The Ultimate Guide to Planning and Hosting the Perfect Event

Birthday? Baby Shower? Hens Party? At Katie J Design & Events, we have everything you need to throw an Amazing Celebration for any occasion.

Here is our Ultimate Guide to throwing a party, with our Tips and Tricks for all aspects of party planning, from Picking your Theme to Saving Memories.

Picking a Party Theme

If you’re ready to host a Celebration, the first step is choosing a Party Theme. The theme will help unite all of the other parts of your party, including Food, Favours, and Decorations.

At Katie J Design & Events, we have over 300 Party Themes to choose from. They are Perfect for any Occasion, including Children's Birthday Parties, 18th 21st & 50th Milestone Birthdays, Baby Showers & Naming Ceremonies, Christening & Baptism, Engagement & Anniversaries, and Hens Party & Bridal Showers.

When you’re browsing our themes, think about the Celebrant. For kids, you’ll probably consider their Favourite Characters or Hobbies. For Adults, think more about their personal style. Are they Glamourous, Rustic, Cheeky? We have a theme for everyone! Explore amazing Balloon Decoration Ideas to level up your Parties!

Here are a few examples:

Our Boys Campout Party Theme is perfect for a boy who loves the outdoors!

This Rustic Timber & Baby’s Breath Theme is beautiful for a Baby Shower.

You might also like to look at a few of our Theme Guides for Ideas:

• Fun and Popular Themes for Winter Birthday Parties
• Fun Ideas for Throwing a Hens Party
• Throwing a Joint Party - For Siblings, Twins, and Friends
• Fun Themes & Decorations for a Sleepover Party

Decorating for a Party

One of the next steps in our Ultimate Guide to Throwing a Party is the Decorations. Think about your Party Space! Once you have your Theme, you can find Colours that Match and add Tablecloths and Balloons for an easy way to make a Big Impact.

We have lots of other ways to Decorate your Party Space, too!

Our Party themes come with Banners, Posters & Bunting you can use for decorating a party space. All of these supplies are printed on High Quality material so they are Durable and Waterproof. They’ll hold up against spills and messes and you can even use them outside!

Plus, they are Customisable with the Celebrant’s Name and Details about the Celebration, such as the Occasion, Age of the Birthday Boy or Girl, or the Date.

Check out our Guide to Decorating and Hanging Party Banners for tips for hanging our Large Canvas Banners and making a banner and balloon stand.

Our Party Banners can also be used as Backdrops for Photographs. Here’s our guide for Capturing Amazing Memories with DIY Birthday Party Backgrounds.

Check out our tips for Decorating with Flag Bunting. We’ve seen clients use flag bunting in many ways, from decorating doorways and entrances to decorating the front of central party tables to being placed on tables to make a Cake really stand out!

You can also create your own placecards and food labels for another personalised touch! Here’s how to make and use DIY Themed Placecards to help Decorate your Party Space.

Personalised Party Supplies

In addition to Party Decorations like Banners, Posters, and Bunting, we also have Perosnalised Party Supplies for our Themes. These supplies make it easy to Customise Treats and Favours for your Party Guests.

Our personalised party supplies include: Party Invites, Chocolate Wrappers, Loot Bags, Water labels, Juice & Bubble Wand labels, Round Lollipop & Favour Stickers, Wine & Beer labels, and more.

We love that these Customised Party Supplies make it easy to Peel and Stick the Party Theme and Celebrant’s name onto an endless number of Treats and Favours.

If you’re hosting a Party for Little Kids, you’ll especially Love our Personalised Party Rectangle Stickers for Drinks and Bubble Wands. After all, what young guest wouldn’t enjoy some juice and bubbles?

Our Mini Chocolate Wrappers are incredibly versatile. You can use them as Treats and Favours for almost any kind of party, no matter the age of the guests or the occasion. Check out How to Wrap Mini Chocolate Bars with Personalised Labels for some easy tips.

Since our Personalised Party Supplies help you make such great Party Favours, don’t forget to read our Guide to Party Favours and Loot Bags. We include some tricks for Fun Displays and Favours for Guests of all Ages.

Making Party Food

From Easy Party Foods to Cake Hacks, Katie J Design & Events has you covered! We have tried several Simple Recipes throughout the years that are a Huge Hit with our Party Guests.

Many of these Party Foods are so easy to make, we’ve included our own children in the preparation as they’ve gotten a little bit older. As an added bonus, you can turn some of these into Party Activities and have the Guests make their own!

Here is a collection of some of our Best “Recipes”:

For Kid-Friendly, Versatile Party Treats, check out our Chocolate Spoons, Iced Biscuits, Rainbow Jelly, and Wafers Dipped in Sprinkles. All of these Treats can be Adapted to match your Party Theme or your Kid’s Favourite Flavours. Simply change the Icing or Toppings!

We also have 10 Cake Hacks! Just like our Party Foods, these are easily adaptable for your Special Occasion. Plus, these are all Easy, No-Bake Cakes! Here’s our list so you can pick the perfect one for your party:

• Beautiful Floral Mud Cake Hack
• M&Ms Pinata Mud Cake Hack
• Pull Apart Cupcake Cake Hack
• Fun Pinata Cake Hack
• Kit Kat Lolly Cake Hack
• Ripper Australia Day Mini Pavs
• Princess Castle Birthday Cake Hack
• 3 Ingredient Ice Cream Birthday Cake Hack
• Number Birthday Cake Hack with Lollies
• Layer Mud Cake Hack with Drip Icing

I know that a lot of these Treats and Cake Hacks are Perfect for Kids Parties. You can use them for Adult Parties, too. But we also have these Bonus Party Treats for your next party for adults! Check out our Cheeky Willy Cake Hack for Hens & Divorce Parties and our Guide for How to Create a Fun & Easy Mimosa Bar.

Creating Party Games and Activities

What is a Party without Games and Activities? They keep the Guests Entertained and they can be Fun for Everyone! We’ve Created some fun DIY Party Games over the years. Many of them are Variations of Classic Party Favourites, and you can adapt them for your Party and Theme, too!

Kids especially love Party Games. Here are Fun Kids Party Games for All Ages, including guides for DIY Pinatas, Musical Chairs, and Outdoor Games.

When the weather cooperates, it’s a treat for everyone when a party is outdoors. Fresh air, sunshine, you name it! Here are Ideas for Throwing a Fun Party at a Park. There are Games and Tips for Food, Decorations, and Themes.

A few years ago we really went all-out for my son’s 7th birthday party. Our Fun and Easy Minions Party Games includes so many amazing activities, from Pass the Parcel to Pin the Eyes on the Minion. This guide shows how adaptable simple games are for any celebration!

Make sure to Visit Katie J Design and Events

As you wrap up your event planning journey, remember that versatility is key to ensuring every guest feels included and engaged. For insights on seamlessly integrating diverse age groups and interests into your gatherings, check out our expert advice featured in the blog post Host with the Most: Home Appliance Hacks for Effortless Parties by Porch.com. From practical tips to innovative solutions, this resource will empower you to host unforgettable events tailored to everyone's preferences. Dive in and elevate your hosting game today!

Looking for more Party Ideas or Inspiration? Parties by Katie J is where you will find Helpful Advice on How to Throw a Great Party that Everyone Loves! We will be Sharing Easy and Delicious Party Recipes along with some Amazing DIY tips for Creating a Fun Celebration.

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