This post is in collaboration with Anagram Interactive. All opinions are mine alone.
I look forward to throwing parties all year long. It doesn’t matter if it’s a birthday party or a Sunday lunch get-together, it’s so much fun! I love when everyone comes together to eat some good food and spend quality time together. That alone is a huge reason I was so excited to build our new house, because it would give us more entertaining space. We’ve only been in our new house for under two months, and I can already tell our parties here will be smashing.
Space alone does not a great party make, and there are a ton of tips I’ve learned over the years to reduce party planning stress. Today, I’m sharing five tips that help take a deep breath and get my party on.
Remember the Purpose
Every party has a purpose. Whether you’re having a birthday party for one of your children or hosting Sunday lunch, something is being celebrated. You could be celebrating family or simply spending time with good friends, or you could be celebrating the birthday of a loved one. Every party is special in its own way, and the purpose should be overshadowed my stress. So, if you’re feeling the pressure of having a perfect party, take a deep breath and remember its purpose. I guarantee that no one will notice the minute details that aren’t perfect, but everyone will remember if the mood is tense from your stress.
Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More
I am definitely more of the planning type, so this tip comes easily to me. However, sometimes I procrastinate. Starting a month out from the party is super helpful for getting my ideas down on paper and planning the cost, menu, and decorations. I have thrown many a party at the last minute. When that happens, my budget goes right out the window and my stress is high. I find that jotting down my ideas way ahead of time is helpful for staying on budget and reducing that panic-inducing stress that comes along with throwing together a party at the last minute.
Keep it Simple
This tip goes along with the previous. Can you remember planning a party before Pinterest? Neither can I. There ideas for every single aspect of planning a party. It can all be overwhelming, and I have definitely been guilty of over-decorating a party or five. My advice is to just keep it simple. You don’t have to follow through with every idea you come up with. Pick a few key decorations to focus on, keep the color palette simple, and everything else will fall into place.
Save Time on Invitations
I used to order custom invitations, take them to a printer, have them printed on gorgeous stock paper, put them in pretty envelopes, and then spend even more money on postage to send them out. Not to mention that I would have to plan farther in advance to decide on an invitation, etc., just to get in the mail on time for everyone to get them. It is a lot of hassle to do paper invitations. That’s why I’ve gone the electronic route for the past couple years.
Paperless Post has a huge selection of invitations for a variety of occasions. It is literally so much to browse through all the templates. There is something for everyone! The kid birthday invitations is definitely the section I frequent the most. They have a ton of cute designs! The process of creating an invitation takes no time at all. I highly recommend it to save time on party prep.
Wear Your Faves
This last tip is more related to the actual party day. I find that when I am comfortable and feeling confident, I am paying more attention to the party and less attention to, say, my hair or makeup. We all have those favorite makeup products or outfits that make us feel great. Why not save those special pieces for the party day? That way, you feel and look great and you can focus on having fun at the par-tay!
What tips do you have for party planning? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Rebecca has been writing about style, beauty, and lifestyle topics since 2011. Thank you so much for reading this post! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I love hearing from you!
