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Special Party Planning Considerations – Entertaining the Disabled

In just about everyone’s circle of friends and acquaintances, there are people who are disabled in one way or another. In just my own immediate family, I have one person who is in a wheelchair and another who is on a special diet due to kidney failure. Whenever I entertain, I know that I have to take both of their special needs into consideration. For many people this is a very daunting proposition which they answer by simply not inviting their disabled friends and relatives to their parties, or simply not entertaining at all. How completely sad is that?

It is very important that as you move through your daily life you understand that fact that disabled people are just like you and I. While they have additional challenges in their lives, they still enjoy the same things you and I do, and a good party is no exception! It is very possible for you to plan your party and include those with disabilities without too much extra work.

The first thing you can do when you are planning a party is to plan on inviting your disabled friends and family to the event. Don’t let their differences scare you away from having them to your home or event. However, you should also not be shy about asking these friends and relatives if there is anything you can do to help them navigate the area better, or if there are any dietary restrictions they have which you can plan ahead for. Even by asking these two questions, they will feel appreciated and included in your event. In addition, they will have respect for the fact that you asked the questions, many people don’t bother to.

The next thing you can do is to take a moment to view your home as other people will who attend your party. Try sitting down in a chair, or sitting on the floor, and have a good look around. Look at obstacles like clutter and see if you can move some things out of the way for the party time. This is especially important in tighter spaces such as bathrooms and hallways. Look for tripping hazards like stairs and see if you can highlight them better to make sure that even your visually impaired granny can see them and be able to navigate them without falling down.

If you would like to invite someone to your party with a more physical disability, ask them if there is someone they would like to bring along as their caregiver. Many people will be happy that you asked and were considerate of the fact that they may need someone available to help them. Many people need help in places like the restroom, and would prefer to have someone there they trust and can feel comfortable around.

If your invitee has never been to your home before, you can simply ask if they would like to come over before the event and the two of you can work on accessibility issues together. This can be a great help and make both you and your guest feel as comfortable as possible.

The best thing you can ever do when entertaining is to invite those around you with disabilities. Especially during the holiday season, people can be very lonely and it only takes a nice gesture such as an invitation to a party to start to feel better about yourself and your situation. If you feel uncomfortable about the person’s disability, then try talking to them about what challenges they face and what things you can do to make their stay nicer at your home. Through some simple communication, both you and your disabled friends and relatives can have some great party memories to share.

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Aimed at the cook who intends to entertain, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook draws on Garten s experience as a caterer, as well as her knowledge ofwhat customers want to eat when they arrive at her shop. She hasculled her favorite recipes and included timesaving tips, alwaysstriving for ease and simplicity. This is an intensely illustrated cookbook thatshows the foods to best advantage. Starting with appetizers, Garten includes such basics as hummus and guacamole. There areFrench Onion Soup and Corn Cheddar Chowder, Baked Virginia Ham andSalmon with Fennel, Roasted Carrots and Caramelized ButternutSquash--and then one delicious dessert after another. Included, too, aresome breakfast specialties. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook is about warming the hearts and souls of your guests with familiar food raised to a gourmet level. Author: Ina Garten Format: 256 pages, hardcover, 10.2 x 7.5 x 1 inches Publisher: Random House ISBN: 9780609602195

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Party Planning Tips for a Safe and Sober High School Graduation Night Party

In response to the yearly deaths caused by high school seniors drinking and driving on the night of their graduation, many communities now come together and host safe and sober all-night parties where the graduates can attend and enjoy one last night of safe partying with their high school friends.

In most communities around the United States, these events have become very large and elaborate events in an attempt to attract as many graduating students as possible. The goal is to make them the “must attend” event of the year and have all of the students not want to be anywhere else on graduation night. Generally the planning for such an event starts well before the school year gets underway, and some parties take all year long to plan.

If you are tasked with planning, or assisting in the planning of a high school graduation night party, the first thing you will need to do is find out what the costs will be and where that money will be coming from. It is common for schools to host fundraising events and dinners from which the money is specifically ear-marked for the graduation event. You can count on this event being very expensive, so it is important to plan to fundraise early and as often as possible. Also, it is important to note that if you have students who work to earn some of the money through car washes, dog washes, yard clean-up events, etc… they will feel much more part of the celebration and not want to miss the big night they have worked so hard for.

Once you have a budget for the event, it is time to decide on your location and theme. If your town has an interesting attraction which might be available to you for rent, that can be a great option. However, many schools hold their events in their own gymnasiums with a lot of success as well. More importantly than the location is generally the theme of the evening and what will be happening at the party.

One very popular graduation night party theme is to have a casino. As each graduate arrives they are given casino chips and are presented with tons of typical casino games to play. Many teens these days love the World Series of Poker so having Texas Hold’em tables works well. In addition, the more traditional games of blackjack and roulette are always a hit.

Here in my own local area, it is popular to go out into the community to solicit donations of both money and items for the graduation party event. Each year a local car dealership even donates a brand new car to be auctioned off at the end of the event. They do so both as advertising and as a way to show that they support the idea of a safe and sober graduation night for all of the local graduating kids. You really never do know who will donate to your party until you take the time to ask around. Aim for the stars and see what your community will come up with. In many cases, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

While planning a safe and sober graduation party can be a daunting task, because of its sheer size and the age of the kids who will be in attendance, it is very doable and a must have event for every community. By working together with others from the school and the community at large your event can be a great success and a tradition which will grow and grow as the year’s progress.

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Party Planning Information and Ideas

Parties happen and more likely than not, at one time or another, you've been involved in some party planning. Information for party planning is easy to find and implement. We've got some great advice right here for you.

Information on planning a party for formal get-together covers things like budget, menu, venue and guest lists. It also covers decor and entertainment. An informal party thrown together at the last minute often involves just a telephone. How easy is it to call your friends and say, "Let's have a party? You bring the chips, dip and whatever you want to drink. I'll provide the (fill in the blank)."

More formal events, however, require a lot more time and thought. Planning a party information for these types of parties will need to be worked on weeks and sometimes months in advance. Be prepared to put some real work and focus into larger events.

