So you want to throw a party...now what?!

My Live AuthenticAly launch party!

Ok, so you want to throw a party, great!

But...now what?

I realized that at the ripe age of 24 I had yet to plan and host a party on my own. Sure, I had birthday parties growing up and I still celebrated yearly with my friends...but that wasn’t quite the same. I wanted to do a little something to celebrate the launch of Live Authenticaly, so about a month before, I started planning.

This is what I learned, here are my top tips + tricks to throw the perfect party for you!

1. Start planning…early.  You’re never going to be upset at yourself that everything’s done way ahead of time. However, you might just be kicking yourself when you realize the decorations you really want from Etsy take over a month to ship...and your party is next week! This is probably what I had the most trouble with. I definitely planned ahead, but somehow I still ran out of time. Make a list and aim for everything to be finished 2 days before the party. This way you have time if anything falls through and you wont be running around the morning of like me!

The invitations!

2. Decide what you're doing, where you're doing it, who is coming & make invitations. OK, first things first, you need to decide what kind of party you're throwing and what you'll be doing. Are you planning a small, intimate soiree at an upscale restaurant or a large, laid back BBQ in your backyard? Once you decide this, you’ll have an idea of the overall vibe, ideal locations and the general size of the event. Make a guest list and book your location (or opt to throw it in your home like I did!)

Once all this is done, you need to let people know somehow. A Facebook event or simple group chat for a Super Bowl party is perfect, but a Galentine’s Day brunch might call for actual invitations (or e-invites). 

For my Live AuthenticAly launch party I wanted to keep it small with just close friends, and decided to design semi custom e-invitations. (Confession time: I originally wanted to print out and mail the invites, but due to time constraints that wasn’t possible. Please refer back to tip #1!)

3. Check out Etsy for a couple unique items, then hit up Target for the rest.

I could probably shop on Etsy all day long. I love the variety of items and the small shop feel you get even though it's online. However, while it would be great to buy just about everything from Etsy...that can add up. So, I picked a couple items I loved - a custom wooden Live Authenticaly sign for the DIY photo booth I was making, and some extra cute balloons to make a mini arch - then I logged off!

From there, I went to Target to get everything else. I grabbed a few supplemental balloons, plates, cups, signs, a fun activity (make your own jewelry), and little party favor bags filled with fun goodies!

4. DIY. Trying to save money? DIY is your best bet, plus it can be fun! Figure out what you want at your party that you can realistically create on your own! I opted to make a little photo booth. It was easy and I already had most of what I needed. I had the lighting, camera, and tripod thanks to self tape auditions! I just hung some temporary curtains that served as a backdrop for my photos, made a little balloon arch, and added a few more decor elements. I set the tripod up to work with my camera or any phone.

5. Plan the menu. So the food/drinks you serve totally depend on what kind of party you’re planning...although I will say, I always think it’s fun to have a special drink!

For my afternoon gathering I planned to have a bunch of different snacks to nibble on. I went for a cheese and salami plate, guac, and bruschetta. As for drinks, I had a make your own mimosa bar with champagne + orange juice or a raspberry puree mix!

My final touch - I wrote a little note to each one of my guests (aka my best friends) . They had all been so supportive as I launched, so the gift bags + notes were my way of saying thank you!

All in all, I would say my launch party was a success. Is there things I could’ve done better? Of course, and I learned I should plan ahead even MORE... but it was an afternoon filled with people I love, celebrating the launch of something I was insanely passionate about...that’s a pretty great day. And as fun as it for everything to be cute, at the end of the day it doesn't matter how picturesque Pinterest perfect your party is, because it truly is the people that make the party.