In this post, I’m sharing all the details behind a groovy Last Disco New Year’s Eve Party theme.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Every year deserves a celebration. Whether it was a year full of fantastic accomplishments or one that left us wanting more, we can come together with our loved ones to toast to the past and welcome the future with open arms. Plus, a little champagne never hurts. In today’s post, I’m sharing a recap of our Last Disco New Year’s Eve party from the previous year.
For a while now, disco balls have seemed to be really making their mark and spreading in popularity among home decor, DIY projects, and party planning. The little mirrored tiles can be seen popping up as Christmas tree ornaments, essential oil diffusers, jewelry, and seemingly everything in between.
And while we’ve seen the disco themed birthday and bachelorette parties continue to pop off all year long, I figured it would be fun to end the year with a groovy “last disco” themed party.
Let’s dive into all the party planning details!
Welcome to Party Planning: a series where I virtually plan themed events and bundle them up into a perfectly packaged blog post to inspire your next gathering!
It’s no secret to those who know me that I love to host. So much so that I’m fully convinced putting together a themed party is my love language. Whether it’s hosting a bestie’s milestone birthday or celebrating a holiday with a large group of friends, I’m always down to dive deep into the planning process, go as above and beyond as possible, and tap into my “extra” gene to pull together a fun and memorable event for everyone to enjoy.
However, as much as I live for hosting, there’s just no way to realistically fit all of these perfectly put-together themed parties into real life schedules and budgets. So, as a self-proclaimed “Pinterest Girly” who has spent years curating my Party + Events board (with over 900+ pins and counting!) I figured I would start virtually planning events right here on the blog: from the initial moodboard and color palette to the party favors and dress code ideas. I’ll even be including Spotify music playlists and invitation templates… because a great themed party is really all about the details.
So, if you’re looking to host an event this upcoming season but aren’t so keen on the planning process, this series will set you up with a complete rundown of themed gatherings you can use as inspo (or directly copy) for your next event!
Last Disco New Year’s Eve Party
Mood Board + Color Palette
To set the tone for the night and get a better idea of the disco fever vibe, I started by pulling images from Pinterest and creating a mood board in my digital party planner.
(Planner: The Perfect Gatherings Digital Party Planner x TWG Designs | App: Goodnotes5)
When it comes to mood boards, I love to add inspiration for all areas of the event. From food to outfits, to lighting. I make sure to pull ideas for large areas of decor like backdrops but also include small details like napkins and drink stirrers.
The disco theme color palette is pretty straightforward: black, white, and a lot of silver! You’ll want to include lots of shiny and reflective items for the colored disco lights to bounce off of. More on this later!
I also made sure to include an image of a charcuterie board for the grazing table idea, as well as an inspiration image for the design aesthetic of the party invitations.
Invitations
Speaking of invitations, I kept this design super simple and sleek. The invitation acts as a first impression for your guests and sets the vibe for the entire event. To really highlight the emphasis on disco, I used Canva (my favorite online graphic design platform) to pair a stunning image of sparkling disco balls with a groovy retro font called Genty. For an easy and sustainable invitation, simply create a 1080 x 1920 px sized graphic, save it to your phone, and then send it out to your guest list via text or email.
Aside from displaying the overall theme and tone of the event, make sure your invitation includes all essential information like the date and time of the party, location, and any other relevant details like RSVP instructions, dress code, or carpool suggestions.
Decorations
Out of all the parties I’ve hosted over the years, this has got to be one of my favorites when it comes to the decor. Since New Year’s Eve is all about the glitz and glam, I approached this with a go big or go home attitude.
The first thing I did was reconfigure my space, relocating the dining table to another spot in our open concept living room, to create a “disco dance floor” area in place of the dining room. I really wanted it to feel like you were stepping into a nightclub with all the flash and drama, so I completely covered the walls with silver fringe backdrops. To make it extra impactful, I layered a silver tiled backdrop underneath the fringe. This added double the coverage and reflection!
I took advantage of the ceiling light placement and replaced our dining room fixture with a single rotating colored light bulb for the night. (I also added a few of these scattered throughout the house in lamps and other chandeliers.) The rotating light bulbs were a hit and really sold the “discotheque” ambiance I was aiming for! I make note of this every time but, lighting is one of those key decor details that can completely transform the aesthetic of a party.
In the corner, I set up a small ceiling installment by layering mirrored and disco ball balloons, holographic circle garlands, and some hanging disco balls. I also tucked in a few sprigs of babys breath flowers for a whimsical touch. My trick to hanging decor items from the ceiling is to use these hooks. They are so strong and barely noticeable.
To create another groovy focal point, I also redecorated my Christmas tree, which entailed drenching it in silver tinsel and making a DIY disco ball topper using an upcycled beach ball and some holographic streamer paper.
The last area of decor I focused on was the photo op wall, which consisted of more silver fringe layered over a silver tile backdrop, holographic circle garlands hanging from the ceiling, and a classic “Happy New Year” sign in a groovy retro font.
