Party Planner 101 - Putting Together A Party In Three Hours

First remember that you, your family and friends are the party. When it comes to simple gatherings, folks love to chip in on short notice so long as the request made is not out of reach. Therefore your number one priority it to call your more local family and friends and invite them over. You should ask each one to stop by the local grocery store and pick up food or drink according to the number of invitees who will attend.

For those who think they can snap up a hot dish in one hour let them have at it. Although these days store bought dishes can be just be tasty, there is no place like home for good home cooking.
Create a self-serve banquet setting. It's best to set up a beverage table a slight distance away to avoid over crowding at tables.

Here is a basic shopping list of party must haves.

Cake, cakes and more cake

Ice cream/sherbet

Chips and dip

Salad

Fruit/cheese/vegetable platters - Get the ready-made platters sold at large food markets

Shrimp, and shrimp cocktail precooked

Pizza - delivery

Drinks, drinks and more drinks

Ice, ice and more ice

Coffee and tea

Napkins

forks/spoons/knives

Plates and cups

Bottles of bubbly

Big bottle coolers

Punch bowls and ladle

Now that the food items are delegated it's time to decorate. Your decorations need not be elaborate, just festive and fun. Put together a list of needed decorations according to the theme of the party. At short notice it's best to keep your list short and simple. Do not challenge yourself to put together something you never have. Go with what you know.

One big banner, balloons and streamers will do. Run down to the local food market or drug store and grab balloons, streamers and 3 sheets of poster board. Get a large magic marker and glitter. Look for metallic stick on letters and stars and get back home ASAP.

Decorations Shopping List

Poster board

String

Streamers

Markers

Large Stick on Letters (at least two packs) and Stars

Glitter

Balloons, Balloons and more Balloons

Long drywall screws and electric or battery powered hand drill or Phillips screwdriver

Heavy-duty transparent box tape

Box of glitter confetti

Decking The Walls

Tape or staple your poster board together length-wise. Using a hole punch, poke holes on the side by the upper corners leaving one full inch of space. Decide on message for your banner and begin placing letters on the board decorate with stars and glitter.

Cut three to four feet of string and put string through holes on each upper end of banner.
Run screws into drywall as close to the ceiling as possible leaving half inch of screw exposed. Hang your banner tying string to screws in wall.

Tie balloons to six feet of string in grape cluster formation. Hang string from ceiling or tape to wall using box tape. Runs streamers from ceiling. Toss glitter confetti about.

Have some guests arrive at least 45 minutes early to help with decor and set up food table and drinks.

Boom! You're ready. Let's get this party started.