First, the budget of your party must be established. How else will you know what you can spend on the party? But what is also vitally important is keeping a running tab of how much the party is costing as you go along in the party planning information process.

Knowing how much money has gone out and where it has gone, will tell you ahead of any surprises if you are on track or if you need to start revamping your plans. Planning a party information software that will help you keep track of the budget is invaluable.

One piece of party planning information has already been taken care of for you. The reason for the party, itself, often dictates the theme, but is not written in stone, of course. In other words, a Halloween party is, generally, a masquerade party (although it does not have to be). A birthday party involves cake and getting older. Weddings involve sit down dinners and celebrating a new couple's union. Luaus involve roasted pig and grass skirts. You get the idea.

So, now that the theme is readily determined, your next bit of party planning information would be to determine the guest list. Following that are the venue, the menu, entertainment and decor.

Is the guest list going to be a young crowd of people, for your party planning information, or an older group? Properly entertaining the guests will dictate some of your food, entertainment and decor choices, too, so knowing your guests is pretty important. Will pizza and beer suffice, or are you going to plan a formal sit-down dinner? How about a rock band for music or a DJ maybe? These are all your next questions to answer for your party planning information needs.

These guests will need to be invited, but, for food and beverage planning, as well as seating, you are going to need to know who plans on coming and who does not. So sending out an invitation with an easy way for guests to RSVP-notify you of their intentions-would be advisable. If, as the party nears, you have a list of folks who have let you know one way or the other, you can follow up on those who have not respond and at least make sure they got an invitation in the first place. This party planning information step needs to be done ahead of ordering the food and beverages.

So much stuff you need to know! Your party planning information should be organized for optimum chance of party success. Whatever ways you can find to organize your party planning information is a good idea and will lead to a great party.

If you were to want to find out more about party planning information [http://www.partyplanningsavvy.com], you can get it at [http://www.partyplanningsavvy.com].

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A Professional Party Planner’s Guide to Hosting a Cocktail Party

One of the most fashionable parties for adults these days to have are cocktail parties. Even thought their popularity has fallen off over the last few decades, cocktail parties have reappeared on the party scene and are now even more fashionable than they ever were before.

While many adults in the United States today enjoy beer and wines, the mixed drinks of the past are really starting to become more and more in vogue again. Now days when you walk into a typical bar, you will see many more people ordering mixed drinks than they have in the last decade or two. Some of the most popular today is the apple martini, chocolate martini, dirty martini, and the cosmopolitan.

One of the best things about planning a cocktail party is that they generally only last a few hours. In addition, your guests will be wandering around mingling and snacking rather than sitting around a table eating a full meal with each other. This makes the cocktail party perfect for inviting people who may or may not already know each other.

One of the easiest things about planning a cocktail party is the fact that you can have just about any menu your want, as long as the food is complementary to the most popular mixed drinks that is. Guests who come to a cocktail party know that they are only there to snack, have a drink or two, and mingle. Because of this, you can supply a wide variety of finger foods and be confident that everyone present will find something agreeable to them.

Here are some professional party planner’s tips on hosting an amazing cocktail party that everyone will remember and be talking about.

Tip #1 – You will need way more ice for your cocktail party than you think you will. The standard rule of thumb is to have about a pound of ice per guest who will be in attendance. However, I believe even a bit more is advisable.

Tip #2 – Different beverages are consumed from different glass styles. Make sure that you have a large assortment of the appropriate glasses for your guests. And, it is always a good idea to have many extras. If you will be serving wine, it is a good idea to use wine glass charms so people will stick to using their same glass throughout the night.

Tip #3 – The most important part of your cocktail party planning is making sure you have enough supplies on hand. The most important of these supplies is your alcoholic beverages. A good bar should be stocked with the ingredients for each of your friend’s favorite drinks, or as a basic level at least those used to make the most popular drinks of the day, plus beer and wine.

Tip #4 – If you do not know anything about mixing drinks, you can always enlist the skills of one of your friends or relatives to play bartender for the evening; however, if you will be having a very large cocktail party then you might want to consider hiring a professional bartender for the night. Many local catering services will have bartenders who can work for you at your party. They are not terribly expensive and do a wonderful job.

Tip #5 – When you are hosting a party where alcohol is consumed, you should always offer food and coffee to your guests as well as make sure they have a designated driver to get them home safely. Please do not ever let your guests drink and drive. It’s not safe for them and the other people on the road. And, it can also land you in jail if they get in an accident after drinking at your home. It simply isn’t worth it!

As you can clearly see, hosting a cocktail party is not complicated and can offer you a wonderful excuse to have your friends and family over for an evening of adult fun.

Party Planning Checklist - A Must Have For Any Party Planner

Nothing is worse than trying to plan a party and trying to keep track of all the details in your head. Planning a party is difficult enough even for the professional party planners and if you're new to planning a party, the number one most important tool to insure your party's success is having a party planning checklist. Without a checklist, you may find yourself in a panic right before the party is to begin when suddenly you realize you've forgotten something really important. Or worse yet, what if you've forgotten something really important and you don't even realize it until months later, like forgetting to invite one particular person and all this time you've been wondering why they didn't come to the party, and finally you realize that you forgot to add their name to the mailing list.

Mistakes like that may seem entirely innocent and understandable on your part, but if you are the person who didn't get the invitation and have hurt feelings over it, it definitely will be more costly trying to mend a broken relationship than it would have been to simply have a party planning checklist from the very beginning. Mistakes will still happen, but if you have a checklist and you faithfully write down everything you need and plan to do for the party, the chances for mistakes are a lot less.

When making a party planning checklist, start with a basic outline of who, what, where, when and why you're having a party. After you have filled in general answers to all of these questions, then you can move on to the more specific details of your party planning.

Other items to include on your checklist are things such as the theme, the type of food to go along with the theme of the party, and the music and/or entertainment for the party. You will also need to take into consideration the expected number of guests that will be coming, and most importantly, always ask for an RSVP on the invitations. This will help you with the seating arrangements and food planning and budget if you have an exact number of guests that have replied to your RSVP request.

