If you’re like me, it’s really, really tough to have to ask people for help. However, when you have a lot of things to get done to prepare for the big day, having a pair of extra hands can be a real lifesaver!
A trusted friend or family member will be more than pleased to help you out with anything you need. Not only will they be able to help you get things done more quickly, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to catch up and have a little bit of a gossip too!
No matter whether you’re hosting a large party or a little get-together, a helping hand will make things go so much more smoothly.
Here are some of the ways that having a friend or family member on hand will really help you out with your party planning!
Planning
Planning a celebration is a lot more fun when you have a friend to help you out. They can help you think of ideas, decide on the perfect theme and search for decorations!
Some ideas you can work on together include:
- Deciding a party theme
- Brainstorming some great food and drink ideas
- Designing the invites and menu
- Coming up with a signature cocktail
- Buying decorations and looking for a fancy dress
- Thinking of fun party games to play
Make a fun afternoon of it! Load up your favorite show on Netflix, get some tasty nibbles in and fire up your laptops to check out Pinterest for nifty decorating ideas. Once you’re done buying all the things you need, you can toast your success with a large glass of wine!
Alternatively, why not have an afternoon shopping for bargains at your favorite local party store? Once you’ve got what you need, you can celebrate with a well-deserved cup of coffee and a slice of cake.
Food Preparation
Even if you love to cook, it’s always a good idea to enlist some help with the food preparations. Think of your friend or family member as your designated sous chef.
If you plan on cooking everything, the work will go much faster with another set of hands to help out, and the time will pass by a lot more quickly with someone to chat with.
Work out in advance what you want your friend to help with, whether that is peeling vegetables or stirring soups and sauces on the stove. Clear delegation will mean that things get done a lot more efficiently.
If you need to spend time prepping in the kitchen on the day of the party, get your friend to run out to the store and pick out snacks and last-minute items. For my last shindig, my girlfriend ran out to the store to get a large order of queso and chips, which was a massive help.
If people offer to bring food, I always ask if they can bring along an appetizer, salad or dessert of their choice. Whether home-made or store-bought, all help is much appreciated!
My top tip is always to make a note of what friends and family say they will bring to your party so you can prep your own food accordingly. After all, you don’t want to end up with ten bowls of potato salad and no dessert!
The Day Before The Party
For large get-togethers, you will definitely want a little bit of extra help to get set up!
Take the opportunity to ask a few people to help you out with different tasks, and always be mindful of their time. You shouldn’t expect one person to help with all of your items on your list.
Always give people tasks that line up with their specific skill set or interests. For example, you may have a friend with a flair for decorating that can help make your yard look fantastic! If you have a family member with a van, ask them to pick up the balloons you ordered from the party store.
If you are borrowing canopies, tables and chairs from friends and family members, ask them if they can drop them off the day before. That gives you plenty of time to get them set up, as well as time to make alternative arrangements if you find out what you are borrowing isn’t quite right for your needs.
Don’t forget to say thank you to anyone who helps you out! Have some cold drinks and snacks on hand for your enlisted volunteers to show your appreciation, and always offer to pay any fuel money.
The Big Day
The big day has arrived! If you haven’t asked for help from friends or family yet, now is the time to make sure your event runs as smoothly as possible.
Ask at least one person to come an hour before your guests arrive to help you set up. If you need to spend time in the kitchen preparing food at the start of the party, a friend can help greet guests, mix up some cocktails and get everybody socializing while you do what you need to do.
Once the party is over, and most people have gone home, ask one person to stay afterwards to help you clean up and put everything away. Once you’re done, pour both of you a big drink… you deserve it!
In Summary
When asking for help, you will have a clear mind and will not be stressed out when your guests arrive. Remember the whole reason for having your party is to enjoy it, and getting help from friends and family will help you enjoy it a lot more!
I hope that this short guide has given you some ideas about how you can get your friends and family to help you plan your party, and has given you a little bit of extra confidence to ask them to help out!
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