One thing that many people will find daunting yet exciting is the prospect of organising and preparing for a special occasion. Whether it is a child's birthday party or a big wedding function, preparation right down to the type of tableware you will use is vital to enjoying a fun night. However, the best organisation comes with putting up a surprise party for your loved ones and is often more fun as the closer you get to the event.

Those looking to prepare for a child's birthday party will know that parents are becoming more and more elaborate with party ideas. In addition, as the parties become more creative the more expensive they become thus opening up a new world of competition of the best parties. Amongst the many birthday parties are the impressive decorations; from pinatas hanging off the ceiling, to themed tableware intricately displayed and beautifully hand designed.

The best step to for preparing a child's birthday party is to begin a month or so in advance. If you are particularly keen on booking a hall or hiring a sports hall, it is best to research the available options and venues. The things you would need to consider is how much will it cost, how far in advance do you need to book and how many people will the venue accept. If you are looking to cater for a do-it-yourself party, then making a list of what you will need is a good start.

If you were working from a tight budget then perhaps making your own pinata, wall decorations and decorated tableware would be the best option. Materials are often cheap to buy and the process can be fun. You could even try making your own party hats, badges, masks and costumes. Furthermore, there would be no problem in devising a food list, as many people would prepare and cook their own dishes (these are often sandwiches, carrot sticks, crisps, chips etc). The only added cost is the cost of balloons, candles, bin bags and disposable cutlery.

Organising a birthday party for adults is probably just as a difficult as organising a child's birthday party. The most expensive part of the organisation is the budget for alcohol. Providing wine bottles and beer often eats up much of the money, however there is a way round this. Instead of buying lots and many bottles of wine, try stocking up on spirits and soft drinks, so people have the option of making their own cocktails. With this in mind, people often buy a few bottles of spirits and plenty of soft drinks, as they may have asked friends and others to bring their own drink.

Food selection is also an important factor, so always prepare as much as you can without over-doing it. Finger food, such as, cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, vegetarian rolls, crisps, cheese sticks, chicken wings, chocolate, fruits and dips are good to keep people refreshed. Unless you are holding a birthday dinner party then there is very little worry for finger foods.

If you are serving food, then it is best advised to stock up on plenty of bin bags and cleaning equipment.

In terms of decoration, it has been known for people to make their own decorations. Unless you are having a formal dinner party, tableware is not necessarily an issue. In fact leaving a few paper plates and napkins would suffice for people to help themselves to some nosh. However, at a dinner party, you may consider using your own plates and cutleries rather than spending out and buying new ones (unless of course this is what you want). For parties you would need to consider your glassware, the option for paper cups, plastic glasses and plastic champagne glasses maybe the way forward and save you some dishwashing time.