Five party nightmares - and how to avoid them
No matter how meticulously you prepare for your party, there will be some aspects of it that are simply beyond your control: think garden party in torrential rain.
“As much as we hope for the best, we always prepare for the worst”, says ARC’s founder, Anna Wills.
It’s a sound philosophy that means thinking about every eventuality – including anything related to extreme weather, gatecrashers, last minute dropouts, power cuts and even children. Yes – we’ve seen it all, including outdoor nuptials being almost derailed by little ones discovering they could swing, Tarzan-style, from a nearby weeping willow tree.
So, to save yourself an on-the-day catastrophe, plan for the following.
1. Weather. This applies particularly in the UK, where no month is predictable, but even in Europe now it’s hard to predict how the weather is going to be, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent. Rain is likely to be your biggest concern.
Have an indoor option and incorporate this into your best-case weather plan: what keeps you dry in a rainstorm will also provide shade on a hot, sunny day.
Relay your plans to your photographer as they may need to consider additional lighting and kit.
Consider routes, paths and flooring! It’s just as important to look up as it is to look down, at what’s beneath your feet. Consider your suppliers as well as your guests: you don’t want their feet churning up the grass on a soggy day so you end up with a quagmire.
2. Gatecrashers. There is a long and noble tradition of gatecrashing in the UK, from Evelyn Waugh’s gossip columnist Lord Balcairn who wheedles his way into Lady Metroland’s party for the Daily Excess to Nicholas Coleridge, chairman of the V&A and soon to be Provost at Eton, who disguised himself as a chauffeur to sneak into a party at Windsor Castle for his Evening Standard column. Whether you admire or deplore their efforts, you’re unlikely to want any at your event.
Consider online privacy in advance: you don’t want to inadvertently publicise your private event on social media.
On the day, we recommend you position a host at the entrance to cross-check attendees or hire security. Some like to issue a password: if you don’t know it, you don’t come in.
3. Last-minute dropouts. Some dropouts in the last day or two are unavoidable due to anything from illness or injury to flight cancellations.
Let the caterers know as soon as possible so they can make the necessary table and service changes.
You can’t make last-minute adjustments to a printed or hand-drawn seating plan without it looking messy, but if you use escort cards and placement cards to guide people to their seats, it’s easier to incorporate any eleventh-hour changes; placement cards and escort cards, which give the guest’s name and their table name/number, can quickly be switched or moved around.
4. Power cuts. Believe it or not, there are dozens of power cuts at any given time in the UK. Talk to your venue, producer or planner – you’ll want a back-up generator, or a decent production company that understands power distribution challenges!
5. Children. When the American comedian W. C. Fields said, “Never work with children or animals”, he actually meant it as a warning that both children and animals are very funny and can easily upstage you. Unexpected input from children at parties can make your day – but it can also go the other way and take away from the fun. You obviously want children to enjoy themselves, but the adults are likely your priority, so make that your starting point.
Arrange childcare if there are going to be a few children present: sometimes this can be the greatest gift you’ll ever give to your friends.
If there are going to be a lot of children around and you’re planning a long ceremony, consider running a children’s ceremony or activity in parallel to ensure there are no distractions.
Provide a chill-out room with age-appropriate films and comfortable seats where young guests can relax and mothers can breastfeed.
Consider feeding children separately: lunchboxes with finger food are always a
big hit.