Celebrity Party Planning Essentials

The biggest names in event planning share their secrets for creating dazzling spaces and memorable celebrations.

by Nancy Christie

Don’t even think about hosting a gathering or throwing a party without reading this article. Your success depends on just one thing—the details. So we asked Colin Cowie, David Beahm and Annette Joseph to share their best tips for creating a memorable event.

Start with a Theme

Decide the “story” you want to tell with your event, says David Beahm, celebrity event planner who was named one of New York’s Top 10 designers by Biz Bash. “Is it a reminiscent story, an ‘our future’ story or ‘Wow, what a wonderful year it’s been’ story? Do you want to be the center of attention”— for example, an anniversary party or wedding reception—“or just be with friends?”

As an alternative to the story concept, you can do an event tied to the season, says home and food stylist, chef and entertaining expert Annette Joseph, who allows the time of year to influence both her décor and menu choices. “[I take] the season into account as far as what food is available at the market, and then I build my party theme from there. For example, in the summer I might do paella outside in a large paella pan over the fire pit and then build a Spanish theme around that.”

In both cases, Joseph recommends keying the colors, serving style and menu to the type of event you’ve planned. For formal events, think black, silvers and golds, says Joseph, and sit-down dining rather than the more casual buffet-style. As for the menu selection, Joseph says it “leads my mood every time. For example, when I serve a rustic style Italian menu, I usually carry out the theme with wine selections and table settings, creating a casual environment for my guests to enjoy.”

Choose the Perfect Elements

When hosting a party, “appeal to all the senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell,” emphasizes Colin Cowie, known around the word for designing and producing the most spectacular parties and celebrations. “Weave a thread of style from beginning through the end. Try sticking to a color or using one type of flower and use lots of it. Rather than doing ten things on the skinny, you’ll make a stronger statement with fewer elements woven as a thread from the beginning to the end.”

For table decorations, take into account the type of activities the event offers, says Beahm, who recently launched Flora 2000, a new line of floral arrangements. Taller floral arrangements are fine for parties that include dancing since the music will preclude too much chatting, while for corporate events, arrangements with a maximum height of 12 inches won’t impede cross-table networking.

Focus on the Flow

Keep the party flowing by breaking it into “chapters,” says Cowie. Chapter one is the arrival, followed by cocktails (chapter two) and dinner (chapter three), closing with the final “after party” chapter. “This way, the evening has a distinctive beginning, middle and end.”

Then, arrange the room elements so your guests can “flow” as well. “Think about how you plan to keep guests moving so they don’t all congregated at the front entrance,” says Cowie. “Moving people from cocktails to dinner, dinner to the dance floor, and dancing to lounging doesn’t just happen. Lighting, music and cocktails are excellent elements that can be manipulated to your liking. Lowering the music in one area and raising the music in another draws attention. Stopping the bar service in one room and starting it in another will also get your guests’ attention, and quickly!”

Evaluating Your Space

Not sure if your space is adequate for the party you have planned? For guest comfort, estimate 10 square feet per person for a cocktail party and 15 square feet per person for a sit-down dinner, including the dance floor and stage, says Cowie, adding, “I always prefer it to be more intimate with guests shoulder-to-shoulder rather than having guests spread about in too much space.”

The Art of Simplicity

Finally, says Joseph, “keep it simple both visually and with the menu you select. Remember it is not about the dazzle, it is about a dazzling experience. Once you have the sense that you have paired down all your choices, you are probably on the right track.”