May 18, 2022 | Parties
If you’re planning a particularly big party, such as one that has more than a hundred guests or one that is for a particularly special event, then it can become clear that you shouldn’t try and handle everything yourself. Thankfully, you don’t have to. There’s a big old industry of party planning help out there, but what can you outsource to the professionals and how can it help?
The venue
Your backyard might be good for a couple dozen people but if the invite list starts getting too big then you need to start looking at which venues can host you. Choosing the right venue is all about asking the right questions. You need to be well aware of what the venue provides in terms of beverages and food, whether you can bring your own food and vendors, and what the fees for the venue include. Different vendors all do things very differently, with some being more restrictive and others being looser about letting you plan your own thing within their space.
The entertainment
Most parties are going to involve some entertainment. It’s all about matching that entertainment to the vibe. For instance, DJs can be great for high-energy events, whether it’s for kids or for the whole family, but they might not be as well suited to events that are supposed to be a little more formal or serious. There are plenty of party entertainment agencies that can help you choose the right act to keep your crowd in the mood to keep partying, so take a look at those located near you.
The food
Of course, no party is complete without the right food. You might find that your choice of venue will take care of the food for you but, if that’s the case, you have to ensure that you try it ahead of time. In many cases, working with a catering service that is dedicated to serving food and nothing else will result in higher quality. Try to match the type of food to the kind of event, as well. An outdoor event in the summer might go great with a barbecue, but it might not be as fitting for an event with a more formal dress code.
The details
Of course, there are plenty of other providers who can help you put together all of the little details that help bring the whole party together. This can include designers, photographers, florists, sound and A/V, as well as party decoration hire. There are also event coordinators or event planners that you can hire that might take care of many of these for you. Unless they are specifically caterers, however, they tend not to do food, so you should make sure to plan for that, yourself.
If you’re feeling like the weight of planning a party is getting a little too much for you and you have the budget to cover it, why not outsource a little more of the planning efforts? You can ensure a great party without stressing yourself out quite as much.
Mar 3, 2022 | DIY Kid's Parties, Family Activities & Events
Planning a kids birthday party doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Some parents and guardians dread this time of year, simply because it means that they have to go through the party planning process, but you don’t need to sweat it. You can make this entire process simple if you want to, and that’s what we’re going to be looking at in this article, so keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.
Hold Is Somewhere That Offers Packages
The most simple solution that we can think of is to hold the birthday party at a venue that offers you birthday packages and you just have to choose one. This means that all of the organization falls to the company that you are hiring as the venue as they will sort out the specifics of the package. You will be given a list of options to choose from, and it’s your job to ensure that you then choose the one that your kid will like the most.
Don’t rush into any decisions, and if you ever feel as though you really don’t know what is going to be best because they will like them all, then just close your eyes and point to one.
Get The Kid Involved
The next idea that we have for you to make this simpler is to involve the kid themselves. Some parents are against this because they don’t want them to know what is going on with the party and prefer to leave it a surprise. But, if you want them to have a great day that they are going to love and you’re stumped for ideas, then asking your child what they want seems like a good idea. They can help you understand what it is that they want, and then you can help them bring this to life for the best party ever.
Make sure that you ask them about what they want for presents as well while you are talking about the birthday. You might have been looking at cool kids hats when all they want is the latest game for their console. You don’t want to get it wrong!
Remember What Being A Kid Was Like
Remember what being a kid was like and this should help you to plan a party. You need to have a party bag full of goodies for each kid that attends. This should include things like sweets, maybe a small coloring book, and potentially anything else that you can think of. Try to remember how exciting it was to be a kid and what kind of things got you really excited as the same is probably true for kids today.
Things haven’t changed that much that you don’t remember how fun it was to be a child, and what kind of fun things would be great for a party.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do to make planning a kids birthday party simple. It doesn’t have to be the most complicated thing in the world if you don’t want it to be. In fact, depending on which route you choose to go down, it can actually turn out to be pretty easy and simple. We want your kid to have the best day ever though, so make sure that you put in the effort to achieve this goal.
Feb 2, 2022 | Adult Parties & Events
If you enjoy hosting, you’ve probably hosted a few dinner parties in recent years. They are a terrific opportunity to spend time with close friends and reconnect with old pals. Not only that, but these dinners allow you to show off your cooking skills and delight your guests with wonderful food.
However, hosting a dinner has one huge drawback: it can be stressful. After all, you’ll have to prepare the food all the food while entertaining your visitors. What if you could simultaneously cook and talk to your friends?! It may not come to that. Using all of these helpful suggestions, you can host a stress-free dinner!
Always Request Special Dietary Needs
When inviting guests, inquire whether they have any special dietary needs. They may be vegetarian or vegan or have a severe allergy. It’s preferable to know this ahead of time so you can adjust your food to their tastes. Even if you can’t change the entire menu, you can offer them an alternative dish. Knowing this ahead of time will save you time if someone shows up and claims they can’t eat your meat main course.
