Eddie's Advice on How to Plan
for and Have a Successful Party:
My reason for writing this: I've catered a
wide variety of events, ranging from my own personal house parties, to
professional corporate events, so I've learned a few tricks along the way. I'm frequently asked for advice from
people who've never, ever run an event in their lives. They have no idea what
to do, or even where to start. Yet, they're having a party, and they've decided
they're going to run it themselves. (Good for them! Go for it!!) Hopefully this
will help…
Running a party is no easy task. It's hard
work. It's an art. I've found that you can enjoy the party much more if you do
as much work as you can before the guests arrive. No matter what you do, you'll
be totally frazzled by the party's end….but with proper planning, it won't be
so overwhelming.. Much of the work is predictable, therefore, get it out of the
way beforehand when the pressure's off! Ultimately, you want to spend as much
time as you can socializing with your guests, instead of "working".
If you play your cards right, you might even actually enjoy yourself! (Try hard
to remember that the party is supposed to be FUN for you).
Why do you need to do this? When your guests
arrive, everybody flocks to the host with questions, conversation, requests for
directions, wanting tours of the house, minor emergencies, and a multitude of
various requests. The list is endless. During the party is NOT the time to;
begin searching for extension cords, tablecloths, adequate lighting, garbage
bags, toilet paper or start new chores such as chopping onions, raking the leaves, etc. Do as much as
you can BEFORE the party, so you can be free for your guests. Try as you might,
you just can't do 10 million things at once.
I've assembled a list of things that can help maintain your sanity, starting with some random thoughts:
-Send out invitations as early as possible
with all the pertinent details. (Important to get on people's calendar
ASAP-discussed later). Include clearly written directions, preferably with a
map. Give any special instructions or requests. (I.e. If you'd like them to
bring something). [For my own larger parties, I ask that guests bring their own
beer, and appetizers or desserts. I handle the main courses].
-Assume Rain, Plan accordingly…bright sunny
days falling on your party date is totally against Murphy's Law. . If it rains,
your party can be trashed in minutes. Be able to move things inside, or rent
party canopies, or go to the Costco, Suck it up and buy a few 10x10 Pop Up
Canopies which you'll use over and over again for years to come.
Or have an alternate site arranged. Whatever, just be ready for
rainouts. Start checking the Weather Channel 3 days before the party, so you'll
have an idea how "rainproof" you should be. (It can be a non-issue
completely). Operate "rain or shine" if possible, and announce that
in the invitations. CLEAN THE GARAGE
OUT before the party! The Garage is a
great back-up plan for rain. (grilling
indoors is not recommended). My
experience has shown that rain is not the end of the world. In fact, it's actually made a few parties
better. It forces the crowd to seek
the same shelter, thereby creating a denser gathering. This forces people to be more social than
if they were spread all over the property.
The adventurous people with great attitudes really shine here...and are
a breath of fresh air in comparison to the whiners and complainers.
-Surprise parties often are more problems
then they're worth. Many times, the guest of honor is annoyed with the
surprise, is unprepared for the day…and sometimes makes other plans that are
difficult to break. The work involved with keeping the party secret is
excessive. It's also annoying because people can't contact you freely without
fear of letting the "cat out of the bag". I'd encourage you to invest
your energies into the party itself, and not arranging the "surprise"
part. Surprise parties add a level of stress to the host…and more often than
not, are a yawn.
-Nail down the headcount. (The reason I
advised you to get invitations out ASAP). Follow up with phone calls or RSVP
cards.. anything to get the most accurate headcount you can. Too often,
hundreds of dollars worth of food/beverage is wasted because the host planned
for way more people than actually showed up. (I call this "Fantasy
Partying"). The extra food is a logistical nightmare to handle, and will
triple the work required to clean-up after the party. It's pretty damned depressing
to expect and gear up for 150 people and 25 show up…. That can make the most
popular person feel like the biggest loser. It's also lame to expect 25 and be
totally unprepared for the 150 that actually show up! Bad estimations have
profound impact on the party..
