, etc.

Do; Check if the place needs a little sprucing up like; Do the bathrooms need any air freshener, liquid soap, flowers? If the stage looks dirty, put a bright banner over it. When the lights are dim, these things will look good with these helpful tips.

Do; Please call your venue with your name and reservation date and request access time for vendors serving your party 1-2 weeks in advance. This is also a great way to have a conversation with your venue and confirm your reservation again.

3. Choose a caterer

Many people make the mistake of reserving food for their party last, you could really end up disappointed. Catering is one of the first 3 steps after reserving your spot. Have you ever been to a party without food? When people drink, they want food, even if it’s just a hamburger. I’ve been to parties where snacks and cakes have been served, this is fine for a teenage house party, but not if the adults are invited, people will leave early looking for food, you don’t want this to happen. Consider your budget, your guests, and what food you love. Choosing a buffet should be fun, choose the one that best suits your tastes and budget. Get menus from a few vendors and compare them. Make sure your caterer is fully registered, insured, licensed and has a good hygiene rating. As soon as you know which caterer you want to work for you, get them booked, pay your deposit to save your date in your diary ASAP. You don’t need to count on your guest or even your finished menu to secure your date in the caterer’s diary. . Be sure to get a confirmation of your reservation and/or a receipt for your deposit.

Do; Hire a caterer. Catering is a lot of work and stressful for those who don’t do it regularly. You don’t want to be exhausted from your party, you should enjoy your party and guests, not work. Everyone remembers food so make it memorable but it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, there are great caterers out there who will offer burgers and wedges along with some flourishes and your guests will be impressed.

Do; Find out if you have guests attending with allergies or have dietary requirements such as vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. and tell your provider.

The steps that make an enchanting party epic!

4. cake

If you need a cake for your event, book it below. I hope I don’t surprise you by saying this, but not all of the best bakeries have storefronts in your local town or city, some of the most amazing cakes I’ve had are from bakers who have their own bakery in their own home kitchen. I know and have used quite a few and have never been disappointed. Check Facebook to find home bakeries, check their portfolio, hygiene rating, reviews and book that cake.

5.Entertainment

Do you have a DJ or live band? Clown or bouncy castle? A soloist or a string quartet? Whatever you’ve decided, do your homework, look at profiles and reviews. A great place to get free quotes is FREEINDEX, they are the kings of comparison shopping when buying services. I always get 5 quotes in FREEINDEX, which I can compare with each other. Other well known sites that you can get vendor quotes from charge exorbitant prices to the vendor just to get back to you, so not good if you want to compare quotes, you are unlikely to get more than 1 or 2.

6. Costume of the place

When guests enter your party, the wow factor immediately hits them through the ambience created by your venue’s powder room. So how do you want your room to look? what do you want? Something simple like colored balloons? Something more romantic like flowers and candles? Or do you want to go all out with chair covers and sashes, tall chandeliers, or even trees with lanterns tied to them? Whatever you want, a place dresser has the kind of “wildest dreams” imagination and is a great person to tap into your creative ideas.

7. Invite

Party invitations must be sent 8-6 weeks prior to the event date and the RSVP date must be at least 10 days prior to the party. You will find that your caterer will need the final numbers 7-5 days before the event date and Once you have locked in the number of guests, your caterer will not be able to decrease your numbers, only increase them.

You don’t need them, but the epic parts do!

8. Free drinks

Whether you have a beer or wine behind the bar for your guests and hand out drink coupons on your invitations or have a glass of champagne on arrival for everyone. Your guests appreciate the idea that the first drink to get the party juices flowing is on you. If the bar at your venue doesn’t offer arrival cocktails like a bubbly or mimosa, then ask your caterer to do so. If your venue doesn’t have a bar or you’re hosting your party in a garden tent, you can hire a bar from an independent bar company or your caterer.

9. Party Favors

I have come across many party favors in my time, from love heart rolls, lottery tickets, chocolate covered fruit bags, popcorn bags, candy carts, cupcakes, cigars, fancy chocolates, the list go and go. Although party favors aren’t important and you don’t need them, your guests appreciate them, especially when you’re a little quirky. Candy carts may be a more expensive option for a party favor, but people love them. A chocolate fountain is also a very welcome idea.

10. Event/Photo Booth Photographers

A great way to have a keepsake of your party favors. People love them and post them on social media, turning your lovely party into an epic event in the lives of the attendees. Don’t forget to tell everyone your hashtag for your party, put up a sign at the bar, so everyone can see your photos of everyone else in the same place online. #stephsgreatparty #johnis21 etc