With Halloween looming just around the corner, a few of us in the Star Reviews office have already begun thinking of party ideas. One of our team members found a unique way of inviting guests to his party and of keeping the party details organized-through an online party planning service. MyPunchbowl is one of the sites we researched and we have to say, we were intrigued by their website concept. See what we found below.
What’s New?
- Penelope Plans-offers party planning advice to site visitors
- MyPunchbowl Party Nation-Maps out exactly where the last 100 parties were planned using the service, and for what event!
Star Reviews Favorite Feature:
Pick a Date-You can choose several possible dates, then let your guests vote on which works the best for their schedules. It's easier than calling everyone on the phone, only to find one will be out of town and the other has to work on your desired party date!
My Punchbowl Features:
- Create and send e-vites to all your guests
- Receive RSVPs electronically
- MyPunchbowl Blog
- Themed invitation templates
- After Party messages and photos
- Find nearby stores selling party supplies
- Communicate with guests before and after the party through the message board
- Works with Flickr and Plaxo
About MyPunchbowl:
It's hard to compare party planning services in general to MyPunchbowl because the site is so unique. With a single account, you can take care of most of your party planning endeavors – setting the date, putting together the guest list, sending the invitations, etc. - from the convenience of your computer. MyPunchbowl’s goal is to be at the center of your party and provide whatever you need to plan the perfect bash!
Using MyPunchbowl:
After you sign up for an account, you can basically take care of your party planning in six easy steps. First, you can use the Pick the Date feature to choose a party time that works for most of your guests. Then you can easily put together a guest list by copying and pasting emails or importing emails from your email client's address book. For your invitations and Save the Date announcements, you can choose from one of dozens of designs or add photographs yourself for a unique look. This is definitely a cool feature in our book.
MyPunchbowl also allows you to track and organize the guests who have claimed a spot at the party. If you want to take your party planning a step further, you can search for party supply stores in your area. Finally, the site allows you to create an “After Party” with videos and photos of your event which you can share with your guests. Our team loved how this party planning service considered all aspects of the process and make it not only simple, but fun!
Planning with MyPunchbowl:
MyPunchbowl does provide some useful features for party planners. For one, you can save time and money by sending your invitations via the Internet instead of through the post office or by mail. While you won’t be able to book entertainment or purchase supplies through this site, they definitely help you organize your party, which is the first step in making your event a success.
Pricing:
My Punchbowl is a completely free service. You can create your account, send your invitations, and upload party photos at no cost. The site does contain some Google Ads, but these are placed in fairly unobtrusive parts of the site, so you won’t be too affected by them.
Customer Support:
My PunchBowl has great customer support! They boast an extensive list of FAQs which answers pretty much anything you might think of, including trivial questions such as where their unique company name stems from.
The site also provides support via telephone and email. Our phone call was answered promptly, and we spoke with a friendly representative who seemed eager to assist us. The question was answered in a clear, easy to understand way. The same was true for our email question. Plus, our response seemed as though it was written by a real person – it wasn't just a cut and paste answer. The best part was, we received our email answer in about one hour. This is customer support at its finest!
Upside:
Great customer support. Some convenient and money-saving features. Free.
Downside:
Some ads. Not a comprehensive party planning resource.
Summary:
As we completed more of our party planning service reviews, we realized MyPunchbowl was definitely a great service. The convenience of being able to schedule a party, invite guests, and even share party memories through a web site is a great idea. Plus, the service is free – you can't argue with that! Although the site may not have party supplies for sale, it does offer plenty of features to aid you in the organization process. Perhaps the best solution is to combine My Punchbowl's free service with the fun, party supplies available on other top party planning sites, such as Birthday in a Box or Celebrate Express.