-If the headcount is up in the air, some of
the menu should be food or beverage that can be salvaged for later use. Split
the beer between kegged and canned (the backup cans of beer can be saved, if
needed). Serve Fresh food and also have backup frozen food. Some food items are
easily kept frozen until cooking time (Burgers, small packages of hotdogs,
rolls, hors deovers). If too many people show up, pull it out and cook it. If
not enough people show up, it at least won't be wasted.
-Plan a menu that's easy to heat n' serve at
the party (as opposed to needing excessive preparation time during the party).
Again, offload as much work to the days before the party. Lasagnas and Baked
Zitis can be made well in advance, and just heated…whereas to make it during
the party is insane. Previously made foods does not necessarily mean low
quality foods. Consider using throw-away foil trays, plasticware and paper
plates to reduce cleanup time.
-A commentary on people's general nature:
There are a lot of folks who "yes"
you to death, but often will not put their money where their mouth is. This is
especially important to realize if you expect people to "pitch in"
for help, or to pay for something. (More applicable to bus trips or anything involving
tickets). ALWAYS GET MONEY BEFOREHAND…*not* the day of the event.. When the rain
comes, and people don't show up as planned, you want to be protected from
getting burned financially. Besides, it's annoying to be a cashier AND a good
host at the same time.
-Typically, one person will take up 95% of
your energies (if you let him). Usually a very drunk person who's getting
rambunctious..always one in every drinking crowd. Quite often, you already know
who this person will be. Consider NOT inviting this person. Ask yourself if you
really have the time and patience to be a babysitter.
-Host Drunkeness: Never a great idea to get
totally trashed at your own party. If you do, expect damaged equipment, wasted
food, and 5 times the work the next day usually with about 1/5th the
energy needed to do it. Save the drunkeness for another time. You've got work
to do.
BE PREPARED:
-Directions:
Surprising how much time a host spends giving directions to people, before,
during, and after the party (either people who call during the party, or need
to get home). Prepare written directions in large legible print (readable while
nightime driving), preferably with a map, and photocopy a stack of them.
Include your address and phone number on it so they can phone you from the road
when they screw up. Sending them out with the invitation reduces the phone
calls during party-prep time. Have a stack onhand so you can hand one off
during the party for people wanting to go home. (Keep the original in a safe
place because you'll use it over and over again, year after year for similar
situations). If the reverse
directions are not particularly easy, consider a special set of directions that
describe concisely how to GET OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD or at the very least, to the nearest big
road/interstate highway. A frequently
asked late night question: "Now
how do I get out of here again!!??"
Tear off a sheet a paper, and get 'em on their way.
-Food estimates: Think of the biggest meal
you can eat at one sitting, which is near 1.5lbs. Multiply that times the
number of people, and you'll get an approximate total poundage needed. That'll
get you thru one meal. Multiply times number of meals expected to be served.
Decrease quantities if you expect a lot of kids, or weight conscious adults.
Increase quantities if the crowd are overweight male heavy drinkers with big
appetites.
-Have enough beer so the drunks don't have to
drive anywhere at midnight to find more. (As previously mentioned, buy backup
canned beer, so that if it goes unused, it won't go bad). While we're at it,
keep an eye on the drunks. Needless to say, due to the host liability
acts…drunks can really cause YOU some damage if they get into an accident on
the way home (not to mention the pain & suffering they can cause to the
injured people). The best party can be reduced to your worst nightmare if
there's a DWI incident. Be firm. NO DRUNK DRIVING. Tough to gauge beer
estimates…. In the Fraternity days, we got 25 people absolutely hammered on one
keg. As we got older, 70 people did good damage to a keg.
-Label things! Just the simple act of marking
coolers with what's inside, or where to throw the recyclables, or where the
bathroom is, leaving simple directions how to use something…..or even warning
signs….will keep one or two people from occupying your time during the party.
-Kid-proof your house! Or make parents aware
of your lack of "kid-proofness".
Unsupervised kids can do allot of damage. Keep children from flushing objects into the toilets too.
-Adult Proof your house. Put away things you
don't want people to mess with.
-Protect the rugs. Especially if rain is
predicted. People will track in mud and wreck the carpet…leaving you with a
$150 worth of steamcleaning to do. Consider plastic "runners", or
cheap throwrugs to the path of the bathroom or other hi-traffic areas. Rent a
port-o-john if you don't want people in the house. Liberal use of bath mats and
doormats may help.
