Top Ideas for Throwing a Themed Party
In previous guides I have outlined some sure winners when it comes to throwing an outdoor or dinner party – from ensuring the right ambience such as hanging Chinese lanterns to making your guests comfortable with the right music.
If you want that added stroke of flair however, there’s nothing like a themed party to make a get-together more fun. With a little creativity and forethought, you can make it an unforgettable night.
To help you get a kick start, in the next few guides I will suggest some of the most successful themed party ideas to choose from. See Part 1 for further ideas.
6 – Cocktail Party
Aim – think along the lines of the suave, sophisticated scenes from a James Bond mov.ie.
Whether dress code or decorations, anything goes as long as it’s stylish. The atmorphere can be easily set with candlelight and classy music. You could even hire some waiters in tuxedo’s to serve the guests.
Drinks are obvious – brush up on your cocktail skills! In addition to the popular favourites, it’s a good idea to experiment beforehand and create your own unique cocktail (at the very least you will have fun trying!). As for food, tasty, bite-size canapés would be just the ticket.
7 – Eurovision
Aim – recreate the cool, ultra cheesy fun of the Eurovision Song Contest. This theme will get even the wallflower types going since you will allocate a country to each guest and have them perform something accordingly. Everyone will get a vote and the winner will be awarded a prize at the end of the night.
The decorative side of the party will be made easy since each guest must bring along a decoration based on the country they represent. The idea is to have a mish mash of different European flavours, and the same goes for the food – ask everyone to bring along a dish from their allocated ‘home’ country.
8 – Children’s Party for Adults
Aim – why not create a night of nostalgic fun and bring back the care free mood of being a child.
The dress code for this kind of party would be naughty school uniforms, and the room should be decorated with simple, fun things such as helium balloons and party poppers. After a few drinks, games such as sardines, spin the bottle and truth-or-dare will bring much laughter and giggles.
As far as the food and beverages go, it couldn’t be easier. Serve up the old classics from back in the day such as sandwiches, pizza, sausage rolls and cake. Add some adult zing by spiking the punch, ice cream and jelly with vodka.
9 – Country n’ Western Hoedown
Aim – invitations should be in the form of a WANTED poster in the style of an old cowboy mo.vie. Get everyone into the act by asking them to wear jeans, cowboy hats, checked shirts and boots (preferably snakeskin or sporting spurs). Fake kids’ guns would also be fun.
The ideal setting for this kind of party would be an old barn with bales of hay. Failing that, storm lamps, Country and Western favourites plus a band playing banjo would really set the mood for some Yee Hah square dancing!
The food and drinks for this theme would also be dead simple – hotdogs, steak and corn on the cob, all washed down with beer and jugs of (spiked) lemonade.
10 – 50s Rock Around the Clock
Aim – recreate the swinging fifties fun by having women dressed in poodle skirts with bobby socks and men wearing tight cuffed jeans and white T-shirts (very James Dean).
There’s nothing like some early Elvis or the first Grease album to bring back the setting of this era. If you really want to get in the spirit of things, rent a jukebox stocked with all those epic Golden Oldies. While dancing is a must for this kind of party, you could also raise the bar with competitions for best Rock ‘n’ Roller couple, hula hoop moves or bubble blower.
To feed the hungry dancers, American Diner food will be the way forward, such as cheeseburgers and fries. As for drinks, serve milkshakes (with added alcohol), Grasshoppers, Manhattans and Martinis.
Conclusion
In addition to fail-proof party ideas such as creating an inviting atmosphere with Chinese lanterns and having enough food and beverages on tap, you can add some real spice into an evening by making it a themed event.
About the Author: Jasmine Chu is a decorator and independent retailer of Chinese lanterns.
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