Theme Party Planning Tips
Everybody loves a Theme Party—even those staid, formal souls who normally wouldn’t be caught with a button undone. A costume party is a chance to cut loose, dress up and have some fun. Whether you’re inviting girls only or couples, or a mixed group of singles, if everyone comes dressed up in the same theme and the house décor matches, then for a night you can happily suspend disbelief and step out of day-to-day reality. If you follow the sample theme party planning below, you will be considered an expert by all your family and friends! Are you ready? Read on.
The first step is to pick a date for your party when most of your friends will be able to attend. This will usually be a Friday night or Saturday night. Let them know well in advance so that they won’t make other plans for that date, and so that they’ll have ample time to put a costume together. Now, the amount of guests you invite will depend on what kind of theme party you’re hosting. For e.g., a more formal theme with couples, where you all sit down at the table and eat, would necessarily be smaller, since a maximum of ten people fit around the average dining room table. A more relaxed theme where people stand and eat buffet-style, or lounge around the couches snacking, allows you to invite more guests.
Very importantly, choose a theme that you know your friends will enjoy and be able to get into. An idea for an all-girls party might be based on a “My Mother” theme, where everyone comes dressed as their favorite mother—whether real or from the movies. It might be a Roaring Twenties theme for couples, a hippy or Western theme, a come-in-some-ethnic-costume party or whatever. Your imagination is the only limit.
For these parties, sending invitation cards or evites (specially-designed e-mail invitations) is a must! If the invitation is designed according to the party theme, and it should be, it will begin setting the mood long before the party. Remember, this isn’t just a regular party where people throw on their normal clothes and show up. They’re investing time and thought in creating their costume and need to be “psyched up” about it. Be sure to inform them that that you’ll be giving a prize for the best costume.
Put that extra time into making your own costume. Even if the main elements are store-bought (or thrift-store-bought), you as the host or hostess are setting the example so make sure that your costume stands out, and is not just enough to get by. Also, since you will be serving others and overseeing things, make sure that your costume is comfortable enough to move in all night. (Hint: if you are choosing a Super Heroes theme, don’t pick Iron Man!)
Preparing the food should not be difficult. Unless you’re planning a certain national theme that requires authentic ethnic food, or having dinner around the dining room table, food can be simple. Have some crunchy snacks like chips, nachos, peanuts or Chex mix; add some bowls of spicy foods like small party wieners; put out some sour baby pickles; and present something sweet like cookies, muffins or cupcakes (decorated with icing that matches your party theme).
If your friends are alcohol drinkers, have one large bowl of punch or a standard wine that everyone will enjoy. If they are non-drinkers—or if a portion of your guests are non-drinkers—have a designated bowl of non-alcoholic punch or a variety of pop (soda) for them to choose from. And of course, have a pot of coffee on with all the fixings handy, or hot water for tea for those who prefer it.
Theme music is essential. (You wouldn’t invite people to a Western dress-up party and play Abba or the Rolling Stones, would you?) You are creating a mood, you want your guests to “get into it,” and don’t want anything to break the spell. Music is a great mood-setter, so from the moment your guests begin arriving in their costumes, have it playing in the background.
Decorating your house with era- or theme-specific accessories need not be a budget-buster. You can usually buy enough accessories at a thrift store to transform your place—and sometimes all it takes is just a touch here and there to change your home from the everyday to the unusual. You might find that taking down a painting or two and putting a poster in its place helps. You also might want to drape your couches with theme-enhancing blankets or sheets.
A quarter of an hour before your guests begin to arrive, heat up the food that needs to be heated and set it out, and take the cool food out of the fridge. Then get one last look at yourself in the mirror and wait for the doorbell to ring. Enjoy yourself!