How to Plan a Holiday Party at Home
The most wonderful time of year is around the corner and you’re itching to host but not sure where to begin. From choosing a theme to menu planning, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to plan a holiday party at your home.
Photo: Candace Photography
Choose the Type of Party
From cocktail parties to progressive dinners, barbecues to brunches, there are many types of celebrations you can host at home. Major holidays are perfect for festive parties, as casual or as fancy as you'd like to get. Consider your space, the season, the time to put in the effort, and even the cost when thinking about whether or not your abode is the perfect setting for a particular party.
The Who, Where, When
Start with defining the occasion, a theme or design direction, a date, and the number of guests. Also, ponder a budget and the time and resources you have to pull off a successful party.
Guest List
While you're deciding to host at home, think about how many guests can fit comfortably in your space, also remembering where guests would go in inclement whether if you plan on using an outdoor space as well. Create a guest list, and while you're doing so, confirm the best contact method and gather any email or mailing addresses you may need.
Invitations
For more formal or larger socials and parties, invitations should ideally be mailed 6-8 weeks in advance of the party. Guests can be notified no less than a few weeks out for more intimate celebrations. Invitations should include date and time, location and address, any parking information, attire, and reply information. Additional details such as weather-specific instructions should also be included if applicable. Don't forget an RSVP date as well!
Photo: Candace Photography
Photo: Candace Photography
Design, Decor, Menu, and More!
Once the date is set and the guests are invited, work on the biggest and most expensive elements like food, beverages, significant decor elements such as flowers or balloons, and entertainment.
The Theme
Themes are great starting points when designing a party, and often you can incorporate the theme into many elements of the event, such as food, decor, and even time of day. If you prefer not to define a specific theme, use a color palette, the menu, your existing home decor, the honoree, or the season to inspire the party design and activities.
Menu Planning
For the menu, determine not only how the meal will be served (plated, cocktail style, grazing station, self-serve), but also what cuisine works well for the time of day and theme of the event. For example, a holiday open house where guests drop in as they please is probably the best occasion for cocktails and light bites, as opposed to heavy entrees. A girls-only brunch event, however, is perfect for a spread of savory and sweet treats alike, filling enough for a full meal, but easy for guests to eat as much or as little as they choose.
Appetizers or light bites are the perfect kick-off to any event. We like to balance warm with cool, savory with sweet. Both boozy and non-alcoholic drinks should be on hand. For plated, seated dinners, we prefer a salad and/or soup at the start of the meal. No party is complete without a dessert of some sort, which is also one of the easiest parts of the menu to incorporate into the theme.
Prep Schedule
If you're cooking the entire meal at home, plan ahead as much as possible. Choose the menu, gather (and read!) the recipes, make a shopping list, and time out your items so that your stove and oven aren't overloaded. A cooking schedule is always helpful, ensuring courses and dishes are ready in a timely manner. Don't forget to sort and allocate your serveware as well, including plates, platters, bowls, and utensils. And if you're hosting a seated meal at your event, set the table in advance.
Hired Help
Sometimes it’s a good idea to call in the professionals. For events where you've hired vendors such as catering, live music, or bartenders, discuss the details at length, making any song and menu selections in advance and reviewing a timeline of the day. Give specific loading and parking instructions as well to ensure the day of the party goes smoothly.
The Week of the Party
The week of the party is the time to finalize any small details and begin preparations. Firm up the guest list by following up on any RSVPs. Assign seating for a seated dinner party and calligraph those place cards. Create your shopping list for food and decor. Build a timeline of events, including deliveries, cooking schedules, rental drop-offs, and any other items.
Checklists
Create checklists for items that need to be purchased as well as a to-do list for tasks that need to be completed. Pace yourself and do as many things in advance as you can so you're not scrambling the day before. By creating comprehensive lists, you can also delegate tasks to friends or family who you recruit to lend a hand.
Party Prep
Wash, allocate, and even label (with sticky notes) all of your servingware in advance of the party. Determine you have ample pieces, but also arrange platters and bowls on your table or buffet to ensure they fit.
Tidy your Space
Begin preparing your home several days before the party, first by cleaning all common or guest-facing areas. Then, pull out any items that will be used like decorations or place settings. As you add new purchases to the collection, set them neatly in one space until you're ready for set-up. Finally, add small touches like a coat rack, extra seating, fresh guest room linens (if you expect any overnight guests), and some new candles to add a lovely scent to your home.
Photo: Candace Photography
Party Day!
We don't advise preparing certain hot recipes too far in advance as they may become soggy or stale. Flowers should be as fresh as possible for the best look. Balloons, especially if they will be placed outdoors, are best installed on party day. Finally, be sure to ask any baker you may use about the best way to store sweets and how far in advance they can be picked up or delivered.
Ambiance
Music, candles or other ambient lighting, fresh scents or homey smells, and fresh florals always add the best ambiance. Focus on the main areas that guests will notice--your front door, powder rooms, dining table, and living room mantle. Areas of impact or focus are where your effort and money should be spent.
Music
Streaming music through speakers or devices is easy and allows you to control the mood and volume of your event. For casual evening parties, louder upbeat tunes are great, while dinner parties or day celebrations may call for more chill music like acoustic hits.
Greet Your Guests
The best host is prepared, warm, and welcoming. Strive to create memories. And it never hurts to fill bellies with delicious food.
