Expert Tips for Planning a Holiday Party at Home

Your home often provides the perfect backdrop for memorable gatherings, effortlessly reflecting your style, sentiment, and personality. This holiday season, Engel & Völkers is thrilled to partner with Bryan Rafanelli, founder and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events, to bring you unparalleled insights on hosting unforgettable events at home.

Homes often serve as the ideal backdrop and venue for special occasions, because a home already has the host’s style, flair, and sentiment built into it. 

As the founder and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events, Bryan Rafanelli knows a thing or two about party planning — for show stopping gatherings ranging in size from 15 to 15,000 attendees to creating unforgettable guest experiences across the globe. Similar to Engel & Völkers, Rafanelli Events shares a commitment to delivering highly personalized, tailored, and bespoke experiences for their clients.

With Rafanelli’s expertise in creating unforgettable events, and Engel & Völkers’ dedication to curating exceptional real estate experiences, it made sense for the brands to partner this holiday season to bring you tips for hosting the ideal at-home gathering all year long.

This collaboration brings together a shared passion for elevated client service, a design-focused eye, and the utmost attention to detail. Just in time for the holidays and your 2025 hosting plans ahead.

Rafanelli's Thanksgiving Spread Inspiration

Weather Contingencies

Have a backup plan for outdoor events, such as tents, portable heaters, or fans, to adapt to unexpected weather. Monitor weather forecasts leading up to your party to make adjustments as needed.

Vendor Coordination

Allocate space and resources for catering, entertainment, and other vendors, including setup areas for catering and staging areas for entertainment, if you’re having a performer or performers. Designate a setup area for catering, bar service, and any other vendor needing workspace.

Plan Multiple ‘Wow’ Moments

As a baseline, we like to have three to five ‘wow’ moments, special moments, at our events, no matter their size. Create special moments throughout your event, with something happening approximately every 20 minutes to keep guests engaged.

Focus on First Impressions

Make the initial impact count, but ensure it connects meaningfully to you as the host or the event's purpose — don't just do something flashy without meaning.

Consider Sound and Music Carefully

Comfort is another piece of the puzzle that people will walk away and remember and say, “I went to this event and it wasn't loud.” Keep music at a level at which guests can still have conversations while feeling the beat.

Pay Attention to Scale and Variety

When decorating, use items in different sizes to create visual interest and dimension. As demonstrated in Rafanelli Events’ Thanksgiving table example, using pumpkins of varying sizes creates dynamic visual interest.

Don't Be Afraid to Transform Simple Items

In Rafanelli’s book, “A Great Party: Designing the Perfect Celebration,” he talks about the idea of making something from nothing. Take basic items and make them special through creative transformation.

Create Intimate Spaces

Even in larger spaces, find ways to make the environment feel intimate and comfortable for guests through thoughtful design and layout.

Tell a Story

Make sure your event elements connect to tell a cohesive story or reflect something meaningful about the occasion or you as host.

Plan the Flow

Think about continually keeping somebody's mind moving through a 120-minute experience. Carefully think through every moment of your event from start to finish.

Engage Multiple Senses

Create an experience that engages all the senses, not just visual impact. Consider how elements like sound, lighting, comfort, and even temperature work together to create a complete sensory experience.

About Rafanelli Events

Rafanelli Events, founded by Bryan Rafanelli in 1996, is a premier event planning and design company known for its extraordinary experiences. With global reach and offices in New York City, Palm Beach, and Boston, it specializes in events ranging from intimate gatherings and weddings to destination events and non-profit fundraisers.

Their dedicated team of professionals believes in creating unique celebrations for every occasion, blending innovation with personalized touches. With a clientele including Fortune 500 families and public figures, Rafanelli Events continues to set trends in the industry, redefining event planning worldwide.