"Setting the Stage: Preparing Your Home for the Perfect Party"

Here is everything you need to know when planning your event. (OK, almost everything😉)

For this post, I sat down with Zorica Stevic, founder and owner of Z-Event, a popular high-end event design and planning agency in Montreal, Canada.

Zorica started as a front desk receptionist for a Hotel in Europe, where she was a student. 

Her organizational skills, eye for design, and people skills quickly helped her move up in rank.

For 20+ years, Zorica held titles such as banquet manager, event planner and food and beverage associate in the hospitality industry.

In 2015, she courageously took the plunge and went out on her own and has earned a stellar reputation for her creativity, honesty, and capabilities for running stunning, well-executed events.

The following is a summary of our conversation.

With the holiday season upon us, I’m sure you will find this useful.

“Planning an event is not only about choosing colors and ordering matching cookies.”

What is the event?

The answer to this question is the backdrop for the entire event.

• What are you celebrating?
• Is it a formal party with sitting and service or a come-and-go style? Perhaps a combination of both?
• How many people? Adults? Children?

Space planning:

“Be realistic and expect to move some furniture around”, Zorica emphasizes.

Look around and try to imagine the flow of the party.

Each house and event is unique.

Here is what you need to consider.

• Do we need a coat check? A place to put boots?
• Are we setting up a welcome station? 🍸🍫
• Do we need a sitting area for socializing? (couches work best)
• Is there an outdoor space that can be used? (tent, garden, deck)
• Which rooms will be available to guests? (you don’t want them invading your home)
• The size of the tables and where to place them

Decor (theme and vibe):

“Be yourself,” Zorica stresses.

Your home decor reflects your personality and taste.

Keep the vibe for the party in style with the existing decor to create a welcoming and homey feel. (You can’t put stainless steel tables in a Victorian-style home.)

“ Never drape the walls in a home. That painting you chose is beautiful and should be the starting point for deciding on the color scheme and everything else”, advises Zorica.

If you’re having a hard time settling on a theme for your event Zorica’s tip is to eliminate first.

🔹What don’t you like? (a color, a trend)

🔹What do you like? (a color, a cuisine)

🔹Do some browsing for inspiration. ( Be careful, some of these photos are unrealistic in your case.)

Food:

This is a big topic with many parts.

Let’s start with the menu.

Firstly, decide whether you’re going with a caterer or ordering takeout.

Once that decision is made, there are many details to iron out.

• Menu
• Dishes (color, size, serving plates)
• Plating
• Amounts (how much do you need?)

From there, Zorica highlights the benefits of setting up a temporary kitchen in the basement or in the garage if possible.

“Firstly, you want your marble counters and stainless steel appliances in your main kitchen to stay in good condition and not get scratched, cut, or damaged in any way.” 

Secondly, you can use the kitchen as part of your party space.

If you have a big island or maybe your garden is attached to your kitchen, you might want to use the area for your guests

When hiring waiters and bartenders, Zorica advises to confirm in advance that they are OK with working in a house.

“Waiters that are accustomed to working in big commercial kitchens tend to be less neat and you might end up with oil on your ceilings.” 🍳 

Lastly, assign someone to take care of emptying the garbage regularly during the event.

“This is a small detail that makes a huge difference.”

This can ideally be your regular cleaning help who already knows where everything is kept.

The same person can also be in charge of cleaning the bathrooms continuously and refilling toilet paper and soap. 

Wrapping up:

Strategically planned party favors at your event extend the warm feelings created and make you memorable.

Choosing the item and the presentation depends on many factors, mainly:

1. Your budget
2. The event style
3. The timing

Whether you personalize something, hand it out at the end, or put one at each place setting, your party will be remembered fondly, and longer. 

Hosting at home is

        daunting (not anymore)😌,

        rewarding (I did it)💪, 

        and special (personal) 🌸.

So, here you have it.

Great advice and ideas from a top event planner you can implement at your next celebration.

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