8 Tips To Transform Your Event Venue

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

When it comes to transforming an event venue you can do a lot wit nothing. You can change the whole mood of a place by following some of the easiest tips found here. You should be able to take a dark room and fill it with romance or make a silly room serious. All you have to do is think about the mood that you want and where you stand in progress. Usefully ever venue needs some decorations to make things seem easier to fit into the events ambiance.

First, you need to add a splash of color and boldness. You can add some boldness by getting some nice things like cloths and other decorations to bundle or design your room with. If you get a lot of long sheets of interesting fabric you will be able to add both color and boldness to the venue. You can let them hang from the ceiling or have them gently flow through the room. Your creativity has no limits when it comes to adding colors and boldness. The only thing that you want to avoid is colors that will be too bright for the occasion. If you are going for romance stick with red hues; if you are going for party, stick with some of the brighter and bold colors. The decorations are at your discretion, but first, you need to make sure that you don’t have any limits because of venue rules. Simply ask before siging a contract with them.

You should also think about small, little things that will be great accents. You can go to make low-priced craft places and find a million things to use as accents. You may want to purchase a bag filled with seashells are you may want to use simple things like petals and pearls. When it comes to romance, you can’t get any more romantic than with rose petals and pearl beads. If you are on a budget, you can find plenty of things like fake crystals, pieces of glass, stones, and other things to place on the tables to accent the place. If using smaller objects to give the venue a hint of mood changing, you can change the complete look by assign height.

When you go to ass some height you will want to use tall things to add some height to the room. You may want to use things like pillars or candle holders to get the dimension going. If you have a small place, the height will give you some added depth to the place. You should also know that if you use tall center pieces, this will work too. The only thing is that you want to make sure that the items will not easily be knocked over. This can save a lot of your guests from being hurt.

Also, if you use a matching décor, you can take out of the darkness and add a good bit of color. However, you don’t want too much color so if you match the tablecloths with the floor runner or to some of the other decorations it will all seem to come together. If that doesn’t do the trick, then flowers will.

When you use flowers you are able to change the room entirely. This tends to make everything seem brighter and glowing. If you want radiance, you should order some flowers to be set down here and there. You don’t have to go overboard on the flowers, but if you watch your budget, you should be able to squeeze precious flowers in here and there.

However, maybe it is not the décor of the room, but the size of the room that bothers you. If you change the tables in the venue, you will be able to make the room feel smaller or bigger. For rooms or venues that are smaller, you should add round tables in the place. The round tables will give the illusion that there is more room, and also your guests will be able to feel it. If you would like to make a larger room appear to be smaller you can always add long tables into the mix.

The last tip is the lighting. The lighting is everything in a mood. If you want people to be aware and place bids or donations, you will want the lighting to be fairly bright. This will get the attention of the guests, but it won’t give them a headache. You should also dim the lights if you want a night of romance and passion to b present.

9 Key Ideas To Make Your Event A Successful One

There are many factors that make an event successful, however, there are just nine listed here that will make your event a definite success. You will have to pay attention to all details of the event and make sure that you stay on top of things for the event to really take off.

First, you need to make sure that you plan everything. You should plan for the best, worst, and expected scenes. When you do this you end up having all your bases covered. You have backup plans to help you with your problems and you also don’t have time to panic because you’ve planned that well. You need to make sure that you look at everything. What’s the worst that can happen? Always plan for the worst, because you never know.

While you are planning, make sure that you stay organized. The worst thing that you can do is throw all your beautiful plans in one big pile and expect to find things at last minute or lose vital information. To stay organized you need to keep all your contracts and important information in a binder. When you keep things in the bind you know exactly where everything is and what you need to do at all times. However, bind the papers. When you bind the papers you are more likely to not lose all the information in some accident. Also, make sure you have it on you at all times so that you can immediately put things in the binder.

To start the party off on the right foot, you need to make sure that you pick the right venue, theme, and everything else. When it comes to the right venue, you need to make sure that all your guests can come to the place without ease and that it is appropriate for the event. You don’t want to have a ball at a hunting lodge, or maybe you do, it just depends on what you want the night to say. Right from the start you can have a perfect event by selecting the perfect place to hold the event.

Once you have picked out your location you can then begin to plan the event. The first thing that you need to plan when it comes to the event is the theme. Make sure that your theme is exactly what you are going for. You need to use your theme to help coordinate all the other details of the event and the theme will help you in making some very important decisions. In fact, the theme is everything. It is the first thing that you should define.

