PARTY PLANNING TIMELINE FOR LARGE PARTIES OR EVENTS

While I am known for pulling a party together in record time, don’t make the mistake of “winging it” like I sometimes do. Advance planning really is the key to a successful party.  In order to keep from rushing around frantically at the last minute, follow my 80-20 party rule. Spend 80% of your effort planning the party and you’ll only need 20% of your effort implementing your plan.

party planning advice Martie Duncan

Know exactly what you’re going to need and keep a list. From decorations to serving pieces to bathroom tissue, make sure you cross off every item as you go. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself placing a panic-stricken call to a friend to pick up ice or grab the candles you forgot. With a good plan, all you need is one or two strong backs and a really comfortable pair of heels and you’re set!  

Getting started

  • Determine your budget—what do you plan to spend?
  • Decide on the date, place, time, and type of party you’re going to host.
  • Plan your guest list. The number of guests greatly influences your overall cost.
  • Your invitation should give guests details of the party with insight into what to expect and how to dress. For very casual parties, a phone call or email invitation is okay instead of a printed invitation. Personally, I love getting a printed invitation. A printed invitation helps build excitement and sets the tone for the event before the guests ever walk in the door. A printed invitation is also a great reminder because people typically post them in a prominent location. 
  • If you plan on using professional help, hire your planner, caterer, florist, and other vendors. If not, ask your most reliable friends to help with serving and clearing duties. I absolutely recommend hiring help if you can afford it, especially if your guest list totals more than twelve. If nothing else, hire a responsible neighborhood teen you know to clear and wash dishes. This will allow you to spend more time with your guests and make the party more fun for you.
  • Think about the menu and where you will prep, stage, and serve the food and beverages. Try to keep serving and bar areas separate to prevent congestion.
  • Consider place settings, serving pieces, linens, decorations, or favors. Inventory what you have and source supplies you have to buy, rent, or borrow.
  • Begin a to-do list and a shopping list.
  • Decide on entertainment or music. Make sure you can accommodate space, electricity, and other needs a band may require. Test capacity for electricity before party day. You may need to rent a generator or hire an electrician.
  • Think about parking. Consider a valet or shuttle if parking is remote or if there is a chance of bad weather.
  • Have a game plan for over-served guests.  

Next Steps (3-4 weeks ‘til party)

  • Mail, email, or call in your invitation. Give guests at least four weeks notice, if possible.
  • Finalize your menu. Make arrangements with your caterer or special order items you may need from your grocer, deli, or seafood counter, etc.
  • Schedule pick-up or delivery for items you are renting or borrowing.
  • If your party is at home, start those de-cluttering projects you’ve been putting off. 

 One-Week Countdown

  • Call guests who have not responded so you have an accurate headcount.
  • If you're grilling, add charcoal to your shopping list (or fill the gas canister) and get your grill tools ready to go. Do a trial with the grill to make sure it works property several days prior.
  • You’ll need at least two ice chests; one for clean ice to use in beverages and another to keep beer, wine, and other beverages cold. 
  • Complete your shopping list. Check supplies like matches, candles, Ziploc bags, foil, plastic wrap, toilet paper, paper towels, and garbage bags.
  • Confirm all vendors and orders you’ve placed and discuss pick-up, set-up, or delivery times.
  • If you are making your own decorations, organize supplies and pre-assemble as much as you can. Add fresh flowers or greenery on party day.
  • Clean and polish any silver you plan to use.
  • Make all of the “make-ahead” foods you can.

 The Big Push (2-3 days out)

  • Press linens. Put them directly on table(s). If that isn’t possible, go ahead and check them to make sure they fit properly, fold them carefully, layering white tissue paper between the folds to keep creases to a minimum.  
  • Check your recipes to make sure you have the required items in your pantry or on your shopping list.
  • Start shopping for everything but last minute items.
  • Thoroughly clean your house.   

The Day Before

  • Shop for last-minute perishable items.
  • Clear out all prep and staging areas. A garage or laundry room works well if it is close to the kitchen.
  • Set up tables and bars.
  • Begin to decorate and place serving pieces to judge the overall table design. Place sticky note markers to indicate where dishes will go as you remove them up to assemble the food or decorations. This will make it easy for any friends or help to know where to put them back.    
  • Prep your recipes. Wash, cut, and chop ingredients so you only have to assemble and cook on party day.
  • Clear a closet for coats if the weather dictates.
  • Make sure all garbage cans are empty with plenty of extra garbage bags close by.

 Party Day

  • Run last minute errands and get final items on your list except ice unless you have a large freezer.
  • Do a final cleaning. Check supplies of tissue, toilet paper, and hand towels in all bathrooms. Run the dishwasher so it will be empty for the party dishes.
  • Start on your menu and get everything ready to go.
  • Have a friend pick up ice 2-3 hours before guests arrive. Get lots of extra ice. Ice down beverages at least one hour before guests arrive. Put towels under ice chests to help keep the surrounding floor dry.
  • Insure all food served cold will be well chilled by party time.
  • Finalize decorations; add flowers, etc.
  • Adjust air-conditioning, fans, or heat. If you are expecting a large crowd, you will need to lower the thermostat to keep it comfortable.
  • Run a sound check with the entertainment as soon as they set up. Make sure you know where the fuse box is! Testing… one-two-three—oh no!
  • Grab a shower and dress for the party. .

 Last-Minute Details

  • Light candles.
  • Turn off glaring overhead lights.
  • Place food on serving pieces.
  • Open wine.
  • Place ice in a container or ice bucket to use for drinks on the bar.
  • Start the music.
  • Relax and enjoy your party.

