Did you just realize you forgot to plan a birthday party? Maybe you were asked to host a last-minute tailgate or holiday party – don’t panic! Here are some last-minute party-planning tips that will leave you feeling prepared and in-control with just a few days to spare.
7 Simple Party Planning Steps
- Choose a theme. A theme helps you narrow down your food, beverage, and decoration choices quickly. Birthday? Try a golf or autumn harvest theme. Tailgate? Go BBQ or Italian. Holiday party – there’s the usual holiday food, but since most of that takes lots of time to prepare, try a double-chili selection with sides, or a hot app menu that’s a bit lighter during the holidays, yet just as pleasing as a full-blown meal.
- Send out email invites, post a social media event, or send a group text, depending on how many people you want to attend and how informal the party will be. Be specific if they need to BYOB or a dish to pass.
- Organize your recipes and start shopping for food, drink, and decorations a few days before. Be sure to have one or two gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut -free items. It’s much more fun for those guests if you have one or two things they can eat, even if you buy them already prepared.
Make sure you have enough dishes, cutlery, and glassware or buy disposable. Want guests to BYOB? BYOB is a huge time-saver and spares the expense. Still plan to buy sodas, mixers, and garnish.
- Have parties often? Check your decoration stash in the basement or garage and use up the mish-mash of items in a fun, colorful way; only shop for core pieces that fit your theme.
- Cook in advance and ask for help. Depending on your menu, many items can be made one or two days prior to the party. Often, chili and Italian sauces are better when left to season. For day-of party food, ask a few friends, relatives, or your kids to help cut, dice, stir, and blend.
- Readying the house and/or patio. Decorating the house or patio, tidying up guest bathrooms and common areas, and making sure you have fully charged and functioning music device and speakers can be done the night before or day of with help from friends, family, and kids. If you’re tailgating, this step just got a whole lot easier!
- Ask for help so you can enjoy the party. By party time, you should feel like everything’s under control. Ask one or two friends to help you keep an eye on food and beverages and alert you if they get low or need to be freshened up. People love to help so don’t be afraid to ask.
Or…Have The Cooking Done For You!
The VERY best tip for a last-minute party: call Callier’s Catering in St. Louis for the best, hot, freshly-prepared carryout or delivered food.
When we say last-minute, we mean it! Carryout can be ordered with as little as 48-hours advance notice! Our carryout and delivery options include a large selection of delicious pre-planned menus that include hot meals, apps, party sandwiches, and so much more, for far less than you could buy, prepare, and cook yourself.
Don’t forget to ask about our holiday carryout meals like smoked turkey with all the sides and themed menus like Super Bowl and tailgates, or you can create your own menu. Our goal is to make your life easier.
We Love to Help
The Callier family loves bringing people together with nourishing experiences through exceptional food and first-class service. We’ve been serving our St. Louis businesses and families with full-service catering and event planning since 1983.
Go for it! Send the invites, decorate, and enjoy your guests! You’ve just skipped the hardest part of throwing a last-minute party with Callier’s. We’re here to help!
Convenient & Delicious Catering
We are open 7 days a week, and offer full-service, full-blown corporate, nonprofit, and family event catering, delivery, or carryout catering with 48-hour notice. We even have delicious holiday specials that you can pick up Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve Day until 2 pm. Give us a call today! 636.230.0019