Top Party Planning Mistakes (That Are Easy To Make and Avoid!)

Imagine this scenario: You’re hosting a birthday party for a friend and everything is going smoothly. Your guests are having a great time, everyone loves the food, the entertainment really suits the environment… everything seems fine. That is until one of your guests gets sick because you didn’t realize they had a peanut allergy and they ate one of the assorted cookies at the snack bar and your great time turns into a hospital trip. Not all party accidents and mistakes end up that dire, but failure to plan properly and avoid problems before they can happen can bring your festivities to a grinding halt! Here’s a look at some common party faults that happen more often than you might think.

1.Missing a Dietary Restriction

This can end anywhere on the problem scale from irritating to disastrous. Between potential food allergies, dietary restrictions, or just plain dislike of a food you should always make sure that you know what you’re allowed to serve your guests. Make sure you ask about dietary restrictions like low carbon foods or gluten free in your invitation so you know whether or not to prepare alternatives beforehand.

2.Being Under-prepared

The saying “You can’t have too much of a good thing” fits perfectly here. Having extras and leftovers for your party just means you have more for next time or snacks to send home, but not having enough means the fun stops when the supplies do. Always make sure to keep extra plates, silverware, and other basic supplies on hand and to make more than enough food for your guests to enjoy.

3.Bad Party Timing

This one might not always be your fault but it’s good to be aware of the circumstances and timing of your party. You won’t always be able to find a date to accommodate everyone, but when you plan for a party you should try to find a reasonable time and date for as many of your guests (particularly the guest of honor) as possible. Make sure to have your guests RSVP early to prevent your party overlapping with another event and be prepared to change your plans if something major gets in the way.

They might not seem like major pitfalls, but failing to account for even these basic potential problems can turn your event of the season into a black mark on the calendar.