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August 1, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Mad Men Inspired Party

The ever popular Mad Men television show is set in the 1960’s and is based around several characters that work in an advertising agency in New York City. Not only is this television show one to watch, it has also sparked some interest in the 1960’s era. Interest in fashion and the lifestyle during this era has definitely been peaked. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few party tips and ideas to host a Mad Men inspired party.

Start early – We all know the term, fashionably late. However, this term wasn’t adapted until after the 60’s. So, start your party around 6 or 6:30 p.m. to keep in the realm of the 60’s.

Clear everything out – Seen in cookbooks and magazines, this time that the best way to host a cocktail party was to clear everything out. This idea was conceptualised to keep guests on their feet for a shorter party so they can mingle the entire time. This will also give you more room to lay out 60 inspired appetizers. Also, don’t forget about the music!

For the decor – The best thing to do is research what was popular during this time. It was all about being retro and mod. Visit your local thrift store or find prints online and incorporate that into your decor.

What to serve – Think meatballs, deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket and cheeseballs. Research the type of food and appetizers they served at their cocktail parties. Get creative and even read up on the history of why they served these items or cooked food like that. Also, don’t forget to find your jello mold to create a jello concoction, which was a popular dessert during these times. Another thing to remember is to place candy cigarettes around the party. This era is all about smoking, however, to avoid that in your house, feature the candy cigarettes. That will definitely take some of your guests back to their childhood.

Focus on the drinks – During this era, they definitely focused on the drinking. Don Draper’s choice of drink on the show is a rye. However, you can also serve up dry martinis, Bloody Mary, Manhattan, Tom Collins or Whiskey Sour are all popular drinks that you can serve. It was definitely all about the drinks, so back sure you have a stocked bar.

You can also have your guests dress up if they want and having Mad Men playing on the television is a must. It will definitely get everyone into character. This party is extremely fun and great for any Mad Men fan!

This post is brought to you by Houston Party Caterers.
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July 23, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Hosting a Couples Shower

A couples shower is a fun event during the wedding process that is enjoyed by all! This is a great time to get their close friends and family together to celebrate this momentous occasion in their life. However, how do you make it personable and catered towards their style, while everyone has a good time? Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas on hosting a couples shower.

Who do you invite – First, make a gust list. Invite the couple’s closest friends and family to this shower. There are so many other showers to attend, that some guests may not feel comfortable attending more than just one. So, make sure this shower is designated for people who are closest with the couple. Also, if people are a bit more old-fashioned, cross them off the invite list as well. Why? This party is definitely a time to have fun and possibly even reminisce on some of the crazy times their friends had together.

Create a party theme – Having a theme for any shower is so much better than just a regular shower. You can easily go with a famous couple shower where guests dress up as famous couples, a backyard BBQ, stock the bar party or even a casino themed shower. Just take a look at the couple and see what would best suit them. What are their likes and hobbies? What do they need or enjoy doing? From there, you can cater their shower to fit them. This is very important. You also can start finding the right shower decorations, planning the party food and

Cocktails + Games – This equals a great time had by all. You may think that the girly cocktails and games are for an actual bridal shower. However, there are some great games for a couple’s shower too. You can go with a bit of trivia, newlywed game or even some fun relay races for everyone to partake in. Once you come up with a theme, don’t forget to create signature cocktail for the couple. This will make their shower more personable and fun for everyone.

So, start planning an unforgettable couples shower that truly shows off the style of the bride-to-be and groom. It can be a party that everyone enjoys and a pre-party for what can come at their wedding.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

July 9, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Create a Simple and Stunning Dinner Party

It’s all about the little details that go into a dinner party that makes it truly stand out. Summertime is all about bringing the parties outdoors. It’s definitely time to use your outdoor space efficiently. However, do you think it might be a lot of work to bring your dinner party outdoors? Well, it’s definitely not and Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas to create a simple, yet stunning outdoor dinner party.

Create a Beautiful Setting

It’s all about creating a nice ambience in your backyard. So,what do you need to do to create this setting? Do you know someone who has a nice, white tent? If not, you can always create your own. Just find 4 poles and drape white fabric in the middle of it. Doing this in a nice rectangular area is nice to create room for that long dinner table. A white tent truly adds a bit of elegance to your outdoor dinner party and immediately helps set the tone.

