What am I expected to provide?
Homeowners provide refreshments. Beverages typically include wine, beer and water. Some have hired or appointed an individual to tend the bar; others have set up self-serve stations. As for food, offerings can be as simple as a selection of cold items such as bread, cheese, crackers, chips, nuts, fruit and bite-size veggies. Some homeowners like to include hot hors d’oeuvres and bite-size sweets (e.g., cookies or petit fours).
What will San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles provide?
We will prepare a digital invitation showcasing your property for your approval, email it to prospective guests and collect RSVPs. The magazine staff will arrive before the party and distribute copies of the magazine in your home for guests. Our staff will remain on hand to greet guests and hand out nametags. The magazine further will provide a photographer to take pictures of the homeowners and guests, which will be published in the On Scene section of our magazine.
How many people can I expect to attend the preview party?
An average number of attendees, based on our experience, is around 40 to 45. We have seen gatherings with 20 guests and as many as 65. If you are concerned, you may request that we place a cap on the number of RSVPs. We are happy to provide you with an RSVP count a few days before the party so that you and/or your caterer can be prepared.
Who gets invited?
Preview parties allow homeowners to recognize the professionals who helped them complete their project, such as architects, interior designers, contractors and landscapers. Those professionals may wish, in turn, to recognize their resources (suppliers of materials, installation and furnishings). San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles invites a select group of its advertisers or others in the design industry with whom it has an established relationship. A small group of SDH/GL staff attends as well.
What if my street or neighborhood has restricted parking?
Let us know what parking instructions we should include on the invitation. Also please let us know if your home is difficult to locate; we use Mapquest to create directions for the invitations.
Can anyone at all view my guest list?
No. Your guest list is protected by a password specific to you. Furthermore, Preview Party Planner pages are not linked to other pages on the magazine's website, so the likelihood of someone landing on this page is very small.