STORY:
The Y2K Party Invitation

Fitting Your Party Space to Your Year 2000 Party

By Patty Sachs
Special to Everything2000

More often than not, the space in which you have to produce your event is not ideal. You may have no choice in the matter�it may be in your home or apartment, neither is set up for large groups.. The idea is to have the space look as though it was perfectly planned for the function. Of course, a too-small space has many problems, but luckily guests love a crowded room. (Not too crowded, though.) On the other hand, a space that is too large suggests that many of the guests did not show. This is a negative thought and not good for festivity.

The following strategies will help to adapt your space to your group, its size and event goals

Large Group in Small Space The crowded feeling is fine for open house or cocktail party events but can be very uncomfortable for dining and activity events. Guest comfort is of utmost importance. Long buffet lines, inadequate seating, uncomfortable room temperature or volume of music can all ruin a party. Do what you must to avoid these problem areas.

• Remove most of the furniture and provide small tables for seating.
• Serve buffet style and pass appetizers to minimize crowding around buffet table.
• Make use of any overflow space such as a patio, balcony. Rent a canopy to make it weatherproof.
• Use every flat surface for food service (counter, shelf, piano, occasional table, desk).
• Use bar height rental tables to accommodate standing room only.
• For additional seating for children, set small picnic tables in a special area that you have decorated festively.
• Use long banquet tables rather than round, for sit-down meals..
• Call for casual dress code so that guests will be ready for sitting on a bench, a stairway, a pillow or on the floor.

• Create dividers with folding screens, tall plants, large plants standing on pedestals, large props or backdrops, hanging banners of inexpensive fabric, trellis or plywood facades.
• Place dividers at angles in corners of the room to create new walls. Place round tables instead of banquet style at an intimate distance apart rather than spread out over the room.
• Drape fabric or paper from corners of ceiling to center of room that will give the feeling of a lowered ceiling.
• Upholstered chairs or fabric chair covers will create a feeling of fullness in the room.
• If you have buffet tables, bring them out into the room instead of placing them up against the wall. Create a theme based backdrop/wall/divider behind the table.
• Keep the lights low, use candles or twinkle lights on tables and around the room.
• Place balloon bunches in table centerpieces, floating well above the crowd..
• Create a center area of a fountain, park benches, plants and place tables around it.
• Place shrubs and/or plants around the edge of the dance floor for a more intimate setting.

• Use mirrors and candlelight to create the dramatic atmosphere you want.
• Use cloth table covers--recycled sheets, dyed to match, work just fine. Recycle pillow cases as chair back covers. Tie with tassels and ribbon sashes.
• Strings of white twinkle lights, hanging on doorways or draped over windows, make any room glamorous. Intertwine with tulle or mylar strips for a fuller effect.
• Pin spot lights focused on walls creates a formal atmosphere.
• Lengths of close-out fabrics, when hung in swags near the ceiling, make a royal wall treatment.

Patty Sachs' 48 page year 2000 party planning guide, "Your Y2K Bash will be a Smash...not a Crash!" is available at:
Year 2000 Celebrations

DATE: 10/4/99

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