After you have determined the size of the party, you can then move onto to the next step on your party planning checklist which should be the location, or the "where" in your general outline that you made at the beginning of your planning process. If you are hosting the party at your home, will you need to bring in more chairs or will it be outdoors? If you are hosting the party at a different location, be sure to remember to include directions to the party in the invitations. It's little details like this that will make you crazy if you try to store it all in your head. Write down everything on your checklist and free up the memory space in your mind.

As you get more specific on listing the details of your party on your checklist, you can also use your checklist as kind of a grocery list of sorts where you will list all of your paper supplies, plates, if using paper plates, napkins, silverware, glasses, coffee cups, and trash bags. Even if it doesn't seem important, list everything you can think of including trash bags, because on the day of your party, you do not want to be trying to think of all these details in your head. You can relax by knowing that you have planned ahead and wrote down everything single detail on your party planning checklist, and by doing so, your mind will be free to actually enjoy the party and stop thinking about all the details. Great job! Your guests will think you're a party planning genius because you have remembered every single detail and your party is a success!

Karen Shain is a holiday party planning expert. For more information on making a Party Planning Checklist [http://partyplanning411.com/party-planning-checklist/], visit [http://www.partyplanning411.com].

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Turn the "usual" bachelor party idea into a Hall of Fame one, using our bachelor party system. A creative party planning idea that allows guests and groom to have a great time without strippers, and pro's. Create memories without a mad bride.

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Creative Engagement Party Planning Tips

Engagement Party Planning To Share Your Nuptial Joy With Close Relatives and Friends

10 Engagement party planning tips to make your engagement party a big success and the talk of the town.

Want to plan an engagement party to announce to the whole world about the most important decision of your life?

Here's 10 Engagement Party Planning Tips:

1. Announce it to your loved ones

You should tell your parents of your decision, ideally in person before anyone else. It is time for them to share your joy and this happy moment. You can then share it with your close friends and relatives.

2. Selecting an auspicious date and venue for the announcement

One important part of your engagement party planning is choosing the date for your engagement party, it can be simple but tricky. You may want to hold it at least six months ahead of your wedding so that the celebrations are close enough for friends and relatives to remember and not too near so that you don't get stressed up working on two very important events of your life.

There are so many choice venues for your party! It may be a simple and intimate affair at home, a special corner at your favorite restaurant or a private room at your favorite restaurant or a barbecue at the seaside.

3. Have an alternative or contingency plan for outdoor events

If you are planning for an outdoor engagement party, do check on the weather. Choose the outdoor barbecue or picnic area where you can gather your small party at the eleventh hour to a sheltered bar or restaurant and continue your party.

4. Party games for your engagement party

Pick a few games and great party music to be included in your engagement party planning process. Include some ice breaker games where everyone will get a chance to get to know each other especially for all the relatives and friends of both parties who will meet for the first time at your engagement party.

5. Planning for the engagement party food

There were many things people gripe about at wedding and engagement parties - unfortunately the party food is number on the list. Food is an important part of your engagement party planning and it should be given high importance.

If you are planning to have pot luck, do co-ordinate all contributors' food so that you don't end up having two beef goulashes, three apple pies and 5 salads!

If you are not game to be the best chef in town, don't fret! Just let the restaurant or beach resort club take care of the food catering and setting.

Enjoy yourself and get to know his or her uncle Joe and aunt June instead of trying to cook up a storm in the kitchen.

6. Photography and video

Although this is not the wedding day, pictures do tell a thousand words and they do last a long time. Depending on your budget, you can choose to get your friends and relatives to take pictures and capture your special moments on video camera or get a professional to do both photography and video for both events (your engagement and wedding).

7. Looking for your dream home in time for your engagement party

House hunting for that dream home is one of the most stressful and it is also one of your biggest investment ever. Do look for a few good housing agents near your vicinity, get the National Accreditation Agency for Housing Agents list. Check out all the newspapers and websites for your locality.

Similarly, do visit home exhibitions and home projects launches to compare prices. Ask colleagues, friends and relatives who recently bought houses or apartments for advise - this is one very important aspect for your engagement party planning especially if you intend to hold the engagement party in your new home.

Next is my favorite - shopping for furniture and fittings for our dream home. I spent a few months reading books and magazines on home decorations and went window shopping to get inspiration and ideas. If you wish to conceptualize and put together all your ideas for your dream home, be prepared to spent a huge amount of time shopping and comparing prices at the furniture malls. Don't forget to bring along your calculators.

8. What to wear to an engagement party

You don't want to wear something elaborate or similar to your wedding. Consider colors, smart casuals for beach and outdoor and evening gowns for a glamour night out. It all depends on the theme of your engagement party really. Some prefer the free and easy for all, no fuss just, focus on the happy couple.

9. Ask your best buddies to be the maid-of-honor and best man

What better occasion to choose and ask your best friend and buddies to be the maid-of-honor and best man. I'm sure they will be very excited to be part of the team.

10. Get friends and relatives to bring photographs

You can ask your childhood friends and relatives to bring photographs taken with you or your significant other in the past. You can then made a montage of events according to the dates (or estimates) and produce a slide show or a mini photo exhibition panel for your wedding day.

Maureen Goh is a partner of a Public Relations Consultancy and a mother of two. She is most passionate about events and parties. She is the webmaster and owner of Parties-planning.com - a step by step planning guide, tips and resources for all events and parties. The website offer recommendations from preparation to presentation, weddings to birthdays, Christmas parties to special events.

If you have a web site related to parties, weddings and events or any other related theme, you may reproduce this article on your site, provided it appears in its entirety, including this resource box and live clickable link to: [http://www.parties-planning.com] where it's a breeze planning events!

Planning Special Moments, Creating Lasting Memories!

Copyright© 2008 Parties-planning.com. All rights reserved.

Get a Free Halloween Party Planning Guide

Easy Halloween Party Planning Ideas...you won't have any nightmares trying to plan your Halloween party when you read our Halloween party planning guide. It will be sweet dreams all the way.

It can get rather hectic when you are planning a party, but we have some great party tips and ideas for you, so don't worry. Everything is going to work out just fine. You will learn the steps of party planning and you will find lists of the party supplies you will need with a time table to tell you when you should do them. Our guide will keep you organized and that's half the battle.

