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May 15, 2015 by Kelly Curtis

Inspirational Friday – Birthday Parties

Planning a birthday party soon? This can most definitely be a stressful task since you want it to be perfect. So, this week’s Inspirational Friday will focus on birthday parties to give you a little inspiration.

It’s all about the recipient when planning a birthday party. What do they like and enjoy? Base it around that. For example, if your child enjoys a certain cartoon, it may be a good idea to base their party theme around that. It may not be something you personally like, but if they do that’s all that matters. Once you figure out a theme, research all about it. Once you know and understand your theme, you can start picking up details for your party. We hope this tip helps and don’t forget to share your birthday party pictures with us at social@weddingandpartynetwork.com.

April 18, 2015 by Hannah Jackson

Top 5 Birthday Party Themes for Girls

If you’re beginning the research for your special girl’s birthday party, here is a helpful shortlist of five themes to choose from that can take your celebration to an extra special level of girly sweetness.

Tea Party: If you’re somebody who loves entertaining, this is a good one to throw at your house. Not only will you save money on a venue, but your birthday girl can have an intimate place to celebrate with her friends.

Center this theme around pastel colors and the basics of any tea party: tea pots and tea cups, finger sandwiches, and yummy desserts. Set out foods such as grapes, crust-less pb&j sandwiches, cupcakes, and don’t forget the tea. Have the girls dress up and wear little crowns and feel like royalty at tea time.

Vintage Girl Superhero: It’s pretty awesome when a little girl wants to be a superhero for her birthday. What makes this party vintage is channeling the classic superhero look—think comic book style with lots of pink and blue accents. Your superheroes can even wear matching pink tutus under their capes if they want. It’s pretty simple to make your own tutu with tulle and ribbons so that each girl can wear them at the party and take them home as your party favors.

Pajama Party: Girls can either wear their own, or you can have matching sets for the kids to change into once they arrive. For the party area, create a ‘sleeping area’ complete with either one big pallet or multiple small ones laid around the room. Use paper lanterns, cute pillows, or stuffed animals to dress up the sleeping area. Making this party a brunch would be perfect so you could serve mini donuts, fruit, cinnamon rolls, or muffins as easy treats.

Country Fair: Wildflower arrangements, homemade pies and cakes, fair games are all great options for a fair themed party. There are so many cute and fun ideas to make kids feel as though they have spent the afternoon at the fair. Farm animals can also make an appearance at this old-fashioned party if you have friends who have access to a few that the kids can pet and feed.

Garden Party: With spring in the air, this is the perfect time to take advantage of all of the options at your local garden center. Buy terracotta planters, soil, and whatever flowers or seeds for the kids to plant together. Provide everyone with little hats and tools and fill the backyard with a long table as a work station with planting options laid out for them to choose from. Let the kids be creative tuning their gardening skills. Break for cake and ice cream and allow time for the kids to show off their work to each other.

Whatever theme you choose to go with, your little one will love it no matter what. Don’t forget to send us your party photos at social@weddingandpartynetwork.com.

March 23, 2015 by Kelly Curtis

Party Tip of the Week – Sweet 16 Birthday Party

A sweet 16th birthday party is a big deal. Therefore, you want the theme to be unforgettable as well as creating a memorable party. Are you stuck on what to do? We’re bringing you a list of party themes that any teenager will enjoy! Hope these help you out and don’t forget to share them with us.

Red Carpet/Hollywood Theme
Limousine Ride
Scavenger Hunt
Mystery Party
Bonfire
Neon Party

These are just a few themes and there are so many more out there to choose from. Just make sure you go with your sweet 16 year old’s personality.

November 4, 2014 by Hannah Jackson

A ‘Frozen’ Themed Birthday Party

When my niece turned three in August, there was no question what theme she wanted for her birthday party. My sister-in-law, Liz, outdid herself making her little girls’ dream come true. Here are a few of the ways she made it happen.

The Decorations

Cotton balls were hung by fishing wire at the entrance of the kitchen to resemble snow falling. Using a leftover box, Liz made a snow-topped mountain with more cotton balls. She chose a blue and pink color scheme, representing the characters through each color that also made good contrast with the “falling snow.”