Prepare Food As Far Ahead As You Can
Preparing meals and dishes ahead of time is usually a smart idea. You can then perform most of the cooking the day before or the day before the party. This way, you won’t be as hectic leading up to your formal dining and would have more time to unwind. Looking at a vegetable beef soup recipe beforehand and practicing is a great way to feel more prepared.
Avoid Tying Yourself To The Kitchen
You will always need to cook while your guests are here, there is no way around it. But it’s ideal to have something cooking in the oven for an hour or two while you entertain your visitors. This is preferable to standing over a hot stove. Choosing the second choice may make your guests feel ignored. You can make one-pot meals with ceramic cookware. These are ideal for a dinner party because they can be left in the oven until ready.
Handle Mishaps
You must be ready for any mishaps that may arise during the dinner gathering. Food may be spilled or wine glasses may be knocked over. This may be a nightmare if you have pale carpeting or rug in your dining area! Keep a bottle of cleaning solution and a cloth in a cabinet or drawer in your dining area. If something spills, you won’t have to rush to the kitchen for cleaning supplies before the stain sets.
Embrace Mistakes
As stated previously, there may be some mishaps at your dinner party. These aren’t always spilled! For example, your dish may be overcooked or your timing may be incorrect. But don’t let them get you down. The hostess can brush things off and giggle at them. Remember that your guests are there to see you, and everything else is a bonus. Plus, if you have enough alcohol, I’m sure they won’t mind any blunders!
If you follow all of the above advice, you should be able to host a great dinner party without any stress!
Jan 31, 2022 | DIY Kid's Parties, Parties
It doesn’t matter whether it’s their first birthday or their fourteenth; every parent wants to make their child’s party as memorable as possible. When it comes to birthday celebrations, a simple game of pass the parcel and a few balloons won’t suffice these days. But how did you throw a memorable children’s party without going bankrupt or getting horribly stressed out? Keep reading to find out.
Have A Budget
Making a realistic budget before scheduling entertainment and buying party materials is essential when planning a party. This will save you from overpaying right from the start, leaving you with plenty of money for the extra fun elements of your child’s birthday party, like party bus rental.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of money to work with; there are lots of inexpensive birthday party ideas, and although it might take you longer to investigate them, you’re sure to find something that’s just right.
Pick A Theme
Although not all parties have a theme, choosing one will make your child’s party more enjoyable and memorable. For example, if your child has a favorite animal, TV program, or movie, you can incorporate it into your party planning. Remember that certain themes will be harder to find decorations for than others, so if your theme is unusual, you may need to build some DIY decorations.
The Right Venue
You can save money by having the party at home, but cleaning up afterward might be a hassle. Make use of whatever extra hands you have (younger siblings, grandparents, etc.) and hope for a sunny day so your visitors can enjoy the garden instead of the living room.
You can alleviate the burden of feeding hungry children by hiring a venue, such as a neighborhood restaurant or a children’s soft play area. This will make the party much more expensive, however, so you’ll need to weigh up your needs and wants with your budget.
Send Invitations
You should send invites at least two weeks in advance to give everyone adequate time to plan for the celebration, and to let you know whether they can come or not. Most parents want RSVPs from guests so that they know how many people to expect, as this will help with the catering, and it might be necessary if you’re hiring a venue or organizing something specific where numbers are important.
If you’re throwing a surprise birthday party, make it clear on the invitation so the birthday boy or girl doesn’t accidentally find out. Also, find out if any of your visitors have any food allergies or dietary requirements; ask them to let you know asap so you can ensure they’ll have something they can eat.
The Food
If you’re hosting the party at home, keep things simple by serving a variety of sandwiches. You can make these more interesting by making fun shapes with biscuit cutters, or you could assemble a DIY sandwich buffet with buttered buns, cheese, ham, and cucumber slices. Your small visitors will be able to pick and select what they want to eat.
Children will always enjoy the tried-and-true fare of pre-cut fruit in a bowl, pre-cut cheese cubes, small sausages, breadsticks, and dips. Mini pastries, biscuits, fairy cakes, and chocolate fingers are some of the best options when it comes to sweet treats. The secret to success is to keep things simple.
Jan 8, 2022 | Adult Parties & Events, Family Activities & Events, Parties
A surprise party is an amazing way to gather together your friends and family for a fun celebration. Surprise parties are generally held to celebrate birthdays, engagements, weddings, retirements, or holidays like Christmas or Easter. The biggest downside most people fear is that knowing it’s their birthday, engagement, or other special occasions most likely means the person will start trying to guess what is going on and ruin the surprise. The key to throwing an amazing surprise party is to keep it a secret and follow our guidelines for putting together all of the details, so nothing gets missed or messed up.
Surprise Parties – How To Do A Surprise Party In 7 Easy Steps:
Step 1.
Speak with individuals who would like to attend the surprise party. This ensures that they won’t tell your loved one
Step 2.
