Throwing a party for friends and family is a great way to get everyone together for some shared enjoyment of food and drinks while you reconnect. However, not everyone knows how to turn a simple get together into a successful party. With so many activities in our busy lives, many of us need a compelling reason to pencil one more party in our schedules. If you’d like to make your next party into a rousing and unique celebration, take a few simple steps to add some excitement and a unique flare to your party.
Consider a New Twist on A Theme Party
Parties for events like the Oscars can be turned into theme parties if you transform every aspect of the evening into an homage to classic movies. Don’t simply invite everyone over to watch the Oscars together; instead put some thought into way to make your party all about the glitz and glamour of the red carpet. Hosting a black tie Oscar viewing gives everyone an excuse to turn up the glam factor. Rent a big screen television if you don’t already have one and tuck a popcorn machine into one corner of the room.
Another unusual party is the Murder Mystery evening. You can find boxed kits and online instructions for staging a Murder Mystery in your home, with everything from how to develop clues to scripts for the guests included. These are a great starting point, but consider personalizing your own Murder Mystery by rewriting the story to suit your guests and the location of the party. For instance, you could do a “Peggy Sue Got Murdered” event that taps into High School nostalgia.
Make Sure Guests Can Capture The Memories On Film
You’ve probably been to weddings where disposable cameras were left on reception tables so guests could capture candid moments on film, but you can do so much better. Rent a photo booth for your next big party and it is a sure-fire conversation starter. Look for a photo booth rental company that offers something that’s attractive and state of the art, in keeping with your celebration. Guests will love being able to capture candid, goofy, or romantic pictures in your photo booth. The best part? Passing the instant pictures around and sharing some laughs. It’s a great interactive activity that will keep things lively as friends cram into the photo booth to pose for pictures.
You can even rent photo booths that personalize the snapshots with names, dates, or a special message for your guests. The nicest part of using a photo booth is that everyone can take their photos home at the end of the evening, giving them an unforgettable reminder of your party. It’s so much nicer than waiting around for weeks to get photos developed, and the quality of the photographs will be guaranteed. Besides, there’s just something about slipping into a photo booth that seems to encourage laughter and the occasional stolen kiss!
Make Your Party A Guessing Game
If you’re serving drinks at your party, consider turning the night into a “guessing game.” If you’re creative, try making a few signature cocktails to serve to your guests, or consult with an experienced bartender or mixologist to come up with a few unique and tasty concoctions to serve your guests. Print out cards before the party where guests can write down what they think the recipes are for your signature drinks. Give prizes (perhaps a lovely set of crystal highball glasses or a fine bottle of wine) for whoever correctly guesses your drink recipes. At the end of the evening, give everyone a printed version of each recipe so they can recreate the cocktails at home.
Celebrate Something Weird
There are several websites such as www.brownielocks.com and www.gone-ta-pott.com that have lists of actual U.S. holidays that are unusual, fun or downright bizarre. If you’re looking for a great way to throw a party that will have everyone intrigued, look for a few of the weirdest celebrations and build your party around them.
On April 2, celebrate International Pillow Fight Day by inviting guests to a slumber party and ask your guests to wear their favorite pajamas. Hosting a party on Banned Books Week (September 24 – October 1) for friends who appreciate great books is easy – ask everyone to bring a copy of their favorite banned book and have a book swap. Or celebrate September 19th (National Talk Like A Pirate Day) by inviting guests to come as their favorite swashbuckler. If you’ve also rented that photo booth mentioned earlier, you’ll be sure to end up with some great photographs that are guaranteed to become cherished mementos long after the party is over.
