Parties are fun for everyone, or at least they should be. But sometimes the party host or hostess might have less fun than the guests. A little bit of planning can help prevent some of the stress and worry that some hosts might feel when throwing a party. If we had our way, everyone would throw a lot more parties, and these party planning tips might help them feel more comfortable planning a party.

1. Decide who you’re going to invite to your party. This seems like a no-brainer, but making sure that you’re inviting people you’ll actually enjoy spending time with can make your party less stressful and more enjoyable. And if you’re having more fun, your guests will too. Sometimes there are social reasons for inviting people you don’t like to parties, but if you can restrict the guest list to just people you enjoy, your party and its attendees will benefit.

2. Decide what kinds of refreshments you’re going to serve at your party. It’s going to sound selfish, but I’m going to recommend that you serve food and drink that you’ll enjoy. It’s your party, so there’s no point in serving sushi to impress your company vice-president if you hate the stuff. You’ll just make yourself miserable. And if you’re not a drinker, then don’t feel bad about not serving alcohol at your party. The benefit of the host enjoying his own party more than makes up for any perceived inconvenience to the drinkers in your crowd.

3. Consider outsourcing the whole party. Not everyone likes to plan parties. And some people enjoy certain aspects of throwing a party but not others. You might enjoy writing invitations but hate cooking. In that case, spend your time writing invitations and hire a caterer. If you like to mix your own drinks, great, but don’t hesitate to hire a bartender for your party if it’s something you’re not good at. Outsource anything that you dislike doing as much as you can afford to.

Planning a party should be fun and relatively low stress. The most important part of planning a successful party is making sure that it’s a party that you as the host will enjoy. People want to interact with you at your party, and they’d rather see you at your best. And stress never makes anyone perform socially at their best.

For more thoughts about party planning, read this piece on how to plan a surprise office party. The author shares some surprising insights into a specific type of party, and I think you’ll enjoy it.