-
Step 1
Decide on a budget. You can't make informed decisions about how to approach your party planning without a decision made in advance about how much you can spend on everything. It's OK if you're a little over budget. The budget serves as a guideline, rather than a hard and fast rule.
-
Step 2
Choose your date and book the venue. This can be anything from the backyard at your house to the gardens at a reception facility or country club. The choice depends on how much you're willing to spend and what kind of ambiance you want. Remember that you might save a little bit of money if you do it at home, but you may need to decorate the area yourself and find a caterer or cook everything yourself. Reception facilities may do most of this for you.
-
Step 3
Pick out your decorations. If you're renting a facility's garden area, the staff may have different kinds of decorations from which to choose. They typically have linens to match your colors. If you're decorating yourself, look for a local store that specializes in formal party decorations or choose supplies on the Find Gift website (see Resources below).
-
Step 4
Create your guest list. You can make changes and adjustments before you send invitations, but you need to know how many people to plan for your menu and for seating at your outdoor venue.
-
Step 5
Make food decisions. Most black tie dinners involve two or three appetizers, a salad, a main course and a few side dishes as well as dessert. If you hire a caterer, give her tips on the food you prefer to serve and the kinds of things your guests like. If you plan on being incredibly picky about the food, consider making it yourself so you aren't dissatisfied with the results.
-
Step 6
Write out your invitations and send them at least a few weeks in advance. Etiquette says you should mail out invitations 4 weeks before the date of your party, especially if you want RSVPs.
