The ultimate step-by-step guide to plan the perfect party

Whether you’re hosting a party at home or at a private venue, taking the lead to plan an awesome party is no easy feat. There’s nothing more stressful than making sure all your guests are happy and taken care of, from picking the perfect date and location to arranging food and entertainment. 

To take the weight and worry off your shoulders, Partytime (your local go-to party experts) have created a fool-proof checklist to plan the perfect party and will be with you every step of the way. Bookmark this page for a step-by-step guide to everything you need to plan for a party. 

The plan

▢ Pick a Date and Time

A month before the party, check the availability of your guests. Provide guests with more than one day to choose from before narrowing down on a date with the most possible attendees. 
Partytime tip: If you’re hosting the party at a private venue, it would be best to check the availability of the venue beforehand. 

▢ Create the guestlist

Write down a list of friends / families you would like to invite, and consider whether they would like to bring extra guests. 
Partytime Tip: Be prepared for fewer (or more) turnouts than planned.

▢ Select a Theme

Whether it’s a pinata-themed birthday party, a fantasy wonderland for the kids, an evening soiree for friends or a celebratory affair with girlfriends, selecting a theme makes the event all the more fun and aesthetically pleasing. It also helps with deciding on the decorations and for guests to  decide on an outfit. 
Partytime Tip: Don’t forget to mention the theme of the party on the invitation cards and state the dress code clearly, if any. 

▢ Decide on a venue

Now that the budget has been set, it’s time to pick a location for the party. Whether you’re hosting the event at home or renting out a venue, pick a space with a suitable layout to accommodate the number of guests that will be attending, the equipment needed for entertainment. Not to mention, the grandiose decorations  that you envision will set the tone for the party. To ease the process of transporting all the party decorations, tableware, and accessories, Partytime delivers directly to the venue, hassle-free. 
Partytime Tip: If you decide to host your party outdoors, bear in mind to check the weather and plan for a rainy day. 

▢ Organize the food

With a better overview of when and where the party will be hosted and how many people are expected to attend, it’s time to decide on the food. This will be an essential part to keep guests happy. Whether you’re preparing food from home, arranging a buffet or hiring a caterer, it’s always good to organize a menu for the event and consider any special dietary requirements and possible allergies. 
Partytime Tip:  To be sure that all guests are served and fed, ask guests to provide any dietary preference and allergies when they RSVP. 

▢ Book Entertainment

From live bands and DJs to magicians and petting zoos to a bouncy castle and photobooths, plan the entertainment for the day and inform the venue to make sure that the location will be able to accommodate the entertainment you want. 
Partytime Tip: Besides informing the venue, it would be good to confirm with the entertainers you plan on hiring of the space and technical support needed for their performances. 

Who’s ready to party?

▢ Send Invitations and follow up

With all the details ironed out, it’s time to send out the invitations to make it official. Are you mailing out paper invitations? Will they be customized? Or are you sending out e-cards and Facebook event invites? Whichever way of invitation you decide on, keep in mind to include the date, time, location, theme and dress code. Give guests the option to accept, reject or extend the invitation to someone else to be able to anticipate the number of expected guests on the day. 
Partytime Tip: Creating a social media event page allows for immediate response and for a bit of buzz to get going before the party. This will encourage guests to respond faster and maximize the turnout on the day of the party. 

▢ Arrange a seating plan

If you’re hosting a party for over 40 people, a seating plan is a good way to keep things organized, especially if the meals are organized as a sit-down meal. 
Partytime Tip: Seat guests among a mix of people they are familiar with as well as with guests they do not yet know – this will allow them to feel comfortable but also be encouraged to mix with new acquaintances.   

▢ Create a programme

The trick to a well-organized party is having time management. Of course, there’s no fun sticking to a strict schedule, but having a rough estimate of how long each activity will take will allow for sufficient time for socializing, food, games and entertainment – transitioning from one activity to the next smoothly. 
Partytime Tip: If you’re hiring entertainment or venues by the hour, having a schedule or programme will allow for performers to arrive on a specific time while also keeping the party from overrunning.

▢ Follow up on guests

It’s always possible that invitations get lost in the mail or were missed. Now’s a good time to follow up on guests who have yet to respond to your invitation. 
Partytime Tip: An e-mail reminder or blast text to guests would also be a good way to remind guests who have already RSVP-ed of the party just in case they forgot. 

Prepare, order and book

▢ Order a customized cake / decorations 

What’s a memorable party without customized cake and decorations? A beautifully  made-to-order cake requires at least two weeks advance order, while customized decorations, such as balloons, flowers and party favors take time to source, prepare and put up. 
Partytime Tip: Organizing all the finer details of a party can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for a helping hand. 

▢ Arrange for pick up or deliveries 

With only days before the party, it’s time to follow up on any orders and deliveries such as decorations, banners, flowers, cakes, etc and confirm delivery for the day of the party. 
Partytime Tip: Re-confirming orders and deliveries days before the party will allow some time allowance in case of any mishaps or errors in orders – you don’t want any last minute stress on the day of the party.

▢ Shop for last-minute items

Revisit your checklist and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. If you did, now’s a good time to pick up any last-minute essentials, such as party favors, decorations, linens, tableware, balloons, pinatas  and  candies, as well as photo props and more. 
Partytime Tip: For your one-stop shop for all things party related, visit the Partytime website  or any of its locations  for your last-minute shopping. 

Get the party started!

▢ Charge the camera / phone / music player

If you haven't done so yet, charge any electronics you will be using at the party. Especially cameras and phones – you won’t want to miss the opportunity to capture the beautiful moments that happen at the party.

▢ Check the weather

Check on weather updates on the day and give guests a kind reminder on the details of the party before the actual party starts

▢ Arrive early

Before the party starts, it’s good to arrive at the venue early to prepare and receive orders, such as the cake and flowers, due on the day. Use this time to also communicate with the venue, entertainers and caterers to make sure everything goes as planned. 

▢ Put up the decorations

Time to blow up the balloons, fill the pinatas, hang the banners and put up all the decorations to give the party the fun vibe it deserves. Set it and forget it – Partytime will help blow up your balloons and deliver them on the day, so you can rest assured they stay up in perfect condition throughout the party (and beyond). 

Now you are ready to Party! Enjoy your special event.