Whether it’s your special day, or that of a loved one or friend, celebrating a birthday in style can be one of the most joyous and memorable nights of the year. However, if you’ve planned a party before, you’ll probably know that it can become stressful. The food and drinks catering is often one of the biggest tasks for organisers. In this article, we share some birthday party tips to help you pull off the perfect event.
Know How Many Guests Will Be Attending
The first and most important step when planning a birthday party is knowing the number of guests you will need to cater for. The last thing you want is to under cater and leave your guests hungry. And likewise, you don’t want to prepare too much food and end up with lots of food that may go to waste.
One way to avoid these situations is to send invitations well in advance and ask your invitees to RSVP. This will let you know in advance the exact number of attendees and therefore you can cater accordingly.
If you are environmentally minded or are looking for a cost effective alternative to printed invitations, you may like to use an online platform such as; Paperless Post, GreenVelope or RSVPify. These sites offer a range of stylish digital invites for you to email to your guests, as well as other features such as sending event reminders and managing your RSVP responses.
Cater for Guests With Dietary Requirements
It is important that you are aware of the dietary requirements of your guests to ensure that no one is left out of the celebrations. To ensure this doesn’t happen, make sure you include a section on your invitation that lets your guest notify you of any dietary needs.
If you’ve hired in external help to cater your event, let them know so they can accommodate for these requirements. At Lady & the Fox, we are experts in birthday party catering and can cater to all dietary requirements. We’ll ensure everyone is well-catered for.
Make Your Presentation Look Appealing
Your guests will not only be feasting with their mouths but also with their eyes. To wow your guests, make sure your food and drinks are presented in a stylish manner.
Instagram and Pinterest are great places to research ideas, see what others have done, and to give you inspiration for your event. Another alternative is brainstorming with your friends and family to help create the perfect menu.
Different styles of catering can be used to give your party a more professional or casual feel.
Our Top 3 Catering Style Ideas
- Grazing Style – Grazing style is where food items are arranged creatively along a large table. A grazing table is easy to set up, offers an interactive eating experience, and it looks greats.
- Sharing Style – This is a style where different types of foods are served on large plates or platter, which are then placed in the middle of each table. Guests sit around the table, pick what they want from the dishes, and serve themselves. A great communal catering option.
- Cocktail Style – Instead of the traditional sit-down style, you can choose cocktail style which features small and finger-sized foods that guests can eat while standing. You can either scatter platters around the room for guests to help themselves or you can organise waiters to serve and offer these foods around the room to your guests. Cocktail parties are an excellent style to encourage guests to mingle.
Don’t Forget the Birthday Cake, Entertainment and Decorations
It is important to set the tone and create a party atmosphere with a cake, entertainment and decorations.
The Birthday Cake
The cake is often the centrepiece of a birthday celebration. Whether you opt for a classic mud cake, or something more extravagant, such as a tiered birthday cake, there’s no doubt that the cake can leave a lasting impression.
Here are some local cake suppliers that we recommend. Check out their social pages to see what takes your fancy.
Loveit Cakes – www.instagram.com/loveitcakes/
Cakesmith – www.instagram.com/cakesmithgeelong/
The Entertainment
Music is a vital element to keep your guests entertained throughout the event. It can be as simply as organising a playlist on your phone or you can go the next level by hiring a DJ or a band, depending on the atmosphere you would like to create. You can also play some party games or hire a photobooth for a bit of fun.
Here are some local entertainment suppliers that will take your party to the next level:
DJ
Geelong Entertainment – www.geelongentertainment.com.au
Bands
Geelong Entertainment – www.geelongentertainment.com.au
Baker Boys Band – www.bakerboysband.com.au
Tobi Tobi – www.tobitobi.co
Photo Booth
Zuster Photobooths – www.zusterphotobooths.com.au
Wooshka Photobooths – www.wooshkaphotobooths.com.au/geelong
The Decorations
Whether your party is indoors or outdoors, decorations are essential in setting a party vibe. They can really help transform a room into the party area. Popular decorative items include balloons, flower walls, balloon garlands, paper pom poms, streamers, flowers, centrepieces, fairy lights, large light up numbers & letters. The list is endless.
Here are some local suppliers that can help with your decorations:
Flowers
Flower Bowl Geelong – www.flowerbowl.com.au
Smellies Geelong – www.smellies.com.au
As Daisy Does – www.asdaisydoes.com.au/floristry
Balloon Garland
Geelong Party Supplies – www.geelongpartysupplies.com.au
Light Up Letters/Signage
Love Light Letters – www.lovelightletters.com.au
Sketch and Etch – www.sketchandetch.com.au
The Laser Cutting Studio – www.thelasercuttingstudio.com
Furniture Hire
Elderberry Events – www.elderberryevents.com.au/products
Pepper Sprout Hire – www.peppersprouthire.com.au
Memphis Party Hire – www.memphishire.com.au
Need help with your Birthday Party Catering?
If you’re in the middle of planning a birthday party and need some help, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We would be delighted to assist you with your upcoming birthday party plans. Click here to contact us.