Pick your party theme, pick the time and date of your event and finally choose a location to have your party. You will find no nonsense party food ideas and some easy recipes to help you prepare the meals. You can also find tips on food menu planning to make your party food choices easy.

Party decorating? Not a problem when you have a party supply list right in front of you. Check off what you have, and you can still see the party decorating items you still need.

Party activities...what's a party without anything fun to do? Get some good craft project ideas, find some fun party games to keep your little guest busy and entertained the whole party through. There are even ideas on how to let the kids make their own party favors.

Halloween Party Planning Guide

Find a guide just for help planning Halloween parties. Whether it's a movie party or a costume party, you will find all the planning help you need to have a fun, successful party. Find scary recipes, fun Halloween party supplies and lots of fun game suggestions. Everything you need to plan your party including a time frame, a shopping list and decorating ideas.

Other Party Guides

There are several party guides for you to choose from so whether you are celebrating a birthday. a princess, a Handy Manny party or a holiday, like Halloween or Christmas, you will find the right party guide for you. Everyone is going to think you are a professional party planner when you start coming up with tips and ideas for everyone!

Learn some party planning secrets too. Find out how some people always have a great party, while others have boring parties time after time. The secret is in the planning...knowing how to organize, knowing what supplies to get, what food to serve and what games to play. Get yours today!

Ms. Party Ideas is Jillian Gallo and she writes about fun party stuff! Find all the unique party ideas and cheap party supplies and get your free Halloween Party Planning Guide at http://www.partyideasparade.com/halloween-party-planner.html

Find out how to have the best Halloween party, costume party, Halloween snack recipe, fun Halloween games and learn how to plan and organize your party ideas. Go to http://www.partyideasparade.com/halloween-costumes.html to see our baby, kids, teens and adult costume ideas for this Halloween. October 31st is right around the corner...are you ready?

Party Planning Checklist

Planning a party involves a lot of work and effort on the part of the host. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to write out a checklist of all the things that need to be accomplished and when you need to do them.

First things at the top of your checklist should be to create a budget for your party. By creating a budget first you can figure out how many people you can invite which leads into the next section of your checklist. The next set of things on your checklist will be in reference to the guests. Some things on your checklist should include making a list of people to invite, buying invitations, writing out invitations and sending out invitations. Give yourself a date of when to send the invitations out by. You should send out your invitations a minimum of three weeks before the date of the party. Guests should then be given two weeks to RSVP if they will be attending or not. You can create a second checklist with a list of the people you invited in order to keep track who will be attending.

Next on your checklist should be in reference to the place where the party is to be held. If you are not sure where your party is going to be held and if you have it in your budget to hire an outside vender, you will need to do a little research. Place on your checklist calling venders to get price quotes. You will need to figure out if they will supply the food and how much it will all cost. You can then determine if you would like to have the party at your home and hire a caterer. You will need to place on your checklist, get quotes from caterers. Or you might want to make all the food yourself in which case you will need to place on your checklist to investigate how much supplies and food will cost you. Once this is determined, you will need to add a place on the checklist to book the vender or caterer and further down the list place a checklist that will remind you to confirm with them closer to the party date.

Other things on your checklist may include buying party supplies like plates, napkins, utensils, cups, drinks and food. You also will have to determine if you are going to grant your guests with party favors when the night is through in which case you will need to add researching, buying and preparing the favors to your checklist. You may have to also add researching and hiring rentals like tables, chairs or a tent if it is so required to your checklist.

The exact things that are on your checklist are greatly varied from party host to party host. But it is clear that creating a party planning checklist is a wonderful way to stay organized, get everything done in the proper amount of time and the ability to give the best party you can.

Start Your Own Party Plan Business

Most people's first experience of party plan is an invitation to a relative's home to view kitchenware or cosmetics, jewellery or giftware, or to sample the latest rejects and returns from some local fashion designer. Whatever the scene, the main objective is to create a pleasant, welcoming environment, one where guests are inspired to enter into the spirit of things - and BUY!

Party plan is just another marketing method, probably originated in the USA, and an extremely effective means of generating mountains of orders from all over the country - or the world - for the organisation at the heart of the plan.

There's a lot of money to be made in this business, especially if you are the sole supplier for goods promoted this way. So exactly what does party plan involve and how can you grab your share of the action - and the profits?

THE MECHANICS OF PARTY PLAN

Party plan operates through agents who normally enrol with the company direct on an undertaking to sell the firm's products in return for commission on sales often a fixed percentage; sometimes increasing at specified levels. Some companies reward agents with additional gifts for achieving set targets, while others operate on a networking - multi-level marketing - structure, generating even higher profits for super-achievers.

Marketing is easy, with guests invited into agents' homes - sometimes the host's home, for a well-organised get-together which should be both enjoyable and create an almost captive audience for the items involved. Friends, neighbours, colleagues and relatives are invited to attend and a few simple refreshments are usually offered.

On the day - more often the night - the party starts with the host welcoming guests and encouraging a little social interaction before the main task of demonstrating and selling begins. Guests are usually allowed to try on samples and to pass items around before orders are finally invited, usually as the party draws to a close. The most common final task of the evening is to invite guests to host parties in their own homes in return for various incentives, usually a small gift coupled with a percentage of the takings on the night.

ABOUT AGENTS

Being an agent means arranging parties yourself or looking for others to host them for you. Party guests are your most likely source of new recruits and others can easily be contacted through advertisements in shop windows and local advertising freesheets. Whether you want to become an agent for an established business or you intend to market your own goods through party plan, try to gain experience first by hosting a few parties yourself or by enrolling as an agent with one of the major party plan firms advertising in most business opportunity magazines. Alternatively, become a regular guest at other people's parties, noting what goes on, what literature and display equipment is used, how goods are demonstrated, and how orders are taken and processed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED

No experience or qualifications are needed to be an agent or host, although it helps to have an interest in the things you are promoting and to genuinely enjoy selling to a live audience. What you do need, more than anything else, are products with universal appeal, like current party plan favourites books, designer clothing, costume jewellery, perfume and cosmetics.

