Luckily though there were some good decisions made up front. The number of guests coming topped out at about 60 and included people traveling from a few states away. So one of the best decisions for this novice party planner was to decide to hold the party at a local hotel instead of at home. The hotel's catering manager will help you with the food, decor, and room reservations for out of town guests. Plus when the party is done, you get to leave the dishes to someone else.
Most hotels also have some sort of basic table centerpieces and will work with you on the layout for gift, reception/place card and dining tables. So once you've answered the questions about the menus and the layout, you've bought yourself some time to add personal touches for your guests.
Here are a few ideas:
- Print a program for the event highlighting when the guest of honor will arrive, and the details of the program including speeches and the time that dinner will be served.
- Don't wait until the last minute to think about party favors. In my opinion there are some creative options out there, but you need time to place your order and wait for delivery. For a very memorable and sophisticated option, we think the Bloemboxes are an adorable option. Also, be sure to check the creative skills on Etsy for adorable party favor options. And we also love the idea of creating your own if you are not short on time, which we were in this case.
- Have a goodie bag prepared for your out of town guests. Ours will feature a local map, local phone numbers, the schedule of events, and a few sweets. You may also want to include bottled water or a small bottle of champagne to welcome them.
- The BloemBoxes can double for favors as well as adding flowers to the guest tables. But if you're not planning to provide party favors, consider working with a local florist to decorate the dining or reception tables.
Happy Mingling!
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