Party Food

Placed in front of some of the food that Liz prepared were place-cards with movie quotes relating to the type of food they accompanied. For instance, in the movie one of the main characters, Anna, sings about wanting to shove some chocolate in her face. Liz made delicious Oreo balls with that quote in mind. You could also make snowballs to coincide with the theme. The ones I am thinking of are basically marshmallows, chocolate, and coconut.

Break for a Game

After everyone was finished eating, kids were wrapped up like Olaf, the quirky and lovable snowman in the movie. You can buy cheap rolls of toilet paper, line the kids up and have the adults wrap them up from head to toe. The game was super simple, but it was a big hit. There was lots of laughter so you know it was a good activity!

My sister-in-law took her daughter’s love of ‘Frozen’ and created a cozy little place in her home for us to envision ourselves as a part of this beloved movie. We even got to take our character-specific cups home as party favors. By incorporating little details, you can make your kid’s themed birthday party extra special.

July 29, 2014 by Hannah Jackson

Batter Up – Baseball Themed First Birthday

Recently I got to celebrate my son’s first birthday. Being just one-year-old, he’s not quite able to voice preferred theme ideas for his party, so we went with something pretty universal and characteristic for a warmer-weather birthday bash. We picked baseball, and I’m so glad that we did. More specifically, we stayed in the red and white category and utilized everything from borrowed baseballs to old Coca-Cola glass bottles. It was fun, and I want to share how we pulled it off!

Make it a Joint Affair

Probably the best decision I made when planning this party was to combine it with some friends of ours whose little boy was born three days after ours. To share all the details that come with trying to pull off a halfway decent party is so nice. It was my friend’s idea, and as soon as she suggested it I was sold. We were able to split costs on food and decorations, PLUS we could use both of our connections to borrow a lot of things that ended up being staples at the party–like our tables, centerpieces, and most importantly our venue!

Be Flexible

When rain pulled the plug on our initial plans of having it on a baseball field, we used a local high school field house (for free!) that ended up being the most ideal location possible. It was indoor, but still roomy enough for kids to run around and be crazy for a little while. My favorite thing about it, other than the intense sporty feel of the place, was that it was a perfect indoor playing ground for the kids. Having it indoors brought to mind how chaotic the party may have been on a huge baseball field. The kids were more contained, yet were in a location where they didn’t feel contained. When I was dreaming up this party I envisioned a baseball diamond, but having to re-think it provided us with more insight on how to improve the flow of the party.

Choose Two Colors

We decided to stick with red and white for almost everything we contributed to the party’s visual. Even the food was mostly red and white. It made it pop and actually made it easier to shop for essentials. I had a few clear vases that I filled with red candies to add a little flair to the food table. We borrowed baseballs from friends that we sat around as decoration. We had only a few long tables that we placed around benches for seating and they had red (disposable!!!) tablecloths on them.

The Coca-Cola bottles I mentioned were borrowed as well and were clear with red and white writing on them. We used them as one of the table centerpieces filled with white daisies. Not EVERYTHING was red or white, but for the most part we tried to stick with those colors so that the baseball theme would really stand out. You can choose the colors of your favorite baseball team, as well!

The Food

Our party was right after lunch, so we just provided snacks. Like I mentioned, we scattered clear vases with red candy in them around the food table. That was easy decoration, plus, it was another food option for our guests.

Any party’s biggest food contribution is always the cake. We decided on cupcakes after looking online and finding a cute and easy way to ice cupcakes so that they looked like baseballs. We iced the top layer with white and then used red icing for the baseball stitches. It was super easy, just a little time-consuming.

We devoted an entire afternoon to our cupcakes. Our party was fairly small, so we ended up making about 50 cupcakes and we probably could have used more. I recommend coming up with a rough estimate of people you are expecting and doubling that number when you’re deciding how many cupcakes to prepare. You can always let people take some home.

Instead of making individual cakes for the birthday boys to eat, we made two oversized cupcakes iced like baseballs. Neither one of us owned an oversized cupcake pan (I don’t know anyone who does) so we improvised [Read more…]

June 16, 2014 by Celebration Advisor

5 Summer Party Themes

Whether it’s a family reunion or a birthday party, make it extra festive with a theme. Wedding and Party Network has the top five summer party themes for this summer.