WHAT YOU CAN EARN

Average earnings are inappropriate to this business where agents can receive anything from a few pounds pin money to hundreds of pounds at each and every event. Most importantly, the agent can increase his profits in many ways, and might even consider starting his own party plan business and recruiting others to work for him as agents and hosts. It really is up to you!

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE TO RECRUIT AS HOSTS

Hosts must be friendly and entertaining, not just interested in benefits to them. Most importantly, they should have a wide circle of contacts friends, relatives, workmates, neighbours.

A useful tip is to keep your eyes open for anyone working for a major company or living on a particularly large housing estate, as well as any who have already hosted parties successfully and need little prompting from you.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PARTY GREAT? PROFESSIONAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

- Displaying your goods properly and attractively can increase sales many times over. Products should be displayed on a sturdy table with quality cover, preferably in a fabric and colour to compliment your goods. Crushed velvet or silk is excellent for silver and jewellery and increases the perceived value of what you display. Go for pastel shades and medium fabrics, not fancy textures or gaudy patterns! Have a spotlight focussed on your display, especially for silverware and jewellery. Where possible, stage your display to add height at the back and make sure everything is easy to see.

- Keep 'like' goods together fancy goods beside giftware, jewellery next to cosmetics, household goods beside kitchenware, and so on.

- For jewellery and cosmetics, always have a few hand mirrors available or arrange a fancy mirror on a small folding card or picnic table covered with plain fabric. Place a chair alongside.

- Evening parties tend to be most productive, with possible exceptions Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it seems the most convenient time for most people to attend is between 7.30 pm and 9.00 pm.

- When a party has been arranged and a host appointed, follow up with a telephone call a few days before the event. Go over the arrangements and send an informal note indicating the hosts' responsibilities. Make a point of emphasising what incentives the host receives. Ask the host to send out party invitations and to remind their most regular contacts.

- Don't forget it's a social event too. Arrange chairs in a circle and place refreshments and nibbles close by. Allow guests at least ten minutes to mingle and chat before the selling begins.

- Don't have television, radio, pets or children playing in the background. Keep all distractions to a minimum.

- Work to an agenda, including starting and finishing times and the order you want to accomplish your major tasks demonstrating, selling, taking orders, recruiting hosts, and so on. Allow about 20 minutes for demonstrating the goods and follow up with 15 minutes or so for guests to get a closer look or discuss their purchases with friends. Place order forms in a convenient spot and announce the time when guests should place their orders with the host, or with you direct.

- Mingle with guests but don-t be too pushy. Have them wear name tags and make sure your name is noticeable, too.

- At the end of the party, make a big thing of presenting the host with her gift and inviting her, publicly, to the next party to receive her cash award. Hand out leaflets or business cards to guests indicating when your next party will be and how they might apply to host parties themselves.

Above all, be enthusiastic! If you show you are enjoying yourself, this will reveal itself in the way you demonstrate your goods and, in turn, will mean increased profits for you. Have a good time!

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Prepare Your Shopping List like a Professional Party Planner

When you will be planning a party, or even planning an entire event, being well organized can set you apart from those who have a difficult time of it. Organization is your best friend when it comes to successfully planning and having a party or event of any size. And, the key to having successful organization skills lies in your shopping list. When you have an excellent shopping list, then you are sure to have all of the supplies you need on the day of your party or event.

It is very easy for most people to become overwhelmed when they enter a store or mall. You walk in thinking that you know exactly what you want, and then you find yourself amongst so much amazing stuff that you start to question your original thoughts and decisions. This often leads to purchasing things you hadn’t planned on. In the worst case scenario this means you forget vital items, in the best case scenario it generally means that you spend too much money and go over your budget. The simple way to avoid having this happen is to make a good shopping list and then stick to it when you shop.

The first step in preparing your shopping list is to gather up a pencil and a pad pf paper. You want to label the first page of the notepad with the date of your event and any location information you might need later, such as an address or phone number, if your party will not be held at your own home.

The second step in preparing your shopping list is to decide what the menu will be and what ingredients your menu requires you to have. Take the time to go through each recipe for your menu and write down each of the ingredients you will need to purchase and the quantities you will need. Each of these ingredients, with their amounts listed, will go under the heading of “food” on your master party shopping list.

The third step to preparing your shopping list is to decide on any beverages which you will be serving and the quantities you need to obtain. Each of your beverages, with their amounts listed, will go under the heading of “beverages” on your master party shopping list.

The next step to preparing your shopping list is to decide what party and paper goods you will need for the event or party. Consider things like plates, cups, silverware, serving bowls, centerpieces for tables, flowers, tables and chairs, etc… Make sure to write down anything you could possibly need on your master party shopping list.

Now that you have an all inclusive master shopping list, it is a good idea to break that list down by stores and times when you will be buying the items listed. For example, you will likely want to shop twice at the grocery store. The first time you will want to shop for everything which will last until the date of your event; the second time you will want to shop for perishable items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and breads. This means that you want one page for the items you will purchase on the first trip, and another page for the items which you will purchase at the last minute.

As you make your sub-lists, you will want to add in your shopping times to your master party planning calendar. You will likely have two grocery shopping trips, a trip to the party store, a trip to the liquor store, and a trip to the florist as well. By taking the time to schedule shopping at each of these venues, you can ensure that you do not forget to go to one store or another, and that you will have the time needed to obtain all of the things you will need to have a successful party or event. As you can clearly see, creating a master shopping list is the only way to plan a successful party or event like a professional party planner. And, through the use of sub-lists you can zero in on just what you want and ignore the other things in the store that might have otherwise tempted you.

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If you are planning a wedding or other special event, PerfectTablePlan will help you manage your guest list, set seating preferences, arrange tables, assign seats, visualise your plan, print charts, stationery, reports and more. PerfectTablePlan is used by thousands of individuals to plan wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs, parties and other private events. PerfectTablePlan is also used by a wide range of companies and organizations to plan fund raising dinners, banquets, award ceremonies and corporate events.
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Party Planning Checklist For Beginners

Throwing a party is a lot of work for the one who makes all the party plans. Not only does the planner have the task of coordinating everything, but they have to have excellent organizational skills. Not everyone is so blessed, so we have a party planning checklist to share with you today.

