HOW TO PLAN YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY

HOW TO PLAN YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY?

Whether a teen or an adult, your birthday is among the most memorable days of the year. Most people like to have a friendly get-together with friends and family to celebrate their big day. Some people prefer to host birthdays for their loved ones. However, planning a birthday party can be a daunting task. Since it can be vastly time-consuming and complicated, the most intelligent decision is to hand over the responsibility to the professionals in the field. In case you do not have the budget or the time to hire professionals, don’t worry. At Meadowvale Party Rentals, we understand your struggles and have hence compiled this article to walk you through the map of planning a birthday party.

IN THIS ARTICLE,

Pre-birthday Preparation,
On the Day of the Event,
Post-birthday Clean Up,

 

❇️ PRE-BIRTHDAY PREPARATION

The number of preparations required for a birthday party can be divided into three categories: before, on the day of the event, and after the event. Each day requires a different set of tasks to be done and should be planned ahead of time to avoid inconvenience. Here are the top eight jobs you need to do before your party.

budget

 

⭕ Predefine your Budget

The first step to planning an event is to define how much you are willing and able to spend in total. It allows you to cut down various extra expenses and host a cost-efficient yet successful event. Having a budget can be a long and confusing task, especially if you are not used to having budgetary constraints. However, budgeting will enable you to determine how many guests you can afford and celebrate with. It will give you a clear idea about what your guest list, venue, and food items list looks like. You may even get inspired to find ‘more for less’ items for your décor preparations. 

 

⭕ Weigh your Venue Options

Ask yourself where you wish to host your birthday party. Is it in the comfort of your house or on a nice lawn somewhere else? The deciding factors on this point are often numerous. Your budgetary constraints, guest list, and weather are some common factors influencing the decision. Here are some frequently-used spaces where birthday bashes are held and enjoyed:

birthday venue

⚡ Park: Community parks are an excellent location to host a birthday event. It gives you the benefit of having a rent-free space that can provide for a large number of guests. It is a clean and well-maintained area and usually has parking spots around. If you have a park near your house, you should consider making it your birthday venue.

⚡ Hall: Ideal for indoor birthday bashes, halls can be rented out to cater to a colossal amount of guests. If you plan on hosting a luxury birthday with over eighty guests, consider going for halls. Although you may need to spend several bucks for the rent, it will save you the hassle of cleaning up before and after the event.

⚡House: What could be a more suitable space to host a birthday other than your own house? If you have a good-sized backyard, you can host a successful outdoor event within the comfort and premises of your home. It is also rent-free! If the weather does not allow an outdoor party, you can always have the party indoors too. It is ideal for people who wish to have a pleasant time with close friends and family.

 

⭕ Pick a Menu

It is crucial to serving good food at a party for the guests to have a good time. Decide the food times you wish for your birthday and look for renowned sellers. Alternatively, if you wish to cook your birthday food yourself, you may want to start getting groceries ASAP. Your food items will differ according to the time of your birthday event. Is it an afternoon, evening, or nighttime event? Do you wish to serve full-course meals? Do you want to serve snacks? These factors will influence your final decision. Here are some birthday classic snacks with which you can never go wrong:

Meat and Cheese Tray
Cheese and Cracker Platters
Hummus and Pita Chips
Fruit and Veggie Platters
S’mores
Chocolate Fondue
Popcorn
Waffle bars
Make-your-own Taco Bar
Pizza Slices
Meatballs
Pasta
Baked Potatoes
Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Bagels and Muffins
Barbecue Sandwiches
Salad

However, keep in mind that ‘tasty food’ is subjective. The differences in culture, backgrounds, and simply people’s tastes influence it. Therefore, don’t sweat looking for the perfect food items. What you add to your menu is entirely your call – so have fun picking food you enjoy.

