The Kitchen Diaries: Party Planning Musts

Okay so I LOVE to plan parties.. it’s in my DNA. My mom and grandma are both fabulous hostesses so I have grown up always loving to host and have people over. I can remember as far back as to when I was a little girl when my best friend Joanne and I would plan these pretend parties ( for um literally nobody but ourselves...) but we would have so much fun just making decorations, pretend making food and so forth.

Each year around Christmas I throw an annual Christmas party with all the trimmings.. I love to have my family and close friends gathered around the living room with a yummy cocktail and good conversation.

Parties are my favorite.

With that said.. parties are also ALOT of work and depending on the type of party, amount of people, time OF the party ( meaning are you going to serve dinner or hors’ dourves) you have to plan carefully and ahead of time.

Here are some of my tips for planning a successful party or event. I am not party planner but I have thrown several fun and successful events in my own home and have learned a trick or two about budgeting and partying in style!!!!

1. Decide on your date and theme first: For Jaxie’s birthday I decided four months in advance I wanted to do the nautical theme ( actually lets be real. I knew at birth what his theme of party would be. I know.. ) After the theme is picked then you can pick a date. The date is important because it gives you X amount of time to plan and budget.

2. Have an allotted budget and STICK TO IT!!! The first birthday party is really such a gimmick. I went all out on Jax’s first party but only because I wanted to. Parties do not have to cost thousands to make them successful. What makes a party successful is organization, time management, and creativity! I had a budget for Jax’s party and I knew that instead of splurging on everything the month before I could break it into chunks and start shopping 4 months before..that way it was budgeted into our monthly expenses.

Each week I wrote in my planner my to- do list ( for example: Monday: call cake lady for a bid, shop invitations, and shop for linens)
Each week I gave myself 2-4 things to do so that I was not completely overwhelmed the month of the party. I started with bids from the cake lady and florist.. it is wise to call around because most of the time SOMEONE is going to have something cheaper. My cake and smash cake cost 80 bucks...all these other crazy people wanted 300 bucks!! WHAT!! CALL AROUND.
Go to stores for paper goods ( cute napkins, straws, plates) are Tuesday Morning, Hobby Lobby, Home Goods and Target. Etsy always has the theme you want BUT they want about a dollar more than any of the other places. Shop smart!

3. Decide on the time of your party: Deciding on the time of your party gives you an in or out on whether or not you want to serve a full meal or just heavy snacks. I decided on 2-5 because it is after lunch ( most people will have already ate) and just set out heavy snacks. If catered food is not in the budget then get busy in the kitchen! We opted NOT to have anything catered and I provided crock pot pulled pork sliders, veggie and fruit trays, chips and dip and cake and cookies. Easy and not much to work on!

4. Decide on how many people you want to attend your event: The amount of people you invite has a lot to do with how much food and drinks to provide. Some things to keep in mind are the size of your house. As fun as it might be to host 50 people it may not be the best idea if everyone is just standing around crammed like a bunch of sardines. If you are hoping for a large party then a venue might be the best option. To me, the perfect number stands around 20-25 people. Jax’s birthday was mostly family with a few close friends.. it was the perfect amount so that there was group conversation going on, Jax was NOT overwhelmed by the amount of people, and I was able to talk to each person without feeling like I could never sit down.

5. Decor: Themed parties are SO much fun.. some of the fun decor items that I feel add just a little extra to any party are:

Name plate cards. You can almost find these in ANY theme and they are just so cute to add to the plates of food.
Florals: These can be custom and arranged or simply hand picked and put in a cute mason jar with a pretty ribbon tied around. They are easy centerpieces and compliment any setting.
Linens: If you haven’t already invest in a WHITE table cloth. They are sooo versatile and you do not want any of your guests spilling their spillage on your pretty dining table. You can also add themed runners or for instance, at Jax’s party I added an anchor runner with a cute fisherman’s net on top for some nautical detail.
Drink station: These are so versatile and create a very organized station where people can serve their own drinks. The hostess already has a lot going on so grabbing a guest their drink is a little inconvenient. For the majority of my parties I have a signature drink set out in a dispenser with cups next to it so guests can accommodate themselves on beverages. For Jax’s party I did a themed “ Ocean Water” and had a bucket of ice and cups alongside the dispenser. In the same station I also had juices for the kids, a plethora of wine, and water bottles so guests could enjoy different drinks. If your budget doesn’t allow for alcohol simply have two dispensers ( or pitchers) and home make some yummy iced tea and some spa water ( slice lemons, limes, and cucumbers into iced water to give it a citrusy spa flavor. EASY!)
If your party includes gifts, always have a ready to go notebook and pen to write down any gifts or cards so that you can send out your thank you notes within two weeks.

HAVE FUN!!!!

My number one rule about hosting a party or gathering is to have some fun! Don’t make SUCH a fuss that you forget what the party is truly all about.

for fun....

A few holidays and parties I have hosted throughout the years

My first Easter as Mrs. Frankhouser!!!! I was SO excited to have Easter as my “ given” holiday. Here I am with my freshly set table. I was so excited to have the family over!!!!