Hosting the best party in town requires a lot of work. But it is achievable. Here are a few tips that can help you perfect your hosting skills.
Set Expectations
The secret to making a party or get-together successful is in putting things in place before the event actually takes place. This calls for strategic planning. You want to be deliberate about managing your space. When it comes to space, bigger does not always mean better.
You don’t want people to start drifting through a cavernous space and miss out on one of the most pleasant things about a party: the chance to bump into someone new and start talking. As long as what you have has the capacity to contain the number of guests you are looking to have, you can set the ball rolling. But before then, there are important questions you need to ask yourself.
“Why are we getting together?”
“Why is it important?”
In solving the two ultimate questions, you will find that some deeper questions will start to pop up. Ask again, “Why?”
When you ask yourself, “Why do I want to throw a big party for my father’s burial ceremony?”
You may come up with, “I’ll never get a chance to celebrate them more than I already did.” Well, if your answer is “It’s how it’s always been done in my family.” You may want to ask again, “Does this…party reflect my values? If not, How do I change it so it does?”
Sometimes it takes a bunch of answers to drill down to the real goal. Especially when you have a thousand answers to just one question.
Also in managing your space, remember that less is more. Don’t go overboard with decorations. Choose a theme and follow through. Make it simple and classy. Play with the lighting to set the right tone.
Know Your Guests
Who are the people you are inviting? It’s best to invite the right people. You don’t want just about everybody to be in your party and cart away the things you have taken your time to prepare for your guests. If you need to do an RSVP, do it with all pleasure. The goal is to know their preferences so you can plan better. You want to know if they will come with children and nannies, what time they would most likely turn up so you can have an idea of how many guests to expect for say, an after-party. Most people opt for the Strictly IV for crowd control. If that’s what you want, put some measures in place to bounce those who aren’t. Don’t meddle in the security process during the party. Trust me, you won’t have enough meetings and greetings with guests.
Food & Drinks
You don’t have to have too much food and drinks. Create options. What are the generally acceptable party foods in your culture? What traditional or indigenous meals can you add to the menu list?
How about drinks and snacks to go in-between? The quantity of food and drinks should be proportionate to the number of guests. If you are inviting 150 guests, be ready to cater for about 250 people. If you only want 50 guests, you can be prepared to feed between 80 and 100 people.
Playlist
Your playlist can be influenced by the kinds of people you wish to invite. Are you expecting old people? Male or female? Couples or single folks? 
People in their 20’s or 30’s? Children or adolescents? Or a blend of all? Select a playlist that even the most reserved person on your guest list can vibe to. These days, it’s so easy to manage that. Hire a good DJ to get the job done.