The perfect birthday party requires planning that's done an appropriate time in advance. The more elaborate the celebration, the more coordinating you and your co-planners will need to do to get out invitations, track the guest list, arrange for entertainment and find the right gift. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Plan around the celebrant's tastes. Your cousin loves being pampered, attending ladies' lunches, shopping at Gucci and living the high life? Then plan a spa session at the New York Palace Hotel, followed by a high tea at Lady Mendl's and an overnight trip to the Hamptons to relax with cocktails by the sea. Emphasize all the things the birthday girl loves.
2. Follow a timetable to keep the party moving. Coordinate when to start bringing out cocktails and appetizers, what time dinner should be served, when speeches or gifts should be given, the right time to present the surprise entertainment and when the party should move to the post-celebration venue. You will definitely need a schedule if you are renting a room and only have a few hours to spare for the event.
3. Have the invitation properly convey the tone of the event. A bash for a 21-year-old college frat boy needs a bold invitation with the word "Party!" written in huge red letters. The Super Bowl blowout that doubles as your hubby's 45th birthday should promise beer, a big screen TV and plenty of snack food. The costume party for a goth-loving teenager should be announced on an elegant invitation with calligraphy print and a request that everyone come wearing corsets and capes. Strongly emphasize the style of celebration to ensure its success.
4. Make a dream come true. Your father has always wanted to sail to the Caribbean but never had the resources? Determine how much money is needed for passage for him and your mom to set sail, and start fundraising for the trip. Your father will never forget when his kids took him to dinner at a marina, handed him an already packed suitcase and told him to get on the yacht that's docked right behind the restaurant.
5. Give the perfect gift. Besides making a dream a reality, a great present can be an experience, like having a pony ride for your 5-year-old who loves cowboys. It can be entertainment, such as hiring your friend's favorite local band to play. Buying a physical gift will make the most impact if it's something the recipient has wanted for a long time--like a refurbished car for the teenager who's getting his driver's license--or a rare item like an autographed "Double Fantasy" album you won on eBay for your friend who loves John Lennon.
6. Investigate your location. Scope out potential sites before you commit to one--a shoddy caterer could have posted a picture of what his dining hall looked like 10 years ago. You need a place that can comfortably accommodate all the guests and will fit the party's tone. Don't book an intimate lunch for six friends at a loud, cafeteria-style eatery, and likewise, keep your rowdy posse of club go-ers away from the cute bistros in Little Italy.
7. Take care with the menu. Nothing ruins a party quicker than bad food, lousy service or not having enough to serve the guests. Feed everyone well and provide plenty to drink. Choose dishes that will satisfy everyone's taste and make sure to include a vegan choice since the lifestyle is now common.
8. Fulfill your hosting duties. Greet people, introduce guests to each other, help them circulate and attend to the guest of honor's needs. Keep the party from falling flat by taking the lead: Direct people into the dining room when dinner is about to start, announce after your toast that the DJ will start the dancing for the evening and be the first one on the dance floor to encourage others.
Tags: invitation with, that will, Your father, your friend