 

⭕ Revise your Guest List

It is essential to prepare a guest list ahead of time. It has multiple benefits. First, you get a fair idea about the number of people to invite. If you had previously considered inviting friends, family, relatives, neighbors, and colleagues, it might help you revise your guest list reasonably. Second, you can alter it according to your budget.

birthday guests list

If you cannot afford to serve eighty people, don’t invite them. Simple as that. Having a guest list is a simple yet organized way of knowing when you are stepping out of budget. Alternatively, if you have a large number of guests to invite, you should probably start working on sending out those invites soon!

 

⭕ Go for Digital Invites

Creating tangible invitations is as outdated as it is non-eco-friendly. It is much more cost-efficient and environment-friendly to create online invites. You do not need to hire a graphic designer either. Moreover, it is possible to go on websites to find free templates and edit them accordingly. Creating a digital invite allows you to cut down on printing, wrapping, and delivery costs. You should consider making digital invites for your guests if you have a limited budget. You can conveniently circulate it through social media and e-mail.

Send them out a week or five days before the event. It enables your guests to confirm their availability or clear their schedule for your big day. If you are hosting a themed birthday party, you can go one step ahead in being creative and making themed invites. It will add a touch of themed personalization to your invites and excite the guests who see it.

 

⭕ Order your Birthday Cake

What’s a birthday without a cake? Incomplete!

Especially if you are hosting a themed party, select a meaningful cake and place the order for it a few days ahead of time. Many places will offer to deliver your order on a specific date and time. Use that to your advantage! Here are some types of cakes you can place an order for:

birthday cake

⚡ Themed Cake: The ideal cake for a themed party is a themed cake. It complements the theme and makes the party much more enjoyable when the cake is ‘dressed up’ too!

⚡ Multi-tier Cake: Have plenty of guests? Go for multi-tier cakes! These cakes are typically larger and prettier than others. You can serve a considerable number of guests with a multi-tier cake. Rather than two or more single-tier cakes, going for one more giant cake is more intelligent and cost-effective.

⚡ Ready-made Cake: If you do not have the time or budget to place an order for a themed cake, don’t worry. There are many fresh, ready-made cakes available at bakeries too. All you need to do is choose a lovely cake to be delivered to your venue ahead of time.

 

⭕ Make a Checklist

Checklists are great for keeping track of the tasks needed to be done before your big event. In the hustle and hassle of getting everything right for your party, it is only human to forget a few tasks if you do not have them written somewhere. Hence, it is essential to always keep a checklist with you. Here are two ways you can do that easily:

checklist

⚡ Write on Paper: Grab a pen and a free paper. Start writing everything you need to get done before your event. Once you have written it down, you should rewrite it neatly on a different page and, this time, in chronological order. It helps you have a clear direction to move in once you have figured out what you need your party to look like.

⚡ Create a Checklist on your Phone: Interestingly, you do not need to go old-fashioned and write it down on paper. It is risky to lose that precious piece of paper and then struggle to rewrite your list from scratch. Instead, make your checklist paper-free and utilize the app for notes on your phone. It helps you have your checklist with you at all times and eliminates the risk of being ‘lost.’ Well unless you lose your phone.

Alternatively, you can ask your phone’s virtual assistant (Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant) to set reminders. It allows you to utilize smart tech to your aid and provide timely reminders of your checklist. It reduces the need to repeatedly check your phone for the remaining tasks on the list.

 

⭕ Contact Professional Party Rentals Company

The workload of hosting a party often gets too much to take care of, especially if you are doing it single-handedly. You should hire a professional party rental company such as Meadowvale Party Rentals. We have a diverse, trained, and professional team which can cater to your needs any day of the week. With the help of our experience in the business, we will be able to give you cost-cutting ideas, aid you in color scheming, and take the responsibility of setting up your tent and chairs. Moreover, you will not have to worry about after-party clean-up as we will take care of that too. Hiring a professional company gets a lot of the burden off your shoulders and allows you to focus your energy elsewhere.

