Category — Articles

 Everybody Needs a Party Planning Friend (or Two)

One major mistake that many party planners make is to think they can, and should, do everything themselves. There is no rule that says you cannot ask for help. In fact, enlisting a few helpers will take the pressure off you AND make your friends or family members feel useful.

I am sure you have friends or family who have talents in areas that you don’t. Ask a friend with Calligraphy skills to write out some beautiful invitations; ask an artistic friend to help with decorations; ask a friend with flower arranging skills to create a striking floral arrangement…

Most people will be happy to help if they have the time and skills (and an invite to the party, of course!)

On the day of the party, ask one or two people to help with various aspects of the event. Put one person in charge of keeping everybody’s drinks topped up. If you are having a buffet, ask a friend to help you with ushering guests to the buffet table and handing out plates and napkins. To make them feel extra special, invite them to join you before the party begins to share a pre-party drink and tell them your plans for the event. Your friends will then know what is meant to happen and the sort of atmosphere you wish to create – and, if there are any problems or you are busy elsewhere, they can show initiative and step in to help.

Don’t forget to send them a thank you note or letter, and maybe a small gift, for lending their time and skills.

So, don’t try to do it all yourself. Use the talents of those around you and enjoy feeling some of the weight lifting from your shoulders.

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Party Planning For Dummies
 by: Isabelle Patrick

Planning for a party is no small stuff. It can be really hard to plan for any kind of party and the more important your party is the more stress you are bound to be under. It is a good ting for you that I am here to write this spectacular party planning article to help you to plan the perfect party for any occasion.

Party planning needs to start with a budget. You cannot just go out and start purchasing things willy-nilly without a budget and a plan. SO begin your party planning with making up a good budget. How much money do you have to spend on your party? Decide on a reasonable amount and then break this party planning budget down into sections.

Your party planning sections should look something like this, food, decorations, party favors, and plates, cups and napkins. Once you have this stage of your party planning finished you can then start filling in the columns. How many dishes will you need? Is this the kind of party that requires party favors? This is one of the most important aspects of party planning and it is what will make your shopping for your party much, much easier. Once you have a defined list you can go out and start your shopping. Party planning can be stressful, sure, but it should also be fun. After all you are planning for a party, so enjoy it!

The food that you choose for your party is important to the entire event. You will have to take into consideration what kind of party it is that you are having in the party planning stage. For example, is your party planning being done for a birthday, or an anniversary? Is your party planning being done for a theme party? These types of things matter when you are trying to choose the foods that will suit your party to perfection. If you are having a themed party, then have foods that suit it. Like if you’re planning a luau themed party, have Hawaiian foods and drinks or if you are having a Christmas party then have Christmas themed foods. This is just smart party planning and it will make your party all the more fun for everyone.
About The Author

Isabelle Patrick

This article is courtesy of http://www.instantpartyplanningideas.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact. 

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Planning Events
 by: Sarah Williams

Whether you are planning a wedding, a picnic, or just a get together, there are solutions that you need to consider to make your event a success. These guidelines will provide a basis for any type of event you may wish to undertake.

Firstly, your event planning should begin with a budget. Spending without taking a budget into account can cause disasters at every level of planning. You should know how much money you have for your event and break down your party planning on where you wish to allot the funds.

The budget for your party should break down into the following categories: location, food and refreshments, decorations, party favors, plates, napkins, cups, music, clean up, emergency (in case something goes wrong), and any other categories you wish to include. Once you have these categories, you can fill in the necessary equations to help you determine how much your party will cost in total. Necessary equations

Next, plan cost of the location of your party in accordance to your guest list. In other words, make sure that the location that you select has both adequate room and space for free and comfortable movement for your guests. You must also take into account the size of the decorations, and how much space you need for the food if you plan on having those. A cramped environment can often cause people to become uncomfortable.

Bear in mind the purpose of the occasion for which you are planning. Are you are planning a birthday party, an anniversary, a wedding, a Christmas party, a New Year party, or any sort of theme? This will effect the process and outcome of your preparations (food, decorations, party favors, party games) as well as the types and quality of items you may want to purchase.

If you feel overwhelmed with the planning of your event, seek help from people you know will do a good job, be efficient, and who has your trust. Remember to make this fun. It is after all, a party.
About The Author

Sarah Williams is bringing awareness to the web with such topics as Event Planning through this website http://www.eventplanningdir.com For more details on Event Planning be sure to visit that site. You may freely distribute or publish the above article as long as this bio and an active hyperlink are accompanied with it. 

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Entertaining: The Simple Truth

When you hear the word “entertaining,” do you break out in a cold sweat? The thought of entertaining can be scary, but in reality it doesn’t have to be. How you approach entertaining can make all the difference.

First of all, forget any ideas you may have that entertaining needs to be expensive and flashy.

The first rule of entertaining is to be yourself and entertain within your budget and abilities. Remember, you are supposed to have fun too! If you spend your time and energy worrying that you are not good enough and do not match up to others, you will feel your stress levels rise and spend far more than you can afford in a desire to impress.

The simple gesture of opening up your home and extending hospitality to friends, family and acquaintances is more appreciated than you will ever realise, and the more you do it, the easier it will become.