1. BBQ

Your theme could be what you are cooking. Use red and white checkered table cloths to give that picnic feel. Put silverware in popcorn bags to keep utensils together for each guest and have them ready if they want popcorn in the evening. Instead of cans, make your party extra special by getting glass bottled drinks, putting them in a tub of ice and have red and white paper straws nearby. Make a grill out of a watermelon or get a small play grill and display fruit skewers on it for the kids to play pretend and eat too.

2. Beach

Even if you aren’t near a coast, you can bring the beach to you with this summer party theme. Fill sand pails not with sand, but with snacks. Pretzels and chips can be shoveled out and onto your guest’s plate. Decorate tables with sand castle molds and give out sunglasses as party favors. Make sand dollar cookies with snickerdoodle dough and adding sliced almonds in a star shape right after you pull them out of the oven.

3. Camping

Turn your backyard into a camp ground. Have a Build Your Own Trail Mix station with kraft paper bags. Fill lanterns with pine cones and use Pirouette cookies as firewood to decorate. For dessert, cover ice cream-filled bowls with Oreo crumbs to resemble dirt. Top it off with gummy worms and give your guests a piece of the outdoors to eat.

4. Luau

One of the most popular themes for summer parties, but it is easy to do and a lot of fun. Decorate your tables with surfboards; make them out of cardboard and paint them in your preferred colors. Not only can you use those little umbrellas and cocktail stirrers for drinks, but you can also use them on cupcakes and other snacks. Incorporate pineapples into decorations and even on your food. Make ham and pineapple kebabs and a pineapple upside down cake as the finishing touch to your luau.

5. Farmer’s Market

With summer comes the farmer’s market, so why not turn that into your party theme? Use strawberry cartons as containers for snacks, fruit, or even serve a side salad in them. Continue the idea and serve finger foods like celery and carrots in plant liners. Have your guests go “shopping” for their lunch. Arrange wraps and sandwiches in baskets and fruit in crates. Have a big jug of lemonade with a 5 cent lemonade sign to add to your theme. As party favors, give your guests succulents and herb potted plants. It will remind them of their time at your farmer’s market.

Whatever you are celebrating (birthday, long weekend, etc.) take advantage of the sunny outdoors and make your party a unique experience for your guests. Check back with the Wedding and Party Network for more tips.

May 19, 2014 by Juli Jackson

10 Ways To Plan The Perfect Party For Your Princess

Every little girl likes to feel special on her birthday, and you know your little princess deserves to have a special day full of wonder and excitement. But if you find yourself a little apprehensive about throwing a party, Wedding and Party Network is here to help.

Here are 10 easy tips to make your little girl’s birthday party a royal flush!

#1. Pick A Theme She Loves

Make this choice hers and hers alone. No reusing her sister’s Dora the Explorer stuff just because you are tired of storing it. Don’t let her older brothers make fun of what she chooses (at least not in front of her!) Let her pick something she likes. You can make suggestions if she gets stuck but be sure the final idea is all hers and that she is excited about it.

#2. Invite the Right Amount of Guests

This will depend on your party space, the number of adults that will be available to pitch in and your daughter’s own temperament. If she does well in big groups, the more the merrier! But if she is shy and easily overwhelmed, keep the guest list to a small group of close friends and family. It is easy to fall into the trap of inviting more kids than you think will attend because you “owe” them (their parents) an invite but be realistic about how much space you have to entertain and which adults are truly up for helping you out.

#3. Get Adult Volunteers That Know What They Are In For

Speaking of helping out, this is a big one. If you want to get through this party with your sanity, don’t try to do too much yourself and don’t push responsibilities onto a friend or family member that truly can’t commit the time. Be upfront about needing help, how long the party will last and what they will be expected to do. Before the party, plan specific tasks for each person. Don’t try to wing it or something is bound to be forgotten. And certainly don’t forget that this party trick you are asking for puts you in the line of fire to return the favor at some point.

#4. Princess Prep Time

If you need some time to get dinner or an activity ready, this is a good moment to play up some princess necessities like getting ready for the big party. This is where a fort in the living room comes in handy. Girls can play with some pretend makeup or the real thing if you have an adult volunteer while you make last minute arrangements to make the night run smoothly.

