Party Planning Basics
Once your daughter becomes engaged, there will be parties galore. While in some cases the only thing you will be responsible for is showing up with your best MOB smile, in other cases you will be involved with much of the planning. In fact, the pre-wedding parties are where you might gain party planning insight and learn valuable research skills that you can carry over into planning the wedding itself. This all depends, of course, on how large and/or how formal each event will be. If you're thinking about hosting an at-home engagement party, for example, you'll have to either find a caterer or come up with a mathematical equation to figure out how many gallons of macaroni salad and how many packages of rolls you'll need for fifty hungry guests. These particular planning skills may or may not come in handy for planning the reception.
Don't go way over your budget when planning a party. It's very easy to start overspending once you're presented with the most magnificent options. Stick to your plan, and don't allow yourself to be pulled into anything that you might regret later. (Remember, you're going to be shelling out for a wedding soon.)
An organizational system, whether that means colored folders, computer files, and/or an actual file cabinet, will be your best friend when you're putting together an event like this. Organization is the key to successful party planning. You'll never attend a creative, brilliantly planned party and hear the hostess say, “You know, it just all took care of itself. I don't even remember the name of the caterer.” (If she does say this, she's not telling the truth.)
If disorganization has been a lifelong problem for you, you're probably thinking that there's no hope — disorder is order for you, and you can't change now. Wrong, Mom. There's always hope for even the most diehard clutter lovers. How does one get organized quickly and painlessly?
Start small. Don't try to compartmentalize your entire life at once. Planning an event is a nice way to segue into overall organization.
Invest in supplies. Getting things in order doesn't have to be expensive. Buy a used file cabinet; pick up a box of file folders; install some organizational software on your PC. The money you spend will be well worth the aggravation you save yourself in the end.
Label everything. Have one folder for receipts, another for literature on vendors, another for the guest list, etc. Put a big label on each file so that you don't accidentally lose your guest list in the recipe file.
Don't compare yourself to others. Your best friend might be the most organized person on the planet; however, the system that works for her may not work for you, so go into this with an open mind. Find your own best methods for keeping information tidy.
A positive attitude is required for those who are striving for order. Do your best to stay on top of things. (Don't let papers pile up until you have to sort them into their various files — something's sure to get lost in the shuffle.) You might surprise yourself, and you might discover that you enjoy being able to find what you're looking for when you're looking for it (and not three months later).
Be Strong!Depending on the size of the party, you may find yourself interviewing various vendors. If you've never been in this position before, and you're not comfortable asking difficult (or even necessary) questions, you might feel a little shy or awkward about the whole thing. Remember this: Vendors deal with potential customers every single day. These customers ask the most off-the-wall, outrageous, beside-the-point questions. They've cleared the path for you already. There is absolutely nothing you can ask a vendor that they haven't already been asked. So don't be bashful.
Don't let a banquet manager or restaurant owner or caterer allow you to feel less than intelligent. While it's true that certain businesses make their livings off of weddings and pre-wedding parties (and therefore know a lot about them — more than the average bride or MOB), part of their business is (nicely) providing you with all the information you're looking for so that you aren't entering into a blind deal with them. Many wedding-related businesses are excellent in the area of dealing with potential clients; these people know that alienating customers is not in their best interest. It's up to you to have a list of questions and to ask them; nice as these vendors may be, they aren't usually known for their clairvoyance.
When interviewing vendors, remember you're potentially entering into a business deal. That means you're paying them to provide you with a service. Any vendor who isn't willing or able to adequately address your questions and/or concerns is not someone you want to do business with.
Though it's easy to become distracted by the beauty of banquet rooms and the creativity of various caterers, when you're looking for the best vendor(s) for the party you're planning, keep in mind that you do have a budget to work with. Yes, the room may be lovely, but what about its price? The menu sounds scrumptious, but is it what you were thinking of in the first place? Keep your guard up just enough to retain a clear picture of the party you were planning before you stepped into the caterer's (or banquet manager's) office and seated yourself in the plush side chair.