Here are some simple guidelines to bear in mind when entertaining:

• Keep it as simple as possible
• Use what you have available and are comfortable with. You don’t need to buy a new dinner service, or crystal glasses!
• Keep to your budget. If this means a potluck party or a simple dessert party, then that is fine.
• Think creatively. You can create any ambience you wish without breaking the bank or exhausting yourself. Your guests will be more appreciative of original ideas than over-spending.
• Be realistic about your skills. Don’t try to serve something complicated just to impress.
• Stick to a menu you are comfortable with and never make a recipe you haven’t prepared before. You do not want to be wrestling with an unfamiliar recipe when you could be enjoying your guests’ company.
• Plan menus that allow you the freedom to be with your guests. Prepare as much as possible beforehand – recipes that can be refrigerated or frozen, and reheated simply.
• Stay relaxed and enjoy yourself, and your guests will too.

And, in case you missed the most important point… Keep It Simple!

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Make a List and Check it Twice

Keeping a succession of lists can be key to successful party and dinner planning. Many of us try to keep the details in our heads and not on paper. In cases like this, even the most focussed person will find all the specifics will disappear from their mind as quickly as they appeared and will not be remembered until it is too late. Lists also prevent that stressful feeling of having a million things spinning around your head all at once, and not knowing how to prioritize.

Make a list of everything that needs doing – decorations, food preparation, invitations, cleaning the best crockery/cutlery/glasses, cooking utensils required…basically, anything that comes to mind when you think about your party or dinner. Carry your list with you and write things down the minute they pop into your head. Then as you deal with each item on the list you can cross it off and feel reassured that you are progressing nicely with your plans, and not forgetting anything along the way.

Make a separate note of your menu, and beneath it list all the ingredients you will require. Go through each recipe to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Cross off items you already have in your cupboards and then save the rest for your pre-party shopping trip. Again, this way you shouldn’t forget anything.

Draw up a “Plan of Action.” This will remind you of when you need to do things on the lead up to and during your event. Keep a track of when things need to be prepared, put in the oven, taken out of the freezer… Keep your “Plan of Action” somewhere handy but discreet so you can refer to it as you go along and know exactly what you need to be doing (and when you can relax with your guests for a while).

While you’re cooking, make notes alongside your recipes. If you feel a cooking time was a little too long or too short, if you feel a recipe would have been better with more or less seasoning than stated, if you discover a way to put your own personal touch on a recipe, jot it down in pencil so that you can refer to it the next time you make that recipe – this will be especially useful if you are cooking a dish for your party and your mind is on other things.

In “101 Best Party Recipes,” Edith M Barber recommends keeping a record of each party you organize. Include details of the number of guests, their names, the menu you served, which recipes you used, the average cost. Add anything to this list you think might be useful for another time.

Keep a ring binder or notebook specifically for party and dinner planning and add all these lists and notes you have made to it for later reference. The next time you plan a party or dinner, the previous one, or two previous, or three previous will probably be long forgotten and these notes will mean that much of the work is already done for you. You can take your original list and adapt it to the new event, you can see what worked and what didn’t and avoid any previous problems, you can see which guests have already enjoyed certain dishes at former events and decide whether something new is in order.

Keeping written records will take so much of the stress and strain out of planning your event and enable you to enjoy it more. These records will also make you feel more confident from party to party, dinner to dinner, because they will remind you that you have successfully negotiated pitfalls in the past and still provided your guests with an event to remember (for all the right reasons).

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Cheap And Easy Party Food – Throw A Great Party Without Spending A Fortune
 by: Angela Tyler

If you are planning a party, you already know that food can be one of your biggest expenses. However, you can take several steps to cut your party food costs. It is not necessary to purchase expensive appetizers and beverages to throw a great party. A little imagination and effort can make your party a memorable occasion.

Here are some ideas and suggestions to help you save money on food when throwing your next party:

Have a potluck

A potluck is certainly cheaper than hiring a caterer and you will save a lot of time and money by having your guests prepare a dish to share with others. Potluck is fun and you will surely end up with an interesting assortment of foods. To make things simpler, include a suggestion as to what type of dish you would like your guests to bring such as a dessert, vegetable, or salad.

Finger foods are fun

Small sandwiches, chips, dips, and vegetable trays are relatively inexpensive and you won’t need to bother with place settings and bringing out your best china. Simply supply napkins and small paper plates and allow your guests to serve themselves from an assortment of bite size goodies.

Back to basics

Fruit and cheese are excellent choices for casual party foods that don’t require fancy place settings or dishes. Buy fresh fruit in season when you are likely to find certain varieties on sale and fill your table will a variety of cheeses, crackers, and perhaps olives and nuts.

Go Italian

If your party will be a dinner party where fingers foods are not appropriate, you can try spaghetti with garlic bread and salad, or you could find a good deal on pizza that you can have delivered. You will save time and it is quite easy to find a bargain on different types of pizza.

Thrifty Thirst Quenchers

For party beverages, two-liter soft drinks and bottled water are inexpensive and very easy to serve. Provide ice and cups and allow your guests to serve themselves. Tea and coffee are cheap as is lemonade that you make fresh or from concentrate.

Your party does not have to cost a lot of money to be a huge success. Look for sales on the foods and beverages you choose and plan ahead so you will have time to shop around be fore you buy.

About The Author

Angela Tyler

Visit http://www.homeorganizationhelp.com for more ways to decorate your home quickly and easily, and http://www.freequickrecipes.com for delicious meal ideas. 
 

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