Between creating an invite list, figuring out a theme, deciding on food and so much more, there’s a lot to think about when it comes time to actually execute a plan. But it can be overwhelming to sit down and try to do it all at once, especially if you’re not sure where to start or if your list of to-dos continues to build before being able to cross anything off. Not to worry, though! We’ve got all the steps on party planning that will make the experience a breeze.
How to plan a birthday party
Birthday party planning doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming if you keep yourself organized. Creating a checklist and a timeline to keep things moving along will ensure that, by the day of the party, you can concentrate on making memories knowing that all of the pieces have fallen into place. Below we have simplified the steps for you, and included timeline suggestions that will surely help you have as much fun planning the party as you will have during the party!
Start things off with a checklist
Budget The set amount of money you are comfortable spending.ThemeDecorationsLocation NeedsCostumes/FavorsInvitationsNumber of guests (kids only, family, friends)Date & Location (inside, outside, etc.)Time & Duration of eventActivities (games/no games/pony rides, etc.)Ordering & Preparing FoodFoodAppetizersCakePhotographer (optional)
Create a Budget
How much we spend while planning an event can definitely stress people out. If you start out the birthday planning process with a set amount—and more importantly, stick to it—the risk of overspending is greatly reduced. Try not to change the theme midway, or let others persuade you into the “bigger is better” or “you should do this,” mindset either. If your event is a milestone birthday like a first or 13th or extravagantly themed, then you may need to start saving your money in advance, making sure you have enough by the time you have to start buying or putting down deposits for the event. Since money is high on the list of arguments within couples, planning a birthday party appropriate to your budget will help keep tensions low, making the planning process go smoothly, and dare I say, more delightfully. Planning Pro-Tip: Set a budget YOU are comfortable with and start saving up to three to six months in advance!
Brainstorm a Theme
Carnivals, dinosaurs, princesses and superheroes—themes are fantastically fun! (Honestly, even adult birthdays can be exciting with choices like an ’80s bash, campfire cocktails, karaoke or maybe a board game bonanza.) You can choose to decorate with a specific color scheme, go with a book, TV or movie theme (think “Alice in One-derland,” “Two Infinity and Beyond,” have all things Paw Patrol, etc.) or even focus on an activity-theme (such as having cowboy hat favors for every guest if you’re all going horseback riding). Planning Pro-Tip: Think about what your child loves, and not necessarily what’s trendy.
Choose a Location
There is no limit to where your imagination can take you, but there is a limit to where your pocketbook can. Choose what’s right for you, your budget and the space available to you, and give yourself at least two months for ordering and buying items needed to pull off your theme. Parties can be over-the-top and expensive, too—decorations, location rentals or anything else you may need to purchase for a theme-based birthday party can add up quickly. Just know it is also okay to have just a simple celebration with cake and ice cream! One of the easiest ways to make sure your theme is just how you’d like it involves throwing the party in your home. That way, you can start decorating days (or even weeks) ahead of time! However, renting a hall is also appealing as it’s an open indoor space that gives you a clean slate to bring your theme to life. Having a location other than your home knocks cleaning before the party off of your list, but you usually have cleanup required afterward. If your theme requires an outdoor location, choose one that is flexible enough to accommodate changes due to unforeseen weather circumstances. Now that you have a budget set, and have decided on a theme (or no theme), let’s start planning the details! Planning Pro-Tip: Make sure your theme fits into your budget!
Figure Out the Invitations
There are choices when it comes to the invites for the birthday party planning. If you go the more formal route with paper invitations in the mail, make sure to send them out at least four weeks in advance, in order to give them plenty of time to respond. Electronic invitations are becoming more popular because they reach everyone right away and allow them to respond quickly. However, people are busy these days, so make sure you are still sending these out two to three weeks before the big date so people can adjust their schedules to be able to attend (and it might help to send out a reminder or two). Whichever invitation you choose to send, have people RSVP as soon as possible to make the rest of the planning more accurate. How many people are you inviting? Birthday parties are special celebrations, and you get to choose if you want them to be intimate gatherings with just your nearest and dearest, or larger affairs with extended family and/or your child’s entire class. It’s important to have an idea of the number of people you’ll be inviting as you start planning a party. After all, this number impacts food, favors, cake and location. What time are the festivities? Parties on the actual birthday can be extra special, but not always easy to do. Larger celebrations are easier to plan and execute for weekend dates. On the invitations, it’s a good idea to include the specific timeframe that you are having the party. Unless you want an all-day event, make sure to be clear about the start and end times. This gives you plenty of time for cleaning up after everyone leaves—a very important thing to remember if you are at a specific location (or even at home, TBH). You may be out a deposit if you don’t clean up well enough after the party. Planning Pro Tip: Send out invitations far enough in advance so that you can get responses in time to have an accurate headcount for food planning.
Ordering Food and Cake
Once you have a tally of guests, you can decide how you want to do food. Catering can make it easy on you, but it may stretch the budget. Picking up some pizzas might be more budget-friendly, while still giving you a bit of a break as well. Another option is to either make all the food yourself, or ask family and friends to help bring dishes. Decide whether you are having just snacks, or an actual meal, and create a list of the items you need to make everything. If the items are non-perishable you can start buying right away and keep them aside for the big day. Fresh items should be bought the week of the party and can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, for optimal freshness. (You have enough things to worry about on the day of the party, so anything you can knock out ahead of time is a bonus!) Not everyone prepares food for birthday parties, but there is almost always a birthday cake! Are you making one yourself, or having it made? If you are ordering one, call the baker as soon as you start planning the birthday festivities to get on their schedule (or fill out a form online). Check it off your list, and make sure to pick it up on the morning of the big day. If you choose to make one, then you could bake it the day ahead and frost it the day of. If you want one less thing to do, ask a family or friend to be in charge of making and bringing it. Check-in with them the week before to make sure they are still able to make the cake, giving yourself a buffer if something should come up. And no matter what route you go with feeding your guests, it’s a good idea to find out ahead of time if there are any food allergies. Planning Pro Tip: When in doubt, ask for help!
Activities
It seems that with some imagination (and a little Pinterest), there is no limit to what ideas you can come up with to keep guests busy. If your theme is “Wild Africa,” a small petting zoo may be in order. If the birthday is for a pre-teen, maybe create something a bit more low-key like s’mores by the campfire. It’s a good idea to think about specific games that you’ll want to set up and play during the event, whether they’re board games, lawn games or classics like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Have activities in place before the guests arrive, having friends and family help you set up that morning if needed.
Photographer (Optional)
When smartphones just don’t cut it for your extra special birthdays, you may want to hire a photographer. Check your budget, and make it a priority to call in the very beginning stages of planning your party. Great photographers are hard to come by—their schedules fill up quickly—so get your date saved with them ASAP. A lot of details can go into planning a birthday party. To make it the best one ever, stay organized with a list, give yourself plenty of time in case you run into snags and never hesitate to delegate! Next up, 63 funny happy birthday memes!
