Planning Tips

Planning Tips  - PART I

1.  Know WHAT you are celebrating.  

Ok, so that may sound REALLY obvious.  But a group of women getting together could be anything from and 87th birthday to a bachelorette party.  I would be surprised if you have the same menu and decorations for such different events.  Or, maybe not.  With that said, see #2.

2.  Know WHO you are celebrating.

Ok, ok, another obvious point.  But, I mention this because my grandmothers' 87th birthday celebrations would not have looked anything a bachelorette party.  My husband's grandmother?  She may have pulled off a bachelorette-esque theme.  (She was a hoot.)  The important thing is that you make the guest of honor feel special.  It's not about you, it's about them, after all.

Really knowing who your celebrating will also help you make the event more personal.  From favorite dishes, flowers in a centerpiece, or favors that truly represent your guest of honor and/or their beliefs, authentically representing your guest of honor will go a long way to making the event personal for everyone.

3.  Know WHY you are celebrating.

Getting married?  Having a big wedding? Feel like it's your big day, and the guests are an afterthought?  No true, my friend.  If your guests can't hear your vows, don't understand the toasts that are full of inside jokes, or never get a chance to hug you to say congratulations, they will remember your wedding - but for all the wrong reasons.  A big wedding is a chance to SHARE the joy of your new life - which inherently means it's not just about the two of you.  So, steal some private moments, but get out there and celebrate with everyone!

Making your guest feel welcomed and included goes well beyond weddings.  So, I say again, know WHY you're celebrating.  Want to shout from the rooftops?  By all means, throw a huge party!  Want an intimate celebration?  Fewer people and less fanfare makes more sense. 

4.  Know your AUDIENCE.

Like many things in life, knowing your audience is very important.  Is there a vegan in the group?  Does someone have trouble with steps?   Would a kitchen shower be more appropriate for this group than a lingerie shower?  There are many, many, many special considerations that could be made.  It's not possible to please everyone.  But, know why you are celebrating, and what the guests will be up for.  If only a handful of your guests are having a good time, your event isn't going to be a success.

5.  Know that SUCCESS and PERFECTION are two different things.

If my sister is reading this, she's probably laughing because I'm totally OCD about certain things.  I like to have the table set correctly; I like to have the "flow" of the party planned out; etc.  But, I also know that a good party doesn't have to be perfect to be great.  In fact, most of the time, it's the disasters that are the most fun.  At one of the most memorable SuperBowl parties I've been to, a pie was baked in a brown paper bag.  The pie turned out to be delicious - which was a pleasant surprise considering the bag caught fire in the oven! Do I remember the party because of the pie?  No way.  I remember it because of the fire.  It was awesome.  No one was injured, and everyone laughed (for years) after it was over.

What am I trying to say here?  Before the event: put together a plan, know what, who and why your celebrating.  At the event:  Relax, smile and make your guest feel welcomed.  The rest will fall in to place.

6.  Know that YOU set the tone for your event!

Relax.  Smile.  Have fun.  Seriously.  No, seriously.  If you're frantic in your kitchen, snapping at your partner when they're trying to help, or sweating buckets, your guest are not going to enjoy themselves.  How could they?  You're stressing them out!

So, even if your pie has just caught fire, you have baby puke on your shirt, or the dog has torn up a pillow, relax, smile and laugh.  Your guests will enjoy it all!