2023 Party Planning Guide
How to Become a Confident Party Planner in 2023
If you have promised yourself that this is the year that you are going to be more organized and not let yourself get caught off guard when it comes to planning your events in 2023, then this Ultimate Guide to Party Planning is just for you. Being more organized is an excellent goal and one that is easily accomplished with a little help from our party rental friends at Carolina Fun Factory based in the Fayetteville and Fort Bragg area of North Carolina.
Reasons To Plan A Party
A party is held for a variety of reasons however the most popular conventional reasons to host a party are:
- "going away" parties... just to name a few.
Many of today's party planners think outside the box and do not need a conventional reason to host a party. These party planners are known to host cutting-edge and trendy parties such as these:
You can probably get very creative as you add to this list, but the truth is that you don't need a specific reason or a trendy theme to host an awesome party! All that you need is friends, food, and fun so grab your calendar and get ready to circle some dates as you plan your 2023 party schedule.
What Are Some Common Mistakes in Party Planning?
- Not Planning Early Enough.
Does party planning make you feel stressed? This often happens when you do not begin planning your party early enough. Take a minute now to grab your planner and make a list of dates that you know are coming up this year that you need to plan a party for. For example, if you have kids then you know that their birthday is on the same day each year. Now you may need to look at which weekend is closest to their birthday to plan a party with their friends on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday but now is the time to think about that. Are there any other parties that you need to add to your calendar? Perhaps you have a student who is graduating or a parent who is retiring? Is your best friend getting married or having a baby and you have been asked to plan the shower? Don't let these dates "sneak up" on you! Being organized now will save you so much stress later! You should also consider locking in the date with the party rental company that you are getting items from. For example, the party rental company Carolina Fun Factory offers an online booking calendar where you can select your date and reserve your items now so you can get the best selection of party rental items that you need early instead of waiting until the last minute and risk not getting the items that you want.Let's face it...the cost of everything has gone up so it should come as no surprise that the cost of having a party has increased as well. You can save yourself a lot of money...and a lot of stress...by knowing how much you want to budget for each party as you begin planning your party. Last year in 2022 the average cost for a birthday party in the Fayetteville NC area was $620.00 and that was 40.94% over the average cost of a party in the year 2021. It may be pretty safe to anticipate a budget of $860 per party to make sure that you can get everything that you need. Once you have a budget in mind then it is much easier to plan how many guests you will invite so you know how many tables and chairs to plan for as well as your menu of what you will serve your guests. There are many party packages and specials available from your local party rental store such as Carolina Fun Factory where you can get everything that you need at once. Not only will ordering a party package save you money but also valuable time!- Not Anticipating Expenses Beyond What You Have Budgeted For
Every plan should have a backup plan and planning a party takes no exception to this rule. There are occasions when the unexpected occurs and perhaps you do need to expand upon what you had originally planned for. If you will set aside a bit of your budget for the unexpected then you will be prepared instead of stressed if you do need more tables and chairs than you had originally planned for. Leaving room in your budget for the unexpected will also help you to keep your budget under control and any money that you did not use for that particular party can be added to the budget for the next one perhaps.
- Not Having a Party Plan and Checklist
A party plan begins with knowing the 4 W's of party planning: "Who" the party is for so you can plan the party around that person's needs, theme, or interests, "What" party supplies and entertainment are needed to meet the expectations of the honoree and guests, and "Where" the party will be held and the details such as space and reservation requirements. When you plan a party you need a checklist so details are not overlooked and also so you can delegate some of the tasks. At the end of this article is a FREE PARTY PLANNING CHECKLIST to help you get organized.
Life is very busy and with everything that people have going on in their lives it is easy to overlook making a commitment to a party, but you really need to know so you can plan. Make your guest list and then keep track of who has not responded so you can reach back out to them. There are many online formats for sending invitations and tracking RSVPs. A few of our favorite online digital invitation creators and trackers are Paperless Post and Sign Up Genius. What Do You Need When Planning A Party?
To start with, you need a great theme to plan your party around. Once you have the theme of your party then other details such as décor, menu, music, and entertainment will fall into place. Establishing a party theme first will help you create your vision for your party. You will also feel more creative as you work out all of the fun details by keeping them in line with your theme. Believe it or not, selecting a theme for your party will also help you to stay on budget because you will know what you need to create the look and feel that you are going for.
Now that you have a theme in mind you need to decide on who to invite. Does your guest list include children? If so, then plan on having some activities to keep them entertained as well. Usually, a small bounce house in the backyard works great to keep the little kids happy. If you do decide to add a bounce house to the party then be aware that there are many different sizes and styles to suit a variety of age groups. The most popular jump castle rentals tend to be a bounce with a slide built in called a "combo". These work great for larger groups and for a variety of ages as some kids can bounce while others are sliding. Many inflatable jump house rentals also have a theme such as sports, barnyard, carnival, pirate, or even unicorn themes so you may be able to plan your entire party around the specific theme of the inflatable that you rent!
Don't forget entertainment for adults as well! More and more adults are still choosing to stay within a small circle and socialize privately rather than going out in large crowds. There are so many benefits to having a rotating party night within a small circle of friends as opposed to getting overwhelmed at a public bar or event. You can choose your people and have a safe place to relax with each other without intimidation. With this in mind, a lot of adult parties will feature games such as Human Hungry Hippo! The hippo game has four different sections with each being its own color: Yellow, Blue, Orange, and Red. You can ask your guests to come dressed in one of those colors and to also bring any shareable snacks that also relate to that color. For example, a person wearing an orange shirt would bring orange soda and cheese puffs. Building a party around a theme like this is easy and fun for everyone as well as affordable.
What Not To Forget When Planning A Party?
If your party is being held at a venue then it is likely that your guests may not have been there before. Always check with the local authority to make sure that it is ok to place signs along a roadway and then be sure to go back and remove the signage once your event is over. Even if your party is at your home it is still a good idea to put some signage and/or balloons out front of your home so that the party rental delivery company can find your location easily.
- Don't Forget Others Might Have Food Allergies
Be aware of any food allergies that your guests may have. If any food products that you are serving contain nuts or shellfish it is a good idea to have some sort of sign at that food to let guests know.
- Don't Forget to Enlist Help
Once you have your Party Planning Checklist complete you will be able to see those tasks that can be delegated to others that you trust. By sharing the party planning checklist with others you give your friends and family the opportunity to become a part of the party and not just a guest.
- Don't Forget to Have Activity Options
Sure, the main focus is to come together for a relaxing fun time of great conversation and laughter but also have a variety of activity options so people don't feel like they have to make small talk or talk about the same thing over and over. Fun party games that everyone can enjoy include cornhole, oversized Connect Four, giant Jenga,
foosball,
portable pool table rental,
Catch the Light game as well as any favorite card games that friends like to play.
- Don't Forget to Relax and Go With the Flow
If you are having a good time then more than likely your guests are too. Keep your party simple and remember the reason that you are hosting a party... to have FUN!
Party Planning Checklist
Simple is best when planning a party and our gift to you is this Birthday Party Planning Checklist that we have created just for you. Speaking of "simple"... nothing is more simple and easy than ordering your tent, tables, chairs, fun party foods, and entertainment from Carolina Fun Factory. We are a name you can trust in the Fayetteville NC area and surrounding areas.
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