What to buy for a fancy dress party
A fancy dress party needs more than costumes and snacks. You’ll need a clear place for coats and bags, enough tableware for the buffet and desserts, chilled drinks, and supplies for photos or games. Use your guest count to scale quantities, then check what you already have before shopping. Buy non-perishable decorations and serving equipment early; leave cakes, fresh snacks and ice for the final 24 hours.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Foldable tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 55
- Buffet tablesqty 2
- Clothes racksqty 2
- Waste binsqty 4
Tableware
- Platesqty 60
- Dessert platesqty 60
- Glassesqty 70
- Coffee cupsqty 30
- Forksqty 70
- Knivesqty 60
- Spoonsqty 60
- Serving spoonsqty 8
- Serving bowlsqty 8
- Serving plattersqty 6
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 4
- Measuring cupsqty 2
- Coolersqty 3
- Thermos flasksqty 3
- Bottle openersqty 3
Equipment
- Bluetooth speakerqty 2
- Microphone
- Extension cordsqty 4
- Power stripsqty 4
- Phone chargerqty 2
Decorations
- Balloonsqty 100
- Balloon archesqty 2
- Buntingqty 8
- Confetti-free table decorqty 6
- Photo backdrop
- Photo propsqty 20
- Clothes hangersqty 60
- Name badgesqty 60
- Prize trophiesqty 6
- Gift bagsqty 55
Lighting
- LED string lightsqty 4
- LED lampsqty 6
Sports equipment
- Hoopsqty 6
- Soft ballsqty 8
- Conesqty 20
- Tug of war rope
- Music stop cardsqty 30
Cleaning
- Hand broomsqty 2
- Litter pickersqty 2
- Mopsqty 2
- Bucketsqty 2
- Spongesqty 6
- Rubber glovesqty 4
Catering
- Groceries
- Mini rolls - 60 pieces
- White bread rolls - 40 pieces
- Wholemeal rolls - 30 pieces
- Back ham - 1 kilogram
- Young cheese - 1 kilogram
- Chicken breast slices - 750 grams
- Hummus - 500 grams
- Cream cheese - 400 grams
- Butter - 500 grams
- Herb cheese - 400 grams
- Cucumbers - 5 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 1 kilogram
- Carrots - 1 kilogram
- Bell peppers - 6 pieces
- Grapes - 2 kilogram
- Apples - 30 pieces
- Bananas - 25 pieces
- Mini hot dogs - 3 cans
- Puff pastry - 4 packs
- Eggs - 20 pieces
- Pizza bases - 8 pieces
- Tomato sauce - 4 jars
- Shredded cheese - 1 kilogram
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Tortilla chips - 5 bags
- Salty pretzels - 4 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Candy mix - 3 kilograms
- Marshmallows - 2 bags
- Cupcakes - 60 pieces
- Birthday cake - 2 pieces
- Cookies - 5 packs
- Chocolate bars - 40 pieces
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 6 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 4 bottles
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Tomato salsa - 3 jars
- Cocktail sticks - 2 boxes
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 pack
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 3 packs
Tips
- Plan two to three drinks per guest for the first hour, then one drink per person per hour. Add water and soft drinks separately so guests are not relying only on alcohol.
- Allow one dinner plate and one dessert plate per guest, plus one glass for drinks and one coffee cup if you are serving hot drinks. Add at least 10% extra for breakage and forgotten plates.
- Set up a coat area before guests arrive. One clothes rack holds roughly 30 to 40 lightweight coats, so use two racks or a separate hanging area for a larger party.
- Buy or borrow serving bowls, platters and serving spoons before ordering the food. Catered dishes often arrive without enough utensils, especially for salads, desserts and buffet sides.
- Check power and charging needs the day before. Test the Bluetooth speaker and microphone, and keep extension cords, power strips and a phone charger together rather than searching for them during the party.
Frequently asked questions
- How much food do I need for a fancy dress party?
- For a party lasting two to three hours, plan about 6 to 8 small savoury portions per guest, plus one dessert portion. Add 10% extra if the party overlaps a normal mealtime or if guests have not been asked to eat beforehand.
- How many drinks should I buy for a costume party?
- For the first hour, allow two to three drinks per guest, then one drink per person per hour. For a three-hour party with 20 guests, that means roughly 80 to 100 drinks in total, including water and soft drinks.
- What tableware do I need for a fancy dress party?
- Buy or prepare one dinner plate, one dessert plate, one glass, one fork, one knife and one spoon per guest, plus 10% extra. Add serving spoons, serving bowls and platters for every buffet dish.
- When should I buy supplies for a fancy dress party?
- Buy decorations, tableware, costume accessories and serving equipment 1 to 2 weeks ahead. Chill drinks the day before, and buy fresh snacks, cakes and ice within 24 hours of the party.
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