Plan any party calmly, from the first idea to the last thank-you note
The Party and Celebration Planner is a complete kit for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, housewarmings, retirements and family milestones, at home or at a venue, in any country and any currency.
- A 13-sheet Party Planner workbook: guests and RSVPs, budget per guest, food calculator in metric and imperial, countdown and run sheet
- Five fillable PDF forms, from the Party Brief to the After-Party Review
- 40 invitations and messages plus 4 ready-to-send letters, and 24 games and activities by age
- 15 pages of original printables, a 6-week calendar and a task board import
The Party and Celebration Planner · Bodhih Pro Kits · 121 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
How do I plan a party step by step?
Decide the purpose first, then set a budget and work out cost per guest, build the guest list and send invitations with an RSVP date, choose home or venue, calculate food per person with a buffer, plan activities and helpers, follow a six-week countdown and run the day from one sheet. The Party and Celebration Planner from Bodhih Training gives you every tool for each step.
Want the full free guide first? Read How to Plan a Party Step by Step: Budget, Guests, Food and the Day.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
The budget creeps
Each item seems reasonable on its own, then the total is far past your number. Without a cost per guest, there is no early warning.
Nobody really replies
Hearts and thumbs in a group chat are not RSVPs. You end up guessing numbers, food and chairs.
Too much food or not enough
Guessing quantities means trays of leftovers or an empty table forty minutes in. Dietary needs and allergies make the guesswork harder.
You miss your own party
The host ends up in the kitchen, at the door and on the phone to the baker. Helpers want to help but nobody told them what to do.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Imagine opening the Party Brief on a Sunday evening with your co-host and, twenty minutes later, knowing exactly what this party is for, who it is for and what you will not spend money on.
Picture the guest list filling in as replies arrive, the dietary needs counting themselves, and the Food Calculator telling you how many pieces, packs and kilograms (or pounds) to buy. When you open the Countdown sheet each week, the next three jobs are already dated from your party day.
Now think of the afternoon itself. The run sheet is on the kitchen wall, each helper has a one-page brief, the food comes out in small batches and comes off the table on time, and the games run in blocks of busy and calm. You are in the garden with the guest of honour, not looking for the matches.
Whether you start with the Party Brief tonight or the workbook tomorrow, you will be working from one clear order of decisions, with the words, numbers and printables ready when you need them.
21 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Party and Celebration Planner (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: party planning map
The whole job as a flow with the file to open at each step, your first hour and a use plan from six weeks out to the week after.
Party Planner workbook
13-sheet master workbook: settings, guest list with RSVP and dietary counts, budget with cost per guest, food calculator (metric and imperial), shopping, suppliers, home-or-venue scorer, dated countdown, run sheet, thank-yous and a dashboard.
Party Brief
Two-page brief to fill in with your co-host in twenty minutes: purpose, wishes, size, date, budget, the moment, the feel, what you will not do, and the five guest moments.
Guest and Dietary Sheet
Every dietary need, allergy, access need and child drop-off in one place, for the kitchen, helpers and caterer.
Menu Planner
Plan the menu with the guest list open: who each dish serves, what it contains, when it is made and when it comes off the table, plus fridge and drinks planning.
Day-of Run Sheet
The whole day on one page: key information, timetable with names, food timings, helpers' phones and the pre-arrival safety walk.
After-Party Review
Fifteen-minute review with your co-host within a week: what worked, real cost per guest, food left over, suppliers to use again and what to keep for next time.
Invitations, messages and letters (40 messages, 4 letters)
40 ready-to-edit invitations, reminders, replies for tricky moments, supplier and helper messages and thank-yous, plus 4 ready-to-send letters (neighbours, venue enquiry, booking confirmation, formal thank-you).
Party team agreement (co-hosts and families)
One-page agreement for co-hosts, siblings or two families: purpose, budget and contributions, who decides, roles, guest numbers, house rules and what happens to leftover money.
Helper briefing sheet
One-page brief to fill in and send to every helper 3 to 5 days before: timetable, their job, where things are, allergies, safety and emergency contacts.
Games and activities by age (24 activities)
24 games and activities from toddlers to grandparents, each with time, equipment, how to play and how to include everyone, plus a block planner.
Worked example: Maya's 8th birthday, every form filled in
The Party Brief, Guest and Dietary Sheet, Menu Planner, Day-of Run Sheet and After-Party Review completed for one realistic home party, so you can see what good looks like.
AI prompt pack for party planning (30 prompts)
30 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by the ten planning steps, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output.
Food quantities per person (metric and imperial)
Per-adult starting points for finger food, mains, sides, salads, desserts, drinks and ice, with conversions and dated food safety essentials from official sources.
Decision card: home or venue, and if X do Y
Two-minute home-or-venue test and twelve 'if this happens, do that' rules for rain, numbers, cancellations, food, neighbours and emergencies.
Kids' party safety card
Fridge checklist for before, during and after a children's party: supervision, collection, water, choking hazards, allergies, candles and what to do if something happens.
Party mistakes to avoid
Twenty-four common mistakes from planning to thank-yous, each with what to do instead.
