When it comes to your adult birthday party, everyone celebrates differently. Some are happy to ring in another year around the sun, others would rather crawl under a rock than blow out birthday candles. Others throw quiet dinners with friends, some go out on the town. Some go to bars and restaurants, and others go home to their parents. Some throw parties. Suddenly, that someone is you!

You don’t have to be a “going out” person (or even an extrovert) to throw a party (and enjoy it). Since it’s your day, the party is in your control. Host in a nightclub or a gallery, invite 10 close friends or 100 acquaintances.

It’s probably difficult to decide where to begin, especially if you have no party-planning or hosting experience. But real pay-off is that you can do exactly what you’d like. While planning a full-fledged “adult” party is a task that requires a bit more effort than buying drinks and picking up a cake from the store, it’s worth it to know that at the end of the day, you celebrated your way.

Luckily, all you right now are a few ideas, a budget and a pen to cross out these checklist items one by one. While planning a party can be scary, this party-planning checklist will have you done in no time.

The Basics: Nail down these basics, which will be the root of your party. These are the easiest decisions to make and will help you the most.

Date and Time

Nail down the date of your adult birthday party. Are you celebrating the weekend before the actual birthday, day-of, or after? Of course your adult birthday party is all about you, but give some thought to who you’ll be inviting and their general availability; that will help with the decision. If you already have your eye on a venue, such as a specific restaurant or bar, check with the event manager to inquire about availability.

Guest List

Are you going for a small and intimate crowd, or the bigger the better? Once your guest list starts taking shape, you’ll have a better idea of what the cost of the party will look like. Who do you want to be there? Try to avoid invites out of obligation. Send invitations to people who will turn a good party into a great one. And definitely invite a few that would be happy to lend a helping hand.

Budget

How much are you willing to spend, and what are your party’s must-haves? Maybe you’re a foodie and catering is where you splurge, or it’s all about the atmosphere so you book a rooftop with a killer view. Choose something within your price range that will allow you to achieve your vision without breaking the bank.

The Aesthetic: First and foremost, your party should feel like you. As you check off these items, make sure you’ll be comfortable in the mood and style your party will embody.

Vibe

The ‘vibe’ is the energy of the party, and can be any adjective that describes the mood of your event. This is important because the energy will guide your decisions. Consider descriptives like boho, vibrant, upbeat, chill, or whimsical. Bonus: This can also be a word you use to describe yourself.

Theme

While choosing a theme could feel extra, a strong theme will help you make creative decisions. Need some inspiration? Find a theme under categories like adventurous, around the world, decades, games activities and sports, glamorous, seasonal, stage and screen or couples and duos. Start planning your decorations now by creating a list of what you’ll need and imagining where they could go.

Venue

 Booking outside of your home will make set-up, clean-up, and hosting easier. Look at venues according to your vibe and budget—choose something that’s in your price range and fits the mood of your party. If you want an energetic party, book a rooftop bar. If you’re feeling vibrant, find a fun restaurant.

Color scheme

If you really want to go above and beyond, organize a color scheme. Pick a couple colors that reflect your aesthetic decisions and will tie in your creative details. Have them represent you! They can be used for flatware, balloons, napkins, and any other decor or decoration.

The Details: Nail down these final details to ensure your party will go exactly as planned.

Menu

Guests will expect a meal of some sort, so decide what would make the most sense: brunch, lunch, dinner or anything in between. If you’ve booked a restaurant, they’ll work with you to organize a menu. If not, you can either DIY or cater—There’s also nothing wrong with telling guests to bring a dish (as long as you can take care of the main course, you’re good). And of course, don’t forget the drinks.

Itinerary

Set a basic outline for your party. It doesn’t have to be too detailed, unless you have different activities or a performance  planned. Set a time for guests to arrive, for appetizers, a meal and finally cake. Leave time for people to socialize and relax.

List of supplies and shopping

Set up a list of supplies you might need, including food, decorations, cutlery and more. Don’t wait to start your supplies list, keep it active while you organize. The last thing you want to do is peace out during your own adult birthday party to grab a forgotten line item like extra ice or birthday candles.

Decorate

It’s finally time to get the ball rolling and set everything up! Get a friend to help if decorations are ambitious. It’s smart to have an idea of what you want to do beforehand. Make sure to bring tape, scissors, all those items you just got from the store and a bluetooth speaker—have some fun with it!

Celebrate

The day of your party will be stressful… And that’s totally okay. Prepare for some hiccups, but remember that this is your party that you’ve planned inside and out. What matters the most is that you have a good time. Put on your hosting hat, wish yourself a happy birthday, and enjoy your big day!

