Hosting the perfect event involves meticulous planning and attention to detail. Here are eight hot tips to make your next get together the most memorable:

HOT TIP ONE: 

Please, please, for the love of parties - do not host a party without a theme. Just do not do this. It doesn't matter if you're having a casual get together with five friends. We are all on this lovely Earth once and should make the very best of it, so make it fun and whimsical. Call it a Pajama Popcorn & Pizza party if you're just hanging out and let them all be comfortable and have a cheat meal if they're watching their calories. 

So hot tip one is to pick a theme no matter how small your party will be. But not only a theme, but a fun and fabulous one. Here are some ideas:

Enchanted Garden     Quirky Tea Party     Vintage Carnival   Masquerade Ball    Tiki Luau

Decade Dance Party     Glow in the Dark     1920s Speakeasy     Futuristic Sci-Fi     Underwater

Arabian Opulence     The Great Outdoors     Medieval Banquet    Superhero Hideout    Halloween in the Summer

Victorian Bash     Havana Nights    Christmas in July    Vintage Hollywood    Zombie Apocalypse

HOT TIP TWO: 

Send a save-the-date or bust. Choose a date and time that works for most of your guests, and make sure the location is easily accessible and can accommodate your guest list comfortably. First, send a save-the-date to your most desired guests to ensure they will be able to come and that they secure that date for your party. Once you have the go-ahead from these folks, then you blast out the invite to everyone. If you skip this step, you might end up with the least desired invitees at your party. Which is okay - maybe they'll turn into your most desired after the night is over?

HOT TIP THREE:

Give enough notice. This is kinda along the same lines as #2, but it's important to send the invitation in advance. Don't expect a last minute throw-together to workout without speedbumps and other obstacles. Create a guest list based on the purpose of the party and send out invitations well in advance so that your guests can plan accordingly. Ask for an RSVP and give a firm date to let you know by - and ask for any special accommodations, such as food allergies, special diets, etc. Don't let someone allergic to peanuts and on a keto diet show up to peanut and carb dishes all over the buffet table. 

HOT TIP FOUR:

Plan the menu and drinks to match your theme: Choose a menu that is appropriate for the occasion and suits the theme of the party. Make sure to include options for guests with dietary restrictions. Plan the drinks based on the theme and guest preferences. Have a signature cocktail that fits your theme. Here are a few examples of signature cocktails for some themes above:

HOT TIP FIVE:

Decorate the venue: Set up decorations that fit the theme and create a festive atmosphere. Choose appropriate lighting, table settings, and centerpieces to create the desired ambiance. Here are some brief examples for the themes above.

• Enchanted Garden. Floral arrangements galore, fairy lights, lush greenery. A few cute garden gnomes peeking about. Create a garden backdrop by using artificial or real flowers, leaves, branches. Or get a trellis or arbor. Add accents of mushrooms, butterflies and a few lanterns about.
• Vintage Carnival. Striped fabric that mimics tents, popcorn machines, old-fashioned games. Use a red, yellow and blue color scheme. Get vintage props like an old-fashioned ticket booth, wooden signs, and make a big top illusion by affixing fabric to the center of the celling and attaching to each wall.
• Masquerade Ball.Make it a night of mystery and intrigue. Use dark, rich colors like deep purple, crimson red along with black and a metallic. Candles, dim lighting and classical music. Feathers, velvet, lace with metallic accents set the opulence of your theme.
• Tiki Luau. Bring a tropical island to your living room &/or backyard using bright colors - turquoise, pink, yellow. Hang tiki masks, bamboo poles, tiki torches. Add tropical flowers, flower garlands. Play an ocean wave soundtrack softly in the background. Burn a tropical-scented candle.
• Decade Dance Party. Your decor will depend on the decade, but '60s was bright and bold - orange, yellow, pink. '70s - disco ball and streamers. '80s had neon colors and use Rubik's cubes and cassette tape decor. '50s use vinyl records and milkshake glasses as props.
• Quirky Tea Party. Mad Hatter goes Mad! This theme is probably the most fun to decorate. Think purple, pink, green with black and white stripes or checks scattered about. Big clocks, different sized tea pots and cups. String lights, paper lanterns. Playing card decor and red roses.
• Glow in the Dark - space age theme. Use black lights, neon décor, glow necklaces. Create a dark room by covering all windows with black or dark-colored curtains or paper. Use space decor, like stars, planets, moons. UFOs, aliens as props.
• 1920's Speakeasy. Create a hidden entrance and make them say a password to get inside. Make it dark, moody ambiance. I always think Gold and Black are best for the '20s. Beaded curtains and vintage props are great. Signs about the prohibition and old liquor crates as props.   

HOT TIP SIX:

Plan entertainment: Choose appropriate entertainment based on the theme and purpose of the party. Consider hiring a DJ, band, or other performers to add to the festive mood. I'm obviously partial to murder mystery party games, so here are a few suggestions for my themes above:         

1920's Speakeasy Murder Mystery

Masquerade Murder Mystery

Vintage Carnival Murder Mystery

 Radical 1980's Murder Mystery

Tiki Luau Murder Mystery

HOT TIP SEVEN:

Be a gracious host: Make sure to greet your guests warmly and make them feel welcome. Attend to their needs throughout the party, and ensure that everyone is having a good time. If you're not greeting them at the entrance with a signature cocktail (it doesn't have to have alcohol, ya know) - then you aren't doing it right. Each guest should feel like they are the most special one on the invite list. 

HOT TIP EIGHT:

Prepare for contingencies: Be prepared for any contingencies, such as bad weather or unexpected guests, and have a backup plan in place. 

Have an alternate venue. You never know - power outage, water leak, broken toilet, or other minor emergency could make your location not party-friendly, so have a back-up on the back burner. Maybe your best friend's place or a restaurant's private dining room, etc. 

Backup vendor: You've schedule a caterer or florist or maybe a harpist - who knows what you've scheduled, but you need a contingency plan in writing for anyone who was hired.  Even if you have to go to a public field and pull wildflowers if your florist bails - write that down but also make sure you're allowed to pick those flowers first.

Bad weather plan: If you are hosting an outdoor event - as soon as you don't plan for a storm - it will happen. So, have somewhere to go if unexpected torrential rain threatens your party. 

Emergency kit: first-aid supplies, extra lighting, backup batteries. You just don't know what could happen, but you are responsible for the health and safety of your guests, so be prepared. 

By following these basics, you can create an enjoyable and memorable party experience for you and your guests.  You will not only look like but be a professional party host by planning ahead, paying attention to detail, making each guest feel special and welcomed while keeping things organized, being flexible, and staying calm in any situation because you have planned ahead.  Remember - life is one party at a time!