Now that you have a beautiful white tent, it’s time to jazz it up a bit. Yes, this tent could definitely stand alone. However, what about draping some lights or even finding a chandelier to hang from the middle of the tent?

Another nice detail that will definitely help the tone is candles. Candles are an absolute must. You can either go with various types of candles. Set up tiki torches, lanterns to light up the pathway, hang clear plastic cups with fishing wire with led lights, string Christmas lights throughout the trees and scatter tealight candles down the table. It’s all about the lighting for this party.

Choosing the Right Colors

Now that you have all the basic elements, it’s time to choose your color scheme for this party. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any color combination for this party. If you’re definitely going for a formal affair, go with black. From there, you can pair black with anything. Choose white, pacific blue, hot pink, red or even a fun yellow. All of these colors would work.

Once you have chosen your party colors, you can start buying decor. Don’t think you have to go all out with the decor. Focus on finding vases that go with the theme and style of your dinner party. You can even take the vases or talk with your florist about the type of vases you would like and discuss them making an event centerpiece. All dinner parties need a beautiful arrangement to display.

Lets not forget about the tableware. Think about mixing and matching patterns. Find a striped black and white table-cloth and patterned tableware. You can go to your local party store and find acrylic plates and bowls. Mix and match the colors and patterns to create a beautiful statement on the table.

You see, it’s all in the details when creating a simple, yet stunning dinner party. It’s all about the details.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

April 25, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

Host A Festive Cinco De Mayo

With so many wonderful events & holidays coming up, we can’t forget about Cinco De Mayo, which is on May 5th. This is a wonderful time to host a themed party. There are so many great ideas to put into this party. Plus, this is just an all around great party theme to host. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas to make your Cinco De Mayo party a festive hit!

What exactly is Cinco De Mayo? It is a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride and to commemorate the freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. In the city of Puebla, it is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over French forces. It’s definitely a day of celebration.

Festive Party Decor – When you think of Cinco De Mayo, you immediately think of the colors, red, green & white. It should definitely be bright, colorful and festive. This party is great to host outdoors. Therefore, get tables and set them up right in your own backyard. Next up, find table cloths to cover the tables.Find them in bright & festive colors and even mix and match the patterns up.

Next up, you need centerpieces for the tables. Think fun and festive for these centerpieces. Take a trip to your local florist and tell them what type of party you are hosting. They will definitely be able to come up with some festive centerpieces. Don’t forget to add festive party lanterns, candles, tiki torches, colorful pendants and string lights throughout the trees. These party accents will definitely give the vibe of a festive party. Also, don’t forget the sombreros!

What’s to eat? Along with the party decor, this party is definitely all about the food. There are so many options, yet it is so simple to prepare. Think about what you eat at a Mexican restaurant. Also, search for traditional Mexican dishes that are prepared for this holiday.

Start off by creating a taco/quesadilla/fajita bar all in one. All of these dishes require basically the same ingredients, so let your guests pick which ones that would rather have to eat. Feature a salsa bar with a variety of tortilla chips and guacamole.

Don’t forget to mix up the basics by serving carne asada & carnitas! To really mix it up and stay with traditional Mexican food, hire a caterer. They will have wonderful ideas and you can let your guests experience something new.

To finish off the night, don’t forget about the margaritas. There are a variety of flavors, so stick with the bar theme and have a margarita bar where your guests can create their own custom concoction.

This party is definitely a great one to host in your own backyard. It gives you a wonderful excuse to get all your friends together and have a big celebration.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Planners.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a party planner near you!

February 21, 2012 by Kelly Curtis

It’s A Potluck Party

When it comes to hosting a party at your house, there is a lot of work that is involved. You have to get the invitations, party supplies, decorate and worry about the food. However, why don’t you take some of the stress off you and host a potluck party? This is a great way to try out new recipes and save you time in the kitchen. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips in making this party a success.

Party Invitations

If you’re afraid that you’ll end up with a random assortment of food with your potluck, make it a theme to your potluck dinner. You can choose Mexican, Chinese or Italian. Pick a theme that you know everyone will enjoy. So, once you pick a theme for your potluck, be sure to include the theme on the party invitations.

The Setup

The party setup is simple. Set up a designated table for the food. It could be your dining room table or you can set up a buffet table. Create or call your local florist for a beautiful table centerpiece and place flower arrangements and candles throughout your home.

