Whether you’re an experienced party thrower or are a total newbie, hosting the perfect soiree can be tough! We love to tell our DIY clients to expect the unexpected - and be prepared to handle it! We’ve seen so many mistakes (and have made a ton of mistakes as we learned) that honestly, not much surprises us any more. 

But the good news is that we have made these common mistakes before so you don’t have to! Here are the most common things we see hosts forget about or poorly plan for when it comes to throwing a party worth remembering:

1.Not setting a budget

If you haven’t read our blog on 5 Things to Consider When Setting a Budget for Your Wedding, we highly recommend it! Why, you might ask? Because even though you’re not planning a wedding, a lot of the advice is the same for a celebratory event. Most people tend to think that a “budget” means a small fund. But that isn’t what it means at all. Setting a budget just simply means determining the amount of money you want or are willing to spend on your event. 

If you don’t set a budget for your event, it will be so easy to overspend on things that you realize you don’t need and will go to waste. It will also help to keep your expectations in check! While we love when events have “unlimited” budgets, we actually have a lot of tips and tricks for how to plan an event on a tight budget. If you plan well, you can usually have a more pleasing party experience!

2. Not enough seating

The one thing that people hate most is to stand gathered around with nowhere to set their things (or their hineys!). Depending on your guest list, having a place to rest may be imperative. Believe it or not, if people stand for too long, it can actually affect their mood. Standing in one place is different from being on your feet to mingle or dance. We find that the best parties have a place for every single person to sit down at the same time if they want. The best way to plan for this is to take your invite list or RSVPs and have that many chairs available. Then add a few more for those who decide to come last minute!

3. Not prepping enough time to shop

One thing we would see from those who choose to cook rather than hire a caterer is not shopping far enough ahead of time. I mean, think about it. How often do you go grocery shopping and find every exact item on your shopping list? In our experience - not that often! If the dish being prepared that requires special ingredients, a two-store trip is usually in the cards. When you’re cooking the day of a party (or even the day before) it can really dig into your set up time if you are out looking for all of the right food! So, prepare your shopping list and get your food at least 3 days in advance if you’re able. 

4. Wasting your budget on throwaway decor

Selecting the right theme and decor for any party can really set the vibe for the party you want your guests to experience. Most of the time, this type of decor is specific to your party and in this instance, throwaway items are ok to purchase. 

But for holiday parties, anniversary parties, retirement parties, etc., try to stick to a simple, color theme such as gold, black, or silver. It’s our recommendation to rent your big decor so you don’t spend money on something you can’t store or will have to resell on Facebook Marketplace for a fraction of what you originally spent. If you are going to purchase smaller decor items, try to find things that are reusable, so you get a better bang for your buck!

If you have a theme idea for a party and are having a hard time deciding what all you need, what items would pair well together, and you want to make sure that you don’t forget anything, check out our carefully curated Party Packs on the website!

5. Not allowing yourself enough time to set up

One of our favorite parts of planning an event is creating a timeline. This timeline is not just for the event itself, but for the hours leading up to it - including set up and prep time. Most people think that it will only take a few hours to get set up for a party. But typically it takes a minimum of two hours to set up small decor, another hour for large decor, an hour for food set up and about 30 minutes for finishing touches. Oh, and don’t forget the time it will take YOU to get ready - you know, shower, dress, make up, hair, etc. So take a look at what all you need to do to prep, calculate your time…and then add an hour! Having extra time to relax before your event is never a bad thing!

6. Running out of food and drink

Trying to figure out how much food to supply is really, really hard. Most event planners have an average amount of food they will recommend, but if you’re doing it on your own, how do you calculate how much food and drink you will need? 

It usually depends on the crowd you’re hosting. If they are big eaters, foodies if you will, then think about how much you would eat at a party, multiply that by the number of guests that will be attending and then multiply that by 1.5 if budget allows. It’s never a bad thing to have too much food. You can alway send it home with your guests, so it won’t go to waste. 

Another reason to over estimate on food is because people tend to graze. They will sit down, eat their meal, and then get up and chat. As the afternoon or evening goes on, mingling and drinking will typically spark an appetite. People will go back to graze and this will solve the potential problem of having hangry guests.

7. Not having an activity for children

If you’re a parent, then you know that children under a certain age require entertainment any time their eyes are open. A good host will have some sort of activity, even if it’s just a coloring center, for children that are invited to a party. 

Think about it. Even as adults, we like to be entertained. We love a good conversation sparking game or a funny icebreaker. So why wouldn’t we want to provide something that keeps kids entertained too? Having something to keep them occupied provides a time for adults to gather and have conversation without having to chase around a toddler, if even for just a few minutes!

8. Not having background music

Believe it or not, most of the time when you play background music very, very quietly, your guests typically don’t hear it or recognize that it is being played. But if you don’t have any music - it is definitely noticeable! It is much easier to have light conversation if there is background music to keep you from thinking that everyone in the room is listening in on your conversation. Not only does it provide this sense of security, but it can also help you set the tone for your event. 

9. Not taking the “guest journey”

What is the guest journey? It is the pathway your guests will travel from the moment they arrive at your event to the moment they leave. You need to stand in the entryway and walk through the space to make sure that it flows, is functional, and that no part of the party is missed.

This will also help when it comes to cleaning if you’re hosting a party in your home. We have all seen the Reels that poke fun at husbands cleaning the gutters of the detached garage or painting the attic space as a way to “get the house ready for a party.” But we actually think that, while pretty far out there, those videos make a good point. What are your guests really going to see? Probably not the attic space or the gutters, but they will see the bathrooms or a bedroom that may serve as a coat check area. Walking through the entire “experience” will help you label which areas of the house are must clean areas. 

10. Not taking a risk

Hosting a party can be stressful but it should also be fun and bring out your personality. The most forgettable parties are ones that are standard. A standard charcuterie board. A standard expected attire. Standard food and drinks. No activity… 

So take the risk! Do something fun and out of the box. Make a statement with massive florals. Set a dress up theme! Whatever it is, do it! It’ll be much more memorable and fun that way.

We hope that this helps you to avoid any of the common mistakes that many people make when planning an event. It’s not always about picking out the right decor and food. It truly is about organization, time management, and preparation along with all of the fun stuff! If you are feeling overwhelmed by planning your event, just know we’re always here for you. Just click below to book a free consultation to let us know how we can help!