Tips from the party planners

By: Annelie Mannertorn Photo: Paul Brissman, from the book *Festfixaren*, ICA Bokförlag

The best
tips from party planners – from New York to Stockholm

A wedding is the biggest celebration of your life, whether it’s a small or large affair. But how do you go about organising it all? Professional event planners know just about everything there is to know about organising a party and the latest party trends in New York, London and Stockholm. Here are a few tips straight from the experts.

Stockholm

It’s in New York, London and Los Angeles that the really big parties are held. There, everyone from celebrities to businesspeople mingle at massive events that we mere mortals can scarcely imagine.
— The whole of London was covered in Dalmatian spots, on taxis and the entire Royal Albert Hall! No one could fail to notice it was a film premiere. Absolutely brilliant organisation,” says Marianne Djudic, who helped organise the launch of the feature film *101 Dalmatians* in London a few years ago. She was also involved in the massive launch of the film *Pocahontas* in New York, where the film was screened on three giant screens in Central Park that could be seen high up from the skyscrapers.
After many years in the media industry, amongst other things, she now runs the PR and events agency Taste PR in Stockholm, making her one of the capital’s leading party organisers and PR consultants. She even organises the odd wedding now and then, but mostly it’s about launching various brands:
“I was in charge of the launch event for the PlayStation 3. We took over the entire Nordic Light Hotel in Stockholm and created living scenes, such as a girl on a swing in one room and a guy dancing in a shower of money. It was incredible! I also organised film premieres for the *Miami Vice* film a few years ago. The guests all got to travel in super-fast motorboats across Riddarfjärden to the premiere cinema. Everyone thought it was great fun to feel like the actors in the film,” says Marianne enthusiastically.
Otherwise, Marianne feels that party trends are moving towards a more relaxed and informal atmosphere, whether it’s private parties or large-scale events. In Sweden, we don’t really have the same facilities for hosting massive events as in global cities when it comes to premieres and the like.

Careful planning

So what is Marianne’s best advice for anyone planning their own party or wedding?
— You can never plan too much, because there’s always something that doesn’t go to plan. You have to be prepared. But the most important thing to remember is to make sure all guests feel welcome,’ emphasises Marianne, adding that she believes themes – something many other party planners always emphasise – aren’t always necessary:
‘It can end up being a theme for the sake of having a theme, and that can be confusing for the guests. For example, having a theme that requires prior knowledge is completely wrong! She also believes that, as a party and wedding planner, it’s important to sit down and discuss the couple’s wishes thoroughly, and that the bride and groom should be in charge.
— There are so many different opinions involved in a wedding. The bride and groom must be able to decide for themselves what they want; it’s their wedding. Do hire a wedding planner if you can. You should be able to relax and just focus on enjoying the party!
Her best tip for a successful party is to provide everyone with information about each other, whether verbally or in the form of short written introductions.
— That gets the conversation going quickly, because you know what’s important to the person you’ve been seated next to, concludes Marianne, before rushing off to her next project.

New York

Linnea Johansson leads a glamorous but intense life as a party planner in New York. Between all her demanding assignments, she has written about how to create the right party atmosphere in the book *Festfixaren* (ICA Bokförlag). Here, she talks about the major parties she has helped organise, where everyone from global celebrities to billionaires have mingled. The book also contains plenty of recipes and planning tips, ranging from how best to create floral arrangements to how to work out the length of tablecloths.
Here are some of Linnea’s top tips:
Always set a party budget by deciding on an amount you can spend. Set aside a buffer, e.g. 10 per cent for unexpected expenses. The best way to stick to a budget is to start planning well in advance. A party you want your guests to remember should have a theme, which can be as simple as a colour or a flavour.The easiest way to transform a room is to get the lighting right. Ceiling lights give off the wrong kind of light, but table and floor lamps work well. For the latter, feel free to use coloured bulbs and heat-resistant plastic to create atmosphere and add a splash of colour. Or use spotlights to highlight what you want in the room. Be generous with candles – not just on tables, but also in windows, on trays, on the floor and, ideally, in clusters to create atmosphere. You can achieve fun effects by placing fairy lights in unexpected places. Feel free to illuminate floral arrangements, especially if it’s dark. Cocktails can serve as starters, based, for example, on tomato juice and vodka and garnished with a small edible item such as a prawn, an olive or a cheese flake. Neatly folded napkins, preferably made of fabric, enhance the overall impression of the table setting. A striking touch is to make your own double napkins with different fabrics on each side. You might also fold the dinner menu, a flower or a piece of bread into the napkin. Paper napkins can be jazzed up with a wax seal or personalised by stamping them with fun designs or initials. (Stamps and similar items are available, for example, at Panduro Hobby and well-stocked stationers, ed.) Tablecloths help to reinforce the impression created by the table setting and its theme. Warm-coloured and patterned tablecloths create a welcoming, homely feel, whilst white tablecloths give a more formal impression. The tablecloth should hang at least 25 cm over the edge of the table to look neat. Each guest needs at least 60 cm of lateral space at the table. If guests have neighbours behind them, the distance between the backs of the chairs should be at least 30 cm, preferably 50 cm when the guest is seated, so that they can easily leave the table. Sheer lace fabrics can be used as decorative tablecloths over a so-called base cloth that covers the entire table. Set the table a day in advance so you have time to experiment with different table settings. Where the toastmaster is seated, he or she should be able to make eye contact with the serving staff and be clearly heard.

Tips from other event organisers in Stockholm

Do have a read of Micael Bindefeld’s book *Fest – om svar anhålles* (publisher: Natur och kultur), which is full of practical tips, not least on the best ways to send out invitations and set a stunning table.

A classic amongst party books, which can be found in second-hand bookshops and libraries, is Magdalena Ribbing and Alexandra Charles’ book *Festboken* (published by Norstedts, 1989), containing everything you need to know about etiquette, invitations, table settings and planning. A great reference book even today!
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