The best way to make a party memorable.
So based on my observation the best way to make your party memorable if you don’t have a strict budget is by having a theme.
Now I know what you are thinking, dress up parties are dime a dozen, but I want to assure you that the parties that I most remember and the party memories that I see being most recalled by people years later, are about theme parties that are done incredibly well.
Here is what you would need to do:
Involve your key guests in the choosing of the theme. This makes it easier to choose a good theme but more importantly it gets the key people who will make the party fun and memorable engaged very early in the process. For example,I went to a “Whoville” theme party last year where all of the guests did up the hair to match that of which a whoville would wear. Everyone not only looked great but I could see that there was a key group girls that really cared about the party being great for everyone.
Ensure that your costume is totally out there. This is often overlooked. People will remember that you wore a a Grinch outfit, a banana suit or a onesie complete with bum flap. Choose a very flamboyant costume that represents the core of the theme. For example I went to a white trash party and the host was not wearing farm clothes. She was wearing a hilbillish outfit; short shorts, heels, and a plaid shirt tied halfway up – she was the centerpiece of the evening.
Let key people know how much trouble you are going to with the theme and let them help you. Letting key people know all of the key parts of the party will make it that just more awesome, when you let them point out some creative ideas too. Also the extra hands, help make your night easier!
Make this invitation clearly reflect the theme. Be creative and embody the theme in your invitation – I was recently worked a vintage party where the invitation was printed on paper that made it look old and worn. This made me both want to come and also want to dress up because I could see that the host was all about the theme.
Decorate the people more than the tables. I see a lot of people spend a huge amount of time and money decorating the tables. They are important but they don’t make any impact if everyone isn’t dressed up. I went to a 70's party two years ago that bought afros and glow sticks – it was $100 well spent because when guests arrived out of costume she got them to dress up from the bits provided. For people who were dressed up there was a make shift photo booth with masks and words from that era, making the memories last even longer. With absolutely everyone dressed up, this party was a blast!
Decorate the tables more than the walls. So use most of your decorations budget on people, but save some for the tables – good themed centerpieces really set a great context for the whole party. They don’t have to be large, what matters is that they are in theme – I went to a fishing party recently and in the middle of each table was a fish bowl with lots of weed with a deep sea diver statue at the bottom single goldfish swimming around in it. It really set the tone for the theme!
Let the music set the scene. At the end of the night when people are drunk & dancing, just play songs they like, but for the first hour or two as people are arriving play music that is theme. I saw this done with massive impact at an 80's party where for the first hour the music was all televison show themes from that era, Remington Steel, Partridge Family, and everything in between. It was only about 20 songs but it really set the scene because when certain songs came on, the people who watched those shows as a child, cheered and got on the dance floor to strut their stuff – it really broke the ice right at the start of the night.
Lighting matters! The easiest way to make the room look right over all is with lighting. You can spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on elaborate room sets. Good lighting, if combined with themed centerpieces and everyone dressed in theme will save dollars and allow the room to work for your theme. For example a friend of mine went to a neon themed party and there were black lights everywhere, but it was simple and classy because it absolutely embodied theme when the guests clothing would reveal more colors.
Use propos that create smells and tastes in the theme. When doing themes with certain eras of your lifetime, try to include food and drinks from that time. The smells and tastes make very lasting emotional impressions – use them to your advantage!
Make a fuss over the people who dress up. This helps people remember what was particular about your day – the most effective way I’ve seen this done is by asking the guests to fill out a ballot of who they think was best dressed and tally up the scores to reveal the winner.
So, get the key people involved early, dress up and make sure your close family and friends do too. Remember to supply costumes and appeal to all of peoples senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, and you will create a lifelong impression! Oh, and don't forget to take pictures!
