How to Plan an Oscar Party

Overview

When the Oscar season comes around some people like to party while the show is ongoing and celebrate the nomination (and hopefully the win) of their favorite actors and movies. Sometimes people love to feel like a movie star and dress like one. And an Oscar party is the perfect event to do it. Along with the show, you'll feel the glitz and glamor of Hollywood's biggest event.

Host To-do List

Pre-planning: 1 month before the party

Give yourself and your guests enough time to look for the perfect outfit for the party, as well as lots of time for you to get the details set up.

1. It's the date — know exactly when the Oscars will air on television. Also, take note of the time and the channel where it will be shown. It's the most important piece of information you'll need for your party. After all it's why you're having the party.

2. Create the guest list — it's important to know how many you want to invite to your Oscars party so you can plan the space and the budget for it.

3. Finalize your budget — one of the biggest mistakes that a host can do is to not plan any budget for a party, may it be big or small. Having a budget and sticking to it ensures you won't have to regret spending too much on a night of revelry.

4. Send save-the-dates — with the date and your guest list finalized, sending save-the-dates to your invited guests guarantees they'll never plan for something else on Oscars day.

Planning the Details: 1to 2 weeks before the party

Now that it's coming down the wire, it's time to get the fine details of your big Hollywood bash organized and ready.

• Decorations. Make your guests feel like celebrities by decorating your space with some Hollywood panache. Start by laying down a red carpet from the gate to the door, if the weather is good. Decorate the space with movie posters and with sparkling lights. Put up a replica standee of the Oscar statue by the entrance and by the television.

• Food. The Oscars normally last for about 3 hours so make sure you've got plenty of food to go around. Prepare some kind of a la carte menu so that you can serve down some filling food before the Oscar show. Then have some delicious finger food like veggies with dip, canapes, chips, and sweet, yummy dessert. Keep beer and a fruit punch handy at all times for guests to just serve themselves with.

• Entertainment. Although the award show can be entertainment enough, it can become boring at times, particularly during long commercial breaks. So it's a good idea to plan some simple activity to fill those times with. Before the show begins pass out a ballot of sorts where your guests can write down their predictions on who will win. The person who predicts the most wins can be presented with a fake trophy. You can also play some short movie trivia games.

Oscar Party FAQs and Etiquette

Having an Oscar party can be done only once a year, so getting it right is of utmost importance. Here are some of the things you need to know to throw a successful one.

On serving alcoholic beverages to guests who need to drive:
When you choose to serve alcoholic drinks at your party, it is your duty as a host to make sure that your guests arrive safely home. If you can, remind the designated drivers to not drink too much alcoholic beverage during the party. Or you can arrange alternative ways to get home, or let them stay over.

Is it ok to have kids over for such a party?
While we might think that an Oscar party is merely for adults, it can be made to accommodate kids. Prepare kid-friendly foods as well as fun games to keep them busy. You can set up a room where kids can watch a movie.

I'm on a limited budget, but really want to get together with friends to watch the Oscars. Can I go the potluck route?
Your friends will probably be delighted to help you in any way they can, and bringing food should not be a problem. Just make sure that you ask them what food they want to bring to the party. By giving them the power to choose, you are also considering how much they can spend on the dish.