Party ideas should always bring out the personality or the interests of the celebrant or the guests. For those who love music, your gatherings will surely be more fun and memorable if you organize them with a music-related theme. And you won’t run out of ideas with music. You can just do small touches of the theme in your games and decorations. But you can also go all the way including the invites, the guests’ attire, the food and drinks, and, of course, the sounds.
Music is also a very versatile theme. You can do this for your annual company party, a birthday party that you’ll be hosting, a bridal shower, a wedding reception, or your high school reunion. You can choose the particular theme depending on your guests’ taste or the celebrant’s.
The easiest way to go for a music-themed party is to go by the decade. You can start thinking from the earliest to the latest. You can begin with the Roaring Twenties. You can pattern your ideas for party invites and decorations from the Art Deco styles that flourished during that time. You can also include accents representing the movies, which were a big deal in that era – especially The Jazz Singer (1927). It would also be exciting to see your female guests dolled up in sleeveless knee-length dresses with sparkling beads. Naturally, you must have jazz in the house, particularly the works of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, and the other legends from that decade.
The Fifties is an interesting source of concepts for events. If you’re planning for a wedding or an engagement party, the early part of the decade’s fashion, movies, and music are quite romantic. It’s a perfect source of inspiration for your party ideas that you’d like to center on love and being together. You’d be surprised that this doesn’t only appeal to the older generation, but to the young ones who love good music and would like something different. The overall ambience should be quite formal, which is typical of weddings and engagement parties. In fact, black tie, or even white tie, should be the required attire. Updos and gowns should be the look for the female guests. Invitations, flowers, and table settings should all be clean and elegant. Hotel function rooms, art galleries, and gardens are the perfect venues for occasions with this theme. And you need to bring out the treasured collections of songs by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemarie Clooney, Nat King Cole, and many others.
The 1960s and 1970s are two colorful decades that are fun to use as themes for parties. You can choose the Beat Culture or the Hippie. But for both these themes, they won’t work well unless all your guests will be willing to dress up according to the theme. Aside from the music of these decades, it’s the fashion that defined them. For the Beat Culture of the 60s, black turtleneck sweaters, berets, and dark glasses should be seen prominently. Men would have goatees and women would have long, unadorned hair. The Beatles and Bob Dylan, as well as the early records of Pink Floyd, should play in the background. On the other hand, the rebellious Hippie style of the 70s dictates bell-bottom pants, tight shirts, and big hair for both men and women. The air should be filled with the songs of Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, and a host of other iconic musicians of that time. And don’t forget to hang a mirror ball and some colorful beads to complete the effect.
But no one will dare to skip the 80s. It’s also rich in music and fashion that can easily inspire you with fun party ideas. Your guests will have a wide range of choices for their outfit. Men should wear blazers with folded sleeves, slim neckties, and tight-fitting jeans. Loafers and colored sneakers should be the men’s footwear for the party. Women must come with their big hair, layered tops, and ankle-length boots. It wouldn’t be the 80s if you don’t play Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, Prince, and the whole lot of unforgettable music acts of the decade. If it’s for a company awards night, you can set up your venue like it’s an MTV awards show or the Grammys. Music awards and videos were at their peak in that period.
Whichever music decade you pick, you’ll surely have a grand time partying with your guests. One last tip would be for those who have friends who love to sing or play instruments. You can stage an open jam session, instead of games. Let everyone in the party really enjoy music, which is, after all, what has brought you all together.