This is Weddings.com

FROM my 20 years as a wedding and party organiser, one of my most valuable lessons is that nothing is set in stone. Every occasion is different and if you want yours to be unique, you have to be bold. It’s your party and if you have your own style, show it.

OVERVIEW

It can take a while to find exactly what you want, so plan in advance. Get the big things in place before concerning yourself with the smaller details, as these will develop and change many times in the course of the build-up to your party. What is most important is to picture the overall style of how you imagine your perfect party. Try to think of it as building a house – you deal with the colours and decorating last.

CHOOSING YOUR VENUE

The venue needs a lot of thought. Too big and your party will feel that it lacks atmosphere – too small and you won’t all fit in. Wherever you choose, try to find somewhere with character.

YOU AND YOUR TEAM

It’s important to surround yourself with the right team of experts. So choose them carefully. Try to select helpers – florists, musicians, caterers – who can see the event through your eyes.

THE MUSIC

Live music creates a focal point for any party, so try to use a band if you can find a good one. Remember to be sensitive to the mood and also to the volume. Launching too much sound onto the guests too early isn’t a great start. It is also important to think about timings. For instance, I always ask a band to be on stage ready to play while the guests eat their last course. Book your entertainment and the rest of the evening can be built around this part.

THE FOOD

When is your party taking place? Summer or winter? This makes a big difference to the type of food you ultimately decide to serve. Salads aren’t always the perfect winter dish, but a warm salad could well be. The possibilities are endless and there are also many ways to present your food. I always ask a caterer to come up with the menus first. Then you can think about them. If you are serving canapes at the start of the reception, then you can choose all sorts of exciting ideas. Try some Thai nibbles, some Japanese Sushi maybe or add in different types of fish like tuna or swordfish. Once you’ve decided on the menu, the detail can begin. Think about the table linen, glassware, cutlery and china.

THINK LIKE A GUEST

I always close my eyes and walk through the whole day as if I were a guest – a perfectionist who is used to having everything arranged for himself all the time. I try always to think that if I can please the most difficult guest with the most bizarre requests, then I’ve won. Most guests are easy going – and pleasing easy going guests isn’t difficult – but pleasing demanding guests requires skill and diplomacy – and for you to think ahead.

THINK ABOUT YOURSELF

Yes, a lot of party organising is about pleasing your guests, but don’t forget yourself now – it’s your party. In the same way that I told you to close your eyes and “think like a guest” – do the same thing, but “think like a host or hostess”. Imagine yourself from the very beginning of the day. Plan time to have your hair done and get ready and give yourself enough space to deal with all the telephone calls you will get from guests who may make demands on your time before they arrive.

CREATE SOME MAGIC

This is all about making your party stand out from the rest and the simplest tricks and work wonders. For a romantic mood, for example, use candlelight combined with hundreds of little night-light candles in glass holders. And a style tip for you – use the colour black. Yes, black! In particular, try black table linen – it’s available from linen-hire companies in the UK and creates the same impact as “the little black dress” for a woman. Try it with some flowers in shocking colours for your table decorations. At a party, what makes the evening is the number of different diversions or surprises. Try to vary the music, think about the different stages of the evening and build up the atmosphere. Some interesting ways to do this could be incorporating wandering entertainers or maybe a cabaret after dinner.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN THINGS GO WRONG?

Life isn’t always mapped out the way you feel it should go! But take heart – your guests probably won’t even notice any little mishaps because they will be too busy concentrating on themselves. Just keep going and pretend nothing has happened.

DON’T GET UPTIGHT

Throughout your party planning, try to relax – however hard it seems. This is supposed to be an enjoyable day, so don’t get too stressed. Flexibility is the key. Ideas don’t always work, sometimes people drop out and occasionally things go wrong. But with any setbacks or surprises, take a step back and review your plans – after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

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