Avoid a cringe of a house party, here’s how to do it right – words Al Woods
Everyone knows that the ultimate social gathering is the house party. You can be in complete control unlike a club or bar-you choose the music, the guest list, the food and the closing time. But great responsibility comes with great power, and if you do not properly approach house party planning, your next invitation may be removed before it is even read.
However, when throwing a house party it’s important to think about space too, so have you? If you don’t have the space to throw the party you’ve got in mind, then it might be worth considering a party house to rent and to help you even further, we’ve built this guide on how to throw the ultimate house party – just don’t blame us for your hangover the next morning!
Choose a theme
Every incredible party has a theme. Finding the perfect costume/outfit and having it ready for the day of the party also helps build up excitement in your guests. To make your party a house party to remember, come up with a theme that challenges your guests such as dressing up as emotions rather than a simple 80’s theme. Picking a theme for your party will also help with conversation starters and give you the chance to host a competition for the best dressed. There’s nothing like a bit of friendly competition between friends and when you’re giving your guests the chance to win something they will most certainly put more effort in!
You should also take into consideration the location of your house party when choosing a theme. If you were to say, rent a house in the countryside to avoid noise disruptions (and let’s face it, the music will be loud), then you may want to consider a country bumpkin theme or a lavish ball dress code. There are endless possibilities, so get creative!
Check the weather
The weather will play a huge role in any house party. While there may be people who aren’t interested in venturing into the garden, it’s likely that there are going to be plenty of people who would rather sit outside. You can’t control the weather, but if you notice that the weather isn’t going to be too kind, you could pitch some gazebos so that guests who don’t want to be inside and those who fancy a cigarette from time to time can do so without running the risk of getting soaked.
If the weather is looking nice, then why not step up your house party one more notch and have a BBQ? There’s nothing quite like sipping a cold beer and eating a hotdog or burger in the sun. it’s guaranteed to add that extra edge onto your house party.
Define your guest list
Naturally, you want to invite everyone you know. However, it’s important to think about people who simply won’t get along. Perhaps your friend has an ex now dating another friend of yours – it wouldn’t be wise to invite those people. On the other hand, inviting people that have never met before can help form lasting relationships, so invite that guy you went surfing with on the beach that one time and introduce him to your neighbour! What we’re saying is think about who you’re inviting and who could be affected.
Create the ultimate playlist
You’re throwing a house party so you’re bound to be playing music for the majority of the night, even if it is just for background noise. However, there will also be plenty of people that want to will want to dance and let their hair down a little, so you need to create the perfect playlist! A problem you may face here is different music tastes, so why not have your guests send you a small list of their favourite songs and compile them for the ultimate playlist? That way everyone’s happy! You could create a playlist on Spotify to keep and also share with any guests that really enjoyed the music!
Get some entertainment
Something to make the party especially memorable is to hire some interesting entertainment for the evening. For example mix and mingle acts are particularly appreciated by guests – walkabout close-up magicians can perform tricks and amuse small groups of guests and a caricaturist can quickly sketch and capture a likeness of guests for them to keep as a memento.
Don’t force fun
Finally, a blunder that many people make when throwing a house party is trying to force their guests into activities. Don’t do this! Place a few decks of cards around and have beer pong ready and waiting and people will entertain themselves! Also, as drinks begin to flow games can often go out of the window and conversation becomes the main focus. Don’t worry so much about entertainment unless you see the need to during your party. Ultimately, enjoy yourself!
