"Guests come to the party to watch the game AND see the host," Lee wrote. To that end, hosts should dress the part. A team-colored feather boa or tutu helps make Super Bowl party photos truly memorable, Furkavic said. Party City also stocks photo booth kits for the Instagram crowd.

If you're not interested in buying a bunch of themed favors and prefer to have your party leave a small environmental footprint, that's possible, too.

Trigg, who plans small gatherings as well as big blowouts, finds ways to make her events environmentally sustainable. She reuses materials as much as she can when planning and decorating, and uses compostable paper plates and cups at her parties, as well as recyclable cutlery.

No matter what kind of Super Bowl party you choose to throw, a quick glance at one's homeowner insurance policy is another smart step in the party planning process.

Wait, what? It's just a Super Bowl party, right?

And yet, according to the American Bar Association, if a guest gets food poisoning, is injured at your home or drives drunk after a party, the host could get sued.

It's important for hosts to plan for the unexpected.

"I'm a big proponent of safety," Trigg said. She's a fan of the car service Uber -- which can pick you up based on your smartphone's GPS -- for those over-imbibing. "I like to have it be part of the game, have people drop their keys right away," she said.

Especially, if, like Trigg, you tend to hold cocktail contests.