All Things Halloween: Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning 101

Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning 101

Not being the most organized person I find it mandatory to work from a list of things to do, so out with a note book and off I go! Whenever planning for any kind/theme event party keeping a note book is a great source for jotting down ideas and notables all to keep you organized and inspired. I've put together my party planning steps, but I encourage you to please post any ideas or tricks to the trade you may have picked up along the way to make the planning stage more efficient. After all knowledge is power!

1) Make a list of invites and keep in mind should you want to host a party for 30 invite 50 to ensure a successful turn out. The rule of thumb is about half the invitees with show.

2) Choose your Invitations or not~ Today, with social media all you need to do is post your haunt information weekly on facebook and the word will spread like "bats out of hell"! I myself have very successfully used this method, however, if a more traditional method is what you choose then by all means choose away. You can either create your own unique idea for your party invite or send standard Halloween invites. When sending invites the traditional way, via snail mail it's important to keep in mind that proper etiquette dictates that invites should be received by potential guest about three weeks prior to the event. This will insure a successful party turnout. (below please find some unique invite ideas)

3) Planning your Party Theme! Now this is where the true fun begins! I gather inspiration through magazine articles, books, the internet, nature and the supermarket. Autumn fruits and vegetables and some candles on a felt handmade table runner is not only easy but really economical. Do keep I mind from year to year this note book of ideas and taking photos is a wonderful way to ensure no duplication your party theme. At this point I'm off to Halloween Town with my tablescape planning. The focal point of any table should be the centerpiece, so get creative and don't be afraid to express yourself. Just have fun! (below you'll find some inspiration for your centerpiece)

4) Hauntingly delicious Eats This is where I start my menu planning! Once you've decided how many food dishes you'll offer, you can move to the tablescaping step. (later I will post my favorite recipes and share some other table ideas)

4) Tablescaping~ Once your centerpiece has been decided it's time to look at the big picture! When planning your food table think in terms of what will be visually pleasing. Think fabric for tablecloth or even just a basic black or orange felt handmade runner can be a perfect foundation to build upon! Personally, creating different heights for your food dishes creates visual interest and adds drama. Some very inexpensive dollar store spider webbing or gauze over wooden blocks or other inverted objects will give you just the height needed to create that one of kind look. (See Below some cute examples of Felt hand made table runners)

Once the basics are decided it's time to think about table lighting and table trinkets! I love to use bleeding candles which I order these via the internet. Lots of candles are so elegant and play a big part in your mood setting, but do plan carefully where the candles will be used especially if children will be in attendance. For my table adornments I love using plastic bloody fingers on the finger sandwiches, large black rats running amuck on the table and lots of creep crawlers ...anything eerie works great.

At this point your plan is set and creativity time has arrived!

To Come Next is: Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out

Invite Ideas: Handmade:

"A wrapping on my window
A tapping at my door
Who could it be this Hallows Eve?
It chilled me to my core
The darkness seemed to close right in
Could this be my awful fate?
Then suddenly I realized
It's you here to celebrate!"