Once you have the theme you can then think about the party or event. There are two important factors of every event, they just so happen to be the food and drinks. You will want to make sure that you form a contract with some of the best caters in the area to ensure that your party or event ends splendidly. Also, you should know that this is so important that it can literally make or break your event. With bad food comes bad ratings and you’re sure thing for failure. Once you have booked the caters and sampled everything you will feel more confident. Also, think about the drinks. You may not want to offer a cash bar or open bar. They both can be expensive in their own ways, however, if you limit your bar you can make it seem like an open bar, but you can limit your budget.

Once you have the food and drinks planned you can move onto entertainment. You will want something that will keep your guests entertained and be educational and fun. You can have a band or singer to help entertain. If you are a charity, you should make sure that you inform your audience about the cause and the importance of their help, most of all, donations.

To help you with everything you need to have good venders. Venders are what make the party. You should always be kind to your suppliers because you never know when you will need them the most. Don’t be surprised if mistreated vendors breech contract and not even show up. You’ll look ridiculous not having a dinner minutes before the dinner.

Finally, you should think about how you can do all of this and still keep your cool. You may want to hire an assistant or have someone help you with all ‘the to do’ lists. However, you may find that you don’t trust anyone to be responsibly enough, but you should at least give people a try.

Planning A Cheerleader Fundraising Event

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

Cheerleader fundraising must be well planned to make it successful. You will have to put a lot of time and effort into decisions you will have to make to ensure that this cheerleader fundraising event will go smoothly. The first thing you will have to do is set your fundraising goals in place. You have to decide when the best time is for the fundraising and select strategies that are suited for this type of funding.

Try to keep your volunteers motivate during the fund raising campaign. Try to build excitement into your cheerleader fundraiser so you’ll come out with the best results possible. Be sure that everyone that’s participating in this cheerleading fundraiser knows exactly what is expected of him/her. This is crucial to the success of the cheerleader fundraising event. Make sure the cheerleaders or the PTA are informed as to why you need cheerleader fundraising. This will give them a feeling of really belonging to the campaign and will bring out the best of those that are helping.

To get your cheerleader fundraising on the go you have to choose a suitable product to sell. You might try a raffle sale where you have a cash prize for the winner of the tickets. You can offer 50% of what is collected for the winning prize. This will probably help with tickets sales at the cheerleader fundraiser as they know the more tickets sold the bigger the prize will be. Your cheerleader fundraising could be selling candy or candy bars or have a bake sale. This is a tried and true method to raise money for a fund raiser and can prove to be economical. If you ask all the cheerleader’s parents to make and bake the goodies, make sure each one knows what is expected of them to avoid confusion and needless to say all the same kind of cookies.

Make sure all your participants know that they should let the donor know how much their contribution is appreciated for the cheerleading fundraiser. This is crucial as this may not be your only cheerleader fundraising and you may be asking these same people for donations in your future cheerleading fundraising campaigns. It is very important that they know they are appreciated.

Another important aspect of cheerleader fundraising is the safety factor. You want all your volunteers to be safe, so make sure if they are going out to collect that they are sent in pairs, never alone. This will help keep everyone safe especially if they’re collecting money.

Cheerleader fundraising, you need goals and strategies in place.

Planning the Perfect Party or Event

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

The top ten tips of planning your own party

Five do’s of party planning

  • Do –prepare so you can be a guest at your own party
  • Prepartion is the key to success so plan, plan, and plan. You will have to plan everything down to the last detail if you want to create the wow factor. Plan details such as:

    • Invitations
    • props to create atmosphere
    • Venue
    • parking
    • Catering
    • level of noise
    • theme/style
    • entertainment
    • Hire equipment
    • licence for alcohol
    • Table decoration
    • lighting
    • event schedule
    • get your timings right on the night
  • Do-organise, organise, organise
  • Organise your event; there is nothing more disappointing than a disorganized, chaotic event both to the guest and the host. Organization will provide a well orchestrated, smoothly run enjoyable event.
    If organization is not your strength either delegate or use tools to help such as lists, diaries, timetables or a party planning service such as www.ballbellesevents.co.uk.

  • Do-add a theme or style as it gives the event focus
  • Decide on a theme or style, it enables the event to be planned around it and gives the whole event focus and cohesion. For example do you want the event to reflect your personality or a special occasion so that you can make the event memorable for all the right reasons!