Organizational skills notwithstanding, a party planning checklist will become your best friend when planning a special event. It will take the headache out of planning the party and let the fun of planning happen. Throwing a party is a time honored way of showing affection and/or respect for someone.

The main purpose of your party planning checklist is a matter of organization. Four main topics need to be addressed:

1. The budget available for throwing the party.

2. The party's theme under which goes the décor, venue and entertainment subcategories.

3. The guest list, which includes invitations, RSVP and seating arrangements, if any.

4. Food and beverages, which includes catering, if needed.

First on your party planning checklist: the budget. By knowing how much you have available and by keeping track of all expenditures, you can be assured of staying within your budget and still having a great party. No one likes to come up short, suddenly, while still in the planning phase. Keep a running total of all costs so that adjustments can be made ahead of any surprises.

Second, the party's theme. This party planning checklist item is usually the easiest part to determine, as the reason for the party often dictates the theme. If you are throwing a wedding/graduation/promotion celebration, or a Christmas party, then you choices are obvious. A birthday party, on the other hand, could go in several different directions.

Make a list of potential plans for theme decor and entertainment and then move on to the next step. The sub-steps under this party planning checklist item are points to which you will be returning often as the party takes shape. For example. The venue should be chosen only after knowing how many guests you will need to accommodate, so this is a step you will need to return to, once you have firmed up the guest list, which is part of the next step.

The third party planning checklist item is all about your guests. Make a preliminary list, and start planning for types and methods of invitations to send out. Once your list is finalized and the invitations sent, start keeping a running list of guests who RSVP, as you will need to know this in the end for a couple of different reasons. One, you need to know how much food you'll need and two, what if they never got their invitations? You'll want to check to make sure any late guests still have an opportunity to attend.

And finally on your party planning checklist, the food and beverages. The reason for the party and your theme may dictate some of the food and beverage choices. For example, a luau is going to have roast pork and rum drinks on its food list. A birthday celebration must have a cake. Weddings require a formal sit-down dinner and perhaps the services of a caterer. This is the party planning checklist item where you will decide that issue.

So, to pull off a great event, you need to plan all aspects of the event. The best tool you can use for planning a successful party is a party planning checklist.

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Party Planning Information - Gotta Plan a Party, Now What?

At some point in their lives, most individuals throw some kind of party. Granted, it was a cinch when you were a kid and your parents would leave for the night or even better, go out of town. You could just invite a bunch of friends, everyone brings their own drinks and ta-dum, you've got a party. If the ones throwing the party were good, they might even think to supply some chips. If not, you just had pizza delivered.

As an adult, party planning becomes a bit more intricate. All of a sudden, there's a right way and a wrong way of party planning and the expectations of your party guests is increased. Not to worry - all the party planning information you need to know is right here.

First decide what kind of party you want to have. Are you planning for a birthday party, graduation celebration, holiday party, or something else? Do you want to make it a surprise? These are some questions that you may have already considered. Other things to consider are the primary age group of the guests that will be attending the party and how many people are you planning to invite. The decisions you need to make in planning this party are greatly determined by these factors.

Knowing the age group of the guests will help you determine if you need games and or activities to keep your guests entertained. It would be a good idea to supply games or activities for a party that includes a lot of children. Knowing the number of guests you'll have will help you know what quantity of supplies you need to provide. How much money were you planning to spend on the party?

It is common to invite people to your party by sending out invitations. There are many variations available. You can mail or hand deliver cards to your specified guests. You could simply spread the news about the party by word of mouth. Another trendy option is to email your guests or send out an online invitation. These online invitations are certainly increasing in popularity due to their convenience. On a website call evite, you can easily sign up for a free account and then design and send a party invitation to a list of people's email addresses that you provide. It's an incredible tool as it will not only send the invitation, but also keep track of how many people have responded, both yes and no. It will count the number of people coming, and also let you know who has viewed the invitation but not yet responded. Guests are permitted to write a message along with their reply.

Have you selected a location for your party? Do you know where you want it to be? Would you like to plan an outside event? If so, will there be sufficient shade for sunny days or shelter for possible bad weather? Is this party going to be at your house or at a public site or location that you rent? What are your space requirements for the number of people and activities you have planned? A big advantage to having the party at a venue is that you can avoid the pressure of having to clean and set up for the party. A great deal of time, energy and stress go into preparing your house for a party at home. You'll be serving food, entertaining guests and running around during most of the party. Then there's the clean up after the party is over and the guests have gone home. While a venue is often more costly, it certainly cuts down on a lot of the workload for the host and allows them to enjoy themselves.

Planning how much food you will need is probably the most important element of throwing a party. What will you serve? How will you serve it? Do you want a buffet or a sit down dinner? Are you going to prepare the food yourself or have it catered? These are all very important questions that require a great deal of forethought. Food is probably the number one element in party planning because people do go to a party to eat. It is not one of the first questions please ask; 'How was the party? How was the food?' It is the one element tat will influence most of your cost so you should give it a great deal of consideration.

These are just a few basics that go into party planning. There's so much more to discover before you could consider yourself a professional party planner. But with the party planning information included here you are headed in the right direction.

Kate Neilsen is a party planning enthusiast, and enjoys helping others put together a killer bash. Her latest book "Simple Party Planning Secrets", teaches the novice host everything they need to create a memorable event. http://www.SimplePartyPlanningSecrets.com

Party Planning Tips for a Successful Italian-American Dinner Party

Through the years, the Italian people have always been known for one special thing, which could be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere– their food! Italian food is one of the most versatile and well loved throughout the world, and this makes it the perfect candidate for the menu for a dinner party. In fact, rather than simply use the Italian food for the party; you can use an entire Italian theme to make your own Italian-American dinner party your guests will be talking about for years to come.

The best day to plan your Italian-American dinner party is one in which your guests will have a long time to linger around and enjoy all of the food you have to offer them. In Italy, this day of the week is generally Sunday. The informal gathering usually starts around one, since many people attend morning mass services, and doesn’t end until the evening time when it is time to take your children home to bed.

