Throwing a memorable party can be stress free if you put the amount of thought into its planning. In here, you will find event planning suggestions, party decoration ideas and tips for easy entertaining. You will find how to plan a party, helpful hints, lots of recipes, and all other creative suggestions to make your get-together fun.
Use these simple tips to plan your next party perfect! We have to plan everything from beautiful invitations, goody bags, supplies, decorations, cake, games and amazing food. Everything has to be perfect from beginning to the end. If you are looking for party ideas, party games, invitations or decorations, you’ll get plenty of tips and free printables here!
Event Planning Details
- Party Occasion – whether it is a birthday, baby shower, bachelorette, a holiday or a get together gathering you need to plan every step of the event.
- Guest List – decide on the number of guests, who will be invited. Whether you want your celebration small or big, you need to decide how many people will come.
- How to Choose Location – decide on the location of the party: home, restaurant etc.
- Decorations – decide on decoration/theme – if you are planning a party at home decide what decorations to buy, or what set of dinnerware will be used.
- Event Specifics – send invitations approximately 3 weeks in advance. You can also send save a date announcement 4 – 5 weeks ahead.
- Keep Communication Open with Your Guests – if guests are bringing any food decide together what each person will bring.
- Communicate Effectively – through email, phone or create event Facebook page.
- Meal Planning & Food Concerns – keep in mind all allergies and food preferences (vegans, vegetarians, carnivores, gluten free), label dishes with: vegetarian, eggs, dairy, gluten free, etc. Keep cold food cold, hot foods hot, always offer water and other drinks (soda, juice, alcohol for adults), check out drink recipes here. Prepare to have lots of food, make sure to have variety of food. Baking cupcakes? Check –> FREE Ebook with 7 Yummy Cupcake Recipes.
- Setting a Scene – transform your table according to the season, think about tablescape and table arrangements, remember to arrange items according to the form and function, decide on party decoration ideas.
- Greet your Guests – offer something to drink other than alcohol, set up a drinking bar, martini bar, offer appetizers, you can find lots of appetizer recipes here. You can also arrange cheese platters, for instance Fall Fruit Cheese Platter or Winter Appetizer Platter with seasonal products.
Spring Party Themes
With the beautiful weather and all the flowers that are blooming this time of the year we’ll celebrate Easter, afternoon tea party or Sunday brunch. Decorate you table with fresh flowers and use vibrant fresh colors for your decoration.
- Easter – definitely check this post on How to host an Easter Brunch with all recipes and ideas to make the day special. You can make Easter Cut Out Cookies or make a gift and print free printable Easter tag.
- Afternoon Tea Party – make Open Faced Afternoon Tea Sandwiches, Smoked Salmon Dip, Smorrebrod appetizer sandwiches or make something sweet, for instance Eton Mess.
- Sunday Brunch – you can make brunch recipes like waffles, pancakes, muffins, donuts, french toasts.
- First Communion – you can find decorations, party favors and recipes for First Communion on the website.
- St. Patrick’s Day – green colored food recipes and ideas for this holiday.
Summer Party Ideas
This season brings lots of berries, peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots. It is time to have children parties, picnics, barbecues and outdoor parties.
- Back to School – it is still summer but we are already thinking about going back to school, check out a great selection of recipes for back to school parties.
- Long Holiday Weekends – make salads, easy appetizers and refreshing drinks for barbecues.
- Picnics – get some ideas for picnic party.
Autumn Event Planning
Thinking about long nights, cozy dinners, comforting food and fall party entertaining ideas.
- Thanksgiving – for dinner cook Cranberry Vegetarian Stuffing Casserole, Homemade Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Paprika Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and for dessert make not so difficult Pumpkin Roll Cake.
- Halloween – think about Halloween crafts and dressing up, make Halloween Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles, Blood Halloween Cookies, Pumpkin Patch Chocolate Chunk Cookies and make your own spider printable cupcake topper.
Winter Entertaining Ideas
This season is magical with lots of baking, wrapping, gifting and cookie exchange parties.
- Christmas – from cranberry juice to cookies or stunning desserts you can find anything what you’ll need to make amazing get-together Christmas.
- New Year – end of the year celebration is usually focused on appetizers and cocktails.
- Valentine’s Day – pink and red colors are very dominant for this holiday, as well as lots of chocolate desserts. You can check Valentine’s Day Party Theme Ideas or make Chocolate Strawberry Mousse for Two for your loved one, print beautiful XOXO Hugs and Kisses Tag or Happy Valentine’s Day Tag for your gifts.
Party Entertaining Tips
Other Parties – event planning and entertaining ideas for different occasions or celebrations.
- Parties for Girls, for Boys – think about the child’s personality. Whether your child plays soccer or is an artist there is a party theme matching the interest. Create a fun food (pizza, ice cream, cupcakes, sugar cookies, little sandwiches). Decorate the party with the right theme, there are many decorations to choose from gold and pink princess party, under the sea, bow tie, circus, mermaid, dinosaur etc. Prepare goody bags and decide on party decoration ideas.
- Birthdays – for adults, teens.
- Baby Shower, Bridal Shower, Bachelor, Engagement.
- Graduation – create an elegant theme.
- Dinner Party Ideas – plan what you will serve and cook for the party, for instance Elegant Dinner Party Menu will guide you step by step how to make make an amazing dinner or you can make a Mexican buffet.
Event Planning
- 4 weeks to go – buy crafts, decide on decorations, choose a theme of the event.
- 3 weeks to go – create invitations, send out invitations to all guests.
- 2 weeks to go – plan meals, what food will be served. Plan if you will serve a cake.
- Up to one week before – buy all products, shop for groceries and drinks, think about small gifts for your guests, check all gift ideas here.
- 1 day ahead – cook some recipes that can be stored overnight, defrost all frozen dishes that were prepared for the gathering, if you want make gifts for your guests.
- Day of the Celebration – decorate the table, finish cooking, chill the drinks, create a mini bar with drinks.
Party Ideas Faq’s
How do you host a good party? Think about how to be a great host that will create a wonderful memories of delicious food, decor and enjoyable company. Make gathering truly memorable.
What do I plan for a party? Plan accordingly, thoughtful planning is a must, decide what theme you will create, what food you will serve, if there will be a cake, decorations and gifts for guests.
How do you plan a party on a budget?
- Plan ahead so you don’t have a last minute surprise expenses,
- Find cheap invitations (if you are subscriber to Ilona’s Passion–> Get your FREE Invitations or Subscribe to get access to Free Printables),
- Plan your food, what you will cook from scratch and what you will buy.
- Event Planning is important aspect to have a successful party.
- Think ahead about party decoration ideas, tips for easy party entertaining.
Party Entertaining Ideas
How do you entertain guests at a party? Will you provide some music (this is always a good option), if dancing will be possible, or the party will be strictly casual, maybe you would like to provide some games, especially for Baby Shower parties.
What are some good party foods? Check out all savory and sweet recipes for parties from appetizers and desserts to cheese boards.
What are some examples of finger foods?
- Pomegranate Cream Cheese and Crackers Appetizer
- Mango Salsa Mini Cups
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Salmon Fillet with Maple Mustard Dressing
What are good snacks for a party?
- Chocolate Bark Thins
- Trail Mix Recipe
- Chocolate Covered Pineapple Slices
- Strawberry White Chocolate Popcorn
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