In addition to party planning, DOUBLE Portions also offers baked goods! In fact, we recently had a booth at SS Ranch 77's Harvest Happenings all-day event and we sold out!!!
Coming up Saturday, May 4th, we will be selling our baked goods at SS Ranch 77's evening Spring Concert. Hope you can come and enjoy DOUBLE the fun with some great entertainment and our delicious eats.
Whether you’re having a small get together with a few family members and friends, or a large group gathering with neighbors and extended family, there are a few things to keep in mind to make your party a success.
When thinking about your seating arrangement, begin with a list of everyone who will attend then take into account personal preferences like a niece who wants to sit next to her favorite aunt from out of town. You may consider giving priority to placement of family and friends who have a tendency to not get along and then make your second priority to keep the couples together if possible. Tradition allows the host couple to sit at opposite ends of the table, but that is not a requirement, and, in some cases, it might be better for them to sit side-by-side to allow other couples to also remain together.
If space doesn’t allow everyone to sit at the same table, children can be put at a separate table or young adults can sit in a separate space somewhat divided from the other adults.
To make it DOUBLE easy for even those guests across the table from each other to converse, be sure to plan your centerpiece(s) accordingly. Take into account the shortest guest when choosing or designing the table decoration so as to not prevent conversations. You may need to actually sit at the table, just to be sure.
If you have a favorite, tall centerpiece it should be easy to move so you can relocate it to a side table/buffet during the meal.
Have questions on how to get started? Contact us at DOUBLE Portions and we will get you going in the right direction!
Kids’ parties can be fun and full of unexpected things. Here are a few DOUBLE tips to think about.
Location & Weather: Double Portions suggests doing especially kids’ parties inside where there is hard floor instead of carpet, or possibly on the patio or backyard grass (if nice weather). The patio or backyard grass is the easiest to clean up because after picking up the trash you can just grab a hose.
Keep in mind what the weather might do for the party fun. We suggest checking the weather up to a week before the party in case any last-minute changes are needed. If the weather is questionable, a party inside might be more work (such as cleanup), but in the end more fun for all.
Helpers & Party Guests: Depending on the age of kids, having “extra” helpers will ensure there are enough adults to keep track of the kids and make sure they don’t get into mischief. Consider this especially for kids under 10 years old. Double Portions can be an extra set of hands to deliver food to the table, setup decorations and set the table beforehand, take things down and clean up after the party, etc. Just contact us with your party details and we’ll get back to you.
Though your child might want to invite everyone they know to their party, this might be impractical for the venue, or just for your piece of mind. No matter how many parents agree to stay and help, you might find yourself stressing. Parties are meant to be fun, so consider a party where people can come and go throughout the party time. Food and games can be setup in stations, etc. to accommodate people coming and going at different times. Consider having a “sign-in” table, where the young party guests will be greeted, get a party favor, and be known to the people/person of honor that they have arrived.
Decorations & Games: Depending on the age of kids and the venue, the games can range from water slides to making plastic bead necklaces. The decorations can either be elaborate or something your child can help put together. Do they love drawing? Or even coloring? Double Portions can work with you on decorations that are customized to who your child is and what they enjoy.
Just because you want a unique party that stands out for your friends and family, doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch and reinvent the wheel. In fact, there have been so many different parties over the years with different themes and colors, consider pulling together some of these thoughts as your jumping off point. Likely your colors and ideas, or something close, are available and what you find can then be modified to suit your party. If you see, say a Papier-mâché butterfly that you love, we could use that to plan a garden-themed party. The colors can be updated, and your backyard get together will be a big hit!
Here at Double Portions, we strive to make each party we plan and help with, feel special to the person or people of honor as well as to the friends/family putting on the party.
Just send us a picture or list of your ideas and we will ask follow ups questions to help create a party that is DOUBLE the fun.
When choosing a venue, make sure you have provided the accurate date, time, and people count. Then DOUBLE check a week after making the reservation as well as shortly before the event is scheduled to occur. This will affect chairs, tables, and size of the venue the place saves for your party. Even if you are doing the party in a backyard it is helpful to plan out ahead of time how things will be laid out to make sure you don’t need more space for the hors d'oeuvre table or dessert buffet. Having a venue with inside and outside space available would be nice for your party, especially if rain, snow, or beating sun are in the forecast. Keep these things in mind.
When choosing a cake, DOUBLE PORTIONS recommends you include both a favorite and a backup flavor in case the bakery runs out of the ingredients for your favorite. This probably will never happen, but...
Even if you plan well ahead of the party, the vendor still might not get their supply of cocoa for instance, and a chocolate cake might not be an option when it comes done to your day.
For more tips and tricks, keep checking back! Feel free to send us a question and we’ll get back to you.
~ Sheena and Shari
Welcome to Double Portions Party Planning...We are a twin sister duo. While helping out at a friends wedding, we discovered how much we enjoy helping with parties. This blog and our services will provide you some ideas on how you too can love planning your next party.