-Bathrooms. If you have a septic system, it
may not handle the load. Rent Port-o-Johns.
Or if decor allows, with a tarp
and some rope, make a private area/temporary latrine outside for guys to
relieve themselves. (freeing up the flush facilities for the ladies).
A partial list of things to do ahead of
time: (Underlined Items are an
"at-a-glance" shopping list).
-Clean the house! Nobody likes to party in a
garbage dump.
-Clear out the Garage as the backup plan for
rain.
-Clean bathrooms, Put out a few extra rolls
of toilet paper. Fresh Towels. Hand soap. Etc.
-Restock all paper goods & frequently
used products in house (paper towels, facial tissues, napkins).
Overbuy. It doesn't go bad. Have extra on
hand.
-Empty all the garbage containers, replace garbage
liners…and take out the garbage/recyclables that week. You'll need all the
space for the stuff generated from the party. Make sure plenty heavy-duty
liners are onhand for the cleanup.
-Scatter some trash bags or trash cans (Separate bags for
garbage and recyclables) around the property and house. If conveniently
located, people will use them! This will actually expedite the cleanup the next
day. Trick: Use clear bags for recyclables:
After the bag gets started, guests can "at-a-glance", figure out which
one is which!
-Mow the lawn, weed whack, trim bushes that
impose on walkways. Reduce tripping hazards.. I like to cut the lawn just
a day or two before the party. Extremely short grass doesn't like
traffic. Slightly longer grass can take more of a beating, but still looks
good..
-Is the stereo set up and ready to go?
Speakers placed? CDs out?
-Can you borrow some patio furniture from
your neighbors? Set it up beforehand.
-Pull out all the foldable chairs/tables.
-Replace burned out lightbulbs,
especially exterior bulbs.
-Arrange your exterior lighting. You certainly don't want to be searching for lights, extension cords, splitters, and outlets when nightfall hits and the party is in full swing. Do this the night before, and when it's dark, give it a test spin to reveal the trouble spots.
-Reduce Tripping hazards: If you're running
electrical cables for lighting/equipment or water hoses, orient them away from
foot traffic. Consider asking your neighbor to tap into their
services, as it may be the best way to reduce the hazards. If
no other choices, a throw rug over the hose could help.
Or depending on the circumstances, a few Bungee Cords or rope can orient the
hazards over the walkway. .
-Scrub patio furniture/hose off
decks/driveways. People hate sitting on grimy stuff.
-Have your preprinted directions on hand.
-Have an iced cooler for the warm beer that
people bring. Bottle openers/corkscrews onhand.
-Have open tablespace for gifts, cards, food
people bring. By the way, I leave a "address
update" sheet on this table, with a pen for people to update.
Helps me keep my address books current.
-Moms need a place for baby changing. Perhaps
set aside a bedroom with an open counter for this.
-Set aside one room for coats, if
appropriate.
-Expect people to bring things that need
refrigeration. Have space in fridges. Have coolers with extra ice.
-Have ashtrays/lighters/matches available.
Cans with sand work great as butt containers for the outside.
-Make sure all your bug control devices (torches,
citronella candles, pesticides) are onhand and ready to go.
-Make sure propane tanks are full and the
grill is operational at least one day before the party (giving yourself ample
time to make repairs (burners corrode in only 2-3 years) or refill
propane)…have an extra tank of propane on standby. Remember that
they no longer fill old style propane bottles.
-Clean the grill, have the following handy at
the grill: clean spatulas, paper towels, clean cooking utensils, wirebrush, oven
mitts, knives, forks, paper plates, clean cutting board, bowl for sauces/marinades, BBQ
brushes, clean towels, apron, etc. and a small water sprayer for small grill
grease fires.…all on a table near the grill.
-Have Tupperware, saran wrap, aluminum
foil & plastic/freezer bags ready for leftovers after the party.
(Refrigerate unused food ASAP).
-Have all your Dishwashing liquids/Sponges/Brillo out, near the sinks...to take advantage of the few cool folks who pitch in to wash dishes.
-Have all expected cooking/serving utensils
onhand and clean so you don't have to search/clean during the party. Make a
list.
