The 98th Academy Awards (Oscars) is next weekend, and what fun it is to celebrate this glamorous occasion with family and friends! Personally, I love to dress up when hosting an Oscars party and ask my party guests to dress as if they were planning to attend the red-carpet event themselves. You could even ask guests to come as their favorite movie actor or actress. In addition to party attire, I’ll share some tips for how to host the perfect Oscars party of your own.
How to Host an Oscars Watch Party
Décor
- Make the party formal, yet fun.
- Use gold as the primary color in your decorations.
- Create a celebratory atmosphere by decorating your house with flowers as well as Hollywood or movie-themed décor. You can find posters online from movies to display.
- Find a red carpet to create a photo booth in your home.
- Have old movies playing on your TV as your guests arrive.
- Make sure to organize the room so guests are comfortable and can see the TV.
- Pay attention to the ambience of the room. An Oscars party should be lively and filled with bling.
- Music is essential and should be kept low. I would recommend Frank Sinatra.
Games
Games are a must! You can order Oscar trophies on Amazon to give out as prizes. Ideas for games include…
- Create an Oscars Bingo card for all your guests to fill out…the first to complete a row wins.
- Give each guest a pen and pad with their initials on it. Ask them to list who has won the Best Actress award for the past 5 years. Next, have guests write down the 5 most popular movies. You can also ask who has been to the movies most recently.
- Have guests fill out a form to pick the winners for Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Actor. Give a prize to the winner.
Food
Serve movie-themed snacks and drinks at your party. Edible gold leaf is a great addition to your food and drinks. If you serve champagne, sprinkle with edible 24-karat gold leaf.
Serve classic foods such as beef tenderloin, mini rolls and raw veggies with caviar. You can also have a table of casual foods such as bottled soda and popcorn packaged in authentic boxes.
A potential schedule for the evening could be…
- Drinks and hors d’oeuvres from 6:30-7:15 PM
- Dinner served at 7:30 PM
How to Be a Gracious Host
Most importantly of all, display impeccable hospitality. As a host, it is important to be perceptive, organized, meticulous and confident in your capabilities to improvise when the need arises.
Be generous and plentiful with your food servings. In addition, be generous with your own time. How you entertain your guests will be much more memorable to them than the cuisine you serve. The best hostess has time to mingle.
Always keep an eye on your guests. Check to see if everyone is involved in conversation…if they are not talking, check that they are listening with interest rather than looking bored. Make efforts to connect with all your guests and spend time connecting them with each other. A good hostess will always introduce people to each other and steer conversations or socially engineer the Oscars party so that everyone has a chance to talk.
Everything I’ve already mentioned (décor, food etc) is important, but understanding the “why” of the gathering (gratitude for having friends or family come together) is what really matters. Proper etiquette is not about outmoded manners and specific rules of conduct, but instead about situational awareness. Hosts should be observant, aware of other people’s needs / comfort and do their best to ensure that everyone is having a wonderful time.
In conclusion, do as much preparation as possible for your party beforehand. Preparing in advance will give you an opportunity to enjoy your party. Bring your party to life and create an atmosphere so that your guests will feel like they have been to the Oscars after they leave your home.
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