  • Do-plan ahead and stick to timeframes
  • Keep to timeframes especially if you want a choice of items and entertainment for your event.The invitations should be sent out with enough time for people to RSVP but not too early that they will forget about it altogether. Equipment hire definitely needs to be ordered well in advance especially if it is more specialized such as casino tables or live bands.

    Catering is also well worth having organized and ordered in advance otherwise it ends up looking as if you have thrown together a few frozen sausage rolls and watery quiches.It goes back to planning and organizing well in advance and doing everything in a sequential order.

  • Do-delegate
  • Delegation is essential to allowing the host the luxury of feeling relatively stress free and relaxed on the evening.If you know family and friends that are willing to help and they have particular skills then delegate that task to them. If someone within your family and friends is a great cook then get them involved in the catering. If another family member has an interest in flower arranging then you may wish to involve them in the table decorations.

    Definitely delegate as many tasks as you can but a word of caution will be to check regularly on progress and oversee the final items. Try to give clear instructions and timescales to others as they may not understand your schedule or vision.

Five don’ts of party planning

  1. Don’t-panic, keep your cool
  2. If you follow the top ten tips then the party will run smoothly. If you indulge in panic then you end up being incapable of enjoying yourself on the night. Try to keep all the planning and organization simple and definitely keep it within your capabilities. Remember to keep the event in perspective as even if it is an important the focus is for people to enjoy themselves including you.

  3. Don’t-exceed the budget
  4. Stick to your original budget. When setting the budget for your party ensure that a realistic budget is set and that everything you want to provide such as catering, alcohol and entertainment are included in your calculations. Shop around and get the best price from the suppliers for your money without compromising on quality.

    If on a small budget then keep it simple, adding a few luxury items such as snacks,drinks or decorations will definitely add to that wow factor.

  5. Don’t-try to achieve the impossible
  6. Throwing money at something doesn’t equate to success, people will appreciate the small attention to detail rather than showy extravagance. The lavish showbusines events are usually organized by experienced professional party planners with plenty of expertise. So don’t plan something that is going to make you feel out of your depth or enlist the assistance of a party planning service.www.ballbellesevents.co.uk.

  7. Don’t-underestimate
  8. Always be sure of the numbers of guests and all of their special needs such as dietary requirements. Always check the resources before the event and that your suppliers are still able to do the job required as there have been occasions when the caterers have been unable to provide the food and guests have had to eaten Chinese take away!!

    Also check timings and the event schedule for the night and try and stick to it as there is always someone who drinks too much or turn up unannounced or things just take longer than anticipated.

  9. Don’t-forget yourself
  10. If the event is a special occasion don’t leave your personal preparations to the last minute as you may well be needed to sort out any last minute problems at the event.
    Above all –don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

Planning An Event On A Florida Yacht Charter

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

A Florida Yacht Charter is a perfect destination for your next trip. The weather is ideal for sailing all year round. Hurricane season in the summer and early fall can be unpredictable, but in the absence of a hurricane the sailing conditions are beautiful.

Companies offering charters and luxury yacht sales are abundant in Florida. The company will help you plan your trip, set your itinerary and find activities. In addition, many offer packages that include your air flight and hotel reservations. For the best possible experience, work with a reputable company that has been around for a long time.

Florida Yacht Charter Destinations

There are many locations on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida for luxury yacht charters. On the Atlantic coast, Jacksonville offers an excellent location for watching Pilot whales. Daytona and Jacksonville are great spots for a fishing charter. On the Gulf coast, Fort Myers and Clearwater offer beautiful beaches and small coastal islands to explore. The scuba diving is excellent along the entire coastline.

For beautiful islands and clear blue water, consider sailing to the Florida Keys. This island chain boasts more bareboat charters than anywhere else in the world. If you prefer to sail a bit farther, the Bahamas are a popular destination for boats chartered in Florida.

Choosing a Florida Yacht Charter

Bareboat Charter

With a bareboat, you are renting the ship only. You are responsible to either skipper the boat or hire someone to do it for you. This charter includes no supplies or food. You will need to bring everything you need for your voyage. If you plan to skipper the boat, you will be required to show proof of your sailing experience and demonstrate your skills.

Crewed Charter

A crewed charter can range from just a captain and a cook to a full crew. This depends on the size of the boat, number or guests and length of the trip. The crew cabins are separate from the guest cabins. This is a great way to travel in luxury. The crew supplies your meals and helps plan activities.