#5. Have Dinner and Dessert Separate

Even though you are thinking it would be easier to get the messy food and cake out of the way all at once, remember that too much too soon with all that excitement can take a toll on little ones. No one wants a bellyache to slow down the action 5 minutes after leaving the table. So plan to have a light easy dinner then plan an activity before the big cake moment happens. Opening presents is a good choice. Lots of excitement for your birthday girl, but everyone else is, more or less, sitting down watching and digesting before the sugar rush to come.

#6. The Present Trap

While older kids might not venture into tantrum territory, younger children often have trouble understanding why they aren’t privy to any of this present business. Try to talk to parents and see if younger children can start playing outside or in another room if this is a possible problem. You could also choose to open presents after the party if there is concern about gifts being shared, broken or lost. And one thing that never disappoints at any kid party is a well crafted goody bag for each child. While you don’t have to spend a lot on these to make them special, do made an effort to wrap them festively and include some unexpected items like small toys, collectible erasers, sidewalk chalk or other highly coveted items. This can easily take the place of present opening chaos.

#7. Budget-minded Fun

While it’s fantastic that the boy down the street had pony rides last summer, that doesn’t mean you have to try and one-up someone else’s special event. Plan activities that will be fun for your child on any budget. Does she love to color and make stuff? Have a station for the kids to decorate their own party hats. Up for a little adventure? A scavenger hunt is perfect to get everyone exploring together. Love music? Set aside time for karaoke or dance party. Have a Wii or XBox? Play a tournament style game and give out small prizes to the winners and candy treats to all that participated.

#8. Plan Activities… But Not Too Many

A bad mistake is to think that the kids have to be 100% entertained every second of the party. Plan some unstructured time to just play with the new toys or twirl around in party dresses. If you have a magician coming or a bouncy house ready to ambush, don’t rush from one activity to the next just to squeeze it all in. Make sure each activity has a little breathing room so there is time for chatter, impromptu dances and a few snapshots to occur. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself barking orders all night just to “stay on schedule.”

#9. Never Underestimate The Power Of TV

While you might think it’s a party so who would want to sit still and watch a movie, the answer is you! Plan to have a special viewing of something you know will be a hit. Maybe it’s something that was just released or an old princess favorite like Cinderella. Start it up, pop a big bowl of popcorn and turn out all the lights to give the girls a theater-like experience while you use the time to regroup. Even if you only get 10 minutes to pick up the kitchen and 30 seconds of downtime before you have to join [Read more…]

March 10, 2014 by Juli Jackson

5 Great Spring Party Ideas

Face it. You are ready for spring. Winter has totally outstayed its welcome and you want to usher in mild weather, the joys of nature and lighter clothing as soon as possible. There is no better way to send winter packing than by hosting a Spring Party!

Pick a day, invite your friends and enjoy a few hours together reveling in the beauty and magic of a new season. Here are a few ideas that will make for warmer brighter days ahead:

English Garden

Perfect for all those avid Downton Abbey watchers as well as anyone loving classic themes and the tradition of an English tea time. Beg your grandmother to borrow her old tea service or go thrifting for a few key pieces like a tea pot, cream and sugar dishes and small tea cups with saucers. Don’t forget lace tablecloths and doilies to dress up your table.

One piece of decor that will set off this theme better than any other is fresh-cut garden flowers. A mix of lovely and fragrant varieties like roses, lavender and peonies will transform your party into a slice of the English countryside.

What’s on the Menu?
Hot tea and tea cakes of course! Coffee for those wanting a bit more of a perk. And all the trappings for both like sugar cubes, honey, lemon and cream. If you want to serve something a little more filling, we love these cute pressed sandwiches which would be easy to make ahead of time.

Nothing Like Paris in the Spring

They say there is nothing like springtime in Paris. So bring a little Parisian magic and elegance to your party!

Black, pink, white make for a classic French feel. Use black poster board to create eye-catching cutouts for wall decor. A simple Eiffel Tower silhouette will be a perfect focal point for your room. Trace a computer printout onto poster board and snip out these great add-ons for tables tops and walls.

Fun French phrases like C’est bien! (That’s good!) and Bon appétit! (Enjoy!) can make for great cutout decor too.

Turn on some music like the wonderful Amelie soundtrack for some instant mood-setting tunes. A couple tracks in and everyone will feel like they are walking in Paris.

