The Hassle-Free Hostess
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Meeting every work deadline, keeping your cool in traffic, paying your bills on time, and looking fabulous on top of it-you have ample reason to celebrate! Whether you’re throwing a black-tie affair, or hosting a ‘Dr. McDreamy’ viewing party for your nearest and dearest, the time it takes to plan a party usually far exceeds the duration of the event itself-a difficult reality for those of us with already-crowded schedules. With a little finesse and forethought, even the busiest executive can plan the kind of party both host and guests will enjoy.
Great Expectations
Your party will only be as complicated as the choices you make upfront (handwritten invitations vs. Evite.com; iPod vs. deejay). Be realistic with your time and expectations: if you work fourteen-hour days, a Friday night canapés-and-cocktails soirée is definitely doable. A masquerade ball? Less so.
Consider prep-time when sketching out your menu. However much you love to cook, the less time you spend in the kitchen the day of the event-when you’ll have more than just food to contend with-the less frazzled you’ll be. Frozen canapés are an efficient option: they can be purchased well in advance; they don’t require much time in the oven; and they are often quite yummy.
If you spend fifty-plus hours each week at your desk and you’re utterly determined to host a sit-down dinner for twenty, consider calling upon the expertise of a party planner (providing of course that you have the coffers to hand off the planning).
Work is Work
You won’t have much to celebrate if you get sacked for slacking off on the job. It’s tempting to dabble in party-planning from the office: the Internet is readily available for research and all-important party-related correspondence; your cell phone beckons you from its cradle on your desk; and many of the party vendors you desperately need/want to talk to are only open for business while you’re at work.
If you absolutely-positively must attend to party business while at your place of business, be discreet. Keep your cell phone on vibrate, and return party-related messages during your breaks (preferably out of earshot of your co-workers-especially if they’re not invited). When leaving after-hours messages for vendors, mention your daytime availability and ask them to connect with you at those convenient times. If they truly want your business, they’ll be flexible.
Be Prepared
Even when you don’t have any gatherings on your calendar, take a note from the Boy Scouts and be prepared for every festive eventuality. When an SUV of unexpected-but-welcome friends pulls up at your door, you’ll be grateful for a cupboard already stocked with munchies, napkins, candles, and other timeless party paraphernalia (and you’ll be ahead for scheduled parties before you even begin to plan).
Shiny, Happy People
What we often forget on our party to-do lists is the most important element of all: the people. You might supply the tunes and the hip setting and the grub and the vino, but it’s the happiness of the guests that make or break a party. Don’t sweat the stuff that doesn’t get done because, chances are, your guests won’t even notice unless you tell them. The equation for fiesta-success is simple: one organized, relaxed hostess plus a theme-appropriate combo of tunes/setting/grub/vino equals a room full of happy guests. Kick up your heels and enjoy your night!