It has been more than a year into the global coronavirus and
all this while we have learnt many things including how to arrange an online
celebration. From birthdays, anniversaries, wedding showers, the arrival of new
babies to promotions, every celebration has gone digital. 

However, we won’t deny the fact that it can be a struggle to
make a digital party feel special or celebratory especially when many of us
working from home find it hard to muster the energy for another hour staring at
tiny faces on the screen.  Keeping this
in mind, people.com asked celebrity party planners what they recommend for
throwing a Zoom celebration that feels special and fun.

Appoint a leader: The easiest way to make an online party
feel special is to have someone in the host role and not just a person who
sends out the link to the room, but an actual master of ceremonies.  “There’s someone in every group. That person
will usually stand out— it could be the maid of honor, or another family member
who’s great at public speaking,” said Melissa Andre, a celeb party planner and
the founder and creative director of Melissa Andre Design Company.

Make a plan: Once you have your host figured out, there
needs to be an activity of some kind if it’s going to feel like a party. It
doesn’t have to be complicated— you can send out a cookie or cocktail recipe
ahead of time so everyone is eating or drinking the same thing , play a game or
go around and make toasts about the person or people you’re celebrating.

“So many people think planning a party now is easy because
it’s in our home. But you need to set a strategy, and maybe even have a little
outline,” says Troy Williams, a celebrity event designer and founder of Simply
Troy Lifestyle + Events.

Do a test run: The last thing you want at a Zoom celebration
is to be in the middle of a toast about your sister, only to find out your
grandma missed it all because she still hasn’t logged on.

“This isn’t just about older people— if you have anyone on
your list who doesn’t typically hang out on Zoom, you should have a dress
rehearsal. Assign someone to be your tech support and have them go to anyone
who feels like they need help and walk them through (the program),” Melissa
Andre, a celeb party planner and the founder and creative director of Melissa
Andre Design Company told people.com.

Keep It small and short: The more people in a Zoom, the
harder it is to keep the flow of conversation going, especially if not everyone
knows each other. (Aim for about 10 people, max).  But if your celebration needs to have a
bigger guest list, try to keep the main “event” (like a ceremony, or speeches)
to about 15 minutes, and then create breakout rooms for groups of people who
know each other, like work friends and family.

Think about the person (or people) being celebrated:  This one might be the most important, no
matter what kind of event you’re planning. Whether you’re throwing a birthday
party, a baby shower, or an anniversary party, focus on making your guest(s) of
honor feel really special.

If your budget is more limited, make a Spotify playlist
tailored to the person’s tastes and sending it out.