Your own Italian-American dinner party can be one of comfort and relaxation. The focus should be on the food rather than on the table and room decorations. Your tablecloth should be simple white linen and flowers for the table are unnecessary. The best centerpieces are a bowl of nuts, some fresh breads, dishes of grated locatelli or parmesan cheese, and simple crushed red pepper flakes. Your dinner service can be your everyday dishes and even the incorporation of simple plastic dinnerware for the children.

The beverage you will want to serve at your Italian-American dinner party is a simple wine. Italian people enjoy wine with their meals and the wine is an excellent compliment to the various Italian foods you will be serving. For those guests who do not drink alcohol, consider having some soda and bottled water available as alternatives.

The first course of food for your Italian-American dinner party should be an antipasto made up of meats (ham, salami and prosciutto), marinated vegetables, cheeses such as provolone and mozzarella, and roasted red peppers. Your antipasto course can be served on a tray or mixed together in a bowl with an Italian dressing poured over it.

The second course of food for your Italian-American dinner party should be a simple Italian soup. The soup should be served in small bowls so that everyone in attendance doesn’t become too full to enjoy the next courses of your meal.

Generally after serving your antipasto and soup, then comes the main pasta and tomato sauce dish. The most popular options for your pasta dish are homemade ravioli, lasagna or manicotti served with a meat sauce which may or may not include meatballs. To accompany your main dish you might choose to serve such foods as sweet potatoes, artichokes, salads or string beans. While you want the focus to be on your main dish, you also want your guests to have some variety to choose from at all times.

For your desert course at your Italian-American dinner party, you should choose something from the following list: fresh in season fruits, figs, cakes, cookies or an Italian pastry. Because your guests will likely be very full, plan to serve desert at least one hour after the main meal, and allow for it to be something light rather than something rich and heavy.

It always amazes me that the above is the typical Sunday for most all Italian families. How they manage to eat all of this food, week after week, and yet not gain a lot of weight is a serious mystery to behold. However, for your once in a while dinner party, a traditional Italian feast makes a wonderful, and simple, menu which will be enjoyed by both the adults and children in attendance.

The most important thing you need to remember about hosting an Italian-American dinner party is that it is all about your guests and the food, not about the cleanliness and order in your home. Cook some good food, and enjoy your friends and family.

Party Planning Information - How to Plan the Perfect Party

Is there a celebration coming up? Are you going to be hosting a party soon? If you are going to be planning a party, you will need to have party planning information to make it happen. Hosting a party is not something that can be done at the last minute. Party planning takes a little bit of time and well thought out ideas to have a perfect party. Otherwise, if you don't take time to carefully plan everything out, it doesn't usually turn out as good as it could have been. Some people might not feel that comfortable when it comes to planning a party. It is either because this is their first time or maybe because they don't know where to start or they don't have the information necessary to plan a party.

There are so many themes to choose from when planning a party. Your theme will depend on the type of celebration that you are planning the party for. Is it a birthday or a graduation party or is it a dinner party? Choosing a theme is the part of party planning where you have a chance to be creative and really surprise and impress your guests with your creativity. After you have chosen a theme, next you will want to coordinate everything else to compliment your theme. From the balloons, to the table setting, to the music and wall decorations, everything should compliment or revolve around your main theme.

Your invitations will also carry the same theme as your main party theme. After selecting your invitations, next is the guest list. Before you even started planning your party, you probably had a good idea of who to invite. At this stage in the planning process, it is best to write down a list of all the guests you plan on inviting to the party and keep this list in a safe place so that you can keep track of RSVP's as they come in. It is also recommended to set a time frame or deadline on the invitation for your guests to let you know if they are coming or not. This will help you tremendously when it gets closer to the time of the party if you know exactly how many people are coming. If you don't request your guests to respond, you might run the risk of more people coming to the party than you planned for and there might not be enough food or room to host that many people. If it is a dinner party, it is imperative to know how many people are coming to dinner so that everyone will have a seat at the table. Nothing is more embarrassing than not having the right number of place settings for all of your guests.

Another important thing to consider when planning a party is to estimate a time frame for the entire event, maybe even put the time frame on the invitation. This will let your guests know approximately how long the party is expected to last and if it's a children's party, parents will need to know when to come back and pick up their children.

Planning the food for a party is probably the most important element of a successful party. If done right, your guests will have a wonderful time. Food is often the main event in a party, and it is important to plan the menu carefully to insure there is enough food for everyone and maybe even a little extra. It's always better to have a little left over rather than not having enough food. If there is food left over, offer it to your guests to take home. Your guests will appreciate it and they will remember what a great time they had at the party when they go to reheat the leftovers the next day.

Planning a party may seem a little overwhelming at times, especially if this is the first party you have ever hosted. Try not to get too stressed, though, because your guests are coming to have a good time. When it comes time for the party, stop thinking about all the details and planning up to that point and put your party hat on because every host should be a guest at their own party too. Enjoy!

Karen Shain is an author and publisher of many ebooks and articles on party planning information [http://www.partyplanning411.com]. To learn more information on party planning or how to plan the perfect party, click here [http://www.partyplanning411.com].

Bachelor Party Planning

He followed his bride to be to every flower store, to every cake tasting appointment, through every page of every bridal magazine invented and now it is his turn. Let’s face it, a wedding is mostly about one thing; the bride. She is primarily the one who is fulfilling her dreams from when she was a child and making every fantasy come true. And yes, the men enjoy the party that a wedding brings and are fulfilling their dreams by marring the girl that they love but, they are secretly living through it for one thing; the bachelor party.

The bachelor party is his time to shine. It’s the only thing throughout the entire wedding process that is all about him. And that’s what bachelor party planning entails; giving him the night he deserves. Most likely the one to plan the bachelor party is the best man. The ushers are also involved but it’s the best man that needs to take the lead. The first thing that the best man should do is to find out what the groom would like for his last night of freedom.

It is pretty clique to think that all men would like to see a half naked girl dancing on their laps. This does tend to be the bachelor party trend though. A lot of men feel like they want to get “it out of their system” in order to settle down. Again, it is up to what the groom wants. If this is something that he would like to do, then it is up to the best man and his ushers to fulfill his every dream. But, if you are looking for an alternative, there are plenty of other things you can do.