I also took the chance to scatter a few extra disco balls around the house, placed near candles to reflect and enhance the glow factor.
Food
Let’s face it, New Year’s Eve parties aren’t usually centered around food. Given the later arrival time, it tends to be an aprés-dinner affair. But, I think it’s always important to have a few bites on hand, especially when alcohol is being consumed.
I opted for my favorite: a grazing table set up. This is my go-to for hosting as it’s a surefire way to have enough variety and a combination of savory and sweet items, which tends to create a more impressive overall spread. In my eyes, the food grazing table almost acts as a piece of practical decor, and is the perfect spot to add fun details that go along with the theme of the party.
After all the time I spent decorating, the last thing I wanted to do was cook! So, I kept it simple with mostly store-bought appetizers like deli pinwheels, meatballs, and ravioli. Then added a few simple classics like pigs in a blanket, olive tapenade bruschetta, a nut and herb crusted cheese ball, and a small charcuterie board.
For the sweets, I thought it would be a nice touch to add Hershey’s kisses to tie in with all the other silver elements, plus the concept of a midnight kiss for New Year’s Eve. Aw!
To decorate the table, I cut a piece of the tiled silver backdrop to use as a table runner (a much better option linked here!) over a solid black tablecloth, scattered some super cute disco ball confetti, and set out a few festive disco ball napkins.
Signature Drink
A signature drink will totally take your party up a notch and creates the perfect chance for your guests to try a fun new cocktail. To keep the party rolling into the early hours of the morning, I served my go-to easy espresso martini as a signature drink. This recipe is great because you can make a large batch ahead of time – and as an added bonus, you don’t even need an espresso machine! Don’t forget the coffee beans for garnish.
Aside from the espresso martinis, I also made a large batch of spiked Shirley temples, often called Dirty Shirleys, with maraschino cherries for garnish. I like to serve large batch cocktails in a decorative yet functional drink dispenser and keep them chilled with reusable ice cubes so they don’t water down.
To keep the disco vibe going strong, I set out a few disco ball drink stirrers, also known as swizzle sticks, in assorted glassware, and styled the garnishes in martini glasses and coups. I’m all about those fun little aesthetic details!
Activities + Favors
If you’ve read any of the other posts in my Party Planning series, you may have noticed that I like to include some kind of activity or small take-home favor for guests to enjoy. However, this time around I kept this category much more low-key. I find that after the busy holiday season, most people are just ready to let loose and enjoy a night of dancing and good vibes on New Year’s Eve. Plus, the anticipation before the clock strikes midnight is already an event full of commotion and excitement in and of itself!
One thing I make sure to have on hand for a New Year’s Eve party is the tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight. In the past, I’ve prepped and presented the grapes on skewers, but this time I simply placed them in some clear lowball cups and set them out on a tray for guests to grab. The twelve grapes tradition consists of eating a grape to represent each of the coming twelve months at midnight for good luck and prosperity.
And, of course, you can’t forget the classic “happy new year” crowns, hats, and noise makers! I think some funky disco themed accessories would also be perfect for photobooth props. You can find all my favorite disco themed party items here.
Dress Code
The cherry on top of this already over-the-top theme was the dress code. I wanted my guests to get funky with their outfits and styling… and I must say everyone came through! There were so many sequins, platform shoes, and bell bottoms all around. If you’re thinking of hosting a themed party, don’t overlook the dress code as it’s one of the elements that helps pull the entire vibe together.
I’m not one to shy away from sparkle, so this was the perfect chance to go head-to-toe sequins with a flared leg jumpsuit. If you’re in the market for something similar, Nasty Gal has tons of sequined jumpsuit options around this time of year.
For the rest of the styling, I leaned into the 1970s aesthetic and used a small barrel curling wand to go big with the hair. I also added a few clip-in hair extensions for volume, and an oversized crystal clip for extra sparkle. For the makeup, I went with my go-to winged out smokey eye, but added a few layers of glitter to my eyelids for that disco fever glam!
Music
Last but definitely not least, I made sure to prep a Spotify playlist ahead of time so that the groovy disco hits were on blast all night long!
I hope this post inspired you to host your own Last Disco New Year’s Eve Party this year. It’s the perfect excuse to get in the celebratory mood and show your loved ones a funky good time. Turn up the tunes, boogie on down, and create an extra sparkly and memorable night!
Check out my complete disco party theme shopping list here.
If planning is your jam, check out The Perfect Gatherings Digital Party Planner and keep all of your party plans, tasks, to-do lists, and more… organized in one easy-to-access digital file!
Cheers to an abundant and prosperous new year!
This post was all about a Disco New Year’s Eve party theme. If you like this content, check out these posts below!
– Springtime Garden Picnic | Party Planning
– Sips & Dips | Holiday Themed Party
– Charcuterie Board 101: My Tips, Tricks, and Shopping List
Xx- Laura
PIN THIS FOR LATER!