Party printables (15 pages)
Original illustrated invitations, welcome poster, direction and helpful signs, food and diet labels, place cards, scavenger hunt, party bingo, quiz and memory cards, thank-you cards, bunting and a kitchen wall day plan.
6-week party countdown calendar
39 reminders from six weeks out to the review a week after, set for a sample Saturday party on 13 March 2027. Move them to your date, or use the Countdown sheet, which dates itself.
Party task board (CSV import)
40 party tasks ready to import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira, with phase, days before the party, file to open and status columns.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + printable PDF + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 21 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 61 pages
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, GoodNotes, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Trello, Asana, Notion
- Best for
- Home and venue celebrations from 10 to 150 guests
Start With the Purpose and the Guest Experience
Write a one-sentence purpose, picture the five guest moments and decide what you will not do.
The Money: Budget by Category and Cost per Guest
Find your cost per guest, budget in four passes and spend where guests notice it.
The Guest List, Invitations and RSVPs
Build the guest list in rings, write clear invitations and turn emoji reactions into real RSVPs.
Home or Venue: Choosing and Setting Up the Space
Score home against venues, plan the space in five zones and make access part of the plan.
Themes, Decorations and Eco Choices Without Overspending
Carry the feel with a focal point, light and signs, borrow before you buy and cut waste.
Food by Quantity: How Much per Person
Count adult equivalents, choose portions, add a buffer and convert to packs and cost, in metric and imperial.
Safe Food, Allergies, Dietary Needs and Drinks
Follow official food safety guidance, handle allergies and dietary needs, and treat alcohol as optional.
Activities and Games by Age, and Kids' Party Safety
Plan activities in busy and calm blocks for every age and build kids' party safety into the plan.
Helpers, Suppliers and the Six-Week Countdown
Brief helpers with clear jobs, treat suppliers as small contracts and spread the work over six weeks.
The Day Itself: Run Sheet, Hosting and Clean-Up
Put the day on one run sheet, host instead of running the kitchen, end well and clean up without resentment.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
E-book
- The Party and Celebration Planner e-book: 10 chapters, conclusion and two appendices (food quantities and conversions; country notes and official food safety sources), with worked examples throughout
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Party-Planning-Map.pdf: the whole job as a flow, the file to open at each step, your first hour and a use plan
Spreadsheet
- Party-Planner.xlsx: 13 sheets including Settings, Guests with RSVP and dietary counts, Budget and Budget Summary with cost per guest, Home or Venue scorer, Food Calculator (metric and imperial), Shopping and borrowing, Suppliers scorer, dated Countdown, Run Sheet with food-off times, Gifts and Thanks, and a Dashboard with chart
Fillable PDF forms
- Party-Brief.pdf
- Guest-and-Dietary-Sheet.pdf (with child drop-off list)
- Menu-Planner.pdf
- Day-of-Run-Sheet.pdf
- After-Party-Review.pdf
Word templates
- Invitations-Messages-and-Letters.docx: 40 messages and 4 ready-to-send letters
- Party-Team-Agreement.docx: one-page co-host and family agreement
- Helper-Briefing-Sheet.docx
- Games-and-Activities-by-Age.docx: 24 activities from toddlers to grandparents
- Worked-Example-Maya-8th-Birthday.docx: every main form filled in
- AI-Prompt-Pack-for-Party-Planning.docx: 30 prompts
Cheat sheets
- Food-Quantities-Per-Person.pdf (metric and imperial)
- Decision-Card-Home-or-Venue.pdf with if-X-do-Y rules
- Kids-Party-Safety-Card.pdf
- Party-Mistakes-to-Avoid.pdf
Printables
- Party-Printables.pdf: 15 pages of original invitations, signs, food and diet labels, place cards, scavenger hunt, bingo, quiz and memory cards, thank-you cards, bunting and a day plan poster
Calendar and import
- 6-Week-Party-Countdown.ics: 39 reminders
- Party-Task-Board.csv: 40 tasks for Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- You will be able to write a clear party brief and say no to things that do not serve it
- You will be able to set a budget, work out cost per guest and see where the money goes
- You will be able to collect real RSVPs with dietary and access needs in one place
- You will be able to calculate food and drink quantities per person in metric or imperial units
- You will be able to plan safe food, clear allergen labels and great alcohol-free options
- You will be able to plan games and activities for every age, with children's safety built in
- You will be able to brief helpers and suppliers so the day runs from one sheet
- You will be able to close the party well with thank-yous and a short review
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
Plan Strength Assessment with an Eight-Week Re-Measure
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentBudget & Resource Allocation Reasoning
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentProcurement & Vendor Management Judgment
Take the assessment →JobularyIf-then plans that make habits stick (Jobulary)
Make it a growth plan →A taste of Chapter 2
Party budgets rarely go wrong because of one big item. They go wrong because of twenty small ones nobody added up, plus the things nobody thought to list at all: ice, bin bags, a taxi for Grandma, the extra chairs. Your total budget divided by your guest count gives you the most useful number in party planning: cost per guest. It turns vague worry into clear choices. If your budget is 600 and you invite 40 people, you have 15 per head for everything: food, drinks, place, cake, decorations, the lot. If food alone costs 12 per head, you have 3 left for everything else. Now the choice is plain: fewer guests, a cheaper menu, or a bigger budget. Without the number, people choose all three by accident.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | A blank checklist | A clear order of decisions with worked examples in every chapter |