Planning your private party can be fun and easy. Clients nationwide trust Phillips Celebrations to plan their festivities. We offer a wide selection of entertainment services featuring DJ’s, magicians, musical acts, speakers, event planners, equipment rentals and everything in between. Our friendly team has everything you need to host an amazing event. Call (844) 454-3397 or select a location near you for more information.

So you’re thinking about throwing a party. Sounds like fun! If you’ve ever organized any type of group before, you would know that it is almost like leading an army to war. There’s so many different questions that you’ll need to take into consideration i.e. What’s your budget? Where will you host the party? How many people should you invite? The list goes on and on. Well, never fear, your friends at Phillips Celebrations have compiled a list of tips for throwing the best party!

Plan Ahead

Now, let’s take a rewind. How many days do you think you would need to plan this all out? Maybe a day or two if you’re a pro, but if you’re a novice to party planner, consider giving yourself 1-2 months for planning. This time frame will allow for you to cross all of those T’s and dot every I, even those I’s you forget about until the week of the party. Trust me, those I’s are a pain.

Well, there are a few things to consider and take note of if you want to organize a party. This includes all types of parties; graduation parties, bridal showers, birthday parties, sweet sixteens, corporate events and all. So, here are ten tips for throwing the best party celebration.

10 Tips For Throwing The Best Party

1. If you want to host an awesome party and have everyone smiling when they leave, then you need to give yourself at least a month to execute your planning tasks. The truth is, not everyone has enough time to spend planning, this is why our team at Phillips Celebrations is always available and eager provide the best party planning for our client’s events.

2. Select a theme – A set theme is what gives the party purpose. A well thought out theme make the party stand out. There should be a reason why everyone was called to gather. Pick a theme that will give your guests an idea of what they can look forward to when they arrive. It also helps your guests remember that day as well.

3. Pick a unique venue/setting – This is as important as the party itself. Here’s some question you can ask yourself. What venue best fits the ambiance I’m going for? How comfortable is it? Is the venue located near my guests? The perfect venue should not empty your purse. There are always awesome venues that will fit within your budget. Consider hiring a Phillips Celebrations party planner to tackle this task.

Think About Who You’re Inviting

4. Pick a start/end time – To keep a steady flow of people at your party and have most of your guests there at a particular time, you have to give people different start and end times. Tell your time conscious friends to show up at 10 p.m. if that’s the time you know you’ll be ready. Tell your friends who are prone to tardiness to show up at 8 p.m. if you want the party to start at 10 p.m.

5. Your guests are well, guests – Hospitality is important when planning a party. Think about each guest before you invite them. What are their likes and dislikes? What type of environment will make them most comfortable? Who would they enjoy socializing with? Taking these factors in account, is crucial. In boxing, it’s said that styles make fights. This theory couldn’t be more accurate in party planning as well. People make the party, so cater to them.

6. Curate great music – Everyone loves to dance, right? Even if you cannot afford a DJ, organize a good playlist. Having cool background is will allow your guest to relax and minimize that awkward silence before the crowd arrives. If you do opt to book a DJ, make sure they have a great idea of the genres of music that’ll get your guests grooving.

7. Plan plenty of fun games and activities – Do you expect your guests to entertain themselves? I certainly hope not, that’s your job. You should have a list of games to offer. Should you opt to hire an entertainer to perform, consider contacting Phillips Celebrations for a magician, clown, balloon twister or face painter to entertain your guests.

A Great Spread Is Key

8. Serve delicious food – The food should be tasty and enjoyable. People often remember the food years after the event takes place. Picking your menu can be a tall task because who knows every guest’s taste, allergies or personal preference. So, try giving the menu a theme with multiple options. Include standard dishes for your non risk-taking guests and something new and creative for the guests who like to walk on the wild side. If selecting the menu is not up your alley, consider hiring a Phillips Planner to get the best party entertainment and planning results.

9. Create a hashtag – Everyone’s always on their phone anyway, why not have your guests post videos and pictures on Instagram or Facebook prior to and during the party. This helps everyone relive the best moments forever.

10. Plan to finish on time – If your party is a hit, you’ll need to kick your guests out (nicely of course) because they won’t want to leave. Plan to get started cleaning up 30 minutes prior to the end of the party. This not only gets you home sooner, but also maybe one of your nice friends will help clean up, that always helps.

At Phillips Celebrations, we have your party covered with tried and true tips for throwing the best party. As the best party planners, you’re sure to get the best party planning.

Our team, at Phillips Celebrations, is passionate about creating parties and celebrations that honor and commemorate our client’s special occasion. We are happy to help you create a truly memorable event that works within your budget. Let us make your dream event a reality! For more information about planning your Phillips party or event, get started by picking a location for your event.