Themed parties are a great way to celebrate a special occasion or person. They can highlight a part of someone’s personality, bring together communities bonding over the same topic of interest, and make party prep easier.
Following a theme expedites a lot of the planning process. It gives you specific decor, food, and entertainment guidelines. Here are three tips on how to successfully host a themed party and use the theme as an advantage in the planning process.
Set the Tone With the Invite
Themed parties are more enjoyable when everyone commits. It brings the aesthetics, setting, and characteristics of the theme to life. Get everyone in the spirit of the party with an invite that sets the theme’s tone. Instead of sending out generic invitations, add some thematic influences.
If it’s a beach party, use some surfer slang, shell art, and lots of blue and sandy yellow in the invites. For a regal ball theme, send letters in the tone of Bridgerton’s Lady Whistledown and seal the envelopes with wax. Even if you are sending digital invites, stick to the theme with related GIFs or video attachments. When your guests see how serious you are in creating this specific experience, they, too, will follow.
Have a Dress Code
Dress codes force everyone to participate in the thematic experience. It also gets them in the mood. After all, when you dress the part, it’s easier to act it. Whether you enforce specific clothing styles, colors, or costumes, any type of dress code that complements the theme ensures everyone looks the part and is ready to party.
Pro Tip: For smaller parties, consider buying the group matching shirts. There are many ways to incorporate graphic tees into an outfit, including dressing for an occasion. Giving people themed graphic T-shirts allows them to dress casually and comfortably while embracing the theme. Plus, when you all match, you create a great bonding moment.
Select an On-Theme Location
Decorations help you set the scene, but why not go to an actual specific setting? Many party locations are already on-theme, requiring less decoration. Hosting a fairy tea party in the woods or a garden makes the theme come to life. It physically transports you and your guests into this world you are trying to immerse yourselves in. Book a barn for your country- or Western-themed party. A ballroom is the perfect setting for a regal celebration, and your roaring ’20s party can take place in a jazz bar. Many locations make the perfect backdrop and setting for a themed event.
Throwing a successful themed party involves a commitment to the theme. Go big or go home! The more thematic you go, the more likely your guests will enjoy themselves and get into the party spirit. Set the tone, have a dress code, take the celebrations to a specific location, and bring yourself and your guests to party in a whole new world you created. No matter the cause for celebration, make it a themed experience and host a memorable event.
