Party planning and hosting can be such a stressful thing, especially when you want your event to be epic! No matter if it is your dream reception or your birthday party – the stress of planning it is real. You want every single detail to be perfect and for all of your guests to be wowed.

Is there a way to plan a party without the worry of it turning into a major #fail? We spoke with Los Angeles Party Planners and searched for the top tips to throw the best party every single time. Check out what the experts say works like magic:

1. Make your Guest List Spicy

The people are what make the party a party,  so it is vital to have a great Guest List. Don’t be afraid to invite guests from all walks of life and all generations. Having a mixture of people can actually be a good thing. Plus you never know who will make new friends or find their soulmate. Tip: Send out invites with enough time to pencil your party on their calendar.

2. Pump up the Party with Music

Music is the universal language, as you may have heard already. The right music at the right moments can turn any party into a legendary event. You don’t want your guests bored to death with silence or elevator music. Ditch the playlist and hire a live band for your party.

3. Drinks at the Door

Getting a drink on arrival is a classy touch that gets guests lightened up immediately and makes them feel welcome. Whether it is a glass of champagne or a cocktail, drinks at the door is a must. We say “Hit em with a stiff drink!”

4. Hire a Waiter or Two

You are not expected to do everything at your own party if you can help it. Hire a waiter or two for a few hours and kick your party up a notch. Having a waiter take food and drink trays around to guests is never a bad idea and takes a few things off your plate.

5. Dress Code

Any time I get an invite to a party, the first thing that pops into my head (any maybe every other women’s head) “What the heck am I going to wear?” Take the guesswork out and include the dress code on your invite or at least tell guests what is expected to happen at the party so they can plan their outfit accordingly. For instance if you are going to be jumping in the pool, make a note about bikinis and towels. This helps everyone feel comfortable in the event you want to do Black Tie and you don’t want anyone showing up in sweats feeling out of place.

6. Pick a Theme

Themes are a great way to get guests involved and have them step out of their norm for a night. Roaring 20’s, Masquerade, Disco Nights are just to name a few. The more original, more epic your party will be. If you aren’t into costume themes, stick with a color theme. Your theme could totally roll into a Best Dressed Contest for the night!

7. The Right Lights

Good light makes everyone look good. Placing the right lighting at your party can make the difference of your party looking like a scene out of The Craft vs an elegant event. Hire a lighting crew if you need the extra help to set the mood.

8. Relax a little

You do not have to introduce everyone to everyone, it is okay to disappear and let the crowd get to walk around and talk. If you feel inclined to make sure people meet each other, skip to #12.

9. Have Fun

Don’t expect your guests to have fun if you aren’t enjoying yourself. We totally understand that being a good host can be stressful – but you need to have fun at your own party or it wasn’t worth it. Plus if the Host looks unhappy, this is a surefire way to make guests feel awkward.

10. Location Matters

You can have the best band in the world, but if your location is hard to find – you won’t be able to get people through the door. Include directions in your invitations and easy to follow signs at your event location.

11. Never Run out of Food

Having more than enough food and drinks during the party is a no-brainer. Though running out of food could and has happened in the past – and is a major party fail. It sucks being apart of those guests who don’t get to eat!

12. Make Guests Participate

Place disposable cameras around your party and encourage guests to take pictures. Put a bowl of conversation starters at each table, or give prizes to people who partake in a guest scavenger hunt. Check out this Guest Scavenger Hunt idea! This is a great way to break the ice and get guests mingling.

13. Party Bonding

Fondue is not only yummy, but it forces people to gather and connect with other people. Food is a great way to get people to bond. Dessert bars or roasting marshmallows are good ideas for bonding food.

14. Change in Scenery

Set up appetizers in one room and drinks in another, having different areas for certain things makes people rotate around and keeps them entertained longer than having just one room where everything happens.

15. Create a Signature Party Drink

Leave that lasting impression on guests with a specialty drink that is designed just for your party. Check out this great article with tips on how you can create your own signature cocktail: https://thesalonniere.com/signature-cocktail/

16. Flower Power

Fresh flowers go a long way when it comes to party decor and set the tone for every type of event. If you are on a budget, try getting flowers from your local florist and arranging them yourself for centerpieces. No one will ever know that it was a DIY effort.

17. Have a Schedule

Having a schedule of events can make your party roll more smoothly. You don’t have to be on a tight minute by minute schedule, but deciding what happens each hour of your party can help you avoid going crazy. Try announcing the next big event of the hour to keep guests entertained as well as gives guests a reason to hang around longer.

18. Kids Only Area

If you are having kids at your party, set up a special table or area with busy activities for the kids. At a recent wedding I attended the kids had their own table with coloring books and sticker books to keep entertained for as long as possible. This is a great way to give the kids something to do before they convince their parents to leave because they are bored.

19. Offer a Self-Serve Bar

Set up a self serve bar or designated drink stations around the party for simple drink service. Add a special touch by including drink recipes that guests can follow for fun.

