Most party stress comes from leaving things to the last minute or trying to do everything yourself. Make a few decisions early and hand out some jobs, and the day itself gets a lot easier. Here are five things that help.
1. Decide the basics first
Before you buy a single balloon, pin down three things: the date, roughly how many people, and your budget. Almost every other decision follows from those.
A theme is optional but handy. Pick one colour scheme or one favourite character and choosing invitations, plates, cake and decorations gets much quicker, because you’re not weighing up every option in the shop.
Then write a simple list of jobs with a date next to each. Ticking things off as you go stops the night-before panic.
2. Keep the guest list realistic
Work out how many people your space can hold comfortably, then set the guest list to match, not the other way round. For children’s parties, remember that younger guests usually come with a parent, so inviting a whole class can easily double your numbers.
Send invitations early and give a clear date to reply by. Knowing numbers a week ahead makes food and seating far simpler.
3. Pick a venue and date that work
For a garden party, the weather is the big unknown, so have a plan B such as a gazebo or a room you can move into. For a hall, check the ceiling height, where the plug sockets are, and how early you can get in to set up. If the ceiling is low, our hall packages are made for it, with a mini slide and ride-on cars included.
Summer Saturdays are the busiest days for everything: halls, caterers, entertainers and bouncy castles. If you’ve got your heart set on something, book it as soon as the date is fixed. Our castles can be booked online up to a year ahead, and need at least 3 days’ notice.
4. Keep the food simple and share the jobs
Children rarely eat much at parties. Sandwiches, fruit, crisps and a cake will do for most ages. Stick to things you can make the day before, or pick up a couple of ready-made platters, and you’ll save yourself hours.
Then ask for help. Someone on drinks, someone on music, someone running games, someone taking photos. Most people are glad to be given a job. If you’ve hired a bouncy castle, name one adult to watch it at all times and swap that job round every half hour or so.
5. Go for atmosphere, not expense
You don’t need to spend a fortune on decorations. Balloons, bunting and a few lights in your theme colours go a long way and are quick to put up.
Music matters more than people expect. Put a playlist together in advance so nobody is scrolling for songs on the day. The Mega Disco bouncy castle comes with its own music and lights, which turns the castle into the dance floor.
Have a couple of simple games ready for when energy dips or the queue gets long: musical statues, pass the parcel, a relay race. Our list of party games has plenty more.
A simple timeline
- 6 to 8 weeks before: fix the date, budget and venue, and book the big things.
- 3 to 4 weeks before: send the invitations.
- 1 week before: chase replies, order the cake, buy decorations.
- The day before: make what food you can, charge the speaker, and if a bouncy castle is coming, clear the spot of toys and dog mess and check there’s a plug socket within 25 metres.
- On the day: hand out the jobs, then let yourself enjoy it.
Got a date in mind? Check which castles are free before the invitations go out.