The Hip Hostess

Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Bubbly Party Favors June 17, 2008

 

Champagne and sparkling wines are the ultimate festive drink.  Mini bottles of these bubbly libations make great party favors for any celebratory event.  Many companies are now producing mini versions of their larger champagnes and sparkling wines, and by ordering them by the case you can often get a small discount. 

 

For my sister Sara’s 40th birthday party, we chose mini bottles of Asti Spumanti, an Italian sparkling dessert wine, to give as favors.  We had gift tags printed (“Sara’s Fountain of Youth”) and used satin ribbons to tie them around the bottles.  Everyone loved their festive favor!

 

 

 

Hip Tip – Simple Bridal Shower Centerpiece (Mini Wedding Cake Candles) June 12, 2008


‘Tis the season for wedding festivities.  If you are hosting a bridal shower or a bachelorette party and looking for some decorating ideas, here’s a simple, festive and inexpensive idea for you.  Mini wedding cake candles look great when displayed in numbers.  Use a rectangular glass block or candle holder, line up the candles and you have yourself a very simple centerpiece.  The mini cake candles would also look great displayed on a glass cake stand in a large group for a similar effect. 

 

Many of the mini wedding cake candles out there are pretty tacky.  I found a few that are simple and look nicer than most on the market. 

 

Small Pearl Wedding Cake Candle – available at Candles.com for $5.99 each
http://www.candles.com/productDescription1.aspx?product_id=730
*A little more expensive than the average mini wedding cake candle but, unlike most of the others I found, they are very simple.  They are also available in a larger size, so you can vary your display with large and small candles.

 

Elegant Lace Wedding Cake Candle – available at icestandar.org for $1.84 each
http://www.icestandard.org/products/view/5239/elegant-lace-wedding-cake-candle.html
*This one even comes with its’ own mini cake stand you can use as a candle holder, but it does have the extra pastic packaging, which isn’t very eco-friendly.  Try asking for it without the plastic box if you are using them decoratively and not giving them as a favor.