How to Host a Medieval Themed Party

Have you ever thought it would be fun to host a medieval themed party? I have hosted several of them and they are not as difficult to put together as you might think. With a little effort, you can make your medieval themed party a great success!

The first thing to plan when hosting a medieval themed party is to decide on how many guests you will be inviting. I have found from my experience that a small dinner party with eight to fourteen people is the easiest to plan for. That number of people is enough to make the party fun and not break the bank on food, drinks and other costs. Make sure to keep in mind when planning your guest list that everyone you will be inviting to your medieval themed party will be coming in costume. If you have a shy person who would feel uncomfortable doing this, it would probably be better to invite them to a different type of party. Medieval themed parties are for those who love to dress up and act silly!

Once your guest list is made out for your medieval themed party, you will need to assign characters to your guests. This will aid them in picking out their costumes and a cue on how they should act during the party. Do a little research about the medieval period and pick some characters to assign your guests for your medieval themed party. Some ideas to get you started include: Royal Jester, King (insert name) the Great, Duchess of Drink, etc.

You can create your own invitations on the computer or you can buy blank ones to decorate to invite your guests to your medieval themed party. Be sure to include the date, time and place you have planned for the party. Don't forget to let them know what their character is for the party, also. To add an element of anticipation for your medieval themed party, include a full guest list with all the characters' names. It will keep everyone guessing who will be coming as what!

What about food? Preparing a basic menu is not difficult when planning a medieval themed party. You can basically prepare any type of simple buffet type foods; just give everything a medieval themed party name. At one medieval themed party I hosted, the menu was filling finger type foods. One of the foods was an old standby; cocktail wieners wrapped in crescent roll quarters with a small slice of cheese and baked. On my menu (which I included with the invitation) I renamed them "Succulent Roasted Piglets". It kept the guests wondering for weeks what I would be preparing and added to the fun!

Decorations for a medieval themed party can be as easy as lighting candles and dining by candlelight or you can go all out with party props you can buy online or at a favorite party store. I always like to play chamber music to add to the ambiance of the medieval themed party, too.

For activities at your medieval themed party, there are several entertaining games you can plan. A trivia quiz about that period of history is a passive one. For more active games, think of a normal party game, rename it with a medieval party theme and use unusual objects within the game. Learn a popular medieval dance and teach it to your guests. Of course, end the evening with a best costume award. Let your guests' parade in front of everyone, one at a time; then vote. Give an "award" for best costume and give everyone a certificate for coming to your medieval themed party, too!

Be sure to take loads of pictures during your medieval themed party and send some to guests as a remembrance of the party. With a little bit of planning, you will have no trouble putting together a medieval themed party. Your guests will have a blast and they will be asking you when you will be hosting another one!