Visualize how your party will turn out in advance. Music moves the soul and it influences one person’s actions and feelings. Reggae, which reminds you of islands and beaches, gives a sense of freedom and lightness. Thus, this kind of music is perfect for summer parties and those with a tropical, Hawaiian or beach theme. Smooth jazz seems fitting for a party where guests can engage in conversations. However, this kind of music can be boring when played too long.

The solution? Music mixes. Music can be mixed and changed throughout your party but try not to be too drastic. For example, if you are hosting a corporate event, play music with a down tempo, which is often a backdrop at the beginning as guests arrive and drinks are served. Change the music to a mixture of soft piano and bass at dinner, and change it again to an upbeat music like salsa or mambo after.

Some websites offer suggestions for a personalized party mix. A few questions like “What will your guests be wearing?” and “What do your invitations look like?” are asked while you select your songs. Your answers will determine the music mix to match your party. With the right music mixes, your party will surely be a blast and a memorable one.

Double Check What You Serve
Right before your party starts, taste the food items you will serve. Make sure that you are not serving anything too salty, too lardy, and worst of all, spoiled. This is a good way to avoid embarrassment later on. Nothing spoils a party more than serving bad food. This also saves you from future lawsuits due to food poisoning.

Immediately prepare or replace foods as necessary. If food is spoiled, there is no recourse, but to dispose of it. Call a gourmet delivery right away for substitutes. Excess flavors however are easy to remedy. On salty soups or stews, for example, add dry potato flakes to neutralize the salty flavor. For spaghetti sauce that’s a tad too salty, a pinch of baking soda works similarly as cooking potatoes in the sauce and removing the potatoes just before serving.

Repairing foods is easy once one knows how. If you’re a beginner, though, a quick call to mom, older sister or aunt usually saves the day but if none of them are available to help you, there is the Internet. It is packed with millions of cooking tips ready to help you.

There are many ways to repair foods but they all take time. In cases where you don’t have a lot of time, you can resort to serving wines. There are wines that will complement or neutralize food flavors and as a bonus, enhance the mood of the party.

For instance, acidic white wines like Chardonnay or full-bodied red wines like Merlot go well with rich, fatty foods. On the other hand, slightly sweet white wines like Riesling or light, fruity, red wines like Pinot Noir go well with salty foods. If you’re having an Asian-themed party, aged sake goes well with oily foods. Such refined sakes “wash away” the greasiness of the food removing the greasy aftertaste. While, dry sake greatly complements salty food.