Sailing School

Sailing schools are offered by charter companies throughout Florida. The trip will generally last between four and seven days, depending on the course you are taking. The average bareboat charter certification course lasts for five days and costs about $3000. Once certified, you can sail your own bareboat charter.

Planning an Event

A yacht is the perfect choice for a wedding, honeymoon, or corporate event. Weddings at sea offer a unique setting. The captain of the ship performs the ceremony. In most cases, you will use a crewed yacht for your wedding. You have the option of having the company cater the event or hiring your own caterer to supply the food. A representative of the company will help you plan your big day.

Consider having your next corporate event or sales meeting at sea. Charters are available for the day or for several days. Doing business at sea is relaxing and great for morale. The crew will supply meals, or you can choose to go ashore for meals. The size of the charter will depend on the number of people and duration of the trip.

Planning Winning Golf Events

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

You know that golf events are a great way to promote your business or corporation. You can network with others in your industry, negotiate big contracts with new clients, and strategize with coworkers while playing the game. But planning these tournaments and trips is not easy. Just stop for a moment and think about all of the details you will need to consider.

A year before your tournament, you need to outline all of the objectives you have for the event. How many people do you wish to attend the tournament? Who is going to be in charge? You will want to recruit a team of people that will help you plan. It’s important that these people are on the same page as you, understand your objectives, and are highly organized individuals. Having these objectives in mind will help you as you promote. One problem you may find, however, is that there are no people in your company that are organized and experienced enough to help you plan your tournament.

Golf events take a tremendous amount of organization and forward thinking. At least six months before you plan to host your tournament, you need to choose the date and a budget. Once you have chosen the date, start mapping out the things you need to accomplish before that date. This is also the time to choose a location for your tournament, if you have not already done so. If you do not book your location early, you will lose the chance to get the best courses, tee times, and dates. You are going to quickly find that there is far more to do than you ever dreamed possible.

As your event draws closer, around three months before the tournament is scheduled, the work gets even more frantic. This is when you want to advertise. There are many venues you can use to advertise golf events, including press releases, promotional materials, incentives, and free giveaways. You are going to find that golfing promotional materials are quite expensive. This is also the time to choose the awards that you will give the winning players or teams and the structure of your tournament. You may be surprised how many different options there are for structuring your tournament.

As the tournament gets closer, you need to make sure you have planned not only excellent golfing for your guests, but also meals, accommodations, and entertainment for the rest of the day. On average, there will be eleven hours during a typical day of golfing where your guests have nothing to do. You need to provide then with interesting, golf-related activities to fill this time. That way they will not leave with a poor impression of you and your company.

Does it sound like planning golf events may be too daunting of a task for one person to handle? If you feel this way, you are probably right. De Winter Golf Enterprises is a company with twenty years of experiencing planning and organizing tournaments across the globe. They can come alongside you and take care of all of these details. They can also give you an amazing discount on your promotional materials. If you would like their help planning your tournament, visit them at http://www.dewintergolfenterprises.com today to get the best courses and the best dates.

Planning Activities for Your New Years Eve Party

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

Most people spend a great deal of time planning their guest list or deciding on food and decorations but do not devote a great deal of time to planning activities for their New Years Eve party. They may plan on having a live band or a DJ to perform but otherwise they may simply expect the guests to entertain themselves by dancing to the music or socializing with other guests but do little else in terms of planning activities to keep their guests entertained at the party. However, there are a lot of fun activities which can keep the guests entertained throughout the evening.

Planning on having karaoke is one excellent activity for a New Years Eve party. This activity encourages guest participation and allows the guests to entertain themselves throughout the evening. In fact karaoke can even provide a very cost effective form of entertainment for all the guests even those who opt not to participate. Karaoke will provide the guests with music and singing at a much lower price than it would cost to hire a live band or a DJ for the event. The music may not be as high quality as it would be if you hired a professional but of course that is also part of the fun of karaoke.

Hosting a murder mystery event is another fun activity idea which is becoming very popular for New Years Eve parties. These events are typically a dinner theater where guests are encouraged to participate in the drama and work together or alone to try to solve the mystery of the evening. You can either hire a troop of actors to perform the murder mystery and allow the guests to interact with the actors to try to solve the mystery or you can assign guests to portray different characters including the victim, the murderer and the other guests. The guests should keep their identities a secret to keep everyone else guessing.

