When it comes to party planning, you need to consider several things, but one of the most time-consuming is coming up with the theme. Now, the theme affects all other aspects of the party, so you need to pick a good one. Choosing a theme can be a little challenging for some because there are so many options it can feel a little overwhelming. This is why we have put together the following guide, so let’s dive in.
Initial Considerations
Before you can get to choose the theme, there are a number of things that you need to think about. Firstly, what type of event are you throwing? The level of formality will likely inform your choice of theme. Next, you need to think about who the guests are. How well do you know them, and what is the average age? You need to ensure that the theme is going to be appropriate for all those in attendance. Lastly, what type of budget are you working with? How much are you willing to spend on decorations and nailing the theme for your party? If your budget is smaller, then it makes more sense to pick a theme that doesn’t need as much décor or one that you can DIY for.
Coming Up with the Concept
After you have the initial considerations out of the way, you need to start thinking about the concepts that you want to use. Firstly, you need to make sure that the themes you are considering will match the occasion. For example, a child’s party is going to have different themes from a 21st, or a wedding anniversary is going to be different from a graduation party. Then, it’s crucial to ensure that decorations reflect the theme accurately, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for the guests. There are numerous ways to achieve this, but incorporating custom-made decorations is undoubtedly the best solution. Personalized banners, made-to-order neon lights, and custom inflatables are great examples of custom-made decorations that can elevate the party’s atmosphere. In particular, custom-created inflatables are incredibly versatile and can be created to match any theme beautifully. They allow you to create the perfect scene that complements your theme and sets the tone for an unforgettable party. Whatever theme you choose needs to feel natural with the occasion that you are celebrating, so bear that in mind.
After you have done that, you can start to look at the calendar for inspiration. There are a lot of national holidays that you could use as a theme if they fall within the catchment period for your party. Of course, you could choose the bigger, more widely recognized holidays, but there are plenty of niche ones too. For example, you could choose to go with something like earth day for a theme using Greenenvelope’s guide for inspiration. They also have several other resources and theme suggestions to pick from and provide you with templates that you can use to create your invites.
If you want to opt for a more personal theme, you could simply think about the things you like. When it comes down to it, a party is simply entertaining your own self-interests. You could choose to use your favorite film, a hobby, or even a color that you like as your theme. Or, you could check out the trends for the time and see if any of those mesh with your interest to come up with a theme. For example, 70s and 00s fashion are seeing a resurgence recently, so they could make great themes for a party if you also have an interest in those eras.
Brainstorm Your Ideas
Using the suggested methods above, you should now start brainstorming potential ideas for your party theme. You could use a site like Pinterest to pull some inspiration together and create a few mood boards for your theme ideas. Think about the things that would accompany each idea, such as dress codes, refreshments, décor, and entertainment. You might also want to consider other parties that you have hosted or been to and how they were received. If enough time has elapsed, you could reuse an old theme, updating it as necessary.
It’s not easy to throw a party. If you want your party to be the talk of the town, you have to work hard (and smart!) for it. Part of your brainstorming should include research. Suppose you watched The Princess Bride and loved it. Now you want to make the movie your party theme. The first thing you should do is to identify the era of your favorite movie. Otherwise, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to look for background designs and costumes to go with your theme. If you know that The Princess Bride is set up in medieval times, you can limit your selections to medieval-themed clothing shops.
Be Realistic
While it is great to let your imagination run free whilst you are brainstorming, when it comes time to narrow down your options, you need to be more realistic. Although you don’t necessarily need to have a definitive plan in place, you should start to think about how much time, energy and money each theme will take to pull off properly. Most parties should only take a few days to plan in their entirety; putting the pieces together and procuring all of the supplies can take longer. So think about what time requirement each theme has. Is it a more niche theme that will be more difficult to decorate for? Or is it fairly straightforward and easy to set up?
Money is also a huge consideration when it comes to throwing a party. You need to have a budget so that you can avoid spending too much money. Things like the venue, refreshments, entertainment and decorations can quickly add up. That being said, there are ways to save money; for example, you could host at your house and have your guests contribute a dish or set up a playlist as your entertainment. Finally, you need to think about how much energy it is going to take to pull the party together. Some themes are going to be more difficult, and they have more elements at play, so they can be quite draining to plan for.
Ask for Feedback
If you are still struggling between a couple of ideas, then it is time to enlist some help. Ask a few of your friends or family – if you’re going to invite them to the party; otherwise, it could be awkward – for their opinions. They might have a preference and help you choose. They might also have a few good ideas that you hadn’t previously considered, which could be even better than your ideas. Ask them for suggestions on how to decorate and put the party together too. Sometimes they can catch things that you have missed or steer you away from bad, distasteful, or inappropriate ideas.
Summary
The theme that you choose will inform the rest of the party planning, so you need to pick the right one. Use the tips above to help you when it comes to choosing the theme for your next party. If in doubt, you can always go simple or choose a tried-and-true theme. Finally, remember that parties are meant to be fun, so don’t get too stressed out about it.
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