Soundtrack

Music is always difficult to gauge, and it's crucial you get it right if your guests are going to be getting down on the dancefloor till the early hours. Prepare the soundtrack to your bash well in advance: get hold of classic CDs everyone will like, download classic party tunes that are sure to get everyone up on the dancefloor (even if the dancefloor is your kitchen floor!) and ask guests to bring their favourite CDs along.  

Thanks to computers and CD writers, everyone can become a  DJ in an instant these days! Prepare playlists on your computer, burn them onto a CD if you haven't got speakers, and all you'll have to do on the night is press play. Group songs together by mood rather than by album or artist.
 
Here are some examples:    
- Get the party started with some soul and funk classics to ease everyone into the mood.  
- Ambiant music for dinner, such as chill-out, classy, lounge-style tunes to provide a bit of atmosphere without disrupting the conversation.
- Dance tunes to get everyone strutting their moves: pop, disco, 80s and cheesy classics.   
- Wind-down music for the end of the night. Try a bit of of jazz for a mellow mood towards the end of the night.