Don’t forget to dig out the extra serving platters, dishes, baskets, utensils and have your oven ready. Not everyone will bring their food prepared, so have the oven ready and by having all your dishes out, you won’t be digging around your kitchen trying to find everything they need.

Food Suggestions

Along like any party, an actionable plan needs to be in place for you to be on time and not running around last-minute trying to get everything together.

All food should be prepared beforehand.
Nobody should be in the kitchen for longer than 5 minutes. This 5 minutes should be spent to pop a casserole into the oven to reheat it.
The serving size doesn’t need to equal the amount of guests you are having over. Each person should just take a small sample of each dish since there will be variety.
Traditional potlucks include, casseroles, soups, chili, salads and breads.
Food doesn’t have to be something fancy, try out recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation.
If you have a new recipe that you’ve been wanting to try out, this is the perfect time to try one out and get feedback.

Potluck parties are great for everyone. It can even become a monthly event where you pick a theme and try out new recipes that you’ve been wanting to try for a while. Even if you aren’t a fan of cooking, there’s always the option of hiring a caterer, which is a good excuse for all your friends to get together, have a good time and have a great food experience.

This post is brought to you by St Louis Caterers
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December 13, 2011 by Kelly Curtis

A Timely Dinner Party

It’s time to start planning your New Year’s Eve party. So, do you have any idea on what you want to do? Sure, you can go out, however, every place will be extremely crowded. Maybe you enjoy that or maybe you don’t, whatever you enjoy, you definitely want to have plans for New Year’s Eve. If you want to enjoy the evening in, then why not host a party of your own with a timely dinner party? This party theme fits the holiday perfectly and you can share it with your closest friends for a great night in for New Year’s Eve.

Sparkly Decorations

When you think of this big event, you may always think of glitter and sparkle everywhere. It’s definitely the time to bring those elements out. Therefore, incorporate them into your decor is an absolute must.Think glitter, sequins and metallic. Don’t forget to incorporate a few clocks in there as well. Use glittery ornaments, spell out “2012” using Styrofoam and coat with glitter, set up metallic streamers in your choice of color for the party decor.

Use various sized vases, champagne, wine and martini glasses to create unique centerpieces for your party. Fill each one with metallic streamers, glitter, confetti or talk to your florist about coming up with a sparkly centerpiece that will grab everyone’s attention.

You want this party to be elegant, yet fun. You can do this by choosing the right color combinations, like jewel tones, black and silver, black and gold or even a jewel tone pink and aqua. All these colors will create a great setting for the night.
Party Tip – Don’t forget to create signs for your food table to let guests know what’s what. Use elegant typography on color schemed paper that matches your party and attach them to sparklers. Place it in the middle of each dish.

Elegant Dinner

Along with this party, delicious food is a must. If you have some great dishes you would love to share with your guests, create it. However, since this is such a special occasion, you may think about having the dinner catered. Having an experienced caterer that has many options for dinner, along with a wait staff will definitely make the night much more special. A full course meal along with a spectacular dessert will truly make the night special.

When The Clock Strikes Twelve

When the clock strikes twelve it’s time to start ringing in the new year. How? You can do the normal party blowers or have a little firework show of your own. Gather everyone up outside and light sparklers up. It’s a fun way to ring in the new year and can also add to the decor of your party. Remember those martini glasses, stick the sparklers in one of those that is filled with glitter and it’s an added special touch.

When planning your New Year’s Eve party, think about having an elegant, low-key party inside your home. This beats the crowds that you’ll face out on the town and you can share it with your closest family and friends. Who could think of a better way to spend this holiday?

This post is brought to you by Austin Caterers.
Not in Austin, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a caterer near you!

October 3, 2011 by Celebration Advisor

An Elegant Halloween Treat

A Halloween party is a great excuse for the inner-child in all of us that loves to dress up and act goofy or spooky to come out. It’s way for us to escape reality for a few hours and pretend to be someone or something else. The typical Halloween party is decorated in black, orange and red, with blood splattered serving trays and black widow spiders hanging from above, and there is nothing wrong with that! However, this year we should take it up a notch and create an elegant upscale, but still fun and spooky Halloween extravaganza!

