Three Ways to End Your Party Gracefully
Photo: James Baigrie
Winding down your party doesn’t have to be awkward. Here’s our handy guide for getting guests to go home after a night well spent.
There are many upsides to throwing a really great party — the rush of self-satisfaction, the guaranteed invites to your guests’ future bashes, the matchmaking/networking/stand-up-routine-honing that you facilitate. The downside? It’s 2 a.m. and your college roommate and your husband’s golf buddy are still rooted to the couch, while your best friend is happily holding court in the kitchen with your dog walker.
How are you supposed to get rid of stragglers without hurting anyone’s feelings? (You did invite them, after all.) Party planner Kimberly Schlegel Whitman shares her top three tricks:
1. Take a Cue from Concert Halls and Movie Theaters
Turning up the lights in the main areas gets the move-along message across. Then, go ahead and turn off all the lights in any unoccupied rooms.
2. Clear Out the Alcohol, Bring Out the Coffee
Refrain from starting a full-fledged cleanup, but start packing away the alcohol to encourage hardcore partiers to get their next drink at another location. Consider making coffee if it looks like some might need it; the smell of brewing beans sends a subtle sense message, too.
3. Cut the Music
Turn the party music way down — or completely off. A bold alternative: Create a playlist of “closing time”-themed songs and wait for guests to get the hint.
Visit MarthaStewart.com for: Great Tips for Weekend Entertaining
