Stress Free Party Planning on a Budget

Planning a party shouldn’t be a hair-pulling, anxiety-ridden affair that’ll leave you stressed out and edgy come party time. It’s all about your approach to planning and the little details that go with it. Become the hostess with the mostest by following these party planning tips that will leave you fresh and fabulous come party time.

Set a Budget

Determining how much you’re willing to spend for a gathering is an excellent way to kick off your plans. By setting a budget, you’ll have an idea how big the party’s going to be, how much food you’ll need, how many guests you should invite, how to decorate your space and other important factors that make a good party. You’ll also save yourself from a budget hangover the next day.

Don’t Invite Everyone

Throwing a party is a skill, but handpicking your guests is an art. Invite people that are fun to be around, engaging and require zero babysitting. Another batch of people you want around are those you haven’t seen in a while and want to catch up with, those who have interesting backstories or careers and those you just love hanging out with. Trimming your guest list will also let you focus more on talking to everybody and not spending a small fortune on food and drinks.

Simplify your Menu

Keep the menu light and easy. Thinking of a theme for food is an excellent way to simplify, because you’ll just be focusing on one or two dishes. Having a seafood theme for example, is a great way to cut prep time and just use most of the same ingredients for all your dishes. Want to keep it even more simple? Pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza? It has everything – carbs, protein, fat and veggies. It’s easy to eat, you don’t need any utensils and it’s cheap. Another good idea is to just serve finger food and make it an after dinner party.

Don’t sweat the Decor

If you’re worried about decorating, don’t be! There are tons of awesome ideas to choose from, some of them you have to spend a little but most are of the DIY kind. If you’re good with your hands and have an eye for design, DIY decorations are the way to go. Fresh, wild flowers you picked and candles can also do wonders. Your guests will love the fact that you took the time to do the decorations yourself. Be sure to add your personal touch with custom printed balloons for your event, especially if it’s for a milestone in your life.

Let’s Drink to That

Drinks are a crucial part of your party, so make sure you have some for everyone. You can buy beer and wine by the case and save money. If you don’t have the budget for whiskey or tequila, you can always choose a cocktail that you know everyone would love and just focus on making that. If it’s something you can make by the pitcher, the better. You don’t want to play bartender when you’re supposed to be hosting.

Please don’t stop the Music

What’s a party without any music? A big mistake! Always have some speakers ready and blast out the music. If you already have the songs, just make a playlist on your computer, smartphone or music player, set it and forget it. Services such as Pandora, Spotify and Apple Music have great music playlists you can jump in and listen to.

Fun is Contagious

Throwing a party is all about fun. Your guests won’t remember the color of your tablecloth or if you used any expensive china. What they’ll remember is if they had fun or not, so don’t be a party pooper in your own party and have some fun! When you’re lively and engaging, it sets the mood and puts everyone at ease with one another, allowing for more meaningful conversations and maybe even new friendships.

Throwing a party shouldn’t be a complicated and nerve wracking affair. It always pays to have a plan, because having not having a plan is planning to fail. Good luck on your party plans!