Think white, silver and a touch of bronze. Creating a fun and beautiful Halloween party is simple, especially if you have the creativity and patience to plan it out. Here are some party tips for White Halloween Decor.

Put Ghost Peeps on lollipop sticks and display on a cake-pop tray.
Display white jordan almonds, white dutch mints and white champagne bubble candies in white serving bowls.
White pumpkins spread around the room look dazzling paired with silver sparkling skulls.
White table clothes, sparkling white bat cut outs and spider webs are great for added party decor.
Bones are white! Decorate with plastic bones, mummies, ghosts and white chocolate covered fruit.
White frosted cupcakes, white sparkling cookies, and sparkling white grape-juice are just right for your frightful night.
Don’t forget white spiders, white serving trays, and silver touches through out the party.

Have fun and get creative – thinking outside the box will pay off when you see the final outcome of this fabulously frightening Halloween Treat!

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decoration Suppliers.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a party decoration supplier near you!

Special thanks to Sweet.Eventide for her fantastic photo via Flickr.

September 15, 2011 by Celebration Advisor

Calling all Baseball Fans! Its a World Series Party!

Sad to say, the baseball season is almost over. Tentatively, Oct 19th is the beginning of the World Series. After that we’ll begin 6 months of down time until the next season starts. So, come on all you baseball fans – let’s end this season with a HOME RUN!

Here at Wedding and Party Network we have some MAJOR fans of baseball, and they just can’t wait for the Series to begin – a big baseball bash is the only logical way to end the season, right!?!?

Hosting a World Series Party is as easy as 1 2 3. So, batter up!

Decorate your party space featuring the team of your choice. If you have fans of both teams, you’ll have to divide the party decor to be fair. Use the colors of the preferred team. You can create an elaborate atmosphere or a simple, kick-back kind of party space with your party decorations. Choose what fits your party best!

Memorabilia is always a great way to decorate for a sport’s party, and don’t forget the big foam hands! If you want to add a touch of elegance to the decor, incorporate some fresh flower arrangements sporting the colors of choice with miniature team flags inside!

Hot Dogs – Get Your Hot Dogs Here!

As far as the party food goes, think concession stand. Hot dogs, nachos, chips and dip, over sized pretzels, candy and popcorn are all staple food for any baseball stadium. Therefore, this is your party menu. Drizzle melted chocolate or caramel over your popcorn for added flair. Sodas, punch, sports drinks and a signature drink (Yankee Doodle Spritzers) are perfect for this World Series party! Don’t forget about the desert! You can special order cupcakes with your team’s logo on it or a personalized team cake that will pull everything together!

Mixing and Mingling

Make sure to have adequate seating, since most of your party will take place in front of the television. You will want to set your food tables away from the seating area – as to give your guests a reason to get up and mingle a little. Snack bowls arranged close by seating will help when the munchies kick in! You can have fun activities for commercial breaks – something like baseball trivia is always fun.

Send guests home with a token to remember the party – anything from a key chain, flag, t-shirt or personalized candies with the team logos will hit the mark!

September 14, 2011 by Kelly Curtis

A Pink Party for Breast Cancer Awareness

National Breast Cancer Awareness health campaign is during the month of October. This month-long observation brings awareness to health for women and it’s very important for them to be aware of this growing concern. So, if you’re a company or even if this is a cause close to your heart, throwing a party to raise awareness during this month is a great way to get people’s attention. Wedding and Party Network is here to give you a few party ideas and tips for your pink party!

Facts & Tidbits

First off, here are a few facts and tidbits about this awareness month. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was founded in 1985 as a partnership with American Cancer Society. From the beginning, they have striven to promote mammograms for women to help with breast cancer. During this month, several activities occur, like The National Race for the Cure, Breast Cancer 2 Day, Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure, Ride to Empower, Global Illumination, Pink Day and other various activities throughout the country.

Party Ideas & Tips

First off, make the guest list. It just has to feature the people you want to spread awareness to, like close friends and family members. Even if you know survivors of breast cancer, invite them as well. They’ll make wonderful speakers at your party to share their experience. Also, a little donation goes a long way. Even if it’s not a lot, ask your guests if they would mind donating towards this great cause to promote awareness.

Next up, focus on the decorations. When people think about this awareness month, they think of pink and the ribbon logo. Therefore, that’s what you need to decorate your party with. Also, as party of your party decorations, place out pamphlets or articles about breast cancer and what this campaign is all about.

