During this global pandemic, it’s been tough not being able to celebrate special occasions as we’ve been accustomed to doing in the past. When it comes to birthdays, baby showers and other special moments, the new norm is to throw a virtual party. If you have a special event coming soon, here are some tips for throwing a great virtual party!

1. Choose a video chat service to live stream your event. 

When it comes to video chat services, there are many different options available to choose from. Among the most popular are Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and Instagram Live.  Here is a quick summary of features offered by each service.

• Zoom: Zoom is very simple and free for everyone to use. It allows up to 100 connected devices and doesn’t require you to download an app. Guests don’t need an account to access the meeting, only an internet connection and web browser. Zoom allows up to 40 minutes of meeting time but additional time can be purchased or you can simply close the room and open a new one. 
• FaceTime: FaceTime is the free video chat service for Apple devices and will allow up to 32 devices at a time. Keep in mind, only guests with Apple devices will be able to join. 
• Skype: Skype has most of the same features as Zoom. It’s free and doesn’t require downloading an app. Skype allows up to 50 devices at a time. 
• Instagram Live: IG Live is also a popular option for virtual parties. Guests will need an instagram account to join the live. There’s no limit on the number of guests that can join and the time limit per live session is 60 minutes but you can always start another live. You won’t be able to see guests but everyone will be able to see you and communicate via comments on the live feed. Once the Live Video Feed has expired, your guests will be able to replay the video for up to 24 hours. You can also download the video to your camera roll and post it on your IGTV.

2. Send digital invitations to your guests.

Sending digital invitations has become the new norm as the world transitions to paperless everything. There a lots of free websites that offer digital invitations. I personally like Paperless Post and Evite. Be sure to include a link to your online gift registry so that guests can send gifts to you prior to the event.

3. Choose a theme for your event.

Choosing a party theme is one of my favorite parts of planning an event! I recently threw a virtual party for my daughter, Ella’s 2nd birthday via IG Live and we chose Minnie Mouse as the theme. We blew up tons of balloons and set up the cake table and transformed our living room into a little play land for Ella. One of the perks of hosting a virtual event is you only have to decorate the area that is going to be seen on camera. This will save you lots of time and money. Win/Win! Check out Ella’s 2nd (virtual) Birthday Party video!

4. Create an itinerary to keep you on track.

Virtual parties are not meant to last as long as in-person parties. Depending on the type of event, 30-45 minutes is more than enough time to greet your guests, chat, open gifts, cut a cake and say your thank yous. Creating an itinerary with a set time for each activity will help keep you on track of everything that you want to get done in a timely manner. Here’s the itinerary I created for Ella’s birthday party, which worked out perfectly for us.

Ella’s 2nd Birthday Itinerary

• 11:00 a.m. Wait for everyone to join live stream. 
• 11:10 a.m. Greet guests. Chat. 
• 11:20 a.m. Open gifts.
• 11:35 a.m. Sing happy birthday and eat cake!
• 12:45 a.m. Thank everyone for attending and say goodbye!

5. Remember to send thank you cards via email. 

Sending thank you cards is always a sweet gesture. Be sure to send out thank you emails to your guests 2 weeks after the event, which is the traditional etiquette. If you recorded the event or posted a recap video on social media, include a link in the thank you card so your guests can watch!

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