How do you make a party unforgettable?

[InTheNameOfAllThatIsHonest]

We love having friends over and regularly entertain. We want to have a party this summer to get all our friends and family together since we haven't really had a proper get together since Covid started, and want it to be truly special. We will have caterers, a face painter, a magician, and a DJ. The party will be in our garden and there will be 40 to 50 of us. Dress code will be cocktail dresses and equivalent for the men.

Can I ask what you'd recommend to make this party extra special? Yes of course the people are what matters most but, besides that, what would you say makes a party really fun and one everyone will think back fondly to? We are in the UK, so hopefully the weather will cooperate - thank you!

Invite Boris Johnson?

@Snugglepumpkin

I'd rather there was someone like a quick sketch cartoonist going round doing flattering cartoon versions of people or something like that than a magician or face painting which sounds like a party for 5 year olds.

Went to a party where they did that & almost everyone wanted their cartoon to take home so it ended up running late.
Like those street artists who do it in tourist places so just quick sketches.
He started doing the family when guests were arriving & everyone went over to watch them then mostly asked if they could get one too.
Probably costs more than a magician though & it's only really going to work if you have the space for people to spread out.
Very much depends on what the people you are inviting like though.

The most unforgettable party I went to sadly went down in history as the one where had her way with _ in the guest bedroom & the result was triplets.

One hates to brag, but do see my earlier post.

Unforgettable? Murder someone. Happens often on Saint Marie, lovely posh party and then oops. HE'S DEAD.

Then jolly music. I'm wondering now...

This seems an unusual mix. Face painting and magician says young childrens day time party but cocktail dresses and dinner suits says evening adult do.

We have an annual party for this number and I’d say it’s fairly unforgettable . Lots of good food and nibbly bits, a marque for shelter, a porta loo or accessible toilet and more booze than you can ever imagine they could consume. Dress code is nice but casual. Plenty of good seating set out in a sociable way.

I’d be wary if cocktail dresses, firstly if it’s in your garden then women need to think about their shoes, heels and grass don’t mix, so unless you’ve a hard ground then I’d rethink, plus cocktail dresses tend not to be warm, so they will need a cover up if it is evening,

Personally I think the more relaxed parties with lots of booze and good music, marquee cover, nice lighting, easy to eat food and don’t dictate what your guests need to wear, let them come as they please and it will be a great night.

Cheese and wine

Dont invite Boris. Makes it instantly forgettable!

IMO all you need for a party to go with a swing is good food, plenty to drink, good music and the right blend of people.

Due to it being in the garden, and the vagaries of the weather I agree that the dress code you have specified isn't a great idea. I think providing gazebos and heaters is a good call.

And invite the neighbours.

One of our neighbours had a very loud karaoke party in his garden a few years ago. The singing was dreadful. He neither warned nor invited any of the neighbours. However, he did end the party promptly at midnight - or at least the music was switched off anyway.

For the love of God, lose the face painting.

@Rogue1001 - oooh I don't think there was a fight at the one I went to as nobody found out until her bump starting showing (they were only in the same country at the same time for that one party so it couldn't have happened anywhere else) but the person who held the party is still not happy about it even those those 3 kids are now adults.

I think making it gimmicky and having a dress code, says you’re maybe more focused on impressing rather than everyone having a great time? The two are very different,

If you want to impress so much it’s memorable

Then fireworks set to music at midnight
Champagne and a high end buffet, steak, king prawns, lobster etc with beautiful individual desserts
Dress code where you can go all out Ie cocktail dresses and dinner suits
Beautiful marquee and seating, proper served bar etc
Waiting staff
Posh portaloos

If you want to have party that people have a brilliant time at and don’t forget for that reason
Come as you please it’s a summer garden party dress code
Loads of serve yourself booze and food. Main meal then again at about 11 pm have more snack brought out,,sausages, burgers that kind of thing.
Lots of seating where groups can sit together and move around.
Great music and dimly lit dancing area close to it.

It really depends on what you’re actually aiming for here. I should say I have some very very wealthy neighbours, and their parties are memorable but in the latter category they’d never dream of giving folks a dress code to stand in their garden, it’s too try hard.

dress code or fancy dress would make me decline the invite. The best parties are with amazing food and tons of drink.
Having a couple of people making/serving drinks is a bonus too.
Endless canapés
Plenty of seating
plenty of toilets

The best are parties with no small kids

Good music, fun people, plenty of nice food and drink is all you need. Everything else you’ve mentioned sounds pretentious, boring and a bit too try hard.

A suitcase full of wine?

I’d say my social circle is very mixed in terms of wealth, class, careers etc and I don’t know anyone who on seeing cocktail dresses and dinner suits would not groan.

As soon as you start dictating what they need to Wear then you’ve removed the fun element for most people. Very few like it in reality. It’s very different to a corporate event or wedding, etc, this is a summer party in your garden.

Make it extra special by allowing people to wear what they want.

Dwarf Stripper Troup

I'm having a party soon. I want my guests to be conformable do no dress code. I do insist on my own playlist as I never get to choose music when we go out and I gave specific taste...my frirnds know what I'm like though. Dance music central. I'll provide loads of drink and snacks plus evacuate DH and the kids so they can all stay over. It's near our workplace so many can walk or taxi home. I just want to gave fun with my friends and pass put on the sofa really.

Dress code, face painter and magician would have me sending apologies.

Don't invite boris, invite Dominic. You want it to be unforgettable and that man never forgets a thing!

No to fireworks, dress code, magician, face painting or god forbid a photo booth.

Hire a caterer and a couple of waiters/waitresses to mingle with trays of food and drink.

Fire brigade or police. They’re been a feature of my most unforgettable parties.

So Start a fight or set fire to something

I had a job organising a festival and the closing party was farm themed with straw bales as seating, an auction and a horse box bar area. Everyone loved it

lookalikes.co.uk/

You could hire a lookalike to mingle with the guests. A modern take on the stripagram of yesteryear.

lookalikes.co.uk/Categories/double-act-lookalikes/

Sorry OP, but dress code evokes forced fun work do, & face painting is for kids.

I'd either be politely declining your invite, or, if we were otherwise good friends, I'd roll my eyes, put on a stalwart LBD, dig out a feather boa from wherever I left it last time we went Rocky Horror-ing, & enjoy getting pissed in your garden like we always do.

I don't want to be impressed by my friends' parties, I want to enjoy them!

I get to go to a few posh Embassy type shindigs because of work. They've got a far better budget than either of us, they do far fancier entertainment than a wandering magician, & they're terribly dull.

You just need to give this one a re-think - maybe amazing caterers or a shit hot band/dj? But no one's going to thank you for the dress code or the tableside entertainment.

Sorry OP.