by Kasmin Fernandes

Instead of hiring a professional band to play live music, check out bands from local music institutes and colleges. Watch at least one performance before you sign them on for the party.

1. Venue
It’s easier to find venues — especially one with a big discount — on a weeknight. Contact the person concerned about renting the space and ask for a slow-day discount. Better, throw the party at a friend’s upmarket house.

2. Food
Instead of a buffet or multiple course dinner, have a cocktail party with an extensive set of hors d’oeuvres like crackers with cheese and honey, bruschettas, Greek salad and fruit wheels. Hire three to five professional waitresses or offer a few hundred bucks to people you know who could fill in; they could wear white dress shirts with a black bow, teamed with white/ black skirts. Prepare the nibbles yourself or ask friends and family to help in the kitchen.

3. Music
Instead of hiring a professional band to play live music, check out bands from local music institutes and colleges. Watch at least one performance before you sign them on for the party. The free alternative is to programme a playlist of elegant music (download tracks in genres like bossa nova, chillout, nu jazz and Latin music with a few cool dance numbers thrown in).

4. Guest list
If the party is posh and the budget small, the guest list needs to be short, so only invite people you really want to see; the girl who waves to you at the gym doesn’t count. Trimming the guest list gives the celebration an aura of intimacy, saves on thousands of rupees and allows you to rent a smaller — hence less expensive — venue.

5. Decoration
Buy strings of white and pink fairy lights for a winter look. Instead of expensive showpieces, full up large glass bowls with water and floating candles.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.