Once you've decided to throw a fancy dress party, the first thing you need to think about is whether the party will have a specific theme or will it be a dress-as-you-please fancy dress party.

Come-as-you-please Fancy Dress party

If you are calling a large group of people, a general fancy dress party may be a better idea. Trying to organize a themed party to suit so many different tastes may prove to be too challenging for you and may not sound as exciting to everybody. You can be sure not everyone will be doing cartwheels when they receive your Aliens v/s Predators party invite. Better to give your guests the creative license to dress up or dress down as they please and watch the excitement unfold as you try and guess who is behind each mask.

Themed Fancy Dress Party

Themed fancy dress parties are great if you are inviting a group of people who share an enthusiasm for a particular subject or film. You could choose to throw a Star Wars party, Harry Potter party, Cowboys & Indians party, Speakeasy party or an Arabian Nights party. Themed parties will require a considerably higher level of preparation, but it is well worth the effort.

Arabian Nights Party

Expect your guests to come dressed as Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, snake charmers, Arabian guards or harem girls.

To decorate the room, remove all furniture and replace it with colorful rugs, pillows and low seating arrangements. Drape white fabric all over to make the room look like the inside of a tent. Mood lighting, large pitchers sprayed with gold paint, rubber snakes in baskets and sand and gold glitter sprinkled on the table would give your venue the right atmosphere. Play Middle Eastern music, serve Arabic food and hire a couple of belly dancers to get your Arabian Nights revelers in the right mood.

Speakeasy Fancy Dress Party

Expect a lot of gangsters and molls at this one!

Turn the lights down low, set up a bar area, a music area and a dance floor and see your room get slowly converted into a cocktail lounge. Get a smoke machine for some extra effect. You could hire a jazz band or else just play some cool jazz or ragtime music in the background. Serve beautifully garnished old-fashioned cocktails and finger foods in silver platters. If there is no smoking at this party, offer guests chocolate cigars and candy cigarettes in large well-arranged trays.

Whichever kind of party you choose to have, remember to keep a camera on hand with lots of film. There are sure to be a lot of priceless moments at this party!