KEY POINTS:
Regular party throwers are used to sound of popping corks and va-va-voom guests. The rest may not be so confident about keeping a bash on track. As party season gets into full swing, Viva asks five hosts about what makes a successful do.
DAVID RIDLEY
General Manager of Moet Hennessy
David Ridley has lost count of the parties he's attended over the years and as general manager of Moet Hennessy, he's invited to a party a week during the silly season.
"Auckland sure knows how to party," says Ridley over a sensible coffee at a Parnell cafe. And since the company regained control of its distribution of wines and spirits in New Zealand, Ridley has been busy adding to the city's party quota.
Like the four-day party he hosted at a private residence in Ponsonby, which literally started with a bang.
"It was Guy Fawkes night and there was plenty of fireworks action on the streets," says Ridley, dapper in Louis Vuitton tie.
But this luxury brand was hardly slumming it in the suburbs; designer Trelise Cooper transformed the tasteful villa into a pleasure dome and Vinnies' chef Geoff Scott provided the exotic platters.
After the evening gathering for 120, Ridley hosted a series of private lunches - including one where guests sampled Moet Vintage 2000 - and on day four, TV3's Sunrise broadcast live from the lounge.
Although some guests were initially puzzled by an invitation to a private address, Ridley says it was a carefully considered location.
"Champagne is not always consumed in bars, a lot is consumed in private homes by families celebrating important milestones."
Attention to detail, says Ridley, is the key to a successful party.
"A good host will have a plan for how the night will run. And it's good to approach a party with a generosity of spirit because your generosity will get reciprocated. If I'm entertaining it's about people believing me when I say come and enjoy yourself."
The best party?
A dinner party for 200 in Florence which was a good example of creative use of space. The hosts divided this large group into mini dinner parties, so even though there were 200 people it felt intimate. At the end of the night everyone came together in one room to hear the band.
Worst party?
The worst parties are always due to lack of organisation. When people fail to plan, they plan to fail. Hosts may have all the best intentions, but they don't take care of the details like having enough food and drink. Another classic is when hosts aren't ready when the guests arrive.
Lessons for newbie hosts?
1. Put yourself in the shoes of the guests and run through how they would feel on arrival.
2. A good host should also know when to end a party. At a crude level that means stopping the food and drink and lifting the light levels.
There needs to be a sense of progression in the event ... the final act. And that could be following traditions that signal an ending, like serving coffee and chocolate. Or a crescendo where the band literally says, "It's the final act".
TRELISE COOPER
Designer
Trelise Cooper is one of Auckland's party queens. Her staff parties are a riot, always meticulously planned and themed (although one year the 150-strong champagne-sipping crowd was upstaged by the lions' sexual activity at Auckland Zoo).
"Carol singing at St Matthew-in-the-City was a more civilised affair," she says.
The best parties?
Bob Shaye's Oscar celebration party for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy at his amazing Los Angeles home. It was a Moroccan-themed party with every detail considered; huge Moroccan tent and banquet style food. There was a pool carpeted with roses - which Paris Hilton famously fell into.
The guest list was huge, full of celebrities, but it still felt intimate. The host made us feel so welcome. One of my best staff parties was themed around Guns N'Roses with roses everywhere, synchronised swimmers in the pool and eye candy in the form of male models in skimpy T-shirts.
The worst parties?
The worst are always when the hosts are grumpy, or when there's no commonality between people and it's stilted with no party atmosphere.
Any disasters on the party circuit? The time [my husband] Jack and I hosted a dinner party in our new house. The kids went upstairs to run a bath and suddenly all this water started pouring down from the ceiling on to the table. It was a real party killer but thankfully the guests were good friends.
Lessons for newbie hosts?
Giving a good party is all about the details, from beautiful lighting to underscoring everything with the right music.
Parties are mostly a celebration of friends and family, so your efforts should reflect the love you feel for them. Even if you don't know the guests well, you should always create an intimacy. And the art of being a good host is being organised beforehand so you are relaxed when people arrive.
MURRAY BEVAN
Showroom 22's fashion publicist
If you're promoting fashion, producing a memorable party is a prerequisite. And Murray Bevan from Showroom 22 remains uber cool as he prepares for the South Gin party at The Northern Club and Alt TV's The Seen at Clooney. As director of a PR fashion agency, Bevan sets the fashion pace, with an online presence showcasing the next season's direction.
The best parties?