 

❇️ ON THE DAY OF YOUR EVENT

Your big day is here, and there’s too much on hand. The guests are coming, the cake is on the way, and you are busy getting ready. In such moments, it is easy to forget all the essential tasks you need to get done, especially if you did not hire a professional party rental company. Here are the top three things to remember on the day of your birthday bash:

birthday event

Music Matters: You should have an appropriate playlist ready beforehand, which can be played during your birthday event. It gives the guests something to enjoy as they enter and meet people. Choose upbeat, happy songs instead of slower and sadder ones – it is a happy day and should be celebrated as one!

⭕ Delegate Insignificant Tasks: Forgot to bring your cake toppers? Don’t worry! Ask a friend or sibling to get it for you. You do not need to get all tasks done by yourself. It is your big day, and you are the center of attention today. Make peace with delegating small tasks. Do not feel the pressure of doing everything yourself.

⭕ Have Fun: Yes, remember to have fun! It is a party. You can plan however much you like, but some things will not go according to plan. A few things will feel imperfect or unorganized, but that does not mean you cannot have fun anymore. No one knew the napkins were supposed to be cream-colored and not white. Relax and have fun with how the event turned out to be.

 

❇️ POST-BIRTHDAY CLEAN-UP 

Here comes your least favorite task: cleaning up after a party. We understand how tiresome a party already is. Especially if you have a hangover, you cannot feel enthusiastic about the post-birthday clean-up. Hence, it becomes profoundly intimidating to get started on it. However, it is still a crucial part of hosting any party. It becomes your responsibility to ensure excellent clean-up after your event ends. In ideal scenarios, your event rental company will take care of the clean-up. However, if you have not contacted one for your event, the clean-up tasks are yours to undertake. Here’s how you can go about it if you have no prior experience:

⭕ Check and Recheck for Candles: Frequently, we set up candles in places we do not usually have them. It can be for birthday décor, for the theme, or simply for the aesthetic. Whatever the reason, it is critical to check whether all candles have been blown out. It is vital to ensure everyone’s safety and prevent any unfortunate incidents due to negligence.

⭕ Put Away the Fridge Items: You will probably have a lot of leftover food. You can either let it go lousy overnight or save a few bucks and refrigerate it. Make sure to take time out and classify all fridge items. Refrigerate them, and you can enjoy the food again the following day! Alternatively, if you believe the food is too much for you to eat alone, give it away the same day. You can send some with your guests or give them to homeless people on the streets. In any case, classify and do something about the food to prevent it from going to waste.

⭕ Treat the Stains: If you got stains on a rug, a dress, or curtains – we’re sorry for your loss. It is wise to treat your stains the same day. Take a damp cloth and a remover, and rub them on the stained area. The chances of it coming off are better if you do it the same day rather than waiting for it to set in and clean it up later.

⭕ Cork the Booze: Do yourself a favor and take care of the booze the same day. If you do not, your venue will smell terribly pungent after the party is over. It is most undesirable if your venue is your house or your backyard!

⭕ Take the trash Out: It is nearly impossible to have a party without large trash bags to take out at the end. It only means you had loads of fun! However, it is vital to take out the trash in three different bags. Make one bag for wet items, one for dry, and one for recyclables. If you do not want to take the trash out the same day, just think about what an overnight stay will do to fish, cheese, and pâté. The smell will be unbearable the next day and will linger. Save some trouble and take the trash out to the cans the same day.

 

❇️ CONCLUSION

Nobody said planning or hosting a party is easy, especially not when it is your birthday. There is always something more to add to your to-do list, making it tough to remember everything. Between creating your digital invites and cleaning up the post-birthday party mess, you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. Hence, delegating some of that responsibility to professional party rental companies such as Meadowvale Party Rentals is easier. We will gladly take the duty on our shoulders and provide you with the most competent, reliable, and affordable services in town.

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Arsh-e- Bareen

Immensely passionate for literature, Arsh-E-Bareen is a freelance writer. She writes content for many renowned firms, including this one.  In her spare time, she loves to write sonnets and short stories that touch and inspire people.  You can contact her on LinkedIn

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