During the workday, Paige Cornetet is a strength and wealth coach at her own company, the Millennial Guru.
But outside of work—when she's not helping business owners, leaders and millennials find and channel their potential and passion—Paige can usually be found throwing a killer party.
Learn from Paige about tips and tricks for throwing the ultimate party your guests will love.
To start: Leave the details out
If you've got a million ideas floating around in your brain, that's normal. Narrow down your ideas by thinking broadly about the event in terms of the general idea. Examine the who, where, when and why. From there, move on to determining your theme; everything tends to fall into its proper place from there.
If you've got an overall idea to start, the little details will eventually emerge on their own—instead of getting too excited and saying, "Oh, look at these cute paper straws!" and trying to build everything around just that.
Choosing a theme doesn't have to be hard
Themes could range from a color to a word or feeling—they don't necessarily have to be what we typically think of with themes. I've done parties in the past with themes that are specific, like Hoedown Throwdown and Oktoberfest, but I've also put on parties where the theme was simply "pineapple" or "blue."
I'm currently working with a friend on an event, and the choices we're making in regard to theme revolve around how he wants his guests to feel when they're present—enjoying the evening. The emotion we want to portray throughout the evening determines our overall choices with décor and otherwise.
Don't feel boxed in when it comes to choosing!
Good vibes—always
There's a lot to consider when planning a party. But through all the noise of the little details, these are the top three aspects that I always am sure to focus on most:
- Good people.
What's the energy you're looking for? Who is going to be there? Is it going to be all one age group or will there be different generations? What's everyone's background or what do they all have in common? - Good food and drinks.
You know it's true: People always remember if they've had great food and drinks at a party. This is key. Choose some fun cocktails and food that fit your theme and utilize local businesses and goods whenever possible. - Good music.
I truly believe a party isn't a party without incredible music—it really sets the tone and energy for the evening. Do you want your guests to dance all night? Do you want the music to be chill and mellow? Whether you've got a live band or are popping on a Spotify playlist, the music will determine the mood.
Go-to resources
Because most of us are pretty busy, it's always good to utilize resources that simplify the party planning process as much as possible.
- Music: A lot of the time, I find local bands and musicians through gigmasters.com in addition to utilizing connections at the Grand Rapids Symphony. Talk to the people you know who are involved with music! Chances are, they know some talented people.
- Décor: Oriental Trading Company—hands down. I'm a firm believer that you don't necessarily need super-high-quality goods or to spend a lot of money to make an impact and create a pleasing party look. But keep in mind—décor is an added bonus.
Regardless of all the details, the reason I love to throw parties is that I truly enjoy connecting good people with other good people. I really believe that through that, a ripple effect can happen that may lead to even better things—a new business project, the introduction of a potential new romantic partner, bringing together people who have commonalities they may not have discovered otherwise, et cetera.
At the heart of it all, that's what it's about.
Paige Cornetet is a captivating speaker, certified coach, mentor and founder of Millennial Guru.
For additional inspiration, visit Paige's Parties to view some of the parties Paige has thrown.
Photo courtesy of Betsy Bee Photography.
