Fall is right around the corner, and that should be reason enough to celebrate. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m ready to throw a welcome party for our friend autumn.

For you, it could be hosting friends specifically to watch the football game or you may be more focused on having the ultimate watch party for your favorite TV show that’s back with new episodes this month. Whatever the occasion – laidback or more formal – often after you have made the decision to throw a party, the only thing you feel like throwing are your hands up in the air as you question your sanity. Creating a spectacular event doesn’t have to be that overwhelming. I’m sharing some basic pointers regarding a few of the most important steps involved in party planning. It’s all about knowing where to start.

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  1.  First things first: Location. Location. Location.
    Determine where you want the event to take place, and ideally confirm that space before publicizing the date. People often plan around a date only to find no availability at an appropriate venue. As a general rule: don’t base all of your plans around the date unless you’re planning extremely far out. Confirmed availability of the place needs to be the priority.
  2.  Before you get carried away with endless party possibilities, be sure you have set a budget, and stick to it. That can be in an entire process in itself – budget development. My suggestion is: Make a list of everything you must have and prioritize. *Be watching for a separate post coming soon on realistic budgeting for events.
  3.  Send the message effectively. A party is only as fun as the people attending, right? So get your squad the deets and get them there. Guests need the specifics – date, time, location as well as an efficient way to RSVP. Be sure you don’t leave anything out and use suitable phrasing to give them clear expectations. The invitation should provide an accurate preview of the event incorporating the event’s theme.
  4.  Always have a contingency plan, for rain if it’s an outdoor event for example, and have practical solutions for other hypothetical issues. This is when it is undeniably beneficial to have hired an event planner who can think about those factors for you and shield you from some anxiety.
  5.  My last bit of advice goes back to a specific element mentioned on #3 above. An important and often overlooked aspect of an event involves the RSVP message. This abbreviation RSVP comes from the French phrase, “Répondez, s’il vous plaît,” or, “Please reply.” The guest count is crucial, but we all know that guests often don’t…we’ll say, speak French. The rule of thumb is no matter who does or doesn’t RSVP, plan for 80 percent of invitees to attend and expect 20 percent regretfully to decline. I think this step tends to be disregarded, but it’s critical to plan accordingly. A good host/hostess should always be overly prepared.

Those are my suggestions. Let me know yours: would you agree with these as some of the most important steps in planning a party? Any experience forgetting an aspect of these?

Photography by: Chasing After Dear

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Cheers!

sarahsmith82487@gmail.com