A Pinch of Planning Leads to Plenty of Good Cheer

A little event planning goes a long way toward helping to make sure you enjoy your own party as much as your guests do. We stress our use of "a little" here, as in a pinch or a smidgen. As anyone who has ever hosted a major party knows, event planning can consume more hours in a week than a full-time job. The tips we've rounded up are simple and straightforward, geared toward helping you maximize your party success with the minimum amount of fuss. The way we see it, a perfect party is an event absolutely everyone enjoys.


Elegant Invitations
Call us old fashion, but we prefer paper invitations that arrive in our mailboxes. We like the formality of the postmarked stamp, the feel of the paper, and the momentary mystery of what's inside. Obviously invitations come in all shapes and sizes, from pre-made to handmade. We prefer the latter and provide instructions below for assembling some simple yet sophisticated invitations from scratch.

Makes Two Dozen Invitations What You'll Need 24 pieces of vellum (12 pieces in one color, 12 in a contrasting color) 6 pieces high-quality paper 24 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" envelopes (larger envelopes will also work) Scissors Ruler Pen
To Assemble Cut two rectangles of contrasting vellum measuring 4 1/4" x 8 1/2". Lay one over the other (see image). Cut one square of high-quality paper measuring 4 1/4" x 4 1/4". Print your party invitation details on this square (making sure to include the essentials: who, where and when and whether your guests should RSVP). Place paper square in the middle of the two vellum rectangles (see image).

• Fold the ends of the vellum rectangles to the center, overlapping them so that the flaps interlock (see image).
• Place invitation in 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" envelope (larger size will also work, but it's ideal to have a minimum amount of extra space).
• Address envelopes.
• Because these are not standard-sized envelopes, we recommend you take them to the post office for proper postage (where you can also select festive stamps).

Menu Planning
Obviously serve a selection of foods (for meat eaters and vegetarians alike). Keep in mind that it's also important to vary colors and textures and provide a balance of sweet and sour, and heavy and light fare. Another common sense but frequently overlooked tip: try to avoid repeating the same main ingredient in different dishes.

For beverages, stock up on a selection, from soft drinks to wine to coffee. For soft drinks, be sure to provide both diet and non-diet; water and sparkling water are also popular favorites. We recommend chilling these beverages in a large container of ice. For wine, be sure to chill the white wine and sparkling selections beforehand. Plan on a glass or two per person. As for coffee, you'll want to serve leaded and unleaded, clearly marking them Regular or Decaf (with the cream and sugar fixings on the side).


Serving Suggestions
If you're having a large buffet party, place two buffet tables in two different spots to speed the self-service. Keep the drink table away from the buffets to prevent crowding. When the food's ready to serve, invite one small group at a time to help themselves.

Also, you might want to consider hiring a server or two, even for a buffet and certainly for a sit-down. Your assistants can keep tabs on drinks, ice and food, allowing you extra time to enjoy your guests.


Party Favors
Party favors don't have to be expensive and can leave your guests with a lasting impression of your thoughtfulness. Here are two of our favorites:

	Picture Perfect: Turn a simple picture frame into a place card by inserting a card with the guest's name into the frame. At the end of the party, send the frame home with your guests as a holiday gift.
	The Giving Tree: For each guest, purchase some small potted greenery, such as a bonsai tree or a young cactus or succulent. Add a simple decorative ribbon. During your party, you can use the greenery as table decorations; when the party's over, the plants are gifts for your guests.