PARTY THEME: HOST HAPPY HOUR AT HOME

You got the new client, or are in the middle of a brutal project, or maybe you and your gang just need to blow off steam at the end of a long week. Instead of hitting the local bar for after-work cocktails, get the gang together at your place with this easy happy hour that’s not only fun but a lot more affordable than a night on the town!

Watch my Tequila Bar Happy Hour Video and get recipes from MyRecipes.com

Set up a bar on your kitchen counter or wherever you have plenty of space. Make it self-serve with stations for frozen drinks, a rimming station, and lots of fresh fruit and juices.

Set up a bar on your kitchen counter or wherever you have plenty of space. Make it self-serve with stations for frozen drinks, a rimming station, and lots of fresh fruit and juices.

 Start with the Invitation

Since this is an impromptu party, an emailed note or an E-vite will do the trick. Sending an invitation to your guests is important for several reasons. First, it allows you to define a start and end time so guests will know it’s not an all night event. If there’s a bar, some guests don’t know when to leave. Asking guests to RSVP will also let you know how many to plan for and will keep you from overspending on food.    

You don’t have to have a “themed party” but you should definitely have a party theme for every get-together. It makes menu selection and decorating easier if you have a game plan to work from. For this after-work happy hour, I like the idea of a buffet style party with plenty of variety.

You just cannot go wrong with a Mexican theme. Everyone loves a margarita and Mexican food is very easy to make or to get.

You just cannot go wrong with a Mexican theme. Everyone loves a margarita and Mexican food is very easy to make or to get.

A Tex-Mex or Mexican inspired theme is always a winner. The food is not only inexpensive, but really filling! Who can resist chips and salsa? I know I always fill up on them in a restaurant. And everyone loves a margarita. A buffet with these items will allow guests to graze and talk easily, the key to a successful party. More importantly, since everything is self-serve, you can relax and enjoy the festivities.  

After a long week, you want a party that you can pull together in minutes but still looks really festive. The easiest way to do this is to select easy “make-ahead” recipes like Mexican Pizzas and take some help from the store or a favorite restaurant where you can. Frozen taquitos are really good when you add homemade salsa. Bean and Corn Salsa, fresh Salsa Verde, or Cutting Board Salsa are all easy to make recipes and add homemade flavor to any store bought dish… And you can find delicious fresh salsas at most grocery stores today if you don’t have time to make one. Set up the salsas in a station like a caterer would: Use big baskets of chips in different colors and flavors. Use another caterer’s trick: Get out your serving pieces before the party and label them with a post-it so you can plate everything quickly. You won’t be scrambling through cabinets as guests arrive looking for one more bowl or platter!       

Mix and match your serving pieces for this party, it is perfectly okay if they don't match.

Mix and match your serving pieces for this party, it is perfectly okay if they don't match.

At Happy Hour, the Drinks are the focus…. So keep it simple with one liquor choice and build your cocktail buffet around it.

Tequila is the key ingredient for cocktails for this party. Chill it in the freezer before party time so it is really cold. Set up your drink buffet with several options so guests can sample a variety of different drinks. A tasting station with mini tequila shots and some pre-mixed margarita recipes like this Strawberry-Banana Margarita, Frozen Mint Margaritas, and of course, a Classic Margarita will allow guests to try an old favorite or sample something new. Offer a variety of juices, rimming supplies, and garnishes so guests can get creative and make their own cocktail like this one, the Orange Beach It’s a spin on the classic Tequila Sunrise: blanco tequila, orange juice, cranberry juice, a squeeze of lime, with a little Grenadine floating on top. Garnish with a lime wedge.  

The Orange Beach cocktail is a spin on a Tequila Sunrise.

The Orange Beach cocktail is a spin on a Tequila Sunrise.

Offer guests lots of fresh fruit  and juices for their frozen margaritas. Watermelon, pineapple, and mango are always favorites. 

Offer guests lots of fresh fruit  and juices for their frozen margaritas. Watermelon, pineapple, and mango are always favorites. 

Set up a rimming station with both sugar and salt options.

Set up a rimming station with both sugar and salt options.

Next, let’s work on the Decorations.

You don’t have to have decorations for this party; the buffets will pull double duty as décor. But you can add a little flair using a Mexican blanket as a tablecloth and inexpensive tin lanterns or glassware from Mexico. Use whatever you have around the house. Limes, lemons, and other fruit used in your beverage selections can also be used as decorations. Just fill a vase or a bowl with them and place it on your serving table and remember that using different textures and heights help create visual interest on a buffet. Use bright fiesta colors or use colors inspired by the Mexican Rivera like aqua blue or sea green. If you don’t have enough dishes, try the dollar store and don’t be afraid to mix and match your good stuff with cheaper items to pull it all together.     

Use your food and beverages as decorations for this party. Mix in a few bright items in fiesta shades or some paper plates and napkins in a Mexican fiesta theme and you're set.

Use your food and beverages as decorations for this party. Mix in a few bright items in fiesta shades or some paper plates and napkins in a Mexican fiesta theme and you're set.

 

The entertainment for this party is the conversation… but some music playing in the background adds a little ambience.

Put together a playlist of tunes that can play for the length of the party so you don’t have to change the music. Keep it low key as not to drown out the conversation. It’s always fun to have an activity planned. You can get a DVD of salsa dance steps if you want to keep with the theme and have the space. Another idea is to put a basket full of playing cards and simple board games like the tower building game Jenga where guests can help themselves to the fun.

So don’t head to the bar next Friday after work; ask your friends to come over for Happy Hour! They’ll be delighted that you went to so much trouble for them and you’ll love knowing that you didn’t!   

Photos by Arden Ward, Arden Photography