With its endless creativity and eye-catching aesthetic, it’s no wonder that planning your next themed party is as popular as they are. By putting together an invitation, decorations, food and music based on a central theme, you can easily set the stage for an unforgettable event that your guests will be talking about long after it’s over. If you’re looking to throw the next great themed party, here are some creative tips to help inspire you along the way.
1) Choose a Theme
You can’t plan a great party without first deciding on a theme. Start by looking at your calendar and seeing what day of the week is best suited to your event. This is crucial, as themed parties must be held when certain holidays are celebrated, like Cinco de Mayo or St. Patrick’s Day.
You can then think about themes that would complement your time slot—for example, if you host your soiree on Valentine’s Day weekend, don’t choose something gloomy like pirates; choose something romantic instead! From there, narrow down which theme you want to use before thinking about how it will impact other aspects of your special celebration. For example: maybe you want people in costume while celebrating Oktoberfest.
2) Begin Searching For Inspiration
There are a few places you can begin your search for themed party inspiration: Pinterest, Instagram, and Google. Searching on Google with relevant keywords like themes or topics is a great way to find related pictures that might give you some creative ideas.
Likewise, Instagram often comes up in searches for themed parties because it’s one of the top photo-sharing apps around. Just hashtag #themedparty in a relevant post and leave it up to others in your industry or niche to repost pictures they see! Finally, Pinterest is without question one of your best bets when trying to find photos of themed parties, primarily since so many people use it as their go-to resource for home decoration tips.
3) Create the Invitations
If you’re planning a party, you’ll need to send invitations to let your guests know about it. Create fun, colourful invites that are consistent with your theme, whether it’s formal or playful. You can use invitations as part of your overall theme by having them coordinate with other items at your party. For example, if you have a jungle-themed party but are sending out cardstock invitations, you can find paper plates and cups in jungle prints that match.
4) Decide on Food Options
When hosting a themed party, one of your best bets is to play into that theme in some small way with your beverages. For example, if you’re planning an Alice in Wonderland-themed party (complete with Mad Hatter), be sure to offer guests regular and decaf tea rather than coffee.
Or, if you’re planning a zombie-themed affair, serve blood-orange juice or bloody marys alongside traditional citrus juices. Some creative beverage solutions can work their way into your serving style, too; what about offering straws dyed green like grass stalks at a luau?
If you’re throwing a formal party (think class reunion or wedding reception), make sure to dress up standard fares like ketchup and mustard. You can even hire someone off Craigslist or at Party City who specialises in serving food creatively. Just make sure not to go overboard with too many gimmicks—your focus should still be on providing delicious food.
5) Select Beverages
Beverages are one of those things that can either make or break a party. If you’re choosing to host a themed party, pay special attention to beverage options. It might be fun to serve dragon-fruit cocktails, but it could lead to some interesting situations if your guests are underage or don’t care for melon liquors.
Consider having an assortment of nonalcoholic beverages available as well, so everyone can indulge in whatever drink they enjoy most. And as always, drink responsibly!
6) Locate a Venue that Fits your Theme
Finding a venue that fits your theme can be difficult, especially if you’re planning an unusual event. Start by choosing a date and contacting possible venues; if they don’t fit your needs (size-wise or otherwise), keep looking. If you find a suitable venue, make sure to book early; most venues require reservations. Then, start thinking about decorations—they can make or break your event!
