Stocking up of party decorations starts to add up, so I like to print a picture of whatever my theme is – a sock monkey or nursery rhyme – and frame it in a pre matted frame for the party. Set it on the buffet or wherever you have drinks set up. It’s a great way to add to your party decore without breaking the bank. The best part is, you can reuse the frame for other parties or for your favorite picture.
Here’s a super simple and fun way to designate seats (and keep track of drinks): Use name tag place cards on your glasses. They’re inexpensive and easy to remove from your glasses. These tags can also be used to label party favors, or to label beverages on a bar (I like to put mixers in glass bottles instead of their original packaging and labeling the bottles keeps things clear).
Use the Etch-it labels, pictured above – they work like a chalk board, and you use your nail or a pen instead of chalk to write the names – or any other name tag label, though they might not be quite as easy to remove as the Etch-it labels, which are specifically made to be removable from glassware.
The Etch-it labels are sold in packages of 15 and cost $3-4 per package.
Birthday Express – $2.99/ package
Shindigz Party Supplies – $3.99/ package
Save yourself the trouble of having to cut and serve a cake at your next party by serving cupcakes. Cupcakes are a huge hit for many reasons, but they really are a very practical dessert to serve. It can take a while to cut and serve cake to a large group of people (trust me, I know!). Consider serving cupcakes when hosting a large birthday party, shower or other event where cake is the norm. Streamlining dessert means more time for you to enjoy the party.
Candles are a party staple in most homes for good reason – they create instant ambiance for any night-time soiree. But if you already have lots of different aromas coming from your kitchen, opt for unscented candles in all places other than your bathroom. Competing scents can be overwhelming and you want the great smell of your food to take center stage. If you do opt to use scented candles, use the same scent in every room. Sticking to one scent will make a bigger impact and no one will get a headache from a perfume-counter array of smells.
*Shown above are unscented white votive candles in a wooden and glass holder on a bamboo runner with pink orchids.
Having flowers at your next party? Even if you’re only having a vase or two, stop at your local florist in advance to place your order. Pick out your flowers and set up a delivery date and time. You can pay for them in advance or when they are delivered. If you don’t want to purchase a new vase from the florist but are worried about the flowers fitting into your own vases, ask the florist if you can drop your vases off and have them arrange the flowers in them before they are delivered. This way, on the day of your party, all you have to do is answer the door, tip the delivery person and find the perfect place for those beautiful blossoms.
When you’re planning on using specific ingredients for dinner or a party, designate a shelf or spot in your refrigerator for those ingredients. This way, there will be no confusion about what’s there for the taking and no more time spent searching for something your significant other/ roommate already scarfed down. You’ll also save time when you go to gather your ingredients because they’ll all be in one place.
