You’ve finally found the perfect venue, the
invitations have been sent out, and you’ve thought up the perfect theme for the
night. Organising a party is one thing, but then what? If you’re the one
organising, everyone is going to be looking to you to be the perfect
host/hostess. It’s not as easy as it seems. But don’t fear, we’ve got the
perfect list of our top 10 Dos and Don’ts to hosting. Follow this guide, and
you’ll be hosting a party that people will be talking about for years.
Do greet
everyone as they arrive
Depending on the size of your venue, or the
number of people you are expecting, greeting every single person can be
difficult. Particularly as guests arrive later, you might not even notice them
arrive! Do your best to say hello to as many as you can, as soon as you can, as
it might be difficult to get a hold of them later. This way you can direct them
to food and drink, and tell them about any other festivities you have planned!
Do think
about people’s jackets
Is there a room in your venue where you can
have a cloakroom? Or a rail at the entrance? If not, it’s a good idea to invest
in one, even if it means going out of your way to buy something suitable. No
one wants their jackets and scarves on their arm all night or draped over a
chair. You can direct them to your makeshift ‘cloakroom’ when they arrive, and
you can guarantee that all your guests will appreciate it.
Do have
plenty of food and drink
Even if you’re not having a free bar at
your party, a drink on arrival would still be well received by everyone when
they get there. Make sure that there is plenty of food for everyone, as guests
can get hungry later on into the night. If you are worried about waste, choose
food that won’t perish quickly, and have containers so guests can bring some
home if they want to. Remember to have a selection, so that there’s an option
for people with dietary requirements. If you know a lot of people are
vegetarian or vegan, make sure there is something that they can eat.
Do have
a start and end time
Put an accurate starting and ending time on
invitations. If you need everyone there by a certain time, make sure you
specify that you your invite and put an incentive to discourage lateness. The
same goes for ending time. If everyone needs to have vacated the building at a
certain time, make sure people know in advance so that they can have their
transportation booked. There’s nothing worse than a dozen people standing
outside in the cold desperately ringing taxis.
Do stay
on theme
If your party has a certain theme or if
you’ve asked your guests to dress a certain way, make sure that the party
reflects this. Decorate the venue to match and add in some personal touches of
quirkiness that your guests will appreciate. If it’s a more formal event, make
sure that the food served reflects this as well as the music being played. If
the ambience of the party isn’t right, it can make an event that sounded great
on paper become stilted and forced.
Don’t neglect
introductions
While you might be busy at times, leaving a
guest in a room full of strangers is a big no-no. Not everyone has the courage
to speak to a group of strangers who are already telling stories and laughing.
Make sure that you introduce people to others, even if it’s very briefly, and
add in something that they have in common if you need to dash off. If you know
someone is arriving on their own, pay particular attention to them if they
don’t know the rest of the crowd.
Don’t drink
too much
No one likes a drunk host, and unfortunately,
it’s up to you to keep the event rolling smoothly. People might have questions
for you throughout the night, particularly if the function is in aid of a
charity or there are any special events happening. You’ll need to be able to
give your full attention to whatever needs done at a moment’s notice.
Don’t neglect
the party games
If your party is the type where party games
wouldn’t be out of place, them make sure that you include some! There are a lot
of really fun ideas out there to get people mingling and they can really lift
the mood of the entire room. Once people start laughing and relaxing, then the
party really gets started. When in doubt, there’s always a dance off!
Don’t go overboard
Sometimes, there can be a point when a party
is ‘too much’. Your guests are all there because they want to be, and they
don’t want to be overwhelmed by there sheer amount that you have going on.
While décor is important, simple is still better, and you’ll be the one
cleaning it up afterwards. Don’t put too much pressure on your guests to dress
up, as they might end up ditching the party altogether.
Don’t forget
to enjoy yourself
While you are hosting, it’s still a party,
and you should relax and enjoy yourself. After all, the planning is over now,
and there’s nothing more that you can do other than let the party take its
course. Make memories with the people around you instead of checking on other
things every five minutes. Have some fun!
Once you’ve hosted a successful party, it’s
something that you’ll always remember, and so will your guests. If you follow
these top tips, your sure to have a night to remember, just don’t forget to
take lots of pictures to remember it by!
Search