Decide on a date, time, and location for the party. It’s best to schedule it for some time when you know your loved one will be occupied or out of town. Also, make sure it is at an easily accessible location with ample parking nearby if you are throwing your party at a restaurant or other venue.
Step 3.
Invite every person who will attend the party, even if you already know they can’t make it. The more people you inform, the better because that means that there’s less chance of someone giving away the surprise to your loved one before it happens. Also, be sure to include all of your loved ones’ friends as well as close family members.
Step 4.
Plan out the surprise party as much as you can, without giving away what you’re planning to those that haven’t been informed. Decide on a theme for the party, whether it’s a birthday, engagement, or graduation celebration, and get started with food, drinks, and entertainment.
If you do not use caterers and want to prepare the food yourself remember to keep it easy, light and tasty. Try a barbecue, restaurant style hakka noodles or snack platters. Make sure you have presents for the guest of honor, and try to book entertainment, performers, or party games if you don’t want your guests simply sitting around talking all night.
Step 5.
Send out invitations at least a couple of weeks in advance, planning it close to when your loved one will make their big announcement. That way, they are caught off guard when you tell them that it’s for their party instead of what they were expecting.
Step 6.
On the night of the surprise party, make sure to capture every moment with pictures and video. The best way to do this is to have someone take pictures with a digital camera or smartphone while another person records things on video. This way, even if you forget to take pictures, your friend or family member can still have proof of the amazing time they had on their special day.
Step 7.
Give your loved ones an incredible surprise party that they will always remember! Be sure to include all of their favorite foods and drinks as well as the people that matter most to them in their life. Having this moment will be an unforgettable memory for everyone involved, and you’ll all cherish this day forever.
There You Have It
If you follow these steps, your surprise party is sure to turn out great! Everything should run smoothly, so there’s no reason why your loved one should suspect anything!
Dec 31, 2021 | Adult Parties & Events, Recipes
Deciding what you and your family should eat every day can be challenging, especially if you don’t have much time on your hands. However, this task can be much easier if you consider planning your meals. Meal prep provides you and your family with several benefits, including helping you to be more conscious of what you eat, reducing unhealthy snacking, and helping you save time and money. Here are some straightforward tips to help make your meal prep as easy and effective as possible.
No matter how long you’re planning your meals, be it for a week or month, it’s essential to incorporate each food group to make your meals as healthy as possible. A nutritious meal plan includes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, protein, etc. It’s best to incorporate more of these healthy elements while reducing excessive sugars and salt. You can consider buying such ingredients in bulk to save you time and help you portion them so you can easily use them when the need arises.
If you’ve never tried meal prep, you may feel unsure where and how to start. However, you don’t need to do everything at a go; you can start small and keep going at it consistently till it becomes a habit. You can get started with a brief plan on a few meals for the week, for instance, breakfast. As time goes on, you can eventually build on it to add more meals and get more creative. When you grow more confident, you can try simple, time-saving tricks such as how to roast turnips, to help you plan and prepare healthy meals.
To make your meal plans easier and more effective, it would help to organize areas such as your fridge, kitchen, and pantry, to quickly find the things you need and feel less stressed during the process. It’s best to also set aside some time for grocery shopping, so you can buy the ingredients you need for your meal prep and ensure your pantry is well-stocked with all the essential items. Having a list will help you be more organized and reduce impulse buying.
Other good ways to be organized are to find what works best for you, make your space as decluttered as possible, and place items where you can easily find them. Doing this will also make it easier for you to take inventory of what you have, so you can quickly identify what you’ll need on your next visit to the grocery store.
- Get durable and quality storage containers
The containers you store your meal prep items in are crucial, as they help ensure that your meals stay fresh for a while. Getting quality storage containers can also help you feel more organized during meal prep, as you don’t have to spend too much time looking for the right bowl or lid for your meals. It’s best to consider the purpose of the containers you want to guide you when getting the ideal ones. For example, if you’re using the microwave often or freezing some of your ingredients, you should get suitable containers for those purposes. Remember to get different sizes as well, so you’re not limited in your storage. This way, you can get large servings that last you a while.
- Ask for help when you need it
You don’t always have to do meal prep or think of exciting menus on your own. You can make it a fun activity by involving your family. You can ask them for their opinion on what they’d like to see on the menu, and also ask for their help in activities such as cutting up ingredients, packing the meals in different containers, etc. Doing this also helps you spend some quality time with your loved ones. You can also ask friends for ideas or check out food blogs whenever you run out of inspiration. Meal prep doesn’t have to be boring; asking for help can give you fresh ideas and make your meals enjoyable.
- Be intentional about your time
An essential aspect of successful meal prep is making time for it. Even a few minutes out of your busy schedule can help make the process worthwhile. Depending on your goals, you may need to take about 15 to 20 minutes, or a few hours, so you can make the most out of your meal prep and then not have to worry about it for the rest of the week. You only need to set some time aside and also remain consistent.
