So one of the first things that you should consider when planning a party is the venue, most people chose either a hall or their own home and both have benefits and disadvantages.
When I was a child you went to your friends house and that was it, a few games of musical statues and pass the parcel, eat a bit of buffet, sing happy birthday and off you went home.
These days parties like everything else have got bigger and more impressive and depending on what type of entertainment you have planned can also determine what type of venue you need.
So lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of halls vs home.
Halls:
I have done many, many parties in halls and I do like performing in a nice village hall.
You have lots of room so you are more open to what type of entertainment you can have, you want a bouncy castle, not a problem. You want a full party package with games and a magic show, not a problem as there is lots of room for dancing and games.
There are normally loads of parking spaces so no worry of causing friction with any neighbours by filling the road with your guests cars.
You have a blank canvas to decorate or theme as you want and as soon as you've swept up and put the chairs back you are done at the end of the party.
But you do have the extra cost of booking a hall on top of any other costs which depending on the hall and your budget can be a big deciding factor and also if you are booking an entertainer they often have booking slots (I have a morning slot that runs till 1pm and an afternoon slot that starts at 3pm) and this can clash with availability at the hall you want to book which it is advisable to book any entertainment first.
Home
I have also done lots of parties at peoples homes and they can lead to such an amazing intimate party and are great for smaller parties, if you only intend to invite a few friends and family.
You are comfy in your own home and who knows your own home better than you and it saves you money on hiring a venue, plus you have no travelling to do.
You also have the option of having a garden party in the summer.
But there is the worry of any damage or mess left by your guests and there are many distractions in the house like bedrooms full of toys or swings and climbing frames in the garden.
And unless you have a fair sized house space can be an issue, I can fit my magic show into most front rooms but doing games and dances in that space can prove difficult.
Hope I have given you some things to think about when planning your next party.
Tristan the Twister