-Anything you expect to use for the party (tablecloths, plasticware, plates, foil trays, sternos, steamtables, etc)…. Overbuy because it just doesn't go bad. Pull it all out the day before the party to reduce searching during the party. Quantities: Much depends on the duration of your event, but for an all day multi meal event... roughly people will each use 2 large dinner plates, 1 bowl, 2 small dessert plates, 3 forks, maybe one spoon, 1 knife, 5 napkins, and if they're a total drunk, 10 cups. Do the math yourself. I like to have an array of types and qualities of paper goods, because it encourages people to take the right item for the job. I hate to see a 10" Chinette Dinner plate expended for 2 cookies.
-A
stack of half sized catering foil trays (12" x 9" x 4"
deep) is well worth the investment due to it's diversity. They
are designed to fit into steamtables, making them the best choice for the food
you plan to serve. But that's the obvious
use. They can be very handy when you're preparing the food, as
a temporary extension of your equipment. Also can be used for
handy trays for forks, knives, spoons, napkins. Rinse out
lightly used ones, and reuse to store leftovers, or make doggie
bags. Flip over to use as a quick cover for a food-filled
pan. During party close-out, dump all sorts
of nasty things into used pans and discard. The list
goes on and on. With heavy duty scissors, the pans are a quick
source of sheet metal, for rain/wind diversion, or other strange emergency repairs.
(don't cut yourself though).
-Have a food serving plan worked out. Do you
have enough tablespace? I've found it helpful to actually draw a map of the
tabletops, and where things should go, including a plan for serving utensils.
Are the tables level? If not, prop with wood.
-Will you need electricity for coffee pots,
hot trays? If so, set it up beforehand (make sure you have enough extension
cords & outlet splitters). Go to the Home Depot and buy 20
outlet splitters, and a couple of 3 prong>2 prong adaptors. .
Just do it. You'll probably need a couple.
-Write out the times for the food serving
plan. Actually write out a timeline. i.e. If serving the dinner at 7:00pm, the
Lasagna needs 1 hr to heat up, the bread needs 20 minutes, and the Baked Ziti
needs only 45 minutes…write out a sequence for yourself, so when the time comes
you don't even have to think..just refer to the list.
-Make sure potholders and oven mitts are near
the oven
-Are the lawn entertainment & sporting toys
ready? Volleyball nets,
horseshoe pits, toys for kids, pools clean, etc.
-Can you open up parking for guests by
putting your vehicles elsewhere? Neighbor's house?
-Pull out any pillows and blankets if you
expect people to stay over.
-Have breakfast foods & Coffee on hand for next morning guests and cleanup crews.
-The following objects have gotten me out of a jam: Duct Tape, Rope, String, Zip Ties, Magic Markers, Paint Pens, Paper, pens, Lighters, and without question, a Basic Toolkit (including hammer, nails, crescent wrench, scissors, screwdrivers). I also keep a small kit containing an array of nails, screws, hooks and eyescrews, zip ties, and bungee cords onhand.
-Food Service Grade, Heavy Duty Wide Foil: For me, an indispensable item. magical stuff. Aside from it's obvious uses of foiling up food trays, it has a million other purposes. I wrap grill tables with it, for a temporary clean surface, which will become wrecked with spilled sauces. Tear off and discard. Also I use the foil to manage wind gusts, which wreak havoc on King Cookers, Steamtables, and grills. Tear off long sheets, fold, secure, and you'll have fairly good protection from wind.
-Be well rested. Again, nothing sucks more
than being forced to be in high gear for a full day, when you're operating on
fumes. Get a good night's rest. Limit caffeine intake. Try to be at your best.
-Set aside some time to prepare for YOUR OWN
NEEDS during the party. This might be having your proper attire in a bag
outside with sweatshirts, sandals, bathing suits…or your favorite mug. Your
favorite drink. Set
yourself up!!!
-Expect things to steal your time during
setup. People will call you at the mot
inopportune times with RSVP's, Directions, etc. People will stop in to drop something off, and hang out a
little. Always try to do as much
setup before the party as possible.
