The 5 things every party needs.

#1 The perfect party spot

Before you can think about the who and the what, you need to cover the where. Maybe the party’s at your house or an art gallery or a downtown loft or a restored barn in the middle of wine country. The venue sets the vibe so if you’re having trouble envisioning where it should be or aren’t sure how to go about renting a space, enlist the help of an event planner.

→ Find an event planner. 

#2 Unforgettable food

Sit-down dinner? Buffet? Family style? Food truck? SO many options. And then there’s the question of WHAT to serve. High-end street tacos? Southern-inspired barbecue? Thai-infused favorites? All good questions that a caterer or food truck owner can answer. FYI: most caterers also take care of the practical stuff – tables, chairs, utensils, dishes, glasses – and handle the clean-up. 

→ Find a caterer or food truck. 

#3 Drinks all around

How to feel like a guest at your own party: hire a bartender. You could run around making sure everybody’s glass is full, but is that really how you want to spend your evening? A professional bartender knows how to mix all kinds of cocktails – from the classic to the trendy – without having to Google the recipe. 

→ Find a bartender. 

#4 The ultimate playlist

Think you’re going to play DJ all night long? What if your computer or your phone or your table or whatever you have your playlist on dies? Or, even worse, what if your carefully curated list of songs leaves the dance floor empty? A professional DJ handles both situations without missing a beat – we couldn’t resist the pun. 

→ Find a DJ. 

#5 An after-party plan

AKA a clean-up crew. If it’s in your caterer’s contract to handle the post-party mess, awesome. If it’s not, then a house cleaner should be a non-negotiable treat to yourself. After the last guest leaves, your crew takes over and you go to bed to sleep off that last glass of champagne and revel in the great success of your epic planning.

→ Find a house cleaner.