Looking to throw the ultimate birthday party in NYC that will wow your guests? To create the perfect party, a great deal of planning needs to take place prior to your celebration day. From themes to invitations, there are a number of details to take into consideration to make your birthday party successful. Even a simple party requires planning. The sooner you start organizing, the earlier the excitement begins and the fewer details you’ll have to work out on the day itself. Follow these six steps to plan your perfect birthday party.
1. Budget
Into every party plan, one must first take into consideration a budget. Be realistic about what you can spend and then stick to that limit. It’s also important to decide what the main factors are in regards to your party. Are you set on a big, extravagant birthday celebration in the heart of Manhattan? How much space will you be renting out? Will you be hiring entertainment? Will you need lots of decorations and accessories? Budget the largest chunk of change to whatever you think are the “must-haves” for your party and then fine-tune the remainder of your budget accordingly.

2. Pick a Theme
Your theme helps define your party and give refined indicators as to the style, tone and type of festivity your guests can expect. A theme can tell your guests whether it’s going to be a chic, elegant and sophisticated evening, or a relaxed and casual celebration.
The theme is often the first impression and piece of information you give to your guests. It could be the difference between them deciding whether to come to your party or not. When it comes to choosing a theme for a birthday party, the list is long. From surprise parties to Hollywood glamour or Great Gatsby, there are tons of themes you can make uniquely your own for your birthday bash. It’s essential you’re your party theme is exciting and inspiring, maybe even a little unusual. You want to capture your guest’s imagination right from the start and make them curious about what to expect.

Put yourself in your guest’s shoes. Try a theme that is unique or hasn’t been used before. For example, you receive an invitation to a Massacre themed birthday party. What comes to mind? It has mysterious and romantic connotations. It induces the idea of discovering something special and hidden behind the elegant face mask. This theme hints at something and tempers the imagination, but because it hasn’t been overused you’re not entirely sure what it will entail.

3. Guest List
Who will you invite to your birthday party? Are you looking to keep it small and simple with just a few close friends? Or maybe you’re leaning toward a larger gathering with friends, family and co-workers? Will it be a “girls only” or “guys only” kind of night? When it comes to picking the right people to attend your special day, it’s important to plan this part with your budget in mind in order to try to determine how many guests will be invited to the shindig.

4. When & Where
Once you have a rough estimate of how many people may be attending, you’ll need to decide where to have your birthday celebration. Are you interested in celebrating on a rooftop overlooking the city skyline on a hot summer night or a luxurious lounge during those cold winter months? Once you pick your ideal location that will suit your needs, then its time to set a date and time. Again when picking a date and time, think of your guests needs and schedules. If you’re planning to throw the perfect party it’s important to choose an ideal day and time when you know your guests will be available and ready to party all night long.

5. Invitations
Once you’ve determined the theme, location, date and time, it’s time to send out the invitations. Try to send them 4-6 weeks ahead of time so that the guests have plenty of time to purchase a gift and make travel arrangements. A good party invitation will be designed to reflect the theme of the party. The invitations can range from formal and traditional to casual and fun. Many people even choose to simply print their own, especially if they’re on a budget. When creating your invitations, it’s important to try and come up with original party invitation ideas. Any good professional party planner will inform you that having creative and well-designed party invitations is one of the most key details of any birthday party. Your invitation may convince whether your guests decide to come or not. Therefore it’s not only important that your invitation stands out and captures your guests attention, but you also want it to catch their imagination and get them excited about attending.

6. On the Menu
What kind of cocktails will you serve? Will there be an open bar? What type of food will you be serving? When planning drinks, be sure to offer a variety of different options such as cocktails, beer, wine, etc. In addition, plan to have caffeine and alcohol-free options available, too. Whether you’re serving finger-type foods or having the event catered, now is the time to plan what will be served to eat. This is also the time to select what type of cake you’ll serve. Depending on the size of you party and the number of guests that plan to attend, you should estimate the amount of food items you would like to offer as well as the size of the cake. Also keep in mind any food allergies that your guests might have.

Need help? Birthdays and Bottles is NYC’s premier party planning service. Get in touch with us today to book your party!