You can always find an excuse to throw a party. Did you get a new job? Throw a party. Did you change a flat tyre all by yourself? Throw a party. Did you successfully apply liquid eyeliner? Throw a party.

But, being able to host a good party is a *real* transferable skill. Managing a menu, location and decorations, not to mention the guests can be tricky, (why are people so difficult?!)

Here are nine tips to help you throw a Kate Middleton party on a Kat Slater budget.

9. Decide what kind of party it is

Language is very important when inviting people to your event, as it will set the tone for what people wear and what they bring to help you cut costs.

House party = come to my house with whoever you want and let’s drink and dance to loud music

Gathering = as above but please don’t trash my house or bring randoms

Drink up = come to my house and let’s drink and think about the old days, BYOB

Soirée = as above but I’m inviting people from work so please don’t embarrass me

Dinner party = I’m going to try and cook, but bring a dish in case I burn it

BBQ = as above but outside, please bring beer

8. Send real invitations 

Design an invitation with all the details of your event using a free template on paperless post. Then send it out via email or take screenshot of it and send it via whatsapp. Free, easy, and classier than a text message.
7. Crowd source the music 

Make a basic playlist of music that fits the tone of your party and as people RSVP ask them for a few song requests. The free version of Spotify works fine, just set it up on your laptop or tablet in the corner of a room.

I’d also suggest listening to the playlist through a few times on your way to work/at the gym to check it all works together.

6. Shop in those weird odds and ends shops

…you know the ones I mean, the shops like Tiger, Wilkinsons and the pound shop that don’t really sell the same thing week to week. Shops like this will have party essentials like large American-style plastic cups, or if you’re really going for the K-Mid vibe, Wilkinsons sells champagne flutes for 50p a piece.

You can also find really random things in these shops like a giant pack of playing cards for drinking games (Tiger) and fairy lights to guide people up the stairs , or, if you’re anything like me, block off the upstairs of your house (Poundland.)

5. Don’t waste money on a new dress

Have you ever gone to a party at someone’s house and they’re pigeon-stepping around the place in a skin tight dress and heels? It’s literally the weirdest thing. You’re at home, you’re not leaving the house, take off your damn shoes.

Of course I’m not saying you should look trampy, please do still contour your face and apply body glitter, but wear something fierce but comfortable, channel Rihanna at a basketball game. It will put your guests at ease and you’ll actually be able to move around.

4. Buy cheap chips 

If you are providing food for your guests (you don’t have to) make it cheaper by going to a supermarket like Lidl or Iceland, they actually do have some cheap party food that doesn’t look or taste revolting. I promise. Just make sure you throw away the boxes away in your neighbour’s bin before your guests arrive.

If you don’t tell people there’s going to be food, they will be pleasantly surprised when there is. If you tell people you’re cooking, they don’t eat all day and you run out of prosciutto wrapped asparagus pretty quickly.

3. Drink like a student 

Remember back at uni when you used to drink wine from a box and didn’t know what prosecco was? Well take some of those lessons and apply them here.

Making cheap cocktails in bulk is the way forward in my opinion because they look amazing, taste good and cost nothing (almost). Two ideas are mimosas and unidentified punch.

Mimosas = half  a champagne flute of prosecco (Asti is about £5 a bottle) + half fruit juice

Unidentified punch = the spirits you have lying around the house + the wine you have lying around the house + the fruit juice you have lying around your house + the fruit you have lying around your house

2. Keep it simple, stupid!

Ok sorry, you’re not stupid, but your guests might be (especially after a few drinks.) Make sure everything is as clear and simple as possible, people need to know what to bring, what they’re eating, where they can and can’t go, where to put their rubbish, if they should take their shoes off.

You’ll soon learn when people start throwing their cigarette butts in your fondue pot because it was on the floor and not the table. Hmm.

Walk through your venue with an eagle-eyed friend before the party and make sure everything is fool proof, trust me it will save you time and money.

1. Cover and hide 

Hide all your expensive and fragile things upstairs and cover your carpets with spare sections of the same carpet or a dark coloured rug from another part of the house.

You can also put a plastic sheet under your rug, but make sure *none* of it is visible, nothing screams old people’s home like a plastic sheet.

Get some more party inspiration on this dedicated Pinterest board.