Party Etiquette and Playlist: We got ya, Mama

     Do you hear those sleigh bells a-ring-ting-tingling? We do too! That time of the year for joyous gatherings is already here! Allow us at Irvine Moms to help you get started with some tips from some of LA’s leading event planners on how to be the best hostess you can be for your own jolly holiday party this year!

     “This means knowing exactly what the venue, vendors, and decision-makers are responsible for and making sure everyone else is also on the same page. Having clear communication and a thorough understanding of each person’s role is key to avoiding details slipping through the cracks. This includes making your responsibilities clearly known from the get-go, as well.”

     “Keep it simple and don’t overdo it. Stick to easy appetizers and one fun “house” cocktail rather than worrying about cooking or setting up a bar. Plan some games and activities so that guests have fun ways to interact. In the end, casual events are usually far more fun than fancy soirees.”

Stick to Your Budget

Your event budget is essentially your foundation — it dictates what is and isn’t possible throughout the planning process. How you allocate your budget (i.e., venue, catering, entertainment, and miscellaneous fees) is the most important thing to consider. Remember to consider all potential costs from the beginning to avoid ending up with a figure far past your initial estimate.

Mona Desai, Peerspace’s Special Events Manager.

Parties are all about taking photos and posting them to social media! So, provide fun party hats, boas, plastic sunglasses, and party horns for people to play with during the party. It’ll make photo-taking that much more fun!

Advise guests to “bring your own bubbly” so that you aren’t shouldering the cost of all of the liquor. You’ll be surprised by the variety of drinks you’ll have available for everyone to enjoy throughout the evening.

Although many company holiday parties and celebratory events may not have a set agenda, establishing an event schedule is vital. Questions to keep in mind: When do the vendors arrive? Who is the point of contact (POC)? When does the food need to be ready? At what point should the live band make room for the DJ? And if your event has a lot of moving pieces, you may even want to go as far as creating a minute-by-minute schedule for set-ups, arrivals, and everything in between.

Mona Desai, Peerspace’s Special Events Manager.

Nothing screams fabulous like a decked-out drink. By having a well-garnished drink, guests will feel they’re getting something special even if it’s just a basic margarita! From tinted sea salts to superfine sugar that’s colored with just a drop of food coloring, you can turn an ordinary cocktail into something beautiful.

In the week leading up to your event, you should be running through your event planning checklist to ensure that you and all those involved are ready to go. “This should be a detailed run of the show with all the contacts for each service, timings for all deliveries and arrivals, POC for all aspects of the event, and confirmed departure/wrap details,” Mona said.

Mona Desai, Peerspace’s Special Events Manager.

Everyone knows (or maybe they don’t, so I’m telling you now!) that you MUST plan your party music ahead of time! I’ve probably said it a million times, but I’ll day it again: there is nothing worse than walking into a party and hearing crickets! And Irvine Moms has just the playlist for you! Check out our brand-new Holiday Party playlist on our Spotify now!

Spotify link: Spotify – Irvine Moms: Holiday Party 

Elise Armitage, an Event Specialist at Google and blogger behind What The Fab.