As you get older, your idea of a great party evolves. Gone are the times of jelly and ice cream and it seems that your alcohol-fuelled table dancing days are light years in the past… that’s when you know that a proper grown up party is on the cards for your next event.
If you’re not yet well-versed in the world of grown up parties but are keen to host one, we’ve got a treat for you: our quick guide to throwing a grown up party!
Keep everything in line with your theme
You don’t have to have an outrageous theme at your party, but you’ll be making things easier on yourself if you do at least have a theme, even if that’s just a colour scheme.
Choosing a theme and sticking to it will make your party easier to organise and will simplify the decisions you have to make on things like decor, food, and music, all of which are monumental aspects of throwing a great party.
You can even combine your food and decor together, such as by using this old fashioned sweets hamper to decorate the dessert table if you have a retro theme.
Have a varied guest list
Inviting the same people to every party makes things comfortable, but to make things interesting, you’re going to need a variety of people from different creeds, age groups, and backgrounds.
If you invite an eclectic range of people, you’ll instigate an exciting range of topics being discussed and some unlikely friendships may even begin to blossom.
Look after your guests
It should go without saying that you should make sure you give your guests plenty to eat and drink when they’re at your party, but there are lots of other ways in which you can (and should) take your host game up a notch.
For example, if you’re having an outdoor party, it can be a real pain for your guests to have to make the trek back inside whenever they need to use the facilities and, if you’re providing enough food and drink, that should be fairly frequently.
The best thing to do in this situation is to hire outdoor toilets, but standard portaloos can be unattractive; luxury outdoor toilets, on the other hand, are classy and elegant and, if your budget can stretch to them, they’re an absolute must.
You can hire both singular and modular luxury toilets from companies like Event Washrooms and, trust us, your guests will thank you for them.
Entertainment is key
Even at adult parties, entertainment is still a must, especially if there’s a lull in the event – which there often is after the food has been served and eaten!
Yard games are always a popular option if the weather is nice and you can even play some card games indoors after dinner. If you have a big enough budget, a great entertainment option is to hire a musician who is willing to play at your event.
Just be mindful that, if your party is going well and your guests are getting along swimmingly, don’t force games onto anyone. Simply put the games out and those who want to play will do so.
Set the mood
Whichever mood you want your party to have, lighting is the way to achieve it. For example, if you would like your party to have an intimate and relaxed feel, dim lighting is probably the way to go. On the flip side, if you want your party to have energetic vibes, go for brighter lighting.
To give your party an extra bit of edge, novelty lighting can work really well for you. Specialist lighting companies such as Light It Up UK will be able to offer you affordable lighting solutions to make your party memorable.
If you’re having a birthday party, you can opt for light up letters to spell out the initials of the birthday person or you could even go for light up shapes like hearts to double up your lighting and your decor.
Lacking some inspiration for your party? Check out the best party blogs of 2017 for some pointers!