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The Ultimate Guide for Planning the Perfect 1989 (Taylor’s Version) Release Party

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Holy Cross chapter.

Attention Swifties! The rerelease of a fan-favorite album is just right around the corner. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) comes out October 27th, and what better way to celebrate than throwing a release party! Not sure how to plan the perfect release party? Don’t worry; here is the ultimate guide to throwing the best 1989 (Taylor’s Version) release party. 

Decorations

The most important part of any party is the decorations. They set the mood for the entire party. The goal for this party is to get everyone excited about the album’s release. To do this, transport party-goers into the album. Let’s start with the aesthetic of the album. As the beachy album cover suggests, the aesthetic of this album is very light, airy, and fun. Try to find decorations that reflect that vibe. For example, add a little bit of flair to your party by getting a sparkly light blue fringe backdrop. This will be the perfect spot for guests to take their Instagram photos. As a bonus, add a cut-out that looks like a border around a Polaroid picture and the classic 1989 sunglasses. This allows guests to have unique party pictures. It’s not a party without balloons. Spice up the space with some light blue, silver, and white balloons. You can also buy silver 1989 balloons. Make sure to dress up any table with light blue tablecloths to continue the light and airy feel. To really transport guests into the album, add some beachy elements, but don’t turn it into a Hawaiian party. The beachy vibes should feel like a Northeast beach. 

Dress Code

Parties are more fun when everyone is dressed for the party. Set a dress code that matches the outfit to ensure guests match the vibe. For example, ask guests to wear light colors, specifically light blues and white. Flowy outfits are the way to look your best in the 1989 era. If you want a party that is a little extra, ask guests to dress up like a character from a music video in the 1989 era. For example, you could dress up as the multiple characters in the “Shake It Off” video or as one of the many celebrities in the “Bad Blood” music video. Either way, the way guests dress makes or breaks the party, but ensures guests can have fun with it. You can ask party-goers to wear their 1989 tour merch for extra points. 

Food

What’s a party without food? Food for this era requires more effort. The absolute best thing that you can have at your party is the cake from the “Blank Space” music video. The link to a picture AND a recipe for the cake: https://bethcakes.com/blank-space-cake/. This cake will get guests excited for the release of the album. Other snacks you can serve at your party are New York-related snacks. You could set up a bagel bar or get authentic New York pizza. This will really channel “Welcome to New York” vibes. Finally, you could always go with a safer option: have foods with the same color scheme as the party—blue candies, blue cupcakes, or anything blue that you can imagine. 

Music

No party is complete without the perfect playlist. Of course, the playlist for this specific party is obvious: 1989 until 1989 (Taylor’s Version) comes out. However, to spice things up, consider playing some of the music videos from this era during the party. This will excite your guests for the release of the new album but also remind them of the magic of this era. If you have Apple Music, the soundtrack to your evening could be the 1989 concert film. Play this in the background and be transported back into the peak of the 1989 era. 

There you have it: the ultimate guide for planning the perfect 1989 (Taylor’s Version) release party. Whether you decide on the ideal release party or not, get excited for this new album! It’s bound to be even better than the original, with five new vault tracks! Either way, I wish you the best October 27th!

Sarah McAuliffe

Holy Cross '27

Sarah is a freshman at Holy Cross from Mountain Lakes, NJ. She enjoys going to the beach, going to cute coffee shops, listening to music and hanging out with friends.