| Budget | A list of costs | Budget by category with cost per guest, contingency and a summary chart |
| Food | Vague 'allow plenty' | Food Calculator with adult equivalents, buffer, packs and cost, metric and imperial |
| Guests | Names only | RSVPs, dietary needs, allergies, access needs and a chase flag |
| Words | One invitation template | 40 messages for invitations, tricky moments, suppliers and thanks, plus 4 letters |
| The day | A to-do list | Run sheet with clock times and food-off times, helper briefs and a safety walk |
| Where it works | One country's assumptions | Any currency, any country, every kind of family and tradition |
Made for you if…
- Parents planning a child's birthday at home or at a venue
- Families organising a milestone birthday, anniversary or graduation
- Friends and siblings sharing the cost and work of a celebration
- Anyone hosting a housewarming, retirement party or engagement gathering
- Families marking a religious or cultural milestone with many generations
- First-time hosts who want a calm, proven order of work
Probably not for you if…
- Wedding planning (see the Bodhih Pro Kit The Wedding Controller)
- Professional event planners who need contracts, ticketing or licensing advice
- Anyone looking for a party venue or supplier directory
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Your next celebration, planned in the right order
Open the Party Brief and write one sentence about what this party is for. Whether you begin with the brief tonight or the workbook tomorrow, every step after that has a tool waiting for it.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own team or clients where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
The Bodhih family, when you are ready for more
The Wedding Controller
For weddings of every size.
Meal Plan to Grocery Bill
Plan the food and the shopping.
AssessAll
250+ AI-graded assessments to measure skills and earn verified credentials.
Jobulary
Individual development plans that start from evidence and stay yours.
Bodhih Training
Run this topic as a live workshop for your team, in person or online.
Pewple
Book a vetted coach for career, leadership or communication. Pay per session.
Bodhih.org pathways
Certification pathways in Applied AI, Workplace English and management.
The Party and Celebration Planner: FAQs
Read the free guideAlready bought? Resend my linkWhat kinds of parties does this kit cover?
Any home or venue celebration: children's birthdays, milestone birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, housewarmings, retirement parties, engagement gatherings and religious or cultural milestones. The method is the same; the examples cover many family shapes and traditions. For weddings, see the Bodhih Pro Kit The Wedding Controller.
How much food do I need per person for a party?
It depends on the kind of eating. As a starting point, allow 10 to 12 pieces of finger food per adult if that is the whole meal, count young children as about half an adult, and add a 10% buffer. The Food Calculator turns your confirmed guests into quantities, packs and cost in metric and imperial.
How far in advance should I start planning a party?
Six weeks suits most home and venue parties: decisions and bookings early, invitations five weeks out, final numbers two weeks out, fresh food at the end. Large or popular venues may need booking earlier. The countdown dates every task from your party date.
Does it work in my country and currency?
Yes. The workbook uses a currency label you choose, quantities show metric and imperial side by side, and country-specific notes are kept in a dated appendix with official sources for India, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, the UAE and Singapore.
Do I need Excel?
No. The workbook opens in Excel, Google Sheets or LibreOffice. Forms open in any PDF reader that supports fillable fields, and the Word files open in Word or Google Docs.
Is this professional safety, food safety or legal advice?
No. The kit is educational and practical. It points to official food safety guidance and suggests sensible precautions, but rules on food, alcohol, noise, venues and gatherings vary. Check your local rules, your venue's terms and a qualified professional where it matters.
How do I plan a party on a small budget?
Start with cost per guest, then spend on what guests notice: a warm welcome, good light, music, enough food and one memorable moment. Borrow before you buy, cut favours and decorations nobody will miss, and right-size the food with the calculator.
How can I measure my starting point as a planner?
If you want a clear picture of how you plan in general, the AssessAll Plan Strength Assessment with an Eight-Week Re-Measure gives you a starting score and a re-check later. AssessAll's Budget and Resource Allocation Reasoning and Procurement and Vendor Management Judgment assessments suit anyone who wants to sharpen money and supplier decisions.
How do I turn this into lasting habits?
Turn the method into a development plan with if-then plans, such as 'If an RSVP is seven days late, then I send the gentle chaser'. Jobulary's guide to implementation intentions explains how if-then plans help habits stick.
Can I share the kit with my family or co-hosts?
Use it for your own celebrations and share printed or filled-in pages with the people helping you plan the same party. Please don't share or resell the files themselves. For team or company licences, contact solutions@bodhih.com.
How much does The Party and Celebration Planner cost?
₹599 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $17 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can I get a refund?
Because it is a digital download, kits are not refundable once downloaded. We always refund a duplicate charge or a failed delivery, and if a file is corrupted and we cannot fix it within 3 working days. Full terms: bodhih.org/refunds.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
