Plan Parties Like a Professional: Party Planning Checklist

Some people have a natural knack for planning parties – they know how to bring it all together with ease. However, most of us need a guide or reference that will help us to stay focused and on-track so we don’t forget essential elements required for party success. A checklist can be very helpful, but the one thing you need on your side more than anything else is time. Do not wait until the last minute to plan your party, whether it’s for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, retirement, or special holiday – you know in advance that the event is coming, so get started as soon as possible!

How Soon Should You Start Planning?

Bare minimum for a memorable party to honor a loved one or friend is three months. You’ll need that much time to get all of the things together for décor, entertainment, food, venue, and guests. There’s nothing wrong with an impromptu gathering now and then, but when it comes to special events that celebrate a milestone or achievement in someone’s life, it’s important to take your time and do it right.

Step One – Pick a Date for the Party

Take a look at the calendar and see what dates will work best for your celebration. I say dates because if you are hosting at a venue or are inviting guests in from out of town, you might want to be flexible. Consider holidays, vacations, and other things that might be going on during that time of year that could impact travel and venue availability. At least have two weekends in mind when you set out to reserve space to make sure everyone and everything is available.

Step Two – Set a Budget for the Event

This might seem like an unimportant step, but it is crucial to the success of your party. Whether your budget is $500, $5,000, or more, you need to know how much you have at your disposal to cover everything from renting a venue, catering the event, and spending on custom decorations. Do a bit of research ahead of time – checking rates for local venues, bakeries, caterers, entertainment, and potential party planners can help you to know if you’re in the right ballpark or not.

Step Three – Choose a Theme

This is the step that will help you to stay on track for planning the party. Once you select a theme, allow it to serve as your guide and help you with every other step to create a well-planned and focused event. Say the theme for your little boy’s birthday is monster trucks, you’ll then be able to choose a cake and cupcakes, order a cake topper and invitations, consider local entertainment that coordinates with the theme, and even hire catering staff to bring in the foods that he likes. The same holds true for bridal showers, grown-up birthdays, anniversary parties, and even wedding receptions. They might not include monster truck rides around the block for each guest, but stay on point with your event décor will make a big impression and ensure a memorable event.

Step Four – Create Your Guest List

Consider everyone that should be invited to celebrate this special day with the guest of honor. Think about how all of those people would interact with each other and really contemplate whether they would be an asset or a hindrance. Some personalities can clash, but if you have assigned seating or activities that involve everyone being together for a while, there may be ways around it. Knowing how many guests you will have can help you to estimate costs for food, drinks, and the size of the celebration cake, as well as figure out how many tables and chairs, parking spaces, and staff will be required at the venue.

Step Five – Reserve a Venue or Make Plans at Home

There are benefits to hosting a party at a professional venue, outdoor space, or keeping it smaller and more controlled at home. You obviously won’t be able to handle 100 guests at a wedding in your quarter of an acre backyard, but a large venue might not be appropriate for a family-only celebration for your little one’s first birthday. Consider the type of party, number of guests, and your budget when you begin to firm up plans for the location. You might be able to save a lot of money by having the venue take care of certain aspects of the planning, as well as get key information on pre-approved vendors to use for your party. Make reservations as soon as possible to ensure you are able to get your preferred dates.

Step Six – Book the Vendors

Once the venue is secured, whether you are doing it at home, the HOA clubhouse, or a professional party center in town, you can now begin to book the vendors. This includes the cake baker, the caterer, the entertainment, and any other options you are considering. If you are hosting at an off-site location, make sure to discuss your ideas and plans with the venue to ensure that it is okay to bring in outside vendors. Some venues require extra insurance or pre-vetting of vendors ahead of time, which can be helpful to you in the long run. For example, a vendor with a bad reputation might be known to the representative at the venue, saving you valuable time and money, as well as frustration and possible embarrassment at the party.

Step Seven – Choose the Menu

Everything from the food that will be served, including appetizers, drinks, and desserts, to the celebration showpiece that will be used to mark the occasion should be chosen as soon as possible. Whether you are making the food yourself or outsourcing it to a vendor, knowing what will be served, as well as any options for those with allergies or special requirements, is essential. You can have matching food tents/labels made up to make it easy for guests to avoid certain ingredients and allow extra time for decorating the buffet table, hiring wait staff, or gathering all of the elements together for the celebration. Cocktail parties, charcuterie boards, barbecues, lavish multi-course menus, and classic pizza party fare are all options that might make sense, depending on the type of party you are planning.

Step Eight – Send Out the Invitations

Make sure to include all essential details, including the date and time, location of the venue, any dress code requirements, and even the party theme. If you have a gift registry or need to receive RSVP replies back from guests, be sure to include that information as well. You can send out mailed invites, digital invitations, or even establish a social media based party announcement that allows guests to RSVP easily online.

Step Nine – Start Ordering Custom Decorations

Give yourself at least 30 days to begin ordering the decorations for your party. Custom cake toppers, cupcake picks, centerpieces, banners, and other personalized pieces can be used to create a fun atmosphere and ensure the theme is well-established throughout the venue. Party favors or goodie bags, table decorations, food service items, signage, and specialty features for the guest of honor can all be designed according to your needs and match the color of your party.

Step Ten – Bring It All Together

In the final days before the celebration, take time to go through your checklist to ensure that you have everything you need so you won’t be running around like a crazy person the day of the event. Make sure those helium tanks are ready to be picked up the day before so you can blow up the balloons and that the cake will be ready in time to be delivered to the venue. All those details that you worked so hard to put together now have to be verified to avoid last-minute issues. Check on the band or entertainment vendors, go through your stockpile of décor to ensure nothing was forgotten, and get ready to put all your planning into action and reap the rewards of your hard work!

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About the Author

Laura Young is the owner and operator of SmartCraftDesigns.com and the Etsy Shop, known as Smart Craft Designs USA. Designer, maker, and small business owner, she specializes in creating custom party décor, small business resources, and personalized gifts for her customers. With more than 25 years of experience working in website design, management, and marketing, she put her varied knowledge to work when opening her handcraft business. Located in North Texas, she and her husband enjoy traveling, spending weekends at the lake, and visiting their five grandchildren in Arizona and Colorado.