If you’re about to plan a birthday party, you may be a little stuck on where exactly to begin. Figuring out the budget, menu and entertainment can all seem a little daunting at first when there are so many options to choose from. We broke down some of the most important party planning elements for both kids and adult birthday parties to help shed some light on exactly that.
When it comes to grown-up celebrations, most of the budget goes toward food and drink, but almost every planner says that entertainment is a must as well. The biggest debate seems to be around alcohol. Only 7% of parties exclude booze completely, while most birthday parties are split between a DIY bar setup and full-service open bars.
As for kids birthdays, the highest spend is actually on entertainment first, then food and drink. And—maybe not surprisingly—almost half of birthday parties for 1- to 6-year-olds hire a costumed character to keep the little ones occupied.
Read more birthday party planning tips below.