20 Party Planning Ideas to Make Your Party Pop!

Sometimes you just need a few extra details to plan a party to really make it one to remember. While you are probably very excited to implement those little details and run with your theme, there are a few things to remember, such as what is the party for, who will be your audience, and how many will be in attendance. After answering these general questions, the fun truly begins. Below is a list of 20 party planning ideas to help give you that extra little something to make your party one for the books!

1. Start with a Checklist

It’s important to have your thoughts in order so that the planning process runs smoothly. Keep yourself organized and use an actual checklist.

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2. Pick a Party Theme

Picking a theme gets the ball rolling. Many decisions are based on what the theme is; this could include venue, décor, food, activities and what to wear. Having a theme not only helps you to plan, but your guests to have a better idea of what to expect.

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3. Establish Your Budget

Knowing how much to spend is a key detail in your party planning journey. And remember, you don’t need to spend lots of money to plan a successful party; it’s more important that your party is well planned.

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4. Pick Your Date and Time.

Choose a few different dates you think would work well. You’ll want to have a few dates in mind. There are a lot of moving parts to plan a party. Having a couple of different dates in mind can be helpful and create some flexibility in the planning process.

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5. Location, Location, Location!

Book your venue. If you’re not sure where to have your party, Google is your friend! Don’t forget to read the reviews during your Google quest.

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6. Create Your Guest List

Who are you inviting? You’ll want to make sure your budget, venue, and guest list properly align. If you are close to being over budget, or over budget, cut the fringe people out. Send your invites out early, so people can clear their calendars! (More on initiations to come…)

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7. Are You Not Entertained?!

Decide on your entertainment. Do you want to provide the entertainment or book it? If you are going to book it, do it early! Decide if you want a band or DJ to come. What other sort of entertainment might you want? Keep in mind to include everyone in the entertainment. You don’t want any guests feeling left out.

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8. Create Lasting Memories

Hire a photographer or have a dedicated person take photos to capture the moments for yourself and guests to remember. This could be further used to send as a photo album or collage with a thank you note to attendees.

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9. Send Out Invitations

Whether it be sending out actual invitations or e-vites, send your invitations out. Keep track of RSVPs and send reminders to those who have not responded. This will help you keep track of your guest list.

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10. Place Any Catering or Entertainment Orders

If you’re using the professionals, place and update orders as RSVPs come in. This can include food, drinks, cutlery, and activities. If you’re going the DIY route, start DIY-ing, so that you have enough time to complete it before the big day! This can include figuring out the amount of food to get, how you want the food to be served, and even completing a mini run-through of the menu.

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11. Set the Stage!

Begin finalizing your decorations. Place any outstanding orders that need to be made. If you’re creating the décor, begin working now, so you can get it done with time to spare and consider there might be some mess-ups during the process.

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12. Form Your Team

You might need to bring some reinforcements in to help with execution. Create a team of a few friends and family to help you implement your plan. Maybe someone can pick up the catering and/or decorations. Possibly recruit a few friends to help with making the food or setting up the venue.

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13. Make a Contact List

Keep a list of contacts, such as venue, caterers, and entertainment, so that you and your team can easily reach whoever needs to be contacted. Make your party planning easier and run smoother.

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14. Shop and Gather

About a week before the main event, shop for the party and collect any supplies you might need. You can call or stop by the caterer and entertainment to check in with them to ensure everything is running on time.

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15. Jazz It Up!

Time to decorate your venue. Get your team and make a mini party of your own while you decorate the venue. This is a good opportunity to check the venue out, so you know if you have enough items and pick up anything else needed.

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16. Is There an App for That?

Look into whether or not you’d benefit from using a party planning app to help you and your team stay organized.

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17. …and the Crowd Goes Wild!

Time to get your boogie on. Welcome your guests and enjoy the party!

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18. Clean Up, Clean Up…Everybody Clean Up

Now that your fiesta is over, it’s time to clean up. Hopefully, you’ve created a clean-up crew to help with the mess.

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19. Gratuity is Always a Must

If you’ve hired caterers, entertainment, and anything else for your party, it’s probably a good idea to create some sort of tip jar to give to your help. Put this out at your party, so guests can help contribute too!

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20. Reflect

And when the lights go out and the party’s over, reflect on your journey. Take notes of things that went well and things you’d do differently next time around. Maybe even use that app you downloaded to help plan.

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