20. Perfect Ending

The last 5 mins before your guests leave the party is as important as the first 5 mins while they were at the party. 3-4 hours is the ideal time needed to throw an epic party.

People tend to remember the beginning, the middle and the very end of things. End the night with a bang and leave them on a high note. Tip: Mention to guests that they should not forget their party favors at the door on their way out. This is the equivalent of a goodie bag that kids get at the end of birthday parties.

Let us know in the comments what party planning tips you swear by to keep your event running smoothly!

Join us December 6th at Hollywood Famous Boardners for Chris Murphy and The Blind Blakes Blues Band are debuting their latest album, a Blues & Jazz Violin set called WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE… Come down to LA’s hidden gem, Boardner’s Night Club, have a drink and celebrate with the band and the Teahouse Records family. A night of stiff drinks and good company, with amazing Bordello Blues and Hobo Jazz tunes.

Enjoy Chris Murphy’s new music video, “I Swear I’m Going to Learn This Time.”

Hey music lover!

         -Ted Rogen, No More Division, 2017
“Polished and balanced while still retaining an impressive live quality.”
-Jason Hillenburg, Skope Magazine, 2017

Powerhouse Chris Murphy is on fire, releasing one album this year and ready to release two more in early 2017! He’s recently back from Audio Lab Recording Studios in Idaho where his second album of 2017 was recorded LIVE! With a studio audience in attendance, Chris took everyone on a journey through the latest in his extensive composition repertoire! Never-before-heard music was enjoyed, and the audience got to lend their hands and hearts to the once-in-a-lifetime experience! Stay tuned in Spring 2017 for album details, and follow Chris online here as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

After providing music for Emma & Ben’s gorgeous wedding at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, The Teahouse Company was excited to see that the incredible talents of Hoo Films put together a touching, emotional video for the two. It gives us a look at the emotional ride these two have gone on together and sums up the joyous occasion in one beautifully shot video, featuring speeches from the wedding party and the bride and groom themselves. Check the video out below and be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

It’s National Wedding Day and the Teahouse Music Company wants to help all of you lovely brides and grooms celebrate.

For THIS WEEK ONLY the Teahouse Company is offering 15% OFF any and all bookings!

If you’re still looking for the perfect music for your wedding, check out our website and see the amazing bands we have to help create beautiful music for your special day!

To redeem your discount, call 509.251.5806 and use the code phrase:

“Every Kiss Begins with Tea!”

Offer valid from 21 June 2016 to 28 June 2016.

Booking live music for a wedding can seem like an enormous and daunting task. How many musicians should there be? For how long should they play? What part of the reception is best to have them play during? Don’t fret, future bride/groom! Teahouse is here to walk you through the steps so that you can focus on what this wedding is really supposed to be about: your union.

Choosing your genre of music

Perhaps you are going for a rustic-style wedding where upright bass and violins twang in the background underneath light, breezy banter. This may mean a folk or bluegrass band would work best for your big day. Or maybe you are going a more traditional route with a string ensemble to play classical favorites like Bach and Mozart. These are all things to consider when deciding on the aesthetic of your wedding and all things play an important role in the mood that you set for your special day. A good wedding band will be able to adapt to what you want for your wedding.

$etting your budget

What is great about deciding to incorporate live music into your wedding is that it can all be adjusted to fit your standards as well as your budget. If the live music is a smaller part of your budget, maybe vie for a single musician to serenade your audience. Perhaps the live music plays a larger role in your wedding and you would like the artists to stay throughout the event’s entirety. These are all price points that can be adjusted to fit what you need.

Something to remember:

• There are many different factors that play into a musician’s price for playing your ceremony. This can include the travel to location, parking, sound equipment, length of performance time, song requests, provided meals, etc. Be sure to take this all into account when budgeting! And remember, this can all adjust to what you feel comfortable with.

Finding your musicians

It can be a bit tricky to find trustworthy, talented live musicians for your wedding, especially since there is a lot of pressure in terms of quality for such a special day. Never fear, Teahouse is here! Of course, we take weddings extremely seriously in our company. Our musicians are never late, can play a multitude of genres and take great care to make sure you have an unforgettable event. You can look at our Yelp Reviews to see some of the great things people have had to say about our musicians. We would be honored to play your special event.

-Teahouse Company

In a recent post on Palace of Rock’s page, you might see a familiar face pop up in the feed. Los Angeles’ minstrel and Teahouse’s own Chris Murphy received a review from the site with some great things to say about his latest album, “Surface To Air”, from their music writer, Kaj Roth:

“Surface To Air…is a crossover of heartland rock, bluegrass and Irish folkmusic. “Dead weight” and “Last Of The Twickham Blackbirds”…are really cool roots-rock songs.”

Roth takes us through the album and gives his two cents, both positive and constructive, and commends Murphy for his craftsmanship, noting that he deserves a slot in a much-needed violinist hall of fame. We couldn’t agree more! Have a listen below to Chris Murphy’s track “Dead Weight” off the album and catch him live this weekend at Der Wolfskopf, starting at 9 PM.