Date
Nov 06, 2024
Read Time
It’s official – house parties are making a comeback. Just ask award-winning rap artist Stormzy, who opened his new venue, simply called House Party, in London’s Soho this summer, because, ‘house parties are where the best memories are made!’
At Henry Bonas, we already know there’s something really special about throwing a birthday party at home. Whether it’s a marquee in the garden or rooms in the house, create memories of your own with our top tips on how to throw the best birthday party at home…
With over 20 years of party planning experience, we know how to host a successful birthday party at home! From 18th birthday parties to 80ths, planning a birthday party comes down to having a clear vision of the type of celebration you want. Once you know that, then you can start on the fun bits – planning the birthday party details.
Having the right marquee, catering, decor and entertainment that match that vision are all extremely important, but at Henry Bonas, we like to go that little bit extra. In our experience, it’s the personal touches that elevate a good party to a great party and that ensure your party is the one to remember! If you’re celebrating at home, then it’s even easier to include these personal touches, just like we did at this 50th party at home in the Cotswolds. Here are our tips on how to host the best birthday party at home…
When you host a birthday party at home, you are not restricted by a venue’s strict hours of opening which means you can be a bit more relaxed about timings. It is still important to have a plan for the evening, even if it is a loose one, in terms of when drinks and canapés might be served, when to sit down for food and when the entertainment will start, as this creates momentum and little bursts of energy throughout the evening. So, have a running order for the evening but keep it fluid – don’t be afraid to flex this if you need to up the tempo earlier or calm things down later!
If you’re having your birthday party at home, there will naturally be some areas of your house that are off limits. But if you are happy to open up some rooms, or if you have a marquee, consider creating different zones where guests can enjoy different experiences. You might have a chill out zone with soft lighting and chairs for lounging, a rave area for high tempo dancing, a bar area where people can stand and chat, and even a games area – where you could put a photo booth or karaoke machine, great if there are younger guests in attendance. And don’t forget the outside space – fire pits on the patio surrounded by twinkling fairy lights and chairs decked with cosy blankets are always inviting.
Planning a birthday party at home means you are not tied to a certain food or drink supplier. So you can have some fun with the catering – instead of the usual buffet or BBQ, why not try interactive food stations where guests can make their own meals – a taco stand or sushi bar work brilliantly for this. For drinks, you could have a cocktail creation station where guests can mix their own signature drinks under the guiding hand of a top mixologist. It takes catering for all tastes to a whole new level!
Being in your home environment means your birthday party already feels personal. Enhance that feeling by creating lots of mini surprise moments for guests to enjoy throughout the evening that add a few more personal touches. This might be a stage for telling funny anecdotes or stories about the birthday host, a musical performance written specially, or even a workshop specialising in an activity that the host enjoys. Think outside the box and give guests something to talk about for years after.
When you host a party at home, you are in control of the playlist as well as the guestlist. Take advantage of this by putting all your favourite tracks together, but in the lead up to the event, also ask your guests to contribute their favourite dancing tunes and try to incorporate these into your playlist. Nothing gets people off their feet and onto the dance floor quicker than hearing their favourite song being played back to them!
