Themed parties are all the rage this year, and the themes can be as elaborate or as simple as your time, taste, and effort level allows. Here's your first tip: Don't let the idea of picking a theme intimidate you. It can be as easy as simply picking a color.
Color Parties (examples: Monochrome Magic, where everything is one single color, to Rainbow Revelry, where you incorporate every hue into your festivities)
Effortless:
Tell your friends to dress in the same color from head to toe that coincides with an event you are celebrating. If you are going for the Rainbow Revelry effect, have each guest dress in a different color. The guests become your living palette.
Effortmore:
You decorate your entire space in one color. This means tablecloths, napkins, cups, serving ware, signage, backdrops, balloons, flowers etc. Take it to the extreme to really achieve the desired effect. To incorporate multiple colors, make sure they are from the same palette and hue to remain cohesive.
Craft Night
Effortless:
This can be as simple as asking your friends to bring an unfinished craft of their own that they would like to work on while you provide drinks and snacks. Then, just enjoy each other's company.
Effortmore:
You provide everything needed for a joint craft, such as painting, bedazzling, or perhaps shrink-a-dinges (remember those sheets you can draw on and bake down). Depending on your group's attention spans and skills, you can provide stencils to copy or let their imaginations run wild.
Game Night
Effortless:
Pick a game you know everyone in your group enjoys and pull it out of the closet.
Effortmore:
Decorate your home with oversized game pieces and boards, and ask guests to physically embody aspects of the game or games you've chosen to play.
Enchanted Garden Party
Effortless:
Enjoy the natural setting of your backyard. Add a few twinkle lights, flowers, and good friends, and enjoy a relaxing evening.
Effortmore:
Be inspired by fairy tales, nature's whimsy, and the Netflix show Bridgerton (FYI season 4 reportedly wrapped shooting last month). To achieve this look, add candles, lights, flowers, teacups, and pots; you can never have too many. If you are truly committed to this theme, you can ask guests to wear Victorian attire. Lady Whistledown is sure to approve!
TV Show
Effortless:
Next time your favorite TV show drops, call your like-minded friends over for a watch party.
Effortmore:
Pick a show and dive in. Think Apple TV's popular mind-bending show Severence or a classic everyone knows, Friends. Decorate your home to imitate set pieces or recreate the show's logos from within the show, like Luman. Tell your guests to dress like one of the characters and serve show-themed Snacks. Mellon balls, eggs, and waffles are highly recommended. Watch Severance, and you'll know. 😉
Remember, it's the people who make a great party.
The right theme, decorations, food, and entertainment can all play a role, but what will really make or break your event are the people. You want people who will match your vibe!