Birthday Party Planning, top 7 things to think about!
Are you planning your next birthday party? Or maybe you are planning one for someone else? Perhaps its your Childs birthday party or partners big double digit celebration? (we wont go into numbers..ssh)
Many questions we are asked is what do we need, how do we go about it and how much does it cost?
Well the first on our list to think about would be BUDGET! Yep lets think about a budget first before we start pinning everything from Pintrest and most likely building up an unreal expectation into our party planning. If we set a budget early its good to get a general grasp of everything you might need, so when you speak to your suppliers you can be honest with them from the start, and they can provide you with a good idea of what you can achieve from them in line with your budget. Trust me this is definitely a win win for everyone involved.
VENUE - choosing a venue can be quite difficulty decision, and there are many things to consider when choosing the right venue for your party. However, once this venue has been set - then everything can all start falling into place
Things to consider are.
- will it be big enough for all your guests and entertainment,
- is there parking
- will they allow you to bring in your own suppliers / catering
- are they flexible/accommodating to your needs and requirements , i.e will they allow you time to set your party up prior it to beginning without an extra charge?
- is the venue furnished appropriately,
- does it have a bar
- is it easily accessible for your guests, could a taxi easily find the venue/cost effective for your guests to get home in a taxi?
- would the venue be a perfect choice for your party guest who loves a particular hobby or interest, for example at a football stadium or golf club?
THEME - once the venue is set, lets think about a Theme, so we can then turn to our suppliers to help create the vision. Is your child mad about Cars or a favourite Disney Film? Your suppliers can help create this vision with their products and services.
ENTERTAINMENT - The key to any successful party is defiantly entertainment, once the theme is set you can look at things such as character appearances, face painting, bouncy castles, soft play. Or perhaps for an older crown, then the use of bands, musicians, even a magician or flash mob. The party entertainment list available these days is endless, and people are always looking for the next best thing in entertainment to wow their guests.
DECORATION - my favourite part of any party is the decor and no party is complete with out a little wow factor right? Fitting in with your chosen theme, party decorations can really make a huge difference to making that stand out. Lets think about whether we want a photo opportunity area for your guests to have pictures in front of? Sequin / shimmer backdrop perhaps? Balloon arches / garlands to create a wow feature or entrance?
Something for the tables? Maybe balloon center peices? or flowers?
If its a special birthday then light up LED numbers can be a great way to add a focal point and great place for photos,
Please allow a little extra in the budget for professional party decorations, remembering this takes the stress away from you sourcing, creating and dismantling these yourself.
You can always consider donating your decorations after use to charities, schools or on local social media pages.
CATERING - what does the venue allow? Cold buffet, hot buffets, 3 Course meal? Of course this will all depend on budget, I would personally recommend on bringing in a caterer who can assist with at least a cold buffet option, if your venue doesn't offer an option to supply food.
Don't forget the CAKE - as much as we all love cake, be realistic in the size and how much you actually need, will everyone eat some on the night? Will there be a ton of cake left over for you to pack into everyones packed lunches for the rest of the week? Ive been there, done that and unfortunately, had to throw a lot of cake away a few days later. Of course we want a show stopper cake, but without the excess tiers, maybe consider a larger cake topper and sparkler instead.
Of course there are lots of things to consider when party planning, and this is just the tip of the iceberg, but if after reading all this and you just think, 'meh - I would rather let someone else do it'
enquire now - as we would love it help!!