Is a party planner worth it for a small party
An honest answer to a common question, with what you can easily do yourself and where help matters.
Behind the scenes: the night before a party
From packing lists to balloon counts: what happens in our Dhantoli godown the evening before your party.
Most of the work on a party happens the evening before, in a godown behind our office that smells of rubber and glue. By 6 pm the planners have printed a packing list for each of the next day’s parties, and the packing starts.
Every party has its own crates, labelled with the family name and time. The backdrop is unrolled and checked for tears. Props are counted, one crown or mask for every child plus five spares, because a child always arrives with a cousin. Tableware is counted against the guest list. Tools go in last: the balloon pump, tape, scissors, cable ties, an extension board and a first-aid box.
Balloons are counted, not pumped. We take about thirty per cent more than we need, because some burst and some get claimed by children before the party starts. Helium cylinders are weighed so we know they are full.
The planner then calls the family. We confirm the address, the parking, the lift, the society’s timings and where the power point is. These calls catch most of the problems that would otherwise appear on the day.
The van is loaded at 7 am. Our rule is that every crate leaves with a tick on the list beside it, and comes back with one too. That is how 40 backdrops have lasted, and how we leave your home as clean as we found it.
