On Nov. 21, 2011, Sebastien visited the Marilyn Denis show to let the audience in on a simple way to plan to perfect holiday party well in advance.
Check out Sebastien’s tips and tricks under the break or click the image to watch the video!
Planning the perfect party takes time, follow this timeline and you will enjoy your party as much as your guests.
The Party Planning Timeline
4 weeks out – Concept, Budgeting & the Who’s Who!
- Read through the all of the steps and ensure you have a full understanding of the scope of work
- Pick a date & time
- Decide on what type of party you will be hosting or the theme (cocktail party, brunch, formal dinner, etc). This will determine most of what needs to be planned next such as # of guests, etc…
- Make a guest list
- Set a budget and be realistic (consider number of guests, type of event as above etc)
3 weeks out – Invitations & Locking down Help!
- Invite your guests (if mailing invites or for busy times of year such as the holiday season do this earlier –but for email invites 3 to 4 weeks is fine)
- A lot of people forget that everyone is busy this time of year. If you are thinking of hiring a caterer, staffing agency or even using rentals, lock these suppliers in before they get booked up.
2 weeks out – Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
- Decide on décor theme and start putting together your elements (make a list of what you have and what you need to buy)
- Plan the menu and make a shopping list (consider special dietary restrictions, some of your guest’s favourite foods, aversions, etc)
- Plan the bar menu, make a list of what you need (don’t forget to include non-alcoholic, mixes, ice, garnishes, etc) and buy it. You can always store it in the garage for a couple of weeks (except for the ice and garnishes) and saves you running to the liquor store on a Saturday afternoon when you guests will be arriving only a few hours later.
1 week out – Make Your List & Check It Twice!
- Call any guests who haven’t RSVP’d – you will need to know a close to exact guest count for your shopping lists
- Set the seating plan (for a dinner party)
- Buy any items for décor etc (refer to list from 2 week out item)
- If you have booked a caterer, rentals or staffing, call each one to confirm delivery times, guest count, etc
2 days out – Let’s Go Shopping!
- Purchase all your food products (except for fresh vegetables, meat or fish)
- Decorate areas of the home that can be set ahead of time (for example if you have a separate kitchen table and dining room table you can likely set the dining room table a couple of days before)
- Clean the house, set out bathroom amenities, etc (if you have kids you will likely be cleaning again the morning of the party)
1 day out – Set the Stage!
- Decorate all other areas of the home which could not be done 2 days out
- Finish your food shopping for fresh products (meats, fish, fresh bar garnishes, etc)
- Do all the prep associated with cooking for the party (the more you do in advance – making sauces, chopping vegetables, etc, the less you need to do the day of the party)
- Refrigerate your bar product, prepare the self-serve bar area (with everything but the chilled product and
- ice)
- Set a clearing station (if you are using rentals or disposables have an area (outside the back door, garage or basement) to hide glass cases, bins, extra bar product and garbage
- Have some empty vases readily available (in case someone brings flowers you don’t have to rummage through the cupboards looking for a vase)
- Be prepared to accommodate coats (for larger groups you can rent coat racks or use an empty bedroom)
Day of the Party – Its Show Time!
- Do a quick dust-up on décor around the house, sweep, if you have done a full cleaning 2 days before this should be an easy step
- Finish preparing the food (cut lemons and limes for bar, toss the salad but don’t add the dressing until the last minute, etc), be ready to serve or reheat (depending on the menu)
- Get dressed (make sure to leave yourself enough time to get dressed and still have about an hour before guests arrive for last minute adjustments) you can always wear an apron for the last hour to keep yourself from getting dirty
- Put out the bar product, ice, garnishes
- Put out the food (for a canapé menu be ready to serve and add final touches)
- Light candles, start the music get ready to greet your guests and ENJOY!
Recipe for Blueberry Cider Martini:
Half an ounce of blueberry vodka
4-6 ounces of Thornbury Premium Apple Cider
Combine ingredients in a shaker or pitcher with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled martini glass and finish off with a blueberry skewer.
To watch more of Sebastien’s tips and tricks, check out Eatertainment’s YouTube page here!
