Once you have a theme for your party and have designated people to help you,
it’s time for you to decide who to invite. You should send out invitations to
your party at least a month in advance. About a week before the party, follow
up with all the people on your guest list to see who will be attending. During
this week, you should also make sure that you have all the groceries you’ll
need, and you can even prepare foods that can be made in advance. Knowing how
many guests will actually show up will also give you an idea of how much
decoration you’ll need. After you confirm your guest list, order any decoration
for the party that you can’t make yourself, such as flower arrangements or
balloon bouquets.
Take a day or two to set up
A day or two before the party, make sure that the party space is clean and
begin setting up decorations. You can save flowers or balloons for last; these
can be put out a couple of hours before the party. If you’re using paper
utensils and place settings, arrange your tables and serving area the way you
want as far in advance as possible. You should also thaw out any frozen foods
that will be used for your get-together, and if you’re having any food catered,
be sure to follow up with your caterer so that you’ll know when your order is
finished, and when the food will be arriving at the party.
Relax before the party
Even though parties are supposed to be one of the times when you’re
completely stress-free, you may be completely frazzled if you’re the one
planning the get-together. The best way to calm your nerves is to have everything
done as far in advance as you can. On the day of the party, prepare any
remaining food, set up last-minute decorations, and "think through" the party
to make sure you haven’t left anything out. Once the room looks the way you
want it and the food has been prepared, take a few hours to relax before the
party starts. This way, you’ll be refreshed and calm when guests arrive; after
all your hard work, you deserve to have fun at your party!