Maybe the groom is a little more wholesome and not interested in seeing anyone but his future wife dance around half naked. That is okay also. Instead of planning a trip to the strip bar, plan a trip to an adult arcade where you can buy alcohol and food as well as play the games. Or you might want to go to a batting cage. Although it does not serve food or drinks, that is something you can do afterwards. Think about taking your buddy and all of his friends to play paint ball. It is a good way to release nervous energy and bond with the guys. Hire a limo wherever you decide to go to eliminate any problems with a designated driver. Everyone at the bachelor party can have an equal amount of fun.

The guest list and who should pay are some things that a lot of guys have trouble figuring out. Who should be invited to the bachelor party? It should definitely be the father of the bride and groom and any male relatives. Of course, the ushers should be on the guest list. If you have any doubt about who should be invited, talk to the bride. She will be able to provide you with a proper list of who should be invited plus their addresses or telephone numbers. While you’re at it, at this point you should talk to the bride about some things that she would not appreciate her groom getting involved in. Be a good friend, save your friend from any problems in the future. Who pays for the night is a little more tricky. You might get lucky with a father or father-in-law of the groom who is willing to pay for the whole night. But, if that is not the case add up how much you think the night would cost and divide it by the number of guys going. Leave out the groom so he does not have to shell out anything. Don’t forget to add in tips to the cost of each event.

Above all, the bachelor party is a time to let loose and have a good time. Be the best man you can be and give the groom everything he wants.

Dinner Party Planning

There is something so classy about sitting down to a nice, elegant dinner with a few friends or family members. Maybe it’s the light from the candles. Maybe it’s the sound of the forks hitting the porcelain. Or maybe it’s because one of the first gifts that man was given was the ability to enjoy food. But whatever it is, throwing a dinner party is a wonderful excuse to get together when there is nothing in particular to celebrate.

Planning a dinner party is slightly different from planning a regular party. Normally there are fewer guests invited to a dinner party then a regular party. The atmosphere is a little bit more intimate. Yes, food it a hug party of throwing a regular party but, with dinner parties, the focus is centered around the food more. It is a sit down dinner while some parties are buffets or just appetizers like cocktail parties.

The guest list is limited by how many guests can be seated around your table comfortably. It is up to the host as to who is invited. Sometimes throwing a dinner party is a way to introduce a couple of friends to each other. Or maybe you love to experiment with cooking and would like someone to experiment on. Some thought would go into who should be invited. Do these people get along; will they find mutual subjects to talk about. Is this person that you would like to invite going to be the odd man out? This especially pertains to if you are inviting mostly couples.

The important things to remember in your dinner party planning are your supplies. This is not the type of party where you can supply paper plates and plastic forks and knifes. Dinner parties call for breaking out the fine china and silverware. If you don’t think that you own anything that is acceptable, you can always rent some. You should also use a centerpiece for the table that includes candles. The centerpiece itself is up to you depending on the occasion and your style but, candle light gives the perfect atmosphere to the table. You should also use a linen table cloth with matching or close to matching cloth napkins if you have them. Again, these supplies can be rented if you don’t own anything that you think is right. Make sure that your space is adequate for the people you are planning to invite. Usually dinner parties start out with a few cocktails as the guests arrive so you will need room for your guests to mingle. At the table each guest should have enough room for their place setting, to move their chair away from the table and are seated comfortably next to another guest. Sometimes dinner party hosts will serve several courses so this means sitting at the table for a while. Then after dinner you can show your guests to a seated area for coffee and relaxation. You just served them an outrageous meal; they want a place to digest. A nice living room area is perfect.

Compared to other types of party planning, dinner party planning is easy. Just remember that you are the host and set the mood for the entire night. It’s up to you to start stimulating conversation if it lags. But, there truly is no way to screw up a dinner party so, have fun!

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Party Planning Tips for a Quinceanera Celebration

For people of Spanish decent, a Quinceanera celebration is almost as big of a deal as a wedding. A Quinceanera party is thrown for a girl when she turns fifteen and is usually a very, very big deal. The day generally consists of the birthday girl wearing a beautiful gown, a tiara, a limo ride, a church service, flowers, a bible, dancing, and more.

The history of the Quinceanera celebration goes all the way back to Aztec times when fifteen was the age of marriage for girls. In Hispanic culture this tradition has carried over and at fifteen a celebration is held to signify womanhood for all Latina girls. The celebration is meant to celebrate a coming of age and is an acknowledgement by friends and family that the girl is now to be considered a young lady.

Party planning for the Quinceanera ceremony begins a year before the date of the event. The first step is to reserve a church and reception hall for the event. Especially in areas with a large Hispanic population, churches and halls will be booked very early and competition can be fierce for the best venue.

The traditional Quinceanera celebration is traditionally planned by friends and family of the guest of honor. However, at times a professional party planner is asked to plan the event if the family is overwhelmed or the party will be overly large. The party planner will work closely with the family and help them to make decisions on the invitations, decorations, menu, music, and more.

Once the date and location have been determined then it is time to begin the other planning. The color scheme and decorations will have to be decided on and the decorations purchased or ordered. Initiations will need to be professionally printed and mailed to all invited guest about six to eight weeks before the event. The menu for the event will need to be chosen and a caterer hired. A florist will need to be consulted to make the bouquet for the guest of honor and other flowers for the church and reception hall.

In today’s Internet age, many young girls use websites and blogs to talk about the planning for their Quinceanera celebration. They use them to swap information with others and to get ideas for their own parties as well. Often they discuss the nitty gritty details such as what flowers to have in their bouquet and which music to use for the event.

In addition to blogs and websites, it is very common today for the guest of honor to register for gifts. Gift registry items generally include dowry type items such as linens, dinnerware, and other items required to set up a home at some future date. While these are the usual gifts registered for, it is also common to find other items on a registry or for the guests to simply give the guest of honor cash in honor of the event.

Another tradition today is to set up a website after the Quinceanera where the guest of honor can display all of her photos and mementos of the day. This website is generally shared with family and friends, both those in attendance and those who were not. The Quinceanera is meant to be a fun day shared with everyone and the Internet now allows for friends and relatives who are too far to make the trip to enjoy the event as well.