Party planning 101

I've been asked for guidelines for planning a party.  The basics are:


1 month to 2 weeks before event

1.  Determine occasion  (reason for the party) and guest list

2.  Distribute invitations  (manner depends on time; soon and
     casual = email; future and formal = printed)

3.  Decide style of party  (cocktails, buffet, sitdown dinner)

2 weeks to 2 days before event

4.  Create menu  (consider theme food, dietary restrictions, budget)

5.  Design decor ideas (centerpiece, color coordinated linens,
     favors)

2 days to day of event

6.  Shop, prep, and party

Party planning

More than one guest asked how could I pull off a party after working all day; another remarked how difficult it was to decorate for another theme at Christmas, and Mel simply asked why are you doing this? Well, the End of the World  theme doesn't present itself, hopefully, too often. Underlying all the questions was concern about the stresses of planning, preparing, and hosting a  party.  The answer is this:  I enjoy the creative elements, the execution, and most of all the camaraderie shared during the event.  Everyone has a worry about a party:  will all show up? (I had 'no shows' - no worries - simply no further invitations), will the food turn out alright? ( some  people eat gluten free; some like it hot; some not)  will the guests mesh? ( it's one night, people - not a lifetime).  Don't stress - just party.  Someone said they wanted to have a party but didn't know what to do.  Just go for it.  Read my blog for ideas or hire The Party Bee for some or all elements.  So put 'party' into your vocabulary and as my tagline says entertain more often, less infrequently; more imaginatively, less expensively; more assuredly, less stressfully  in 2013.     Happy New Year!!!

End of the World party

The forecast for December 21, 2012 was "mushroom cloudy with a chance of an Apocalypse'.  Today we are recalling a fun night with friends that thematically didn't pan out. Whew! In the fun was the preparation of a suvival kit or 'bug-out bag'.  Included with a water bottle, Twinkies (thanks to Jeff), batteries, MacGyver supplies, etc. were our solar ray reflector  hats. 

Tom attributes our safety to the well-crafted designs of some (No, Mel, yours won't make it to publication!).  However, Candy felt she won but I liked Kitty's stylish version.   

While the world didn't end, another 26,000 year cycle of parties begins! 

 

    

End of the World party

The thought I put into my menu names, I wanted revealed to my guests so tags were made for each creation.  They also helped to explain the composition in case the name wasn't a giveaway.  For example, the meatballs in a ring around a can of fuel gel didn't require the signage 'Great Balls of Fire' but 'Doomsday Dip' needed to be identified as spinach and artichoke dip.    'Satanic spheres' were, duh, deviled eggs.  'Mushroom clouds' were mounds of mashed potatoes while 'Hellfire and Damnation' was a spicy Mexican chile verde.  'Apocalyptic apple pie'  (thank you, Nancy) speaks for itself but 'Cataclysmic Cake' wasn't revealed until it was cut open when a cataclysm of fruit oozed out! 

It was simply an angel food cake with the top third cut off; a tunnel torn out, filled with sweetened strawberries, top returned and covered with whipped cream.  




And in keeping with the Mayan origins of this party, guests left with a baggie of chocolate, 'the gift of the gods'. (in this case, Lon.  Thank you)


              Happy Beginning of a New World!

End of the World party

A signature drink is always created for my parties.  This one is thematically called:

 

 

A killer concoction of 151 rum, amaretto and oj

End of the World party

The menu was planned with thematic names for each dish, for example, a chicken casserole has been called 'cosmic convergence'.   And people wonder at times what I'm thinking about!

 

 

End of the World party

Invitation was sent by email

 

 

 

 

 

December celebrations

This month brings us a plethora of party occasions:  Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and the Winter Solstice.....lots of feasting with these festivities.  Yay! 
While embracing the traditional, I also look for unusual occasions to celebrate.  That is why my December event will be a "the End of the World" party. There are theories that this will occur on 12-21-12 according to the Mayan calendar.  Follow along as I'll share my ideas in the next few posts.