Imagine friends collected around a table with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. Similarly, serving a signature drink will also make you stand out. You only need one show-stopper to give your friends a hook for their recollections. That can be anything from a whole side of salmon to gourmet pizzas timed to show up about an hour after the start time. But if you are not a chef or time is tight, theming your party around one bought-in dish can actually make it more memorable. If you love to cook, you already know about planning in advance. Music sets the mood, as does a signature drink
A small wall-hung backdrop with golden tinsel or a web of fairy lights is easy to create and will give you a talking point, an activity and lots of shots to remember the occasion. These days guests may also appreciate somewhere to pose for pictures. Toys aside, if you’re after fuss-free luxury, choose just one colour and go with it.
So instead she stacked up pyramids of children’s toys as centrepieces on the banquet table. When socialite Sara Murphy threw a party for the opening of Stravinsky’s ballet Les Noces in Paris in 1923, she wanted to use flowers to decorate a barge on the Seine, but no florist would deliver on a Sunday. This can be as simple as setting out tea lights, but you can also get more creative. How hard do you want your guests to go with fancy dress? Is this a party where children will be in attendance? How about people who want to bring their dogs? Let everyone know from the start and you’ve set your guests’ expectations, cut down on post-invite queries and started to set the mood weeks before your party starts. One simple line will do, for example: “It’s been a tough 18 months – let’s make up for lost time!” Make sure you set out the parameters, too. You have your purpose, now communicate it to your guests.