Now for the party food, focus on pink themed food. Focus mainly on finger foods or mini desserts for this get together. Your event will probably have a few friends and family members over, so going with a light party menu is the way to go. Pink cupcakes featuring the awareness ribbon, pink chocolate dipped strawberries, pink candy and even pastries with pink icing are great ideas for mini desserts. To top it all off, don’t forget about the pink lemonade.

The main focus of your party needs to promote awareness. So, focus on providing your guests with the information they need to better understand this topic. If you know someone who has dealt with this, is a breast cancer survivor or works with the association, have them as a guest speaker. Don’t forget about interesting articles and pamphlets to hand out to your friends. Your party will be informative, promoting and giving back to this society.

So, when throwing your pink party, don’t forget to incorporate information and have fun with it. Your party is a great place to help raise awareness, promote Breast Cancer Awareness and even raise a donation to help further their research and promotion.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Planners.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a party planner near you!

September 7, 2011 by Celebration Advisor

P.A.R.T.Y!!! No Stress, No Worries, Just FUN!

Who doesn’t love a good party???

Between, great food, friends, family, entertainment, great music and lots of laughs, there isn’t a better way to reconnect with the people you care about! Yes, parties can be stressful if you’re the one planning them, but here at Wedding and Party Network we want to help relieve that stress by bringing you the best tips, trends, and inspiration for your top-notch party!

What’s your party theme?

So, do you really need an occasion to throw a party? NO! Not really. If you can’t think of a good enough excuse to throw a party, you should know that everyday of every month is actually a holiday! Somewhere in the world, someone is celebrating something fantastic! Do a little research for the day you’re planning your party to get inspiration for your little shindig. (Sept. 12 is National Chocolate Milkshake Day – throw a 50’s style ice cream parlor party)

Now that you have your theme or excuse to party – What do you think about decorations? Do you really need to spend the majority of your budget on party decorations? I wouldn’t suggest it. Play off of the holiday or theme you have chosen and find a basic color scheme. Say your colors are coral and turquoise, use these colors in your balloons, streamers, table clothes and paper-ware. A few lanterns, banners and floral centerpieces will tie everything together. Simplicity is key! Don’t go over board, your guests are there to mingle and have fun. Just keep your focus on the food and entertainment.

A good menu – equals a good party! So, once again, play off of your theme. You can reflect the color scheme in your food menu as well. Brightly colored fruits and veggies are always a hit – appetizers and finger-foods are a great choice too. It makes it easier for people to mingle and walk around with their plates and not be stuck at a table. When it comes to party food – variety is key! Not all of your guests have the same taste in food – so make sure you have different options for everyone to try. Cater to those of your guests who might be vegetarian or have food allergies by having the proper foods available.

As for desserts, you can stick with mini desserts by having small pastries, cupcakes, a candy buffet or ice cream bar. However, the party cake is what ties everything together! Your cake should incorporate the atmosphere and theme of your party all in one. After all, who doesn’t love to cut into one of those big tasty, over-the-top cakes?!? Be ready for some “oooing and aaahing’!

Entertainment – Don’t stress, it might seem impossible to find the PERFECT entertainment to keep everyone happy. It’s really not as hard as it seems. Fun activities and games are always a good idea – it keeps people mingling and moving which keeps things entertaining. The key to good entertainment is good music! Finding the perfect music will set the tone for the entire event. A great jazz band or steel-drum band will get people on their feet. Go over the list of guests in your head and think about what the majority of your guest list enjoys to do – then mix it with your theme and Voila!

The keys to a good PARTY are:

P. Is for Plan. Planning your party ahead of time is Key. With a good plan – you can’t go wrong!

A. Is for Action. Put your party plans into action – send invitations, send reservations and shop for supplies.

R. Is for Rest. Make sure you don’t over do yourself – ask for help.

T. Is for Telling. Tell everyone about your party! Your friends and family might have creative ideas perfect for your event.

Y. Is for YOU! Remember that the party is planned by you, decorated by you, and hosted by YOU. So, you need to enjoy it too!

Relax and have fun – YOU deserve it!

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Caterers.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party caterers near you!

Mad Men Inspired Party

Hosting a Couples Shower