Pumping Up a Great Party!

10 Planning Tips from Event Planner Scott Rothenberger

April 16, 2013

3:07 PM

Planning a memorable soiree doesn’t have to be stressful. Staying organized and planning ahead will ensure you’re a cool, calm and collected host. Here’s how!

1. PICK A THEME so it creates a road map for your party—from the invitations right down to the decorations on the table, the type of food and music. For example, if it’s a garden party try mailing your invitations attached to seed packets and displaying your food in flower pots. If it’s a southwestern theme why not consider turning your garage into a Mexican Cantina, renting tables, tacky folding chairs that do not match and stringing multicolored holiday lights across the ceiling? Serve cold drinks from a wheel barrow full of ice.

2. SET UP YOUR FOOD IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS so that guests move about the party. It gives everyone a chance to mingle. The main food could be on the dining room table, the hors d’oeuvres displayed on the kitchen island or served by servers, and the desserts and coffee in another location.

3. LABEL YOUR FOOD with cool little tags so that everyone knows what they are eating. Put the tags out on the table ahead of time with the appropriate serving dishes. It will help to remind you what’s still in the fridge that needs to come out. Also, guests that arrive early to help set-up can figure out what goes where without interrupting your train of thought. These food tags should also match the theme.

4. TAKE PICTURES AT THE PARTY and make a collage thank you card to mail out to guests as a host gift. Hire a professional photographer or assign someone to this task. Perhaps set-up a paparazzi area if it works with the theme—think Hollywood red carpet. Ask guests to hold up a large ornate empty picture frame and stand behind it for their picture.

5. HIT THE LOCAL FABRIC STORE and scour the clearance section to find fabric to drape over the food table and get extra to use on other areas like serving tables, the bar and any other surface that you want guests to connect with the party.

6. TABLE-SCAPING IS HOT! Never put just a few serving bowls out on a flat surface. Use blocks of wood or empty bowls turned upside down covered with fabric to raise the food and create vertical interest. If your home is contemporary consider using glass blocks and glow sticks for an edgy look. Use objects of art or sculpture and multiple floral arrangements if your table is large enough to accomodate.

7. CREATE A MENU THAT’S DESIGNED AROUND YOUR THEME. Make copies and have them laminated. Pass them out to guests as they arrive or have them scattered about the party. Save a copy for yourself as a remembrance of the occasion.

8. FOR AN OUTDOOR PARTY POOLSIDE (and you prefer people not swim), float about three dozen floating candles on the pool. Set cut flower arrangements in weighted buckets on the steps and seating surfaces of the pool. It will signify that the pool is closed in a colorful and festive way.

9. FOR AN INDOOR PARTY, try a nightclub or lounge theme and move all of the furniture out of the great room. Hang black fabric on the walls to cover the artwork. Rent high cocktail tables and place them around the room. Consider using flashing holiday lights, a disco ball and black lights. Have a dance floor area and perform dance contests with great themed prizes to get everyone involved. Hire cocktail servers to serve the drinks, or set up a designated bar. And don’t forget to turn up the iHome!

10. REMEMBER YOUR GUESTS. They are coming for a good time and they want to share the time with YOU! If you make all the food yourself, plan your menu so that once your guests arrive you can sit back and enjoy their company. Perhaps you want to hire someone to heat things up and serve it for you. The trick is to make everything appear perfectly effortless so that your guests are at ease.

Scott Rothenberger is the owner of PLACE, a one-stop design firm offering landscape design and construction, interior and exterior architectural design, event and holiday decorating and planning. Rothenberger is an internationally recognized and award-winning designer with a passion for connecting people, plants and architecture. With more than 19 years of experience, Rothenberger gives back with numerous community projects and fundraisers. His most special project is a Cancer Memorial Garden in his hometown of Boyertown, which he created for everyone to enjoy and become one with nature as they face some of life's most difficult journeys.

scott@designbyPLACE.com | designbyPLACE.com | 610.428.1801

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