If you are a mum you know that planning a children's party can be very…
Bank holiday party planning checklist
Are you planning a party for the bank holiday? This bank holiday planning checklist will make sure have a party to remember.
It is hard to believe it is nearly May, this year seems to be whizzing past so quickly. May is a great month for bank holidays, there are two. The May Day Bank holiday on Monday and one at the end of the month.
The weather should be starting to warm up. I say should because the last few days it has not been able to make up it’s mind. It varies from snow to sun to hail and back again.
May also has the Mexican festival, Cinque de Mayo, so there are plenty of excuses for hosting a party. To ensure a party runs smoothly it is always a good idea to put together a party planning checklist and I have provided one of these further down.
Party food
Two things that are essential at a party are food and music. Food should be easy to make in advance so that you do not need to rush on the day.
Slow cooked pulled pork with barbecue sauce is a great recipe for a party. The pork can be cooked in advance and served on a plate with rolls. It is also easy to eat from a party plate. If you are like cooking something more adventurous pulled duck would also work well.
If you fancy more of a Mexican theme how about serving hot doguerous? The sausages could be cooked on a barbecue and guests can help themselves to tortilla wraps, hot coleslaw and lime salsa. Chips with dips are always essential at parties. It is easy to make your own dips like guacamole.
Salad is always great as a side dish and this Indonesian Gado Gado salad is simple to make. The sauce is really tasty and it is bound to be a hit with your guests.
Music playlist
Music is always an essential part of any party and it is good to put together a playlist ahead of time. These days with digital music it is easy to have music playing continuously without having to stop and change the track.
Bluetooth speakers are great as you can take them outside or into any room you require. I have recently been trying out this Plasma Ball Bluetooth Speaker which is one of a range of quirky products from Liberty Trading. The plasma light dances to the rhythm of the music and it would be a talking point at any party.
It does need to be connected to a phone or laptop in order to work but it is great fun.
Bank holiday party planning checklist
I have put together this bank holiday party planning checklist to help you plan a party that will go smoothly and make sure you do not forget anything on the day.
In advance
- Plan who to invite – Think about the size of your venue and the type of party you are having. Are you having a buffet at home, a sit down dinner or planning a barbecue. Decide how many people your home can realistically fit and don’t invite more. Send out the invitations by email, phone or more formally on paper.
- Plan the menu – Choose food that can be prepared in advance and placed on plates so you don’t have much to do on the day. Write a shopping list and plan a schedule for preparing the food.
- Do advance shopping and cooking – prepare any dishes that can be frozen in advance.
- Clean the house and clear the clutter – this will ensure you only have to do a quick clean up the day before the party
- Plan your music playlist – get it set it up on your media player ready to go.
- Check you have enough serving plates and crockery – get paper plates or plastic plates from a discount store if you need more.
- Plan what drinks you are serving – Make sure you have plenty of variety, cater for people who are not drinking alcohol and any children.
A few days before
- Clear a space for coats – if you are using a wardrobe make sure you have empty hangers. If you are using a bed make sure it is clear and the room is tidy
- Put together a box of cleaning things – In case there is a spill you can grab the box quickly and clear up the mess without fuss
- Finish the shopping – and make sure you have a schedule for any dishes that you still need to prepare. Don’t forget to plan in removing food from the freezer.
- Arrange furniture and put up decorations
On the day
- Set up the table and display the food – making sure it is covered until the guests arrive.
- Have a last minute tidy
- Greet guests
And one final thing, enjoy the party. Do you have any tips that help make your parties go smoothly? I would love to know, let me know below.
Suze - Luxury Columnist says
The hotdogueros looks very tasty, but the pulled pork would be my favourite. Pulled duck sounds great too! Hope you’re having a lovely BH weekend