parties

Throwing a great party is a challenge, and it can be even more daunting when the guest list includes both adults and kids. To help, we asked Top 25 mom bloggers who are veteran party planners to share their best tips for putting on a party that's fun for everyone, from your toddler to your grandmother. The ideas that follow cover party planning, activities, and food — everything you need to throw a multigenerational party that everyone will enjoy.

1. Build Around a Theme That's General

“Themes make it easier. If you have a theme (be it holiday, season, event or topic) it's so much simpler to plan. Keeping it non-age and non-gender specific (such as tropical or beach in summer or snow or igloo in winter) is the key.” – Shera  of A Frog in My Soup

2. Keep the Food Simple

“The first thing to do is make the food potluck style. We provide the main meal, which we cater so no one is spending their time at a grill. Everyone else brings a contribution.” - Brena Burke of Almost The Truth

“Bake kid and adult-friendly foods. When I have the whole family over no matter what we are eating for dinner I always bake up macaroni and cheese for the kids.” - Jenn Farr of Kitchen Counter Chronicles

"Lots and lots of finger food! If everyone has a full tummy then people are more relaxed." -Jos Parkinson of Sew, cook, laugh & live

3. Plan Activities

“Whenever we have a family friendly party (for kids and adults) I always make sure to have lots of crafts and games set out for the kids to enjoy. For the adults we play music, appropriate for all ages of course.” - Elizabeth Jacob of Yellow Finch Designs. 

“For the kids some ideas might be to set up a movie room, snack table, computer games and activities, jumpy castle, maybe pony rides, face painting, balloon animals, clown or fairy and some music. For the adults maybe music, board games, adult snack table, drinks, plenty of nice comfy chairs for some chats and laughs.” - Melanie Graham of A Welcoming Hearth

“We arrange our house to provide a space where the adults can socialize and a separate area for kids to play. We also set up some crafts and activities in the kids' space to keep them occupied and it worked great. This keeps everyone happy and prevents things from getting too chaotic." - Erica of Healthy Life Lessons

4. Include a Babysitter

“The simplest tip I can give for having a party in which adults and kids all feel like they're having fun is to spend a little extra and hire a couple of trusted babysitters.” - XLMIC of Taking it On. 

"If children are occupied, having fun and being looked after properly, then moms and dads can relax and enjoy some adult company and conversation." -Melanie Graham  of A Welcoming Hearth

“In addition the emotional factor of having all the generations gathered at the festivities, it can also be helpful having grandma around to play games with the kids and make sure nobody gets into trouble. “ – Unknown Mami at Unknown Mami

5. Relax

Finally, as Nancy Davis Kho of Midlife Mixtape says, "Relax. It's not really a party until someone breaks a glass."

What are your tips?

Image Source: amsfrank via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

When a couple decides to get married, they aren't just signing up to host a wedding, they are also committing themselves to a lot of parties that happen along the way. An engagement party, shower, and bachelorette are all commonly associated with weddings. But with so many parties, it's hard to keep them all straight! That's why I've created this handy guide that explains everything you need to know — from the proper time to host a shower to the first person to toast at the wedding. Read on for all the details.

It's often the case that around the holidays — especially a highly-anticipated night like New Year's Eve — there's so much going on that more than one event falls during the same time.

Instead of committing yourself to attending one party only, why not party hop? It's a great way to catch up with all your friends and not miss out on anything.

Since party hopping is my favorite sport, I'm sharing my suggestions after the break.

When it comes to cooking, there's nothing more rewarding than serving your friends and family at a party. Whether it be a dinner, baby shower, or birthday bash, crafting the perfect menu is crucial to an event's success. From your guests' dietary needs to the occasion to the season, there's a lot to consider when planning a menu. Don't be overwhelmed, I've got a handful of suggestions to keep in mind the next time you're deciding what to serve.

• Being a good hostess means that you make guests feel welcome and comfortable, that's why it's important to think about their diets. Don't serve a meat-heavy menu if you have vegetarians in attendance. A friend allergic to gluten? Offer a gluten-free meal. While you may have to think outside the box, there are millions of dishes in the world; it can be done!
• If it's easier for you to cook with a theme, like rustic Italian, casual Californian, or traditional Spanish, do so!
• Unless you are highlighting a special item on purpose, (like serving a blood orange meal, where each course features blood oranges), make sure there isn't too much of one ingredient. Too much cheese or starch or vegetables will result in an unbalanced meal.

Get the rest of my tips — and share yours! — after the jump.

At a viewing party for The Bachelorette last night, I was surprised to learn that many of the ladies in attendance don't like to open champagne. "It's scary," a friend said. "I'm afraid I'm going to hit someone in the eye!" another chimed in. Since I've opened more bottles of sparkling wine than I can count, I'm living proof that it's a safe act to perform on a regular basis. In fact, it's a task that everyone should master with confidence! To encourage you to open that bottle of bubbly, I've got five reasons you shouldn't fear the cage, or the cork. Find out what they are — and chime in with your thoughts in the comments — when you read on.

We love being inspired by your parties, so we had to share the photos of Vane Elliemae's awesome-looking 25th birthday bash!

I had a no-holds-barred 25th birthday blowout party at my house. I was inspired by a trip to Versailles the Summer before and knew I wanted my birthday to feel like something out of the Sofia Coppola film Marie Antoinette. Hope you like the photos.

Keep reading for more images of her birthday.

While some people believe that dinner parties can only be thrown on a Friday or Saturday night, I happen to think that any evening is a great time to host a dinner! Annie, of TrèsSugar, agrees because she hosted one last night, on a Monday! Before she left work, I offered some of my suggestions for a successful weeknight dinner. To find out what they are and to share your own, keep reading.