As an example: I had a king
cooker, and a bottle of propane. The
fitting on the bottle was old style, the fitting on the cooker was new
style. I even knew I had adaptors, so
I was unconcerned about the connection, and planning to save it till the last
second. But I knew better, and I made
an attempt to hook it up the night before.
Everything came to a halt when I couldn't find the box containing those
adaptors!! Took an hour to locate it
(dammit). The point is that you should
make sure everything is connected AND WORKS beforehand. Give yourself time for a run to the Home Depot to correct a flaw. Be well aware that typical household grill elements
only last a few years, and may not work when you expect it to.
-Running a party is a very stressful thing,
so many of these items listed above are "stress-reducers". That said,
all too often, I see young host couples react to the stress of the party by
fighting with each other, usually over something petty. This creates the worst
vibe for a party. Nobody wants to be near that. No matter how
"perfect" you've tried to make things, the upset host(s) can ruin it
all in a heartbeat. So agree with each other that YOU WILL NOT FIGHT, and
you'll work together to make the day successful. (If you want to take each
other apart with axes and hatchets, do so after the guests leave). Each one of
you pick the tasks you'll be responsible for, and DO IT, leave the other one to
do their tasks their own way. Go out of your way to be tactful if you think
something needs to be adjusted or changed. Party running is ripe territory for
hurt feelings and spousal fighting. If running it solo, try not to vent your
anger on anyone…
-Perfection: Of course, you want everything
to be perfect the day of your party. You go for the "Better Homes &
Gardens" look. You try to clean the house, mow the lawn, complete all the
lingering projects, finish the new deck, paint the house, make everything
spotless, yada yada yada. (If you're gonna do it that way, then you need to
start weeks/months in advance). Some people get a little too carried away with
this concept though. Keep in mind one thing…when people come to your house for
a party, they have certain basic needs: Food, Beer, Beverages, Chairs, Tables,
Bathrooms, etc. It's not so important that your upstairs closets are perfectly
organized and smelling of Pot Pourri, but you damned well better have the cold
beer and hot food ready. You guests are there to hang out with YOU, and not
your freshly painted walls!!
-Don't expect perfection. Things happen.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Be happy people are alive and well, and enjoying
the day. Try to keep things in perspective. Remember there are earthquakes and
natural disasters, people horribly disfigured in car accidents, deaths, trauma…
So when the Diet Pepsi runs out, remember that things can always be a lot
worse! If it drizzles a little, so what. If Aunt Ethel's potato salad sucks, so
what. If a bird craps in the punch bowl…..don't fish it out with the slotted
spoon...just throw it away. If the entire table
collapses ruining all the food, Don't freak out. MAINTAIN PERSPECTIVE. It'll
all work out.
-Just remember that when the going gets
tough, you'd be surprised how many people will pitch in to help resolve the
problem. There's always a few amazingly creative people in the crowd that will
help you thru just about any nightmare. 24 hour Supermarkets (usually not far
away) can resolve a lot of problems. It'll all work out. It always does.
Food Safety:
I can't really teach an entire Food Management class in two paragraphs, but I would like to touch on the subject. Consider that you actually CAN sicken your entire party, if you don't know what your doing. The elderly, the children, and people with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illness. So take it seriously. You want to have fun...you don't necessarily want to kill off grandma. (OK, maybe you *DO* want to kill off Grandma, but there's plenty more efficient ways to knock off the senile old diaper filling bat without hurting the other guests). To me, this is obvious, but unfortunately too many people don't get the basics: "Keep Hot Food Hot, and Cold Foods Cold". The Food Safety Danger zone is 40 degrees to 140 Degrees. This is the range at which bacteria grows. Between preparation, serving and holding, Food isn't supposed to spend more than 4 - 6 hours total at these temperatures. During Prep, Don't leave raw stuff out on the counter. You know how everyone thinks that SHISHKEBOBS equate to an AWESOME BBQ....well, shishkebob skewering is a laborious pain in the @ss! Most of the amateurs who attempt it invite problems with dozens of pounds of raw ingredients rotting on the counter. Get help, or do it in small batches. A common gotchya is improper cooling: You can't put a 30 quart pot full of chili into a refrigerator, and assume that the entire contents will be 34 degrees the minute you close the door. Laws of Thermodynamics actually apply in cooking too!!! It could take hours to chill that, and the center of the pot may very well be at the danger zone for too long. (Pour the chili into several foil pans, no greater than 4" thick..and place them in the fridge with some air flow between the pans, or you've effectively recreated the 30 qt pot scenario.,). Also consider that you can overwhelm the refrigerator's ability to cool, if you fill it with tons of trays of hot foods. Another gotchya is "cross contamination" such as using the same cutting board for preparing raw chicken, then raw veggies. Wash utensils Frequently!!! Wash your hands even MORE frequently. Oh, and when your handling people's food, you don't: Pick your ears, pick your nose, fondle your genitals, scratch your hemorrhoids, itch your scalp, smoke, eat, have sex with the dog, etc. There is no situation where you should be prepping or cooking food with a Cigarette in you mouth. If you want to do these things, do them away from the food, wash your hands before resuming. Same applies for using the restroom. And you should never be involved in foodservice if you're sick.
