Party Planner
6 to 8 weeks before:
- Review budget for party
- Make list of people planning to invite
- Reserve party location-if not having at your home
- Plan menu
- Order catered food
- Organize recipes into one place
- Make list of nonperishable food
- Divide food into number of weeks until party-purchase items on list every week
- Plan colors for event and list decorations needed.
5 weeks before:
- Check serving dishes, linens, and silverware or paper supplies you will need
- Add needed items to master shopping list
- Reserve any needed rental equipment: chairs, punch bowls, serving dishes, etc.
- Buy or make invitations
- include directions to event
- Review budget: record items you purchased
- Plan decorations
- Add needed items to master shopping list
- Decorations planning to make yourself.
- In your notebook create a project page include:
-Instructions or where they can be found
-Supplies needed-add to master shopping list
-Time needed to complete (double estimates)
-On calendar write start date for project and date to be completed
4 weeks before:
- Send invitations
- Plan centerpieces
- Order or make a project page (as above) if making your own
- Review budget: record items you purchased
- Plan games, activities, prizes, and favors
- Add needed items to master shopping list
- Make a project page (as above) if making your own
- List where instructions can be found for games or make a copy and include in your notebook.
- Plan clothing you are going to wear: shoes, hosiery, suit, dress, etc.
- Reserve rooms for out of town quests
- Confirm any reservations, catered food order or rental equipment requests you have made for the party
- Pay fees
- Continue working on home-made decorations, favors, etc.
- Review menu list for missing items: ice cream, coffee, drinks, ice, nuts, etc.
3 weeks before:
- Wash and press linens
- Polish silverware-if not using plastic
- Clean candlesticks
- With menu in hand identify serving bowls you are going to use
- Purchase or borrow any needed items
- Plan table settings: place cards, napkin rings, napkins etc.
- Add needed items to master shopping list
- Make a project page (as above) if making your own
- Continue working on home-made decorations, favors, etc.
- Review budget: record items you purchased
- Baked treats
- Place dry ingredients in a plastic bag. Tape recipe card to outside
2 weeks before:
- Create cooking schedule. Note cooking times of planned dishes and mark a time each dish needs started
- Post on bulletin board or refrigerator
- Review RSVPs. Make place cards.
- Continue working on home-made decorations, favors, etc.
- Review budget: record items you purchased
- Wash, press, polish clothing you are going to wear
- Make a party schedule: start time, order of games, time meal to be served etc.
- Purchase film, batteries, etc.
1 weeks before:
- Wash plates, silverware, and bowls you are planning to use.
- Bake cookies etc.
- On a slip of paper write the name of a dish you are going to serve and time needs to be started place in serving bowl with
- -measured dry ingredients in a plastic bag
-serving spoon
-recipe card
- Organize games and review instructions.
- Complete home-made decorations, favors, etc.
- Review budget: record items you purchased
- Wrap gifts
- Clean house
Day before:
- Chop vegetables and prepare salads and soups that can be made ahead
- Set table
- Decorate if permitted
- Purchase ice
- Make dessert and vegetable platters. Refrigerate.
- Pick up ordered food
Day of:
- Decorate
- Pick up rental equipment and floral arrangements
- Review party schedule and follow
- Follow cooking schedule
- Prepare cameras and recorders
- Relax and enjoy!
© Lady PP's Heart of the Home 2005
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Lady PP's web site "Lady PP's Heart of the Home" at https://www.angelfire.com/rings/ladypp/index.html is for busy moms. It is full of helpful information and links to other resources.
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