From Publishers Weekly Whether you’re planning an eight-person dinner party in a dorm room or a 500-person cocktail gala at a swank club， it would be hard to find a more inspiring guide than this one. Special events gurus Shriftman and Harrison have put on film premieres for big flicks like Charlie’s Angels， arranged product launches for Juicy Couture and coordinated charity benefits for Equality Now. For this book， the duo teamed up with "champagne circuit" reporter Robinovitz to teach readers how to plan their own extravaganzas. They address all the important basics—deciding on a party "concept，" setting a budget， drawing up a guest list and choosing a location. But the book also instructs readers on the more complicated aspects of hosting， like renting equipment and setting a menu at a restaurant. There’s even a four-week countdown for planning dinner parties， a guide to fail-proof party dressing (with advice from Joan and Melissa Rivers) and suggestions for writing thank-you notes. But everyone knows a party’s success often depends upon the details， and the authors provide countless ideas for table-setting， music-choosing， invitation-designing， gift-giving and drink-serving. One weak spot is their chapter on food. Though the book contains several high-profile recipes (i.e.， Nobu Black Cod with Miso)， it’s clear that these authors are more familiar with arranging catering than they are with working over a stove. But their upbeat attitude is contagious and， for all the name-dropping， they do make a serious effort to teach readers how to throw an unforgettable bash， even if it’s just burgers in the local park.Copyright © Reed Business Information， a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Book Description Throwing a successful party requires a lot more than a well-stocked bar and good music. As public relations experts whose job it is to produce events that make a lasting impression， Lara Shriftman and Elizabeth Harrison know it’s the details that make the difference. Now you， too， can organize any party， for 10 guests or 1，000， on a budget of $50 or $500，000， from creating the concept right down to saying goodbye at the end of the night. Chic tips， creative ideas， irresistible recipes， and all the countless ingredients that make a party sizzle are at your fingertips in this hip and handy guide to becoming an event planner extraordinaire. You’ll find the experts’ best advice on:Creating a concept and a budget for any kind of partyChoosing the right location， whether you keep it cozy at home， camp out at the beach， or rent a local clubDesigning invitations， from classic to kitschySetting the mood with lighting， music， flowers， furniture， décor， and all the little touches that make a party extra fabStocking a thirst-quenching home bar， whipping up smart cocktails， and thinking of innovative ways to serve it all up in style Whetting the appetites of your guests， using insider secrets from chefs and tips on how to make fast food sophisticated， with sample menus for classic cocktail parties， luncheons， late-night bashes， and moreBeing a flawless host—or guest—with proper etiquette guidelines， gift ideas， Table Setting 101， and the 411 on posing for the cameraProducing a party from beginning to end with colorful case studies and detailed instructions for eight fierce fêtes， such as a Hamptons-style clambake， a Barbie theme party， an Indian dinner on a $200 budget， and a mani-pedi partyRe-creating our favorite drinks and dishes from the best restaurants and bars all over the world， like Nobu， Asia de Cuba， Trader Vic’s， Bungalow 8， the Delano Hotel， and Indochine Getting what you need. There’s a complete resource guide in the back， not to mention savvy tips from Puff Daddy， Russell Simmons， Lara Flynn Boyle， David Copperfield， Hugh Jackman， and Donald Trump. See all Editorial Reviews