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Hosting a party is fun, hosting a successful party is a pat on your back. It all comes down to planning.
Deciding what type of party to have, a dinner party, an informal get together, a backyard party, or a child's birthday party, is an important part of planning. Take an honest look at the space and time available to you, and decide what type of party you have room for and time for. A formal party requires far more planning than an informal get together for cocktails.
Looking at the space you have available, will determine the number of guests you can invite. If you have a small dinning room that will only comfortable seat 8, don't plan a formal dinner party for 12, unless you have another room that will hold everyone comfortably.
When you invite your guests, make sure that you invite people that get along. There is nothing worse than having a party where two or more people are not talking to each other. It makes a strained atmosphere and will ruin an otherwise perfect party. Try to get a mix of people old and young, with similar interests.
Plan your activities, are you getting together to eat and talk, play cards, swim, or watch movies. It doesn't matter what you want to do, plan it out, and keep an alternate plan in mind for disasters, a swim party that gets rained out, can become a card party in no time.
If you are planning a potluck, then make sure you tell your guests that they need to bring a covered dish, or dessert, or entree. Plan for covering forgotten dishes, or dishes that don't go far enough.
If you are serving alcohol, make sure you have a plan in place for getting people home, or a place to sleep for the night. If you don't want alcohol involved, make sure that you let your guests know that alcohol will not be served, even if they bring it.
Plan your food out, always make extra, if you plan on 10 guests make enough for 12, to allow for larger appetites. If you know a guest has an allergy to certain foods, avoid serving them those particular foods, even if they are available for the party.
The idea is to make sure your guests feel comfortable and relaxed. A harried host or hostess will destroy the mood that you have worked so hard for. Prepare as much as possible ahead of time, so you can relax and enjoy your guests.
Planning a party is fun, cover as many problems ahead of time as possible, and you should have a party that people will be glad they came for, and hope for an invitation to your next one.
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