The Perfect Host Content . Any gathering , party , or festival requires one thing — a perfect host . A perfect host is the anchor for any event , the smiling face that makes everyone welcome , the entertaining and accommodating party - thrower who makes sure every guest is wined and dined and has a good time . But a perfect host isn ' t born knowing how to bestow a rousing good time upon a crowd of guests , or how to set up a memorable event . To be a perfect host requires years of training , days of strategic planning , and hours of preparation and set up . Or , you can follow these few easy steps based on my own extensive experience and years of successful event planning . First , select a theme for your party or event . A good theme provides context for your gathering and gives your guests a fun and exciting motif to focus upon . Theme examples include classic Dunmeri plays , spring or fall harvest , Nord drinking games , and ( my personal favorite ) Grim Brooding Day . Second , choose your guests . How large an event do you want to host ? Select a number you can comfortably squeeze into your venue — and depending on your theme , the tighter the squeeze the better — and remember to invite twice that number to account for declines and no - shows . After you have selected a number and chosen the people you want to invite , prepare your invitations . The quality of the invitation reflects on the event you plan to hold , so match the paper and message to your theme as best you can . Then send the invitations at most one month prior to but no later than one week before the event . Third , use your theme to determine if your event will be an occasion to sit down and relax or stand and mingle . If tables and chairs fit your theme , plan your seating arrangements carefully and provide seating cards to tell your guests where to sit . I cannot stress how important a good seating chart is . You have the power to create interesting conversations , intriguing arguments , or meaningful connections — all according to whom you sit next to who . Fourth , develop a menu . Every event demands food and drink . But your theme and venue allow a broad interpretation of what that means . Do you want to host a formal dinner ? Provide snacks and lighter fare ? Feature the best wine that gold can buy ? Or perhaps you simply want to have vast amounts of the cheapest intoxicants available in order to get all of your guests happily hammered ? As long as it fits your theme and your budget , this is all up to you . Fifth , entertain your guests ! The first four steps will go a long way toward creating a fun and memorable event . However , to put the icing on the cake , you need to provide some killer entertainment . Minstrels and bards are perfect for themes that include singing and dancing . Poets and storytellers are best suited to performance - based events where you intend your guests to be an audience instead of participants in the event . Prestidigitators , animal trainers , weapon masters , actors , and more are also obvious choices for an evening ' s entertainment . Just match your theme and go wild , and your guests will love it ! Good luck ! You are now on your way to becoming the perfect host !