I want to have a party please help.?

Question

Ok I moved into our house a couple of years ago. I really want to have a party here with friends and such. I don't have too much $$ because or remodling. How can I have a pot luck party and what should be my guidelines LOL.
I need some great ideas!! I want to hand make the invites. Most people coming will be between that ages of 20 to 40.

Answer 1

Pot lucks are great! We do them in our familiy at least once a year. Our guide lines are something like this:

The person hosting the event supplies the meat, drinks and plates, cups, utensils. Everyone else brings drinks, sides and deserts. For meat, all you need is something like sliced baked ham and turkery. Or you could pick up fried chicken from your local supermarket. Go w/ paper plates & cups and plastic utensils for ease of cleaning up. Or, pick up plastic stadium cups from the dollar store (4-6 for a dollar) and write names on them w/ a sharpie and add a few stickers. Everyone will be able to keep up w/ their cup, plus take them home as a party favor of sorts.

For the invites, all you need is colored or designed paper (check wal-mart or office supply store) and a computer. If using designed paper, make a few photo copies of the sheet to use for pratice. Play around w/ different fonts and clip art until you get the look you want. Be sure to state that this is a pot luck dinner and what you are supplying and what type of stuff you want your guests to bring. Call a couple of the singles or non-cookers on your list and ask them to bring drinks instead of cooking. Call it a 'Friends & Family Feast' or something to that effect. Then, fold the sheets of paper in thirds w/ the info to the inside and seal w/ tape or a sticker, address and mail - that simple!

Have lots of great music playing in the back ground. Be sure to set up plenty of places to eat - card tables w/ a plastic table cloth (about $1 at the dollar store) and set some up inside and outside, if possible.

Have a few decks of cards lying around or some type of games, too. Gives people something extra to do. And pick up a few disposable cameras and let everyone take pics. That way you won't be trying to get all the shots yourself.

Have fun!

Answer 2

we have a group of about 30 adults and 12 kids and the most fun parties we have are the all appetizer pot lucks. we normally plan the food for about 18 people. The hosts provide the alcohol ( hard) 1 appetizer and the dessert. The ones who dont cook take care of the plates etc and the sodas. You give everybody a broad outline ( chicken , salad, chip and dip) and let them decide what they want to bring. So you land up with a milion apetizers and everone keeps munching all the time and by dessert you will have people complaining that they are ridiculously stuffed. For games we do pictionary and cranium so that even the kids can participate. And dont forget corn on the cob. A fav for all age groups. Domt stress too much, a good time is rarely about the food. Its always about spending time with thepeople ypu like and the memories you make. Have fun.

Answer 3

Give the party a mystery theme... even the food will be a mystery, as you tell people to bring a dish, drinks, or something fun for everyone... but mention on the invites that no one will know what anyone else is bringing! You could end up with tons of soda and almost no food... but who cares! It's good for a laugh, and you also spend less since people will be bringing things to defray costs for you.

You could go further with the mystery theme, too, and make it a costume party. But the costumes should revolve around the mysterious. Again, don't tell people what anyone else is going to be wearing... tell them to keep it a secret until the party! You might end up with five Sherlock Holmes costumes, which would be pretty funny. You can have an inexpensive prize for best costumes, too.

Make sure the invitations are great, and sent out early! Give people time to make sure they have the night free, and have fun with the invites so people won't want to miss the gathering. :)

Answer 4

Theme Based Parties are always fun. But could be simple as a House warming party! I have never worried or Tried to Plan a pot luck party. Just ask everyone to bring their (Specialty Dish). Most everyone has a paticular Dish that they make that they are proud of and are almost always Glad to show them off while you show off the remodling of your home. If you have more then 10 cpls, You will have more than enough Food. BYOB is almost always understood now more than ever because of the liability laws. The Shy is the limit, Just use your imagination and it will be a hit!

Answer 5

I don't know what your personality really is but I would pick a theme. I don't mean cheesy costume party theme. But in order to make sure that the dishes people bring are cohesive, you should pick a food theme. Such as mediterranean, or Indian, or Southern. You could try making your invitations out of homemade paper from junkmail. It will save you a lot of money.

Answer 6

I've always loved Around-the-World potlucks. The host prepares an entree of a specific country or culture and each guest brings a dish of another country. The invites are easy too because you just cut out blue circles and paste green shapes on it so it looks like the globe! Or even more simple...computer print outs with globe clip art on it.

Appetizer Parties are fun and easy too. Just include on your invitation that each guest/family should bring their favorite appetizer and recipe to share.

Answer 7

I like around the world potlucks also. I suggest a couple of twists to make it more fun. We do around the world parties and each couple is in charge of a particular country. If it is Japan then they bring fried rice and sapporo beer and something to decorate their station. Everyone will get very into their station. Make sure you asign Italy to someone for the people that don't like beer. They can make tomato mozzarella salad and have wine for the non beer drinkers. We have a blast when we do this.

Answer 8

on my opinion u should be having a main theme (not a childish one) , u should keep music which suits all the people of any age plus keep the party outside the house( but if u want to stay in u're budget , u may even keep it itn ur'e garden/terrice) maybe this would help

Answer 9

have a bbq and have everyone bring what they like to eat. Make it into a posh gourmet bbq competition. Thats what I do with my huge family coz it gets ridiculously expensive if you try to feed tons of people. And say that you will make all the sides (they're cheap) like mac and potato salad etc. GL!

Answer 10

Check this site out it might be of some help:
http://www.partyshelf.com/house_warming.htm