Planning a special occasion is great fun when you come up with a theme and get your guests involved. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, wedding, anniversary, graduation, or just want to honor someone, there are many ways you can make your event stand out. With careful and creative planning, you can take a special day and make it one that people will remember forever. For four party tips for any special occasion or holiday, read on.

1. When in doubt, go virtual.

Before planning your party, the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure that your event will be safe. In the middle of a global pandemic, this could mean coming up with a list of virtual birthday party ideas instead of throwing an indoor or backyard birthday. It might even mean putting a wedding or anniversary on hold until it’s safer to celebrate the big day. However, if you’re someone who can’t wait to throw that kid’s birthday party, need to throw the party for Mom and Dad’s anniversary this year, or have a big backyard and a plan to make your party safe, there are ways you can combine video chat with an in-person party so that all of your guests can be included no matter what their comfort levels.

If you decide to make your party fully virtual, it’s a good idea to have games and a theme in mind. Whether this means an online costume party or scavenger hunt for guests during your online party, playing trivia games, or even hosting a Netflix party, you can add to your event by building it around a theme. Maybe you plan to stream a superhero movie. In that case, you could ask each guest to come dressed up as their favorite superhero. You could add trivia questions about Marvel movies and even get grandparents and older family members involved by having them share stories about the superheros that were popular when they were kids. The idea is to come up with a fun way to make the video chat feel different from the standard Zoom call.

2. Make your wildest dreams come true.

If you aren’t interested in a virtual party and virtual guests and are opting for an outdoor party with friends and family, you’ll still want to stick with a theme. A backyard carnival or circus is an easy theme that will work for children and adults of all ages. The best way to plan a circus party is to get in touch with party rental centers in your local area. Something as simple as calling in the professionals and asking about a professional clown could be a great way to get a little wild and make your party more memorable. Start with a Google search for the prop or pro you hope to include in the festivities, like ‘clown rental for birthday party in New York,’ and you’ll be well on your way to making the birthday boy or birthday girl’s dreams come true.

3. Look your best.

After a year of a global pandemic, many people have paid less attention to fashion and normal beauty routines. Working and learning remotely, it’s been a long time since many people have had a reason to dress up. Your special event could be a great excuse to get back into the swing of things. Consider asking guests to dress up to match your theme. For example, if your theme is around books or movies, you could ask them to come as their favorite character. This will help them feel more connected to your party and could be a lot of fun, too.

If planning a costume party, don’t forget that you’ll want to set a great example. As the host, it’s easy to forget about your own costume or having fun on the special day. Do yourself a favor and order that glam lashes kit for your flapper or beauty queen costume now and you’ll thank yourself for it come party day.

4. Think about the guest of honor.

When focused on bringing your party to the next level, it can be easy to forget about the guest of honor or reason for the event. Be sure your plan includes a special way to pay tribute to the moment or person you’re celebrating. Perhaps you could ask people to tell a favorite story about the guest of honor. Maybe you could ask people to dress up as that person, too. Whether you go with an online party or something in person, make sure you’re setting aside a moment to pay close attention to your reason for the party.

Regardless of what props you use at your next event and whether you go virtual or plan a front yard party, the time you take in paying attention to detail and making it personal will add up to great results and a fantastic experience for your guests. As you plan your next event, think of creative ways to capture the special day, too. These are memories you’ll want for years of the great time you and your guests had at your special event. Happy planning to you and don’t forget to take pictures you’ll treasure for years!