Party Whammy

Party Planning Questions and Answers

Find answers to party-planning questions, from where to start and when to send invitations to how much food to buy and what to do when the weather turns. Browse by category, or pick one of the starting questions below for children's, teen, adult and family celebrations.

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Questions to start with

Just starting to plan a party?

Begin here if you still need to decide what to plan first, how long the party should run, what you can spend and who to invite.

Setting a total first, then dividing it among the things you need, helps before you start buying. Our party budget calculator lets you plan spending and replace estimates with actual costs after RSVPs, bookings and each shopping trip.

Sending invitations and tracking replies

Tell families what to expect, from the end time to whether parents should stay, and decide what to do when replies don't come in.

Decide whether parents need to stay, may stay or should drop off before you write the invitation, then say it plainly so families don't have to guess. Our guide on how to tell parents whether to stay or drop off their child has wording.

Deciding on food and cake

Work out whether a 2 p.m. party needs a full meal, how much food to buy and how much cake to order.

For cake, count everyone who will eat it, then check the bakery's serving guide and order deadline before you commit. Our guide on how to choose, order and serve a birthday cake also covers cake versus cupcakes and asking families about food needs.

Choosing games for your group

Find games that suit the guests' ages, your group size and your space, plus a few quick ones to fill a gap.

Planning a teen party or sleepover

Plan the party with your teen, agree on supervision and pickup, and decide whether a child is ready to stay overnight.

Agree the limits first, such as guest count, budget, spaces and finish time, then let your teen choose within them. Our guide to planning a teen party with your teen suggests checking actual costs before committing to extras like a rented hall or DJ.

A child doesn't have to stay the whole night; leaving before the overnight part is an option. Our guide on deciding whether a child is ready for a first sleepover covers checking what the child wants and agreeing contact and an early pickup with the host.

Planning an adult birthday

Plan a celebration that suits the group, including friends with young children or a party without drinking.

Guest needs, weather and things that go wrong

Ask about allergies and accessibility, decide when to move an outdoor party indoors, and know what to do if a venue cancels.

Ask families privately about allergies, accessibility and other needs, then use their answers to adjust the food, activities and space. A blank reply isn't the same as no. Our guest needs and safety questions cover how to ask and what to plan.

If a venue cancels, ask it to confirm the cancellation and refund in writing, then compare alternatives you can actually book, including home. If guests might travel before you have a replacement, promptly tell them not to go to the original venue and when you'll update them; send the new address once it's confirmed. Our guide on what to do when a party venue cancels has call questions and replacement checks.

All questions