Long story short: Put all the Burgers/Dogs/Steaks/Chicken in waterproof containers or Ziplock bags, place in coolers, and ice up liberally. If you're gonna put cold salads out for extended serving, make an iced salad bar using some bus bins, and liberal use of ice. Either that, or serve, and rapidly put away. Cook foods to proper internal temperatures, and use a thermometer to check. Any trays of hot foods should be held in steamtables, which are properly used. Click Here for guidance on the proper use of steamtables.
If you are truly out of your league with foodservice safety, hire a caterer and don't take chances with the health of 90 people just to save a few $$$.
Party Close Out:
I know it's late, you're exhausted, probably
buzzed, but take a quick time out to do the following things:
-Do a quick tour of the scene to eliminate
fire hazards: Unplug hot trays. Make sure the oven's off. Look for anything
that's been accidentally knocked over, such as lamps. Put out sternos,
citronella candles, bug torches.
-DO NOT empty ashtrays into garbage bags
without WETTING THEM first. Absolute fire hazard. Same
goes for spent charcoal from the grill. Even though the
charcoals have been consumed and it appears to be only ash...the small embers
can remain hot for days. Over-Soak Ashes, and DO NOT store them inside, or
even against your house, or deck. TRUST
ME. (Yes, there's a couple of stories to tell).
-Discard all potentially hazardous food that
has been left out unchilled. Refrigerate anything that is salvageable. Freeze
anything that is worth freezing. (To save time, have the following handy: Foil,
saran wrap, freezer bags, Tupperware).
-Check & Re-ice coolers that contain food
(if the ice is low).. Drain coolers if the high water is
threatening to seep into food.
-Drag Garbage bags inside so the animals
don't tear 'em apart overnight.
-Soak nasty grill utensils in a bin with hot
water/dishwashing liquid. Soak anything that will be difficult to clean when
the food debris has dried. This can save a lot of headaches the next day.
-Untap the keg (will get flat) if you plan to
use the beer the next day.
-While people are still around, get a few hands to deal with awkward things, like moving large coolers, or picking up litter, or breaking down large equipment. Anything that you can't do easily by yourself the next day should be done when the resources are still at your disposal. Trust me, the next day's cleanup can be very lonely, and drawn out. Surprising how many people who during the party, promised to help with the cleanup…. won't show up due to a hangover.
OK, that's about all I had to say. Just keep
remembering that a party is supposed to be fun. It's a lot of hard work on your
part, but it doesn't have to be a traumatic experience or cause for divorce. If
you have any questions, give me a call and I'll be happy to talk with you. Good
luck.
Eddie's Portable Pig-Out can help. We can provide professional foodservice, which leaves you much more time to mingle with your guests and enjoy yourself. You may not be able to avoid all the work, but the Foodservice is 90% of the battle. I also have a 20x20 professional party canopy to rent, in case you get rained on. Give me a call at 973 627-2722. We'll work something out….
Please Call (973) 627-2722 to Discuss Your Event. Usually 6pm-10pm, Weeknights. Please leave a Message otherwise. Also be sure to mention the potential date(s), estimated headcount, location, and the nature of the event. Thanks!
CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO EPPO's HOMEPAGE