Party Planning Checklist

Putting on a party can seem like a big affair at first. And while it can take quite a bit of planning to throw a big one, taking it step-by-step can make everything a lot more manageable.

Whether you’re planning a wedding reception, a milestone anniversary, a birthday, or something ‘just because’, this party planning checklist will help you tick off your most important items and put on a party worth remembering. Keep reading for a checklist and timeline for the best party you’ve ever thrown.

2 Weeks Before the Party

Two weeks out from your big shindig might seem like a while, but make no mistake! The time can easily get away from you, leaving you behind on those crucial early party planning steps. Thankfully, the early steps of planning a party can be done quickly and from the comfort of home.

Before you get any of your part planning underway, it’s important to set a date. The sooner organise this, the more likely your guests can make the time to join. As a general rule, if you’re asking friends and family to travel for your party, try to give at least a month’s notice for your party.

Choosing the kind of party to host is a key early step in planning. Some things to consider might be whether this is a house party, a BBQ, a birthday event or a soirée just for the sake of it Of course, you probably already decided what kind of party you’re having when you decided to have one. Even so, spending a bit of time refining your idea can help ensure you and your guests have a great time.

The venue you pick should complement the type of event as well as the time you’re hosting. If you’re planning a Christmas BBQ, an open-air venue like a park or your backyard can be a great choice. On the other hand, if you’re putting on a catered event, a local events centre could do the trick.

Once you’ve decided on the what, where and how of your party, it’s time to think about who you’d like to be there! Consider whether this is going to be a friend-focused affair or if this is going to be a family gathering - or both!

This part is simple - you’ve just got to let your guests know all they need to about joining your party! For this step, you can send out an email blast to all your desired guests, or you can go

the old-fashioned route and send out charming paper invitations. Don’t forget to ask your guests to RSVP!

An essential part of being a host is looking after your guests. You’ll need to decide whether you’ll be providing food, drinks or both. There are plenty of ways to go about this - like taking on the cooking yourself, asking each guest to bring a dish, or having your event catered.

Once you’ve made your basic party planning decisions, you’ll need to make sure what you need will arrive on time. This could mean ordering a cake ahead of time, organising your catered food and beverages or even getting your decorations hired. These things can often take time, so it is essential to plan any ordering well ahead of your party.

Depending on what kind of party you’re planning, entertainers can be a great way to amaze your guests and show them a great time. Consider whether you’re going to hire musicians, organise a performance of your own, or bring any other entertainers on board for your party.

1 Week Before the Party

With the bid day quickly approaching, 1 week out is a good time to finalise your party arrangements. 

If any guests haven’t yet responded to your invitations, now is a good time to follow up in order to get a final count. Knowing the numbers for your party is key to taking care of all your guests and keeping everyone in good spirits.

While every party needs supplies, not all of these are going to be perishable foods. With 1 week to go, you can pick up all of your non-perishable essentials, like paper napkins, plates, cutlery, or even non-perishable food items. Getting this step out of the way early will also give you more time for cooking and organising closer to the date.

You’ll want to confirm the date and time that your entertainment will be needed. If you get this done ahead of time, it gives some crucial leeway to deal with any cancellations or changes of plans.

If you’re using a sound system or screens as part of your entertainment, it’s a good idea to make sure they’re in good working order ahead of time. If you run into any problems, a week should be plenty of time to replace a speaker or have a power system repaired if need be.

1 Day Before the Party

If you’ve planned on baking a cake for your party, a day before the big event is the perfect time to pick it up, or finally put it together.

If you’re planning a backyard bash or another festive event at home, it’s a good idea to get the furniture set up a day ahead. This way, you can get any heavy lifting done early, and have all the essentials in place for you to decorate on the day of the party. This stage of the set up should also include any tablecloths, table runners and any other table and chair decorations you might decide to use.

You’ll want the place to look immaculate before any guests arrive, so take the time to clean up your space and have everything in its place.

Prepare any food that can be stored overnight so you have more time to put the finishing touches out on the day of your party. If you’re not catering, you’ll likely need to prepare quite a bit of food, and taking a day or two may be necessary to get a good variety and volume of food ready.

Day of the Party:

Now that everything is in place and your guests are set to have a good time, it’s a great idea to trot out those eye-catching decorations you’ve been planning. Inflate every balloon, tie up every streamer and get the party-crackers ready to go! Now is also the perfect time to set up your table decorations and settings, string up some fairy lights and set up your sound system.

If you’re serving nibbles or grazing food, you can always put this out in advance of your guests. Just make sure you keep food out of the sun where possible. In the summertime, it’s a good idea to put some sort of cover over your dishes to keep the flies off.

If you’re expecting a large number of guests at a home party, at the venue or in your chosen public space, it also helps to have a place where they can put their gifts, belongings or anything else they might have. This is also the perfect place to put a guestbook so you can memorialise the day forever!

This is the most important step to executing the perfect party You’ve done all the hard work and put on a spectacular day or evening for your guests. Now the best thing to do is enjoy yourself and your time with friends and family!

In the meantime, be sure to follow Luna Wedding & Event Supplies on Instagram for gorgeous decor ideas, and to see our amazing decorations and products in action.

‘Til next month xx