Category: Party Ideas

Take a look at this reception. Yes, it is pretty, but boy do those Edison bulbs help take it to the next level.

You don’t need a large budget to accomplish this, in fact, quite the opposite.  If you spend time executing your details, you will spend less. It is always the last minute stuff that can and will blow a budget. The planning phase is often overlooked but is perhaps the most important detail of any successful event. Before any event, I host, whether it be a fundraiser or a BBQ at my home I always pre-plan the menu and fine-tune the details as I go.  I am a list maker by nature and while I love my smartphone, I seem to stay the most organized with an old-fashioned pencil and paper. However, you need to make a list is up to you, but the main thing is to make a list. Your list needs to begin with the large details planned far in advance, leaving time to plan the small details, making the event perfect and memorable.

I also find it easier to pull an event off if I decide on a theme.  For instance, make the event Italian, a Southern BBQ, a crawfish boil, whatever you choose.  Once you decide, research other events with that theme. Make a board on Pinterest of everything you love about the party theme and spend time researching how you can replicate while adding own unique touch. Party Place offers just about any theme you can think of.

Take these cute Llama Cutouts I found there the other day. An entire party theme can be planned around them. Who wouldn’t want a great llama-themed birthday party like this one from Style Me Pretty?

From these simple cutouts, you can create this great party. Party Place has just about everything you need to help you pull this awesome theme off from the balloons to the plates and napkins.

Remember, the difference in the details goes for weddings, small dinner parties, or anything else you may be hosting.  Stop by a Party Place near you today to check out all the great items for your next event.

For an end of year softball or baseball party, use your team’s color and mascot as a starting point or red, white and blue, because there is something about baseball and patriotism that seem to go together. Set a fun tone for the guests by playing off the concession stand idea and letting guests choose their food from the “concession stand” like this cute idea found on Pinterest.

Party Place has all sorts of great balloons to choose from to make your party even more special and fun. They can create a one-of-kind balloon bouquet just for your event.

Add these cute little trophies to the tables for decorations or put one at each place setting for the players to take home after the celebration.

My girls are older and I miss all those end-of-year parties dearly, but I have also had the privilege of throwing my oldest a high school graduation party and a college graduation party. My youngest graduated from high school last year, so we still have a few years before her college graduation. For any graduation party, I like to keep it graduation-themed while keeping it personal. I made my daughter a collage of pictures from all of her school days, which doubled as a party decoration and later a dorm decoration. You definitely will not want to forget the balloons for this celebration. A balloon bouquet customized to your school colors is perfect for any party big or small.

Whatever your celebration is, make it special by adding a few details like themed-napkins, plates, balloons, and decorations. Stop by Party Place today to get all your end-of-year and grad party needs!

If casual and laid-back is your style, then a barbeque might just be what you are looking for. You can add a few additional elements to make it reflect you and your new fiancé’s personalities. A s’mores bar is always a hit with the young and old.

Photo credit: www.ohbestdayever.com

If you would rather not mess with building a big fire, you can opt to set up chafing fuel cans instead like this awesome set-up.

Photo credit: www.ohbestdayever.com

For an elegant rustic affair, mix elements of gold and wood together. This is probably one of my favorite looks because it has an elegant side, yet doesn’t feel fussy. I am in love with these gold letter balloons spelling out “LOVE” especially with cobblestone backdrop, wood accents and touches of pink and natural greenery.

Photo credit:  www.weddinginclude.com.

This fun décor kit from Party Place would also work beautifully as a backdrop.

This gold and white backdrop from Party Place is also another great option.

A simple gold and white combination is always a good choice for an elegant affair or something in a white, blush and rose gold combination is another way to add an elegant touch to your event.

Party Place has just about every color and kind of balloon you can think of. They can even create a unique balloon centerpiece for you.

Party Place has all things wedding for you to choose from. We have it all from chafing fuel cans to elegant party supplies. Stop by one of our convenient locations today.

It seems as if school just got out, but here we are with less than a month to get the last of our summer fun on. Soon it will be one busy football, dance or cheer schedule after another along with homework leaving little time for easy summer nights. The best way to enjoy these last days of summer fun is to go out with a bang and host an End of Summer luau!  Here’s how to host your best luau to usher in the upcoming school year.

Gather all your buddies with a fun e-vite or traditional invitation letting them know it’s time for them to grab their best luau gear and head on over to celebrate! Check out this beautiful invitation by MiniStore on Etsy.

To set a fun tone for your guests, line your front walkway or driveway with Tiki torches letting your guests know that fun is about to ensue. You will also want to have a variety of island music downloaded and playing from the time the first guest arrives to when the last guests leave. Hang rope fishnet against a wall or in a corner to add a fun touch. Add a few seashells to really jazz it up. Scatter beach balls in the party area to get guests in the party mood or create this easy beach ball garland from Make Life Lovely. Make sure all your tables are covered with a raffia table skirt to give them a finished look. Leis can double as decorations and a fun takeaway for your guests.

String up some colorful paper lanterns for added decorations to any space. Think bright and fun! Party Place can also create you a one-of-a-kind balloon decoration just for your party like this one from www.borderart.com.

When deciding upon your food, stay in theme and choose things like fruit kabobs with pineapple, grapes and other tasty fruit that skewers well. Other food options are chicken chunks with pineapple salsa. Of course, you must serve every drink with a paper umbrella.

Keep the party fun with great decorations from the Party Place. Stop by one of their locations today to get your luau on!

