It’s time to party. But long before the first sip of champagne, the opening trip through the buffet or the initial twirl around the dance floor, a lot has to happen.

As any past party host knows, planning is the difference between a memorable affair and a fete flop

“From the food and beverage to entertainment to invitations, there is every aspect to consider,” says Sheila Weiner of the Event Group, a party planning company in Pittsburgh. “Keep it all in a notebook or a folder.”

The first considerations when planning an event are location, date, and guest list. “Make sure the venue will accommodate the number of people you think will attend,” says Weiner. “It also has to have the right feel for the party.”

“You want to make it fun, entertaining, and exciting. People form an opinion about the location within 30 seconds of walking into the room.”

nvitation etiquette calls for allowing guests three to four weeks to RSVP. The actual invitation should arrive six to eight weeks prior to the event, and if it’s scheduled for a holiday weekend, Weiner recommends sending out a save-the-date card even earlier.

While e-mail invitations are growing in popularity, Weiner does not suggest using them. “It’s nice to receive something in the mail, and I always like to see an RSVP,” she says.

She also recommends alphabetizing the guest list so it’s easy to deal with responses.

When it comes to small dinner parties, a host can typically handle cooking with just a little kitchen help. However, for bigger events, a caterer is always recommended. That way, the host can actually attend his or her own party, rather than spending most of the time behind the kitchen doors.

Theme events are more popular than ever these days, but Weiner cautions clients to consider the demographics of their guests before committing to one. “What is the common age? Are they couples or mostly single? What are their interests?” she asks. “You might be planning a party for your parents and their friends. Then it’s important to think what the guest of honor would want, not the person planning the party.”

The Event Group has handled themes ranging from Batman to photography. Popular choices include destinations, like the tropic or the Orient, and eras from the 1800s to the present. Weiner’s group relies on the prop rental web site www.partyprops.com for their themed events. “Getting everything from the rentals to the buffet line in order can take a lot of time to organize, so it pays off to plan in advance,” Weiner says.

“Some people plan a year out, some people plan for three weeks. The more time you have, the more options you have.”