I have three events which stick in my mind. The first was the Marr Factory Presents show in 2005 which I produced. It was held in a single-level car park in central Auckland with 400 seated guests and four fashion designers showing back-to-back. The entire event was different and raw from start-to-finish. We had live art during the show, incredible music and 30 riders from the Auckland Ducati Motorcycle Club turned up on cue just before the show started, and left shortly afterwards in a cloud of thick rubber smoke.
The second and most memorable event ever was my sister's wedding in Puhoi. It wasn't just the things I'd organised that seemed to fall into place, it was the mix of all the uncontrollable variables that seemed to be on my side that day. And the third event was the New York Fashion Week party in 2000 at Barneys Co-op, hosted by Nylon magazine, sponsored by Levi's, with Sean Lennon as DJ. I've never been to a party since that has topped it.
The worst parties?
I can generally tell a bad event by the invitation, so I've managed to avoid the tragic ones. One idea that's growing pretty tired is the fashion show with Auckland's newest teen rock band playing at the after-party. All the good ones were back in 2004.
Seen any triumphs or disasters on the party circuit? We organised an event years ago where a water pipe burst about five minutes after we'd opened the doors. The ensuing torrent of water flooded the bathrooms and closed one of the two female toilets. Then some crazy bogan smashed a beer bottle and held it to a girl's throat when she tried to jump the queue to get to the last remaining toilet. That was about as rock'n'roll as I'd like things to get.
Lessons for newbie hosts?
There are five things that make a good party:
1. An excellent guest list. Not too many of the usual suspects and no B-grade celebrities.
2. A great invitation. It'll make the guests believe they can't afford to miss the party.
3. A good venue that caters to the event properly and isn't too over-used.
4. An excellent soundtrack.
5. Enough booze to keep the crowd happy, but not so much that the guests take eight beers at a time, get drunk, and spew on each other.
MELISSA PATTERSON
Crane Brothers
As the workroom manager overseeing Crane Brothers' tailoring and bespoke shirting, Melissa Patterson spends a lot of time keeping the machinists happy and sane. But after hours this mum-of-three likes to party hard, and has some delightfully wicked stories about B-list party goers.
The best party?
The last Crane Brothers work do was a stand-out. We were told nothing except to dress well, so I wore my new Wayne Cooper dress. The event was a kickboxing match in south Auckland, with ringside tables and a box of Lion Red on each. My favourite would have to be my dear friend Avril's birthday hosted by stylist Karen Inderbitzen-Waller. It was a Marie Antoinette party, with French champagne and cupcakes to die for. Also, I have to say I'm a great host! I love to cook and it's something that gives me a real buzz when you set the table for your friends to relax over great wine and soul food.
The worst party?
My 21st. I was heavily pregnant with my first daughter Lucia and could only eat cake. My flatmates filled the room with balloons to try to cheer me up but I was feeling as huge as a house.
Any triumphs on the party circuit?
When you can test out a new perfume and get great feedback. The same goes for a new hairdo or fab new dress. I tend to make a lot of my own clothes and mix it up with my favourite local designers and vintage.
Party tips?
Atmosphere is everything; fresh food, great music, good lighting and great smells. The Claus Porto scented candles are simply the best.
CRIS ROBERTS
Pearl
It's a crying shame, but designer Cris Roberts spends more time making others look glamorous than kicking up her heels at parties. Most of her clients are outfitting for a special event and Pearl is a gem for slinky dresses, bewitching jewellery and not-so-sensible high heels. In the lead-up to Christmas, Roberts says, it feels like an endless party in the shop.
The best party you've hosted or attended?
One of the best parties my husband and I have hosted was our weekend-long wedding at Waitomo Caves Hotel. We dragged friends and family away for the weekend and it was really wonderful to be surrounded by people we love from dusk till dawn. There were more than 100 people coming and going, laughing and dancing, and best of all, we didn't have to worry about cooking and cleaning.
The worst party you've attended?
Unexpected strip-o-grams seem to spoil a party - the recipient usually seems uneasy and doesn't seem to particularly enjoy the experience. Other guests often look away, leave the room, or turn to each other in quiet understanding.
Any triumphs on the party circuit?
We particularly enjoy our fashion shows-cum-parties, as we love our customers and our neighbourhood. There is a great sense of intimacy when they get together with us. Our last show at Uno was really special - enthusiastic AUT students helped us arrange the whole event which freed us up to enjoy a fabulous night.
Party tips?
Relax, feel glamorous and enjoy your friends, but don't worry if you can't spend much time with each of them - they will understand.
