Party Favors

May 20, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

The Sweet Granada: A Chocolate Cafe

The Sweet Granada is a family-owned sweets shop located in Emporia, KS. This shop specializes in fresh fudge, handmade chocolates and other confections and gifts. All of the tasty products are made in small batches to guarantee quality and freshness.

This shop takes pride in offering a large selection of gourmet sweets made with premium ingredients. The Sweet Granada production team handcrafts more than 100 different gourmet chocolates. Some customer favorites include caramels, nut clusters, caramel nut clusters, creams, s’mores, dipped Oreos, double-dipped cherries, chocolate-caramel pretzels and more.

In November 2004, the mother-daughter team of Toni Bowling and Kim Redeker opened The Sweet Granada at its original location in the Granada Theatre south storefront. Toni’s son, Steve, helped design the shop. Toni’s husband, Steve, could be found dipping white chocolate doggie treats. Kim’s husband, Steve (yes, that’s right – they are all named Steve) is the official Sweet Granada bookkeeper. Kim and Steve’s children, Emmy and Joe, have grown up in the business and continue to do their share especially during school breaks. All of the other family members, have the best job of all – official test tester! In October 2013, The Sweet Granada moved to its new home sweet home right next door where customers enjoy watching the production team at work while browsing the retail shop for all their favorite confections.

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March 7, 2016 by Laken Watts

Trending Kid Party Favors

In the age of Pinterest, everything is customizable. And with social media at our fingertips, we get to see the best of the best. Moms everywhere have raised the bar with birthday parties. You creative gals have won our hearts with your smash cakes and tutus. No longer are party favors a bag of candy. Check out these fun custom party favors for your kid’s next birthday party!

Us moms are so creative and will put a monogram on anything that can handle the stitching. Customizing is our forte and Etsy is our friend. It’s a new year so that means new and fresh ideas for birthday parties. You’ve probably already nailed down a theme, but what about party favors? Noise makers are things of the past. Check out these fun custom party favors for your kid’s next birthday party!

Custom temporary tattoos
Because what kid doesn’t love temporary tattoos all the way up their arms, and on both sides of their cheeks? You can order these online. On most websites, you can email in a design or have a designer work on some for you based on your ideas or theme of the party. They’re actually not as hard on the wallet as you would think. You can order the tattoos in sheets and then cut them up yourself to save money. Your kid’s friends will at least remember the party for a few days any way!

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November 16, 2015 by Karole Risker

Party Tip of the Week: Cozy Party Favors

While a good hostess makes an occasion memorable, a great one will extend it past the event itself. One easy way to do that is by giving tokens that guests will want to keep. Here are some great favor ideas that you can give out this Thanksgiving!

Cozy Gifts
Offer guests blankets or shawls for outdoor events when it gets chilly, and then allow guests to take them home.

S’mores To Go
How about wrapping up two squares of graham crackers, part of a chocolate bar and a couple of marshmallows? Then you’ll have a personal s’more that’s easy to transport.

Caramel Apple Treats
Don’t overthink it” caramel apples are a simple token that can be easily made and packaged. For a twist, make mini caramel apples. Just use a melon baller to scoop out sections of an apple. Stick cake pop/sucker sticks in them, melt the caramel and (once the caramel has cooled and thickened a bit) dip them in! Then you have a little treat that’s sure to get “oooohs” and “ahhhhs”.

There you have it–easy ways to remember an event long after it’s over. Remember, the best gifts are both usable and beautiful. Happy hosting!

November 3, 2015 by Celebration Advisor

Trending Tuesday: A Popcorn Favor

Looking for a favor idea with a little bit of autumn flair? Try some yummy kettle corn!

Popcorn To Go
Give your guests some kraft bags to fill up with yummy popcorn to nibble on their way home. Embellish the bags with fun stamps and wooden clips.

Kettle Corn To Make
Put some Kettle Corn in a small jar and tie with some ribbon for your guests to make at home! Make a fun tag with the saying: “Thanks for poppin’ by!”

Whether it’s a fall party favor or a last minute wedding favor, popcorn is a yummy treat your guests won’t expect!

October 5, 2015 by Celebration Advisor

Party Tip Of The Week – Halloween Party Favor

Are you planning a Halloween party? Stuck on party favors? We have some ideas on party favors that can make your party a spooktacular event!

For The Kiddos:

Painted Pumpkins
Hold a painted pumpkin contest with the kids. Have them decorate a small pumpkin and offer treats for the most creative. At the end of the night, they can take their pumpkin home and have it displayed for the rest of fall!