What’s on the Menu?
Try simple baguette sandwiches with fancy cheese and wine pairings for a no-fuss meal that still excellently sticks with the theme.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Love it or hate it, springtime typically means more rain than any other time of year. Hark back to the joy rain could bring as a kid with bright yellow galoshes, raincoats and big umbrellas. The decor for this party can be quite crafty with puffy cotton clouds and paper raindrops on strings. Balloons in white, blue or silver will add an [Read more…]

February 27, 2014 by Juli Jackson

Great Memories with Action Photos Photo Booth Rental

So you are working hard to plan the very best event whether it is a special birthday party, retirement celebration or your own wedding day. Besides awesome decor and delicious food, what can you offer to your guests that will have the biggest impact?

That’s easy. Action Photos Photo Booth Rental in New Braunfels, TX is the perfect way to have a fun and creative outlet for your special occasion. We’ll tell you why.

A Photo Booth Will Be The Life Of The Party!

A photo booth from Action Photos comes equipped with everything you need to have a hassle-free and fun time with your guests. This is where the memories are really made and where guests can let loose and be themselves. Whether you want to get goofy with props or give a sweet smile with the love of your life, the easy charm of instant photos will delight you and everyone at the party.

A friendly attendant is ready to help everything run smoothly with simple directions and organizing each picture-taker. As soon as photos start getting passed around the room, there is always a rush for guests to try it for themselves. You’ll be amazed by the excitement and impressed with the seamless customer service. Best of all, each image comes saved to a DVD after your event – perfect for documenting your incredible night.

Great Wedding Memories

Weddings are big life events and often family members and close friends make every effort to be present, look their best and wish you well in your new life.

Taking a moment during such a special event (that always goes by way too fast, by the way) to pull your aunt or your best friend from college into the photobooth for just a quick minute is a fantastic and personal way to thank them for coming, share a smile together and send them home with a memento that will always be treasured.

Life is made up of these brief happy moments together with those we love. Sharing the flash of a photobooth is the best way to freeze those moments in time to be remembered and enjoyed for a lifetime.

Wedding, birthday, graduation, anniversary, retirement, any special event at all – Let Action Photos Photo Booth Rental give you and all of your guests the great memories you deserve on your special night.

May 14, 2013 by Juli Jackson

Set Your Spirit Free With Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm

Picture it. Your wedding day. Standing at the altar in front of your adoring friends and family. With eyes locked, you both say the words “I do.” Suddenly, you are surrounded by dozens of fluttering butterflies. They touch down softly on the bouquet, dance around your guests, and soundlessly float free into the sunny afternoon. Sound like a fairy tale? Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm specializes in making these dreams come true by offering live butterfly releases.

Choose Your Wedding Butterflies

With 22 years of experience, Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm is the premiere choice for a one-of-a-kind experience. You’ll find two types of butterflies that travel well and will most definitely create a truly stunning activity at your event.

The Painted Lady with a 2 inch wing span are friendly, low flying butterflies suitable for all regions in the United States. The Monarch, with a larger 4 inch wing span, is the most popular for release. Set them free individually or for even more impact, select a Mixed Bouquet featuring both butterfly varieties.

These graceful fliers are able to be released in almost every state. Their website will tell you many of the regions where both painted lady and monarch mixes can be shipped for release. All the options they offer will be awe-inspiring to behold.

Choose Your Release

You can choose to release all your butterflies at once from a beautiful box, adorned with simple white flowers. Or get everyone in on the magic with special origami envelopes handed out to your guests that contain a single butterfly to set free. The envelopes can be printed with name and dates, making for a wonderful scrapbook keepsake.

Preparing for the Ideal Butterfly Release

The butterfly box and envelopes will arrive the night before your event in an insulated package; this keeps the butterflies asleep. An hour or two before release, the butterflies are put at room temperature to wake up. You decide the perfect time during your event for this magical display.

The Moment You’ll Never Forget

A butterfly release visually expresses what the spirit feels. There couldn’t be a more beautiful or fitting symbol of new life than dozens of butterflies flying out into the bright sunny world. In addition to weddings, anniversaries, special birthdays, funerals and memorials are all events that can be memorialized forever by setting free some of nature’s most graceful soul mates. Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm will help you create that beautiful and symbolic moment that transcends words.

Inspirational Friday – Birthday Parties

Top 5 Birthday Party Themes for Girls

Party Tip of the Week – Sweet 16 Birthday Party