The food can also be a source of entertainment for the guests at a New Years Eve party. You can serve items such as fondue which require the guests to participate in the preparation of the food. Another idea for an activity is to design a party where the preparation of the food is a part of the party. For example you could hire a sushi chef to come to the party and teach the guests how to make sushi. The guests can all make their own sushi rolls and the sushi prepared by the guests can be served as appetizers during the party.

Activities as simple as viewing movies can even be fun activities for a New Years Eve party. If your party has a particular theme, you can select a series of movies which reflect the theme of the party to keep your guests entertained throughout the movie. You might even serve foods which are typically found at a movie theater to tie the theme of the event to the food.

If the New Years Eve party will include children it is important to spend some time planning activities for the kids. You might want to include some kid friendly activities as well as activities which are suitable for children and adults. If there will be adults in attendance there should also be activities just for the adults as well to ensure everyone has a good time.

Planning a New Years Eve Party in a Catering Hall

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

For many who plan to host a New Years Eve party, hosting the party in a catering hall is a very popular option. There is certainly an increased expense associated with this option and more advanced planning required but many hosts enjoy this option because it greatly reduces the amount of work required by the host and also greatly reduces the responsibilities of the hosts on the evening of the party. In fact in most cases, the host’s only responsibilities during the party are to greet the guests, have a good time and thank the guests for coming at the conclusion of the party. This is appealing to many and is one of the major reasons why many party hosts opt to plan their New Years Eve party in a catering hall. This article will examine some of the logistics involved in hosting a New Years Eve party in a catering hall and will also explain how this option can make a party run very smoothly.

Two of the biggest concerns associated with planning a New Years Eve party in a catering hall are the costs associated with the party and the advance planning required to host the party. Any party which is hosted in a catering hall is likely to be significantly more expensive than a party hosted in the individual’s home because there is a fee for the use of the facility and the assistance of the staff. Additionally, the host is also often required to use the catering services for providing food and beverages for the guests. All of this can be especially expensive when hosting a New Years Eve party because of the popularity of the holiday. Catering halls are in high demand during this night and therefore most catering halls will charge a premium for their space and services on this particular night.

Advance planning is also very important when planning a New Years Eve party in a catering hall. New Years Eve is an incredibly popular holiday and many catering halls are booked a year or even longer in advance. This means you have to plan well ahead if you wish to host a New Years Eve party in a particular location. If you have a particular catering hall in mind, it is a good idea to give them a call at least a year before you want to host the party and inquire about their availability. If they are not available for the following New Years Eve, you will have to decide if you want to wait until the next available New Years Eve to host your party or if you want to look at other locations.

When planning a New Years Eve party in a catering hall, it is important to work closely with the staff of the catering hall to plan your entertainment. If you plan to hire a band or a DJ, you should consult the catering hall staff before making arrangements. They might have restrictions on entertainment and it is important to understand these restrictions before planning your entertainment. Restrictions may limit the noise level of the entertainment or may even limit the professional entertainers to a list of approved performers. Understanding these restrictions ahead of time will prevent problems on the day of the party which may occur if the entertainment violates any of the policies of the catering hall.

The food is also a very important consideration in planning a New Years Eve party in a catering hall. In most cases, the catering hall will require you to use their catering services for the food and beverages. They will likely have set menus you can choose from but they may also be willing to work with you to create a customized menu specifically for your New Years Eve party. Most catering halls also usually offer the host of the party the opportunity to taste several of the food options to make it easier to select a menu for the event. You may have the option of choosing a sit down dinner, a buffet, appetizers and desserts for your party.

Planning a New Years Eve Party in Your Home

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

There are both advantages and disadvantages to planning a New Years Eve party in your home. The advantages to planning a New Years Eve party in your home is that you have a greater amount of freedom in terms of food and beverage choices, decoration options and even the type of entertainment you are able to offer. The disadvantages to hosting a New Years Eve party in your home is that your property or possessions may be damaged by the guests, you are responsible for the cleanup of the party and it can be difficult to control when guests leave the party. The advantages to hosting a New Years Eve party in a restaurant and catering hall is that you will have assistance in preparing and serving the food, you don’t have to worry about cleanup and you have very few obligations during the party. The disadvantages to hosting your New Years Eve party at a restaurant or catering hall is you will be limited in the hours of the party, there may be some restrictions placed on the entertainment and their will also likely be limitation on the food and beverages you can offer your guests. Giving these advantages and disadvantages as well as the costs associated with hosting a New Years Eve party in a restaurant or catering hall, many people opt to host their New Years Eve party in your home.

