Party planning? Here’s what needs to be on your list
Excited. Overwhelmed. Busy.
These are three words that describe the process of planning a surprise birthday party or event. Planning an event yourself? We’re sure you’re feeling the same way!
Any party or event requires careful planning.
Luckily, a good old list can make the planning process go considerably smoother.
Our below checklists will ensure you cover every facet of your celebration – from themes to gifts and everything in between!
How do you plan an amazing party? How to organise a party – using lists!
A good list makes things easier when it comes to planning a party.
Of course, with big parties, one list alone might not cut it – you might need a different list for each of the different areas of party planning!
Some ways to get started might include…
What makes a party great? Starting with your master list
There are a lot of different moving parts to party planning. Thus, the first thing you should do is list all of them down!
While this list on its own won’t be used that much in planning, what it does do is set the direction, and tell you what areas need your attention.
For example, say you’re planning a child’s birthday party – on top of the usual suspects like food, budgeting and guests, you might also need to think about:
- Gift bags and party favours
- Games and prizes
- Theme and decorations
Each of these have their own steps and considerations.
Once you’ve listed each ‘cluster’ of your party to your master list, you can get to work creating their own lists so that you’ll have an easier time preparing each of them!
How to organise a party theme list
So you’ve decided to add “party theme” to your master list – now it’s time to start prepping a list to get your theme in order.
Depending on how far you’re going with your theme, you might have to arrange a lot of different things to really get the theme to land.
Trying to keep track of all of it ad-hoc can be difficult – all the more reason to create a checklist!
When creating a theme list, be sure to include things like:
- Music and playlists
- Themed or novelty food
- Decorations, decor, and props
- Dress code and costumes
How far in advance should you plan a party guest list?
As far in advance as possible!
Out of all the lists you’ll create when planning a party, the guest list is by far the most important. Not only does it set out who’s coming, but it also helps you accommodate special requirements.
For example, when putting together your guest list, be sure to include dietary restrictions as well.
By listing all of this out early, you can incorporate these into your party plan, without having to do a lot of last-minute hustling.
What are the steps to plan a party venue?
Choosing a venue isn’t as simple as just picking out a place you like – if you ask us, it’s something you should plan out, beginning with a shortlist.
Each venue on your list should include:
- Capacity
- Freedom to decorate as you see fit
- Minimum spend
- Whether or not others will be around
- Location
- Parking options
- Bundled options
Unfortunately, too many people only list down the venues themselves and their prices.
While these are important details, the other factors can be just as crucial, and need to be listed – the last thing you want is to book a place, only to realise that, say, the venue isn’t exclusive and you’ll be sharing the space with other groups!
How do you organise a party food list?
Food is one of the most important parts of any party – as such, your party food list is pretty darn important!
If you want to get this right, you’ll need to do more than just list down all the food and drinks you need to buy. You should also:
- Make alternative arrangements for dietary restrictions (be sure to complete your invite list first)
- List prices of all the food you plan on buying
- Include places where you can buy sufficient quantities of each
We can’t stress that last one enough!
Sure, your local supermarket might have everything you need – if you need something in bulk however, or need something more specific (e.g. a certain colour) you might need to look elsewhere.
When planning your party food list, be sure to check in advance which ones in advance you’ll need to cast a wider net for.
And on top of listing specialised menu items, you’ll also want to list alternative places where you can buy them.
Case-in-point: what if you need rare lollies like gluten-free lollies as an option for your lolly table?
While the supermarket has a lollies aisle, most don’t have a dedicated gluten-free one!
(Luckily for you, our online lolly shop does!)
Put together a budget and shopping list
Once you’ve got all of these things together, it’s time to compare them to your party budget.
Be sure to tally up all the costs based on the information in all of your previous lists – once you’ve done that, be sure to compare it against your party budget to ensure you can afford it, and where you might be able to make some cuts.
And once that’s done, it’s time to put together a shopping list for everything you need to make your party happen!
How do you plan a fun party?
You can start by getting in touch with our lolly shop
If the goal is to plan a fun party, then bulk lollies need to be on your shopping list.
Hosting an event or party can be quite challenging. But with our help, you can keep guests happy as they munch on sweet treats at every turn!
From bulk amounts of classic lollies, to niche candy, all the way to mixtures of customised lollies, you’ll find everything you need for your next event or party at MyLollies!
With rapid nationwide delivery and a huge range of options all offered in bulk and at wholesale prices, we’ve got all the sweets you need to make your party happen.
Live in Melbourne’s south-east? Feel free to drop by in our lolly factory and check our confectionery warehouse in-person!
If you’ve got questions or want to chat, call the MyLollies team today on 1300 899 000 or drop us a message online.