How to Design a Party Reception

Plan your party like a professional.

When you have a special occasion and want to celebrate among friends or co-workers, your ultimate goal is to make sure everyone has a good time and they enjoy the moment. It doesn't matter how simple or elaborate your reception is, nor does it really make a difference why you're having it. Knowing the core elements that it takes to execute a special event will make your job fairly easy, providing you with a template into which you can plug specialized essentials based on your party reception's theme or purpose.

Instructions

1. Choose your theme and purpose. Consider why you're having the event. For example, are you throwing a reception to introduce new team members at work, or getting together with old friends? Establish what type of event you want -- indoor or outdoor, formal or informal. Once you decide the overall purpose and feel for your event, you can start with the hands-on work.

2. Figure out who you want to come to your party. You'll want to think about your budget and if you can afford to have a full buffet reception for 100 people, or if with a smaller crowd you can offer guests some added special details. Establish your guest list and decide whether you'll invite people by hand-delivering invitations, sending an electronic invitation or sending an invitation in the mail.

3. Once you know how many people you expect to attend, consider how much seating , food and drink you'll need to accommodate guests. Most receptions feature snack-sized hors d' oeuvres or tapas-style foods, cocktails or wine of some sort and minimal seating. Expect guests who come to a reception to want to mingle with each other and move from one conversation or area to another. Decide if this will be the case with your party, or if you will blend your party reception theme with a sit-down dinner, in which case you'll need to plan for adequate seating.

4. Consider how elaborate the decorations will be for your reception. Centerpieces on each cocktail table, flowers or party favors are all options for decorating the tables set at your party. Your theme will likely dictate how much lighting you will need, or lack thereof. For instance, a lakeside reception at sunset may call for tea lights and candles spread throughout the venue, but an indoor event may require colorful drapes to add light to a stark white room.

5. Entertainment of any sort is a must-have for a successful party. Think of having some type of music such as a live DJ or sound system to play background noise. Give your guests an activity to do, like playing a game or sampling foods. This can serve as an icebreaker.

References

• The Great Event: Event Planning Checklist
• Confetti: Party Planner Checklist Party Guide