For the Adults:

Pick Your Potion
Give your grown-up guests a little bit of bubbly fun. Fill glass bottles with a nice cocktail mix and make them look like potions. This will make the perfect souvenir from a Halloween party to remember!

Halloween is almost here, so don’t get behind on your planning! Check back with the Wedding and Party Blog for more great ideas and tips!

September 25, 2014 by Celebration Advisor

Video Game Theme Party Favors

If you are throwing a video game themed party, you need something memorable for those little gamers! Wedding and Party Network has the top five party favors for a video game themed party.

1. Chocolate Coins
As every fellow gamer knows, always collect those coins! Chocolate coins will be a yummy reminder of the fantastic party.

2. Fake Mustaches
Everyone will want to look like their favorite plumbers–Mario and Luigi. See who does the best Mario accent!

3. Pacman Cookies
You can make sugar cookies and use icing to make Pacman’s eye and mouth. They will be a huge kick to arcade lovers.

4. Joystick
Lollipops make great joy sticks. You can also make cakepops with red icing to make them look like joysticks too!

5. Game Over Bags
Make sure to put all their goodies in a bag that says game over. It will make the perfect end to your bash!

Check back with Wedding and Party Network for more great party favor ideas and tips!

August 28, 2014 by Celebration Advisor

Book Themed Party Favors

Throwing a book themed party, but don’t know what favors to give your guests? Wedding and Party Network is here to help! Whether your theme is centered around a specific book, a library theme, or even just a book trading party, these five favors are prefect reminders of your get-together and can work for all ages.

1. Bookmarks
Readers are always in need of page markers. Get creative and choose bookmarks that represent your party. Having a book themed bachelorette? These heel bookmarks a perfect girly gift that make great keepsakes of the night.

2. Book Plates
Personalized or designed, book plates are great to make sure that your favorite book is returned to you if you lend it to a friend or if lost.

3. Crafts
Create unique crafts out of the pages of old books you can find at your local thrift shop. Make origami flowers or pinwheels and use them as party favors for your party. You can even make your party invitations using book pages!

4. Gummy Worms
This yummy snack can bring a couple of laughs with special packaging. Label the goodie bag “Book Worms” and your guests can eat their special treat while delving into a new paperback.

5. Book
What’s a book party without a book? You can give your guest the latest best seller or a favorite childhood book. Have them pass it on to another person once they are finished.

Check back with Wedding and Party Network for more great party tips and ideas.

December 2, 2013 by Hannah Jackson

Party Favors for Kids this Winter

If you have a party to plan this winter, either for a birthday or for the simple reason of giving your kids something to look forward to, you can keep the kids happy even after they leave by sending them home with party favors. Of course, when you’re trying to get everything ready to host a party it’s easy to skip over this seemingly unnecessary detail. But if you have the time, here are a few unique presents to say “thank you” for showing up and giving life to your celebration.

Jewelry Kit: For the girls of the group, you can purchase plastic baggies or jewelry boxes at a dollar store and fill them with some string or yarn and a variety of colorful beads so they can make their own bracelets or necklaces when they get home. All of the components for this are fairly cheap since you don’t have to really worry about quality since it’s just for fun. This would be a fun project for the parents to get involved with, too. Your kids’ friends can have a little something to always remember your party by!

Healthy Sweets: Yes, this may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s completely possible! If you get the time between all of your preparing, bake up some delicious treats that are actually nutritious for the kids to snack on when they get home or for the rest of the weekend. The key is to use as few ingredients as possible. Make some cookies filled with the basics of flour (whole wheat flour if you have it), baking powder, about 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and vanilla, an egg, and a little bit of butter. For sweetness you can add some raisins, dried cranberries, dates, mashed bananas–anything that will actually put nourishment into the kids’ bellies instead of just sugar. You can also add some flax, oats, or sliced almonds for texture and extra fiber and protein. Then pack them up into cute baggies and close them up with some pretty ribbon. Simple, yet effective!

Snowflake Garland: This can double as not only a party favor, but also as an activity during your party. Teach the kids how to cut out snowflakes from construction paper and then string them together with yarn. They will be excited to show off their creation by stringing it up in their room when they get home. If you’re feeling extra brave, you can break out some glue and glitter and let the kids add some glitz to their snowflakes.

Bath Fun: After letting the kids handle glue and glitter, they may need a bath when they get home! So sending them home with something to make bath time a little easier is very fitting. Bath markers, crayons, or bubble bath go a long way. Attach a small typed out note to it with a phrase similar to, “Thanks for making a splash at our party!” or another creative pun you can muster up.