Halloween will be here before we know it. No time to plan a big party? No worries, you don’t have to spend hours planning a get-together for your little ghosts and goblins. If your kids already have a lot of activities planned, why not host an adult’s only party to relax before the big night of trick or treating?

• Haunted House Party – If you are not much of an activity planner, this is probably the best option for you.  It’s all about the atmosphere.  Kids and adults will often entertain themselves and have lots of spooky fun!  One sure-fire way to set the tone for the party is lighting.  Keep things dark, but not so dark that people can’t see.  Use colored lights, black lights, and strobe lights to create the right mood.  There are plenty of options available in all price ranges. You can’t have a haunted house without surprises!  Hang fake bats from the ceiling, seat a skeleton at the dining table to greet your guests, spiderwebs and black cat silhouettes on walls and windows add extra fun.  Drape white sheets over the furniture to replicate an old haunted house.  Tie plastic spiders to the ends of ribbon attached to helium balloons and let them float above your guests.

• Fall Fest Barn Dance – Use bales of hay covered with quilts for seating, pumpkins and corn stalks for decorations, and country music for getting your guests going.  Serve cider and chili for an easy and fun night.  Finish the night off with hayride.

• Pumpkin Carving Party – Invite friends and family to a BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) carving party. Make sure the party is well equipped with everything your guests will need—pumpkin cleaning gear, carving tools, stencils, etcetera. Cover sturdy tables with disposable tablecloths for easy clean-up and a bucket for the seeds (to save for roasting later). If it is a cold day, serve up hot chocolate and lots of Halloween goodies.

Add these details for an extra special touch:

• Witch cauldrons, skulls, and other Halloween props work well as serving containers and help to really bring the party décor together.

• Freeze fake bugs in ice cubes for party drinks.
• Use Halloween cookie cutters, such as bats, cats, or witches to cut out sandwiches and cookies.

• Choose Halloween or fall themed paper dinnerware and napkins to add an extra special touch. If you are short on cash, use sold black paper plates and cups and then splurge on fun, Halloween-themed napkins.

• What is a Halloween party without costumes? Emphasize costumes on your invitations. Give prizes for the scariest, funniest, best couple and best overall or make up your own fun prize categories.
• Candles always give that extra spooky feeling, but keep in mind the ages of your guests. If it is an all-kid party, I would probably omit the candles from the décor or keep them out of reach.

Halloween and fall parties are great ways to bring all your friends together for a fun, laid-back night before all the holiday festivities begin. Stop by any of the Party Place’s three locations and get your Halloween spirit on with us! You can even order online at www.PartyPlaceAR.com.

Have you ever thought about hosting a Friendsgiving? Last year was our first year to host and we had the best time. Of course, I still love traditional Thanksgiving with all my family, but Friendsgiving was just fun, lighthearted and a great day spent with friends. I read somewhere that Friendsgiving was like Thanksgiving’s cool, causal cousin. That is probably the best description I can think of, because Friendsgiving is fun, laid-back and full of great food and company. Consider hosting a Friendsgiving this year, even if it is after Thanksgiving, you won’t regret it. Think you don’t have enough time or money to host another event? Yes, those two elements help… a lot, but they don’t have to dominate what you do. Remember the two most important elements of any gathering are making guests feel at home and setting a welcoming and gracious tone.  Here are some of my favorite tips for Friendsgiving gatherings:

Keep your tables, casual and cool. Cover the tables with white linens and make a runner from brown Kraft paper or use brown paper placemats. Add a few Sharpies to each table and encourage your guests to write what they are thankful for.

There is no room for host chairs at a Friendsgiving table. Sit back and make your friends the star for the day.

Forget about all the matching china and stemware. Who wants to be in the kitchen doing all those dishes, especially when you could be enjoying the company of your friends? There are some beautiful disposable options out there and they are meant for you to use them.

Choose something festive and fuss-free.

Same for your silverware. All the fabulous new disposable ware is hard to tell if it is the real deal or not. Remember, these are your friends—not the royal family.

Make buffet tables fabulous and fun. Although this is a casual party, I still like to label food for a couple of reasons: 1) I love all the fabulous little signs and I think they really amp up a great buffet; and 2) my daughter has a shellfish allergy, so I want to be mindful of people with allergies. An allergic reaction is not how we want to end a great party.

I also like to use fun signs like our “pie bar” sign or something that says “Welcome Friends”. You can make your own or buy pre-made. I always have this great thought that I will make my own, but ultimately run out of time and purchase something already made.

There are also some great options on the market for disposable serving trays. Take a look at this one from Party Place. It’s great because it’s elevated allowing more room on the buffet table.

Now is the time to buck the system. I am a very traditional person at heart, but on occasion, I like to break away from tradition. Friendsgiving is the perfect way to try some things you have always wanted to try. Add a splash of the unexpected. For example, add a touch of pink and purple to your table. In small doses, these colors actually complement the traditional red and orange color scheme quite nicely. Plus, it makes the vibe even cooler. I mean it can’t get much cooler than this fabulous Friendsgiving party from www.girlslife.com. Throwing in the light turquoise really makes the other colors popl

Photo Credit: GirlsLife

 

Create a Friendsgiving cocktail.  Stocking a bar can get quite expensive, so why not create a special cocktail just for your Friendsgiving gathering. Serve in a great cocktail glass (disposable, of course) and add a cool stir stick.

My last words of advice:  Enjoy the day and be in the present with your friends. That’s a joy that simply cannot be bought.

Visit Party Place today to pick up all your Friendsgiving necessities.