IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

An Oscars party fit for the stars

So your Oscars invitation never arrived in the mail. That’s no reason to forego the glamour of the evening. It’s easy to host your own telecast bash, complete with eats and an atmosphere fit for the stars. To help, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Lara Shriftman, one half of the public relations and special events firm Harrison & Shriftman, which is responsible for countless high-profile book
/ Source: Epicurious

So your Oscars invitation never arrived in the mail. That’s no reason to forego the glamour of the evening. It’s easy to host your own telecast bash, complete with eats and an atmosphere fit for the stars. To help, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Lara Shriftman, one half of the public relations and special events firm Harrison & Shriftman, which is responsible for countless high-profile book and product launch parties, film festival fetes, and Hollywood parties. She’s also cowritten several books on entertaining with partner Elizabeth Harrison, including “Party Confidential.”

Do something different

The sedentary nature of a party based on long hours of TV-watching can create particular challenges for a host, says Shriftman, who’s hosted an Oscars-viewing party with partner Harrison for the past ten years (and whose guests have included Serena Williams, Lara Flynn Boyle, Luke Wilson, Forest Whittaker, Adrien Brody, and Molly Sims). “The Oscars are tricky. There are a million other parties that night. You have to think out of the box.” But such creative party-planning doesn’t have to require great effort. Shriftman shared her tips for creating a successful party that’s totally doable for the home-based host.

Fine-tune the guest list, decor and menu

Shriftman’s winning party formula starts with the guest list: “The real key to any party is to have a great mix of people.” So while your good friends might comprise the core of your invitees, include others who will inject some fresh interest into the mix. “Think about whom your guests would want to meet,” she says. Next, add some simple decorations, set up your living room for ultimate comfort, and serve a menu composed of small bites of familiar favorites such as sliders and pizza, plus brownies, cupcakes, and cookies (again, all mini). But just because food’s familiar, that doesn’t mean it should be ordinary, warns Shriftman. Make a gourmet version: You can serve pigs-in-blankets, but accompany them with three dipping sauces. Or, she suggests, serve bacon-wrapped dates or tomato soup in shot glasses with an herb garnish.

Pre-party planning

Create a game plan: Any pro entertainer will tell you that the two safeguards against party failure are careful planning and organization. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a time-consuming step, but think about what you want ahead of time, make a list of what you need to do to accomplish it, and allow yourself enough time to execute it.

Allocate your resources: One component of your plan should be a budget. It will give you realistic parameters. Decide what is most important to you and spend the majority of your money on that, whether it’s food, drinks, or decor. “Personally, flowers are the least important part of my budget,” says Shriftman, who prefers to decorate inexpensively with votive or floating candles.

Do a dry run: “Listen, I’m a party planner, and I always forget something,” Shriftman says. Write down every detail of your party and go over it with a friend a day or so before to hammer out any unforeseen details.

Enlist help: Throwing a party with a friend is always more fun and helps distribute the work. Shriftman also likes to hire someone from a catering or bartending service to tidy up and make sure snacks are replenished. It’s always uncomfortable when the host is cleaning, she says, and hired help frees you up to enjoy your guests.

The art of invites

Make your invitations enticing: Invites are the first impression guests will get of your party and set the mood for what’s to come, so put some creative effort into them. Write or print the particulars on the image of an Oscar or a still from one of the Best Picture nominees. Shriftman suggests using colored or outsized envelopes to signal that there’s something special inside. And make sure to send out your invitations no earlier (or later) than two weeks in advance: “Any earlier, and people forget,” she says.

Over-invite: Face it, as fabulous as your party may be, there’s a lot of competition on Oscars night from other entertainers. Even at celebrity-studded Hollywood parties, there are always no-shows, Shriftman says. “If you want 20 guests to come, confirm 25.” And in order to confirm 25, you may need to invite 30 or more to account for folks who will RSVP in the negative.

Follow up: Ask your guests to RSVP by a certain date, and if there are any guests who haven’t responded, call them to follow up, Shriftman instructs. Often a personal phone call can turn a “maybe” into a “definitely.”

Party setup

Winning decor: The Oscars provide a ready movie motif, so use that in your decor. You can do something as simple as placing fake Oscar statuettes around or serving snacks out of a film canister. Or line trays with the Oscar image or stills from nominated movies.