Put your tree on the table & paint your front door blue – royal party planner shares how to host a Xmas bash like Kate | The Sun

HAVE you ever wondered what it would be like to attend a party hosted by Kate Middleton?

Thankfully we can get an insight into what a palace bash looks like thanks to behind-the-scenes information from royal party planner Johnny Roxburgh.

The events expert had been responsible for bringing the Christmas “magic” to the late Queen's festive soirees – and he’s revealed his top tips for being a ‘host with the most’.

Johnny said to Hello!: “The Royal Household is famously, and correctly, very careful about cost. 

"When I organised the annual Christmas dinner which HM The Queen hosted for her staff, I had to find an ingenious way to transform the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace to create a magical party setting without spending money.

"I saved decorations throughout the year to create something beautiful but economic. One year I had a 35-foot-high Russian tree dismantled from another party and re-erected in The Palace Ballroom.”

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He said he added some English decorations and the tree looked “magnificent flanked by the wonderful chandeliers."

But what can we learn from Johnny and how you can throw a party fit for royalty?

1. Create a ‘wow impact’ door

Johnny advised that you should aim to impress your guests from before they even walk in the room, and this starts with the door.

He said that “door makeovers” have been popular in recent years and people are particularly going all out at Christmas.

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He first of all advised painting your door a “dazzling royal blue” as that colour is currently trending.

Then you can accentuate the colour using “pops of gold decor”, in the form of wreaths and baubles.

But don’t worry if you can’t afford a real one – Johnny said fake ones are fine as long as you have bright mini baubles, laughs and red velvet ribbon to jazz it up.

2. Don't put food on the table

Do you ever try to cram all your food dishes on the table and it becomes really hectic?

According to Johnny you should instead use a buffet station.

You can make a DIY version of this by putting place mats along your kitchen counter or sideboard to show where serving bowls will sit.

You can add wire lights to give it some extra sparkle too.

3. Decorate the floor

While you may spend hours decorating your bannisters and mantelpieces, you should be paying attention to the floor.

“Floorscaping” is the latest trend you should jump on, according to the royal party planner, and it will leave your guests impressed.

You can achieve this by weaving garlands among your presents under the tree, and adding fake snow to the bottom of chair legs and corners of your room.

4. Put your Christmas tree ON the table

If your table doesn’t have a Christmas tree on it, you should think about changing that immediately.

According to Johnny: “This year it's all about decorating your table with tabletop trees.”

Habitat reportedly saw a 50 per cent search growth in Christmas trees for your table last year, and they could be the perfect centrepiece for dinner.

You should put a half parasol Christmas tree down the middle of your table to create a dramatic look without blocking guests' views across the centre.

5. Don’t bother with real candles

Any party is made better with candles, but they don’t always have to be real.

Johnny advised buying reusable LED candles that “flick magically” to achieve a low lighting effect.

He said they eliminate the worry of setting fire to your table decorations or covering the cloth in wax and are cost-efficient (something the royals are hot on). Pun intended.

You can even add LED lights outside your front door to create a welcoming and impressive entrance.

6. Separate couples

Each party needs a carefully thought-out seating plan, and one of the royal party pro’s top tips is to separate couples.

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He recommends having a long, narrow table, if possible, as this eliminates shouting over one another and you can easily talk to people opposite.

The party whizz said many of his celebrity customers like u-shaped tables as it creates a “performance space for after-dinner games” and is easier to clear plates.

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