How to host a party so people will be talking about it for a long time to come.
While writing this blog I was thinking about what would be helpful for our clients. I don’t know about you but I find hosting a party, great fun but also very stressful as I want my guest to have the best time. I have reflected on all the parties and gatherings I have been to. With this in mind, I am giving you my guidance that will benefit you when you come to throw a party with your new bar.
The main aim is for your guest to feel relaxed and comfortable in your home. Once they relax then they will be themselves. This will then allow them to be more sociable and encourage others to do the same.
You need to send out the invitations. With so many ways to communicate you can set the tone with the type of invitation. WhatsApp, google invite, or if you’re feeling very decadent a traditional invitation. Whichever way you want to communicate ensure you have a start time and an end time. This puts people at ease as they will know how to arrange their childcare, work, or Uber.
Being organized is crucial. Think about the presentation of the food and any dietary requirements. I am sure you want to create a lasting impression, so consider hiring a chef or catering team to cook for your guests. This is definitely on the luxury lovers list yet this may not be ideal for your planned budget. I prefer and love making the food myself (although I often regret it) as I enjoy seeing people enjoy my food. The Downside to this is you may not be able to enjoy the evening as much if you are busy in the kitchen. The happy middle ground is order food in!
The catering industry is at the tip of your fingers. Have a look through Instagram, and find a local catering company. They will deliver a beautiful box of decadent food. You can have a beautiful banquet of grazing foods arrive and look stunning. This eliminates having to work hard in the kitchen and you can enjoy the evening. If I had to choose between a cater or a bartender I would choose a bartender to make drinks for people at my new bar! Hiring a bartender will impress your guest as the servers their favorite drink at your party.
Now that the food and drink are set and ready to impress it’s time to set the mood with music. Have you decided on the type of music you want? You can also let your guest make a collaborative playlist. Add at least 20 of your own songs so that people can see the mood you are getting.
Start to think about the first 5 minutes of your guest’s arrival. The first 5 minutes are crucial to helping your guest feel comfortable. They will worry if they need to take their shoes off or not and where to hang their coats. . Place signs up that say please place your shoes here or feel free to leave your shoes on! Take their coats and let them know where you are putting it. Then the next thing to do is to take them straight to the bar and settle them in with a welcoming drink.
It may be a good idea to swing by your neighbor’s house (if they’re not invited) and let them know you are having a party. If they need to you turn down the music they can text you. If you think they may get upset give them a small gift of wine or chocolates that way there will be no hard feelings.
So all your guests have arrived and they have a drink in their hand,
then what? Well, you can either have planned entertainment or
spontaneous fun. Planned entertainment can be something like a casino night, magic and mayhem, or a live band. For a more informal evening of spontaneous fun, try a more relaxed approach. something like guess how many bottle caps are in the jar, or place board games around the house. Of course, a drinking game or two is always a good laugh.
If you are out to impress you should hire a photographer with a theme-fitting backdrop. They can capture those all-important pictures for your guest socials. As you know everyone loves to get their likes and your event will be the one everyone wants pictures at.
If you are having your guests sitting at the table it’s a good idea to think about where people will sit. Consider sitting a chatty guest next to someone who will include quieter people in the conversation. Eg “hey Ron, what is on your bucket list” This technique will ensure that everyone has a turn at speaking at the table. Don’t forget to have fun yourself this will definitely rub off on people.
When it comes to trying to end your night an idea that I once saw was an adult goody bag. The munificence was very impressive. As a child, you would receive these at the end of a party. Once people see you putting the bags on display your guests will start to prepare themselves to leave. End the evening with a toast thanking everyone who came and how lovely it’s been to see them all.
AND REMEMBER TO BUY ICE! LOTS OF ICE!
