Before you start building your slideshow or queuing up clips, think about who’s attending. 

• Are you planning for kids, adults, or a mix? 
  
• Do you want the mood to be interactive, with people chiming in and sharing stories, or more of a sit-back-and-watch style experience? 
  
• Which memories will resonate most with this group? 

Pro tip: “Inviting the stars” is always a hit. Highlight moments featuring the very people attending your party. There’s nothing quite like seeing yourself or a loved one in a favorite old video to spark laughter, storytelling, and nostalgia. 

Keep it short and sweet. Plan for less viewing time than you think because conversations, food breaks, and reminiscing naturally extend the experience. 

The easiest way to keep your event running smoothly is to prepare your media in advance. 

• Create a slideshow or “memory movie.” That way, all you’ll need to do is press play. 
  
• Tools to try: 
    - Mac users: iPhoto (often preloaded) makes slideshow creation straightforward 
    - Free online tools: Smilebox, Animoto, Adobe Spark, Slidely, or Movavi
    - Google Photos: Drag and drop files into a folder, reorder as you like, and even add background music. It’s simple, powerful, and free. 

With your slideshow ready, you’ll free yourself up to enjoy the event instead of troubleshooting tech. 

A theme can take your watch party to the next level, but how far you go is up to you. 

• Theme-light: Simple touches like coordinating snacks or a festive playlist 
  
• Theme-heavy: Go all out with decorations, food, drinks, and even costumes inspired by the time period, location, or event featured in your memories 

For example:

• Old family vacation footage? Serve tropical drinks or regional food from that trip. 
  
• Throwback holiday celebrations? Recreate favorite recipes or traditions. 
  
• Childhood highlights? Ask everyone to bring their own “vintage” photo to share. 

Themed or not, the memories themselves are always the star of the show. 

Key Takeaways 

• Tailor your slideshow to your audience (kids vs. adults, interactive vs. quiet, etc.). 
  
• Keep the runtime short; memories spark conversations that naturally stretch the event 
  
• Prepare a slideshow in advance so you can relax and enjoy 
  
• Add a theme if you want to make the party more festive and immersive 

Whether casual or carefully curated, a watch party is one of the most joyful ways to reconnect with loved ones. By planning a little in advance, you’ll create not just an event but a memory in itself.