Round out any party this winter by sending your kids’ friends back out into the cold with some fun memorabilia to warm their hearts or their bellies. It’s an added bonus to the thoughtful gesture of providing them with an afternoon or evening of fun entertainment.

August 5, 2013 by Celebration Advisor

Hosting a Meet-and-Greet

Every school year brings new students to your college or university. These students are looking for a place to belong, and as a member of a student organization, you are looking to recruit new members. One way to do this is to host an event that lets students get to know what your organization is all about. Your goal is to inspire them to enjoy themselves as much as you do and to become a member, so Wedding and Party Network has a few tips for hosting a meet-and-greet.

Start with invitations: Send invitations to members of your organization detailing the goal of your party and asking them to bring a friend. This will help hand-select individuals that existing members think would be a perfect fit. To draw in the general student body, place banners with your invitation printed on them in strategic places around campus. Close to the cafeteria, gym, and central hub of campus are great places. Banners printed on plastic and stuck in the ground with metal stakes will hold up through most weather.

Plan activities that show why you’re worth joining: Does your religious group have a worship team, or maybe your sorority has a step team, or could you possibly have some creative talents from other cultures to show off? In order to show prospective members why they should join, have current members provide entertainment. Your guests may find the niche they’ve been looking for by becoming the next talented member of your band or team!

Ensure guests have a good time by being friendly: Simply approaching someone, getting to know them briefly, and discussing your organization can make a lasting impression. Some new students come to college with no friends and are desperately seeking a friendly face.Whether or not they were looking for a ministry, cultural group, or student organization in the first place, they may choose to try your club to make new friends.

End the night right with party favors: Leave a lasting impression with your guests by sending home something to remember you by. A few great ideas for this are refrigerator magnets, cups, pens, and notepads.

Magnets: Having magnets made with your logo and motto, a schedule of upcoming events, a link to a group page on Facebook, or a reminder of where and when your group meets can be very valuable. Help students spice up their dorm with a reminder of your organization that they will see every time they reach for a soda.

Useful Items: A college student can never have enough cups, pens, or note pads. Personalize these items with your organization name and basic information. Every time they use them, they will remember your wonderful event.

With the right planning, any back to school meet-and-greet is a perfect way to jumpstart your organization’s membership. Serve snacks that guests can eat while they mingle and make sure current members are helping each and every person feel involved. By investing a little bit of time and money into your party, you can reap the benefits of not only growing your organization, but also knowing you made a difference by including someone new! These new students will appreciate the chance to become a part of something that can make the next four (or five or six…) years a blast.

May 22, 2013 by Shelbi Raysor

Have S’more Fun

Planning a kid’s birthday party can leave mommies scratching their heads. How do moms work, raise their children and plan unique birthday parties? Moms read the Celebration Advisor of course.

This summer, give your little boy or girl a party everyone can enjoy. A camping themed party can be a fun and relaxed way to celebrate the passing of a joyful year. Not only can you celebrate your themed party in your own backyard, but everyone in the family can be a part of the preparation and activities.

S’more Party Food

For your camping themed party, you have plenty of options for your food that everyone will enjoy! A buffet style food table is ideal and will be just as relaxed as the mood of your party.

For starters, send the men of the family to their favorite spot, the grill. Hot dogs and hamburgers are the perfect meal for picky eaters and are budget friendly to make for a group of 20 kids.

Lets not forget about dessert! For a sweet treat, allow the boys to eat dirt, well “chocolate dirt”. Fill a mason jar with three layers: brownie, chocolate pudding and crushed Oreos. To wash down dessert, serve “bug juice” which is Kool Aid with floating gummy worms. This will be the hit of the night.

Fun Camping Activities

There are plenty of fun party activities that all kids will enjoy! For the afternoon, a rented jump castle can be used for rotation around hot dogs and hamburgers. After dinner, I suggest a scavenger hunt to allow their tummies to settle. They can search for fun items around the yard and go on an outdoor adventure. To cap off the night, a movie night on the lawn is the perfect way to end the night, just add s’mores for an extra treat.

Party Decorations

All decorations for this party can be homemade or if you’re not into DIY, you can easily visit your local party store. However, if you plan to use DIY party decor, there are lots of fun ideas to create a fun camping themed party.

Start off with old wooden planks for “no girls allowed” signs. To bring the jump castle into the camping theme, simply place another wooden sign with “Don’t feed the bears” written on it. The jump castle resembles a cage and is the perfect area for the kids to act like animals. For the entrance, make your own cloth banner for “Camp Landon” using triangle pieces of cloth for a rustic look. All of these fun party decorations combined together will truly transport you to the woods.