Interviews

3 Essential Elements for a Successful Party

This week we spoke with Florie Huppert, event planner extraordinaire and founder of Florie Huppert Design, a boutique event company that plans and designs social, corporate and not-for-profit events. Florie has planned everything from Bar & Bat Mitzvahs to Birthday Parties to Galas / Benefits.

What are the essential elements of any successful party? Your event could happen in the basement community room of your church with florescent lighting and no decor. If you send your guests home having eaten too much, drank too much and danced too much, they’re going to tell you they had the best time. As much as I love decor and spaces – if you make sure everyone can get to food easily, get to drinks easily and dance their feet off, then they’ll rave about your party forever.

What are your favorite event decorations right now? I love candles. I just love how easy they are. I also love string lights. People have been asking me a lot recently for balloons - I make fantastic custom streamers cascading from the 3-foot balloon. I love flowers of course but they’re too expected, I'd rather use other less predictable materials.

You've planned a number of events at the HELEN MILLS Event Space. What's your favorite part of the venue? For this space, if you don’t use the front of the venue it’s a tragedy. The front of the building’s signage cases are so awesome. I’ve seen it done so well so many times. People just just need to be careful to choose great printers and leave time to install it perfectly.

What was your most memorable party moment? I had one mitzvah where I just stood there and just watched the kids dance for four solid, uninterrupted hours. They didn’t break, they didn’t eat, they didn’t sit down. They did nothing but jump up and down and dance. They had the best time ever and that’s the best part of any party, watching the kids have the best, best time.

About Florie Huppert DesignFlorie Huppert Design • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest

About HELEN MILLS: Please contact us or call 212-243-6200 for more information or to plan your next party. From Meetings to Bar / Bat Mitzvahs to Fashion Shows, see here for more information about the types of events you can have at the HELEN MILLS Event Space and Theater.