When planning a New Years Eve party in your home it is very important to carefully consider your guest list. This is important because you should limit the number of guests you invite according to the size of your home and the rooms in your home you wish to use for the party. For example you may have an extremely large house but if you wish to limit the party to the kitchen and dining room you should consider limiting the number of guests you invite to a number which will fit comfortably in these rooms. Or if you plan to use your entire house for the party, you should still consider how many people will fit comfortably for activities such as eating, dancing and socializing.

Another factor to consider when planning a New Years Eve party in your home is how you plan to entertain your guests. Hiring a band or DJ or playing your own music is one of the most popular entertainment options for a New Years Eve party. If you plan to have a band or a DJ you should consider providing a dance floor for your guests. The dance floor does not have to be big but it should be large enough for at least some of your guests to dance and have a good time. Another entertainment option is showing a series of movies. The movies can follow a particular theme or they can just be fun movies you think the majority of your guests will enjoy. If you are planning to entertain your guests in this manner you should consider renting a movie projector if you do not already have one to make the movie viewing experience more pleasurable. You should also consider seating options and should ensure you have enough seating for each guest with an unrestricted view of the screen.

Another factor to consider when planning a New Years Eve party in your home is how you plan to deal with potential problems such as spilled food and drinks. If you have new and expensive carpeting or flooring, you might be very concerned about this issue. One option is to take preventative measures by covering flooring which would be permanently damaged by spilled drinks or food. This will likely not be very attractive and many guests prefer to only offer food and drinks in areas of the home where spills will not be extremely damaging. As the host of the party, you should be prepared to deal with spills. Your plan could include cleaning all spills thoroughly as they occur in attempt to minimize the risk or permanent stains or to do only a quick cleanup and deal with stains after the party.

Planning a Stress Free New Years Eve Party

May 10, 2013 by  
Filed under Exciting Event Planning Guide

If you are in the process of planning a New Years Eve party, you likely want to make the event as stress free as possible. While there is always some stress involved in planning any event, there are a number of steps you can take in reducing the amount of stress involved while you are planning your New Years Eve party. This article will focus on providing tips for keeping the stress level to a minimum when planning a New Years Eve party. There may still be a few areas which cause concern or stress but if you follow these tips, the event will likely be more enjoyable for you and the guests.

Consider making the dress for the event casual instead of formal to create a more stress free environment. This simple stress can be very effective for reducing the stress level. First of all, if the affair is casual, the host will have to spend less time getting dressed for the party. This is important because the host often becomes quite stressed out on the day of the party because she is trying to take care of last minute details while she is also worried about getting dressed for the party. It also helps to reduce the stress level because guests expect more elegant food for a formal party than they do for a casual party so there is less stress to prepare and serve an elaborate meal at the party.

Regardless of the type of food you decide to serve, preparing the food for a New Years Eve party can be a significant cause of stress. Hiring a caterer is the most efficient way to minimize this stress. When hiring a caterer the host may have a great deal of work during the planning phases in selecting a caterer, tasting the food and selecting dishes for the menu, but once this is done the host only has to worry about coordinating the delivery and service of the food. This leaves the hostess free to focus on other elements of the party and prevents her from spending a great deal of time in the kitchen on the evening of the party.

While hiring a caterer is an excellent idea, it can be rather expensive. Fortunately there are also a number of inexpensive options for minimize the stress associated with preparing the food for a New Years Eve party. One fun way to do this is to make the party a potluck event. Having guests bring dishes such as side dishes, salads, appetizers, desserts and even main dishes or drinks greatly reduces the amount of work for the host. In this scenario the host only has to worry about providing one or two items and coordinating the other guests to ensure they do not all bring similar items.

Another inexpensive option which can help to reduce the amount of stress typically associated with preparing the food for a New Years Eve party is to serve only appetizers, desserts and cocktails at the party. This is significantly less expensive as appetizers are traditionally much less expensive than main course items. It is also acceptable to do this because most New Years Eve parties do not start until 8:00-9:00 at night. It is acceptable to assume most guests will have had dinner earlier in the evening but as a courtesy to the guests it is worthwhile to indicate on the invitations that only appetizers and desserts will be served.

Next Page »