How to Throw a Singles Party

Whether you’re one half of a happy couple or a single eager to get on the road to romance, host a party for your single friends as a chance for guests to interact and discover what they have in common. Organize a stress-free singles party featuring a casual buffet, ice breaker events and ways for the guests to get to know one another without pressure. Invite friends, co-workers and family members with invitations that clearly outline the purpose of the event so everyone is prepared to mingle.

Make invitations for the singles event with black blank 5-by-4-inch cards and matching envelopes. Cut a 4-by-3-inch piece of white cardstock and use double-sided tape to affix it one half inch from the top of the card. Place stickers in the center of the white cardstock, such as a champagne glass or a silhouette of a couple holding hands. Use white letter stickers to add a phrase across the bottom of the card like “Meet. Mix. Mingle.” Print the party details like the time, location, date and RSVP information on a 5-by-3-inch piece of white cardstock attached inside the card with double-sided tape.

Decorate the party room in classic black and white for a sophisticated look. Drape black and white streamers across the ceiling. Create a table centerpiece by dropping a balloon “anchor” tied to a bunch of black and white balloons into a glass cylinder vase and then filling the vase with black and white jelly beans. Place white baskets around the room filled with slips of paper and black pens for guests to jot down phone numbers.

Serve finger foods that the guests can nibble on while mingling such as kabobs with bite-sized pieces of chicken and vegetables or fruit kabobs with chunks of strawberry, orange and pineapple. Assemble finger sandwiches, fresh vegetable sticks with assorted dips and a plate of cheeses, olives and crackers. Serve beverages like champagne and sparkling water.

Give the guests a lanyard attached to a plastic pocket as they enter the singles party. Insert a card inside the pocket with blanks where guests can fill in their favorites, hobbies, pet peeves and what they’re looking for in a date. As the singles mix during the party, they can simply look at the conversation starters to find someone with similar interests.

Organize ice breaker games like giving each guest half of a photo featuring a famous couple and requiring them to find the person with the other half of the image. You can also play a trivia game to see which guests can complete cheesy pick-up lines correctly.