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the best party planners in chicago

If there’s one thing we love more than a wedding, it’s a damn good party. If there’s one thing we love even more than that, it’s planning a good party. So, if you’re looking for the best party planners in Chicago, look no further. The Anticipation Events team is ready to pull out all the confetti, disco balls, glitter, and cotton candy we can and make the best party you’ve ever seen come to life right before your eyes — or even in your very own home!

Janna and Cale

what do party planners do?

We get this question all the time. What exactly do party planners do? Well, first, there’s a lot of schlepping boxes and herding cats. Really. We spend a ridiculous amount of time loading in and setting up, just to tear down and pack up a few hours later. Party planning also involves spending a lot of time doing things like making sure everyone gets into the event, moving from cocktail hour to dinner tables quickly, getting up on the dance floor, and boogieing down (but not so much that they won’t leave at the end of the night) and making sure everyone gets home safely. We do all this while making sure no one feels rushed and everyone feels welcome but everything stays on time. We do all of this so you don’t have to.

We also work closely with clients to design and execute their party vision. This means we have meetings and conference calls, draw up timelines and floor plans, communicate every single detail with vendors, and exchanged countless emails with our clients to make sure their party goes exactly as planned. Or (hopefully) better! Want to know more about our party planning Chicago services? Check out our service details to get a rundown of all the things we typically do at events.

everything you need to know to plan a party

If you’re looking for “party planners near me,” our one piece of advice is to: CALL US! We know. We sound like broken records, but seriously. We will absolutely save you time and possibly some money, too. We are there to reduce stress and your party day workload so you can have fun and actually enjoy the beautiful party you planned. But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to Angie’s List, which says that “hiring a professional event planner can take the stress away from you and ensure that your party will be one that not only fits your budget but also meets your preference.” (1)

Of course, we have a lot more than one piece of advice (and if you call us, we’ll give you all the advice you’d like). But for now, here are some of our top party planning tips:

  • For a baby or wedding shower, we think it’s best to keep the party small. As you increase the number of guests invited, you’re also likely to increase the number of gifts and no one wants to sit through three hours of gift opening, even for your best friend or sister. Check out our interview with CBS 2 Chicago to get more tips for hosting a baby shower. (2)
  • Hosting a dinner party? We can’t tell you how much we love throwing a good dinner party. But it’s not all about the food. Want to do it right? Assign seats! Not only do you get to make some pretty cute place cards, but you get to introduce guests and keep the conversation flowing as fast as the wine. Plus, it just makes the sitting down part a little less awkward. Check out our Setting the Perfect Dinner Party Table blog post for more great tips.
  • Having an outdoor event? Well, we have a whole set of tips just for outdoor events. Pro-tip #1: Paper blows away, so don’t use it or make sure you have plenty of rocks on hand. Want more tips for outdoor events? Check out Outdoor Wedding Tips from the Pros on our blog.
  • And last but not least, our top tips for any event are right here in Wedding Planning Tips You Need to Know. These are the creme de la creme of tips for weddings but apply to all events, even a three-year-old’s birthday party. (We know because we’ve done a lot of those too.)

a look at some of our best work …

Whether it’s a birthday party, a baby shower, or a small dinner party, we love to break out the fine china (or the neon pink plasticware) and design the party of your dreams. In-home parties are some of our favorites, because we can do so much more when things are on a smaller scale, and give us a backyard any day and we will make party magic. Here are some of our favorites to date:

And, of course, we’ve planned countless weddings meant to feel like an intimate dinner party or the best cocktail party you’ve ever attended (including our own!), so we’ve got this party thing down.

resources:

  1. Angie’s List
  2. CBS 2 Chicago