The Nest

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 2:26 PM

Party Plan

By Jeanine

So my dad’s birthday is this Thursday and as part of my gift to him I’m organizing the festivities. I want it to be extra-special, because this is, of course, my dad, but I am very committed to my budget of $75. The guest list is small (like my apartment, which is where I’ll be hosting the fete), but unfortunately the appetites of the people on the guest list are not. I initially thought tapas would be great -- easy to make and easy on my wallet -- until my idea was shot down by my mother this weekend who was less than impressed with the idea of serving “snacks” for her husband’s party. Back to the drawing board I went.

I was ordering lunch yesterday when it hit me -- a pizza party! Not only is it a nod to my dad’s hometown (NYC), but it’s also reminiscent of the countless pizza parties he threw for me and my friends in honor of my childhood birthdays. (Plus, I’m hoping individual pizzas will be enough to satisfy my guests.) And instead of ordering, I’m going to have everyone to make their own personal pizzas. I’ll roll out the crusts the night before and then for the party all the toppings and sauces will be arranged along the bar so people can design their own pies.

After some explanation, this plan passed the mom-test, so wish me luck! Check back next week (same time, same place) to see how the party went and if I was able to stick to my budget. In the meantime, please share what you’ve done to save money when entertaining. I tend to have people over quite often and would love any advice for keeping costs down. TIA!

Oh, and if you’re planning a party of your own, here are some more fun ideas:
Dinner Parties for Every Budget