So you've decided to have a little party. Congratulations!!! You'll have fun and it won't be as hard as you're probably thinking right now. What's your plan? Inviting a few friends over for an evening of conversation? A 30th birthday party for your spouse? A victory celebration after finally paying off that mortgage that you thought would never go away? It doesn't matter. Any reason is a good reason to have a good time. Whether it's a catered affair or you do it all yourself,
object of event is enjoyment, so why not enjoy getting ready for it also? Remember, any event can be broken down into 3 easy steps: - Preparation - Presentation - Produlation What's 'produlation' you ask? That's best part!!! It's when you produce results of your preparation and presentation and receive congratulations of your guests (and yourself, of course).
Preparation One of keys to a successful gathering is preparation. And earlier it starts, better. We think it is important for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is a way to get organized. But more importantly, if time is spent in preparation phase, you won't be running around at last minute attending to details. This will better allow you to relax and enjoy your time with your guests. We've divided preparation phase into three easy categories: - Menu - Layout - Cleaning If you've follow above steps, you should be able to get a good night's sleep and relax while waiting for your event to begin!
Menu
Welcome to most exciting section on preparation for your party. Sure, as you look at different options under preparation you see that terrible choice called 'cleaning'. But let's not think about that right now. Instead, why don't we just have some fun and let our imaginations run wild. The first decision you will need to make is whether you will be doing your own food preparation or using services of a caterer. There is no right answer. We will tell you that once they were organized, many people have actually admitted that they enjoyed preparing food. If that is your desire, read on. If you decide to follow caterer route, it might still be a good idea to read rest of this section to help prepare for questions they will be asking you in order to help make your event memorable. The two most important words that come to mind when preparing your menu are variety and quantity. It's a good idea to provide your guests with a wide variety of choices. Some hot, some cold. Some dry, some with sauces. Add a few meats, vegetables, cheeses a couple of dips and maybe even some fruit and voila, you have a menu. Do you have a special finger food that is a little bit out of ordinary? Add it to your menu. It's always a good idea to have a few old stand-bys such as chicken wings and chips for those with a less exotic palate. A typical menu we've seen included: wings with a variety of sauces (although they were just as good plain), pepperoni bread with a little spaghetti sauce on side for dipping if desired, a variety of potato and tortilla chips with a couple of dip choices a vegetable tray and a selection of olives and pickles. Another idea to consider is having a few items on your menu that can be prepared in advance and reheated so that you are not rushing to prepare food when you would rather be relaxing and thinking of fun you will be having. After covering variety of choices, it is now time to look at quantity. Always prepare more than you think you'll need. It may seem like a waste of money at first, but remember, you get to eat leftovers. Or, as host, you will be able to offer your guests a little going home gift. Now settle in and let your imagination run wild.
Layout Layout is an often overlooked part of preparation. At many events there is a last minute rush to try and squeeze everything in and a considerable amount of time is spent rearranging things to ensure that both your guests and food will all fit in desired area. Of course, there are many factors which need to be considered when planning your layout. Such things as location (indoor or outdoor) and amount of space you have. We've been to some events in 3000 square foot houses and others in 1000 square foot houses. Certainly ones in larger areas made things easier, but even smaller areas were successful because host had taken time to plan his layout. If at all possible, it is best to create three separate areas to help provide a free flow of guests and help eliminate traffic jams. One area will feature food. Another will contain your drinks and drinkware. The third area will be used for plates, napkins, utensils and items of that sort. Without a doubt, food area will be most popular, so here are a few tips to help in that area. The first thing to consider is option of setting food on a table that will allow people to walk completely around it. The idea of setting plates, etc. in a separate area will allow people to pick up a plate and proceed to an open area of food table in order to begin serving themselves. With plates at one end of food table, everyone feels obliged to walk around whole table, even if food desire is at very end. Now in setting up food itself, there are a couple of things to consider. It is best to put what you believe will be most popular food in center of table. This will allow your guests to have easy access from anywhere. Also, it is always a good idea to place any sauces near edge of table. This will prevent accidental spills into other foods which may make them unpleasing to your guests. Now close your eyes and start dreaming of wonderful layout you have designed for your guests.
