Party and me...

I missed blogging and more than anything else.. I miss parties and Partygiggles.

It has been quite a few years since I put a hard stop in managing parties... I must say I feel sad and my heart is missing it..

Partygiggles is in hiatus, sleep mode and hibernating as of the moment! I wish I can go back the soonest but the demands of my family and work made it hard and harder for me.

I miss the challenge of designing parties and the thrill of executing them...

I miss talking and meeting new people.. they were clients at first and then turns into real friends...

I miss my staff and how I am able to help them and how they can help me too..

I miss my creative self.. how busy I can be and how happy I am seeing happy and satisfied clients..

At times, I feel that Partygiggles helped me feel the sense of accomplishment and pride. This is the only area I could say that I excel.

I know one day I will be back, but not the soonest... Hoping that when that time comes, there will still be someone that will trust me, my staff and our work..

How to Plan a Party

If you are planning for your next party, here is a quick list of party tips that will surely help you ensure a splendid and memorable event.

1. Schedule the final date and venue. First thing first, planning starts the moment you picked on your date and venue.

2.Select a theme- If its for your child birthday or baptismal etc, having a "party theme" keeps you focused and organized. Ordering party paraphernalias from different suppliers come with ease if you already have a theme in mind. (e.g. Barbie, Disney Princess, Cars, transformers, Tinkerbell, Mickey MOuse Clubhouse, Sesame Street, Angry Birds and Aladin to name a few).

3.Choose a Supplier-. Choosing Suppliers for your party should start at least a month before. Remember that cramming will cost you more. Some suppliers charge extra cost for rush orders and short notice bookings. An example of this are tarpaulin printing, invitation, customized cakes etc..which usually has a lead time for ordering. A short check list of what you should look for (i might missed out any):

   *Venue-  Is it outdoor or indoor? Pool party or function room? Aircon or open air? There are a lot of things to consider in looking for a party venue, one of these are accessibility to you and your guests. Contingency plans for outdoor parties in case of rain. Will the ambiance suits it theme? Planned for a Luau Party in a Restaurant? (seems odd, but that happened on my daugther's 1st birthday party since i wasnt able to look for a nice resort). Does the food comes with the venue or you will just rent a place and provide your own caterer? does the restaurant have an ample parking space. Is it a safe place?

   *Caterer- in case you wont book your party in a restaurant..Things to consider is of course the food, its taste and cleanliness of preparation. You may ask some friends for reliable caterer to ensure that the food to be served is really yummy. Can the caterer provide needed food that will suit your theme and group of guest? Catering arrangement should be discussed to suit your theme.

 *Digital invitation- Uso pa ba ang paper invitations? dont dwell too much on paper invitation coz they are meant to be thrown away. For weddings, please be practical.. Its formal to have a paper invitation but dont spend too much on that coz it usually ended up in the garbage or stuck in the drawers. For free invitation, just send them online! Create a digital invitation and send them via Facebook, twitter, email, foursquare, tumblr etc. Pinoys, generally are online almost everyday so take advantage of it and set aside the money for other things nlng.

 *Decoration-Kids loooveee Balloons.. Balloon decorations will surely enlivened the venue, specially some restaurants/caterer do not offer decoration on their party packages. Make sure that you relied on a dependable decorator, check on their portfolio to see the quality of their designs. Balloon centerpieces and balloon decors are usually a take home item by the guests. For balloon decor check our fb fan page www.facebook.com/partygiggles.

   *Clowns and Entertainment- Keep in mind that your guests mostly constitute of adults instead of kids. There are a lot of magicians who could cater to both kids and adults. well of course, their talent fees are way higher than the common clowns ( P12000-30000). Another 'patok' party ideas that will surely enjoyed by the kids and adults as well are:

      ~Face Painting, Henna and Glitter Tattoos- You should look for hypoallergenic materials. You dont want your guests to call you the next day and get mad at you coz they got allergic to the materials on their skin. Kids have highly sensitive skin, so be extra cautious on it.

     ~Kiddie Salon- have your hair and face done before the party starts. :)

  *Photobooth- Who doesnt love pictures? Pinoy pa!?! This is the best souvenir you can give your guests as figurines are super out! It usually comes with an unlimited printing for a number of hours. ask for their printers to ensure quality outputs, Cannon and epson photo printer are preferred coz they will last a lifetime plus its smudge and water proof. Cannon selphy is what we use at Partygiggles to ensure high quality pictures. Aside from the photopaper and printer you should also ensure good layouts. Again, check on their portfolio and check on their previous layouts. Madameng cheap na photobooth pero di halatang cheap kasi maganda ung layout.  I cant imagine how boring a party could be without a photobooth.

* Food carts- Could be ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy, candy station, cupcake station. Just ensure to order in a reliable supplier.

 *Cakes- ordering cake has a lead time. Make sure to order your cakes at least a week before. Cupcake towers is a hit, it could also serve as your souvenirs na. Before cakes are just for decorations eh, nowadays it could also serve as a souvenir. hitting two birds in one stone!

  *Souvenirs- aside from the patok photobooth. Lootbags is always present in the party. You can talk to someone who could provide you with loot bags in case you dont have time to shop for yourself. TIPID TIPS: Just go to our bestfriend Divisoria for affordable and cute items.

4. Decide on the guest list-  Dont invite 100 if your budget is for 50 people only. Its a hard case specially for a big family. You wanted to invite everybody, (family members, high school friends, college friends, officemates, kapitbahay, churchmates, classmates) but reality check you can only feed a specific number of people according to your budget. Decide on the numbers first. 100, 120 or 150 pax. then create a list of people closest to your heart. Remember, events are not an avenue to boast on how bongga your party is but an avenue to spend time and celebrate with people who are there for your through thick and thin.

5. Program-  Will you hire a party organizer or you will leave the program at the hands of the host/magician

Planning a party is really stressful if you dont plan it early. So the earlier you plan and book your suppliers the stress free the party will be. :)