Whether you’re celebrating an actual movie premiere or just using it as a theme, movie premiere parties can be very creative events. Hosting a party requires preparation, from invitations to decorations and food, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little planning you can make your guests feel like stars and keep them smiling the entire night.

Create your own red carpet. You can use any red material, and it doesn’t have to be very long. Folded or cut to fit your space. However you make it, guests will enjoy walking down a red carpet to enter the party. Take the idea further and lay out the red fabric on your walkway outside and illuminate it with paper lanterns or candles. Ensure guests have enough room to walk and aren’t likely to tip over the candles.

When you send your invitations, include a request to come in costume. Depending on your theme, invitees can dress as characters from movies or as Hollywood stars. This helps get your guests into the spirit of the night before they arrive.

Use life-size cardboard cutouts of movie stars to greet guests at the door. An alternative is to make the cutout a reporter, microphone in hand, and have your guests pose for interviews as they arrive. If you’re celebrating a particular movie, use cutouts of that movie's characters; for a general Hollywood theme use a backdrop of the Hollywood sign to create this photo opportunity.

The premiere of a particular movie sets the theme for you. To add something to a general movie premiere-themed party, choose a movie genre for the guests' costumes. Base your party on the golden age of Hollywood and play movie classics such as "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane" in the background. Choose a film noir theme and have your guests come dressed as characters from "The Maltese Falcon" or "The Big Sleep."

Serve food and drink compatible with the theme. Anything from canapés and champagne to popcorn and soda may be suitable, depending on the night’s activities. Classic Hollywood calls for champagne, or sparkling cider, and sophisticated treats. If you plan on watching movies, theater foods get guests in the spirit of the evening.

Movie-trivia games can be tailored to any theme; present mini-Oscars to the game winners. Movie watching, especially if you encourage your guests to shout out comments and talk back to the characters, can be entertaining as well. If that’s your plan, ask guests to bring their favorite movies. If you’re hosting the party before a movie premiere, a game of plot-guessing can be fun; after you’ve seen the movie, give prizes to the people who guessed the outcome.