It’s Christmastime and we’re helping everyone plan their annual Christmas parties! From yummy treats to festive feasts, we’ve gathered some holly jolly ideas to make this year’s party a true Christmas celebration. Continue reading "Holly Jolly Christmas Party Ideas" »
The holiday season is in full swing. This time of year is notorious for being filled with parties and events, and we LOVE it. The more the merrier, am I right? If you're looking to throw a party of your own but not sure where to start, then we have just what you need. Continue reading "The Perfect Holiday Parties" »
Memorial Day is the perfect holiday to have a pool party. Soak up the sun and enjoy chilling out in the water surrounded by your friends and family. Continue reading "Dive Into A Memorial Day Bash" »
The holidays are here and decorations are in full force. They're everywhere we turn, from the grocery store to picking up the mail–the season is officially here.
It's a wonderful time of year and this year a simple tablescape will make your holiday events really stand out!
Bring the outside, in! Use pine branches and berries to decorate your table and sprinkle cinnamon sticks and dried orange slices in glass vases. Go with a cream colored table runner and you are all set with a beautifully simple holiday table!
For more great ideas and tips, check back with the Wedding and Party Network Blog.
Veteran's Day is a time to remember all of those who have served or are serving in the armed forces. The best way to honor those currently serving is to put together a care package and send it to a location overseas where they can't get many of the locally available items they love.
With a little pre-planning you can invite friends, have a great time and provide a much needed morale boost to the men and women defending our freedom. So what do you do?
For safety reasons, it's not possible to send a care package to "any soldier". You'll have to have a specific soldier in mind. But don't fret if you don't personally know of any. You have options! The best choice would be to ask friends and family if they know of anyone serving overseas. That will allow you to make the items more personalized to his or her individual tastes.
However, if there is no one in your circle of friends with a ready name, you can always contact the closest military base to find out the best way to reach troops in need. They will happily give you all the information you need.
Different kinds of food are always in demand. Of course, everything needs to be non-perishable so canned goods or dried foods such as beef jerky are very popular. If you send canned goods, make sure they are pop-tops. Most soldiers won't have access to a can opener. Before sending any items that need to be cooked, find out what methods for cooking your soldier can access and keep your items limited to that.
They also love spices, hot sauces or anything else to give those MRE's a little more flavor. Be wary of chocolate as it can melt and be a sticky mess when it arrives.
For entertainment purposes, sports magazines, movies, cards, handheld games and board games are perfect. Another highly sought after item would be batteries, double A's and D's being the most in need.
The post office now offers free boxes that are 12x12x5. You can pack them as heavy as you like, and regardless of weight they will ship for $6!
Now comes the easy part, throw the party!
Invite friends and family to your home this Veteran's Day. Ask each of them to bring items on the list, and you can spend an afternoon packing free post office boxes, eating party food and enjoying time together as you prepare care packages that will mean so much to the soldiers you have chosen.
It's not only fun, it's the perfect way to spend the holiday!
November isn't far away, so it is time to start planning your Thanksgiving dinner or fall party! This season is all about bringing the rustic beauty of fall nature indoors. Wedding and Party Network has the top party decor trends so you can make your party or dinner a huge success.
© Depositphotos.com/BREBCA
Fruit
Decorating your Thanksgiving table with fruit can serve multiple purposes than just looking pretty. The deep purples of grapes and orange-reds of apples look beautiful on an un-served dinner plate and also serve as a delicious appetizer. Make a little cone out of construction paper, fill with cheese cubes, and set next to the grapes to give your guests a variety of appetizer options.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a staple for fall, but don't think your stoop is the only place to put your big pumpkins. Make a big pumpkin your table centerpiece by adding flowers or drilling holes into it to hold fruit kabobs. You can even use pumpkins without stems to hold plates on the buffet table for a unique twist.
Leaves
Leaves are a staple for fall, so use them in your decor too! Fill a vase with silk fall leaves or spread them around your dinner table. You can even make your own garland! Using glue and glitter, cover the leaves, let dry, and hang up using satin ribbon. It will give the feel of falling leaves and add a little sparkle to your decor.
Pinecones
Pinecones give a woodsy, rustic feel to any home decoration and also offers a little hint of the coming holiday–Christmas. Fill apothecary vases with pinecones or place around a simple candle arrangement to make it more homey. Use small pinecones in your table decor by using them as placement card holders.
Cinnamon
This decoration doesn't just look good, but smells good too! Cinnamon gives off the rustic look of wood and trees, but serve a dual purpose by giving off its spicy aroma. Place them on fabric napkins and tie with a satin ribbon. You can also decorate your drink station with cinnamon in case your guests would like to add a stick in their tea for extra flavor.
This Thanksgiving, get as creative as you would like with anything you can find in your yard. Pair your decorations with the rustic feel of pinecones, leaves, and pumpkins. Check back with Wedding and Party Network for more party ideas and tips.
The pumpkins and the candy corn have arrived at your local store, which means the clock is ticking for the Halloween party planning. Wedding and Party Network has the top three Halloween Parties that will have your guests begging for this yearly tradition!
A Sweet Tooth Social
Typically the goal of the night for your little ones is to get the most candy! So, why not turn your home into a sweet shop? Set up games and contests where they win special tickets that let them "purchase" from the sweet shop. From spookylicious cupcakes to a yummy candy bar, your kiddies will have their fill of trick-or-treating. Finish the night off with a classic like It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown or Hocus Pocus.
A Spooky Soiree
Adults can have just as much fun as the kids! Turn your home into a swanky cocktail bar where ghouls and witches mingle and drink devilish brews. Set a dress code, such as a black tie event with masquerade masks or even Victorian wear with the powdered wigs. When you decide a dress code, get really creative and include an appropriately-themed three-course meal and everyone must remain in character (or no dessert)!
A Haunted Affair
Want to give those horror movie lovers a spook? Turn your home into a haunted house! The older kids won't expect their parents to remain in character. Put together a maze in the backyard and have a theme for the party, such as an asylum or a carnival. Set up a whole storyline–or even a murder mystery–and finish the night off with a bonfire.
This year, make your Halloween party one to remember with these top three party ideas! Check back with Wedding and Party Network for more great party tips.
With Labor Day coming up, it isn't typical for our minds to start planning a get together. When I think of Labor Day, I think of the year my mom told me and my sister that she would be laboring on Labor Day–her creative way of telling us that she was pregnant with my little brother. So, I don't start planning parties in my head either. BUT, it's a day when people are off work and are able to enjoy a day free from the usual routine. Make it a good one!
When I think of ultimate relaxation I think of breakfast in bed. It doesn't even necessarily have to be in bed, since it's probably safer at the table to avoid falling back to sleep mid-bite. But I like it to be prepared for me. Everyone deserves to be served breakfast, whether you leave the house for work or do just as important work at home. It just lets you start your day stress-free.
If you know someone who works super hard and could use a pick-me-up, try providing them with a meal! It's really true that cooking with love provides food for the soul.
When I was little (and up until I moved out of the house), we would have family swim days. We knew a very special lady who let us enjoy her pool anytime we wanted. We always called her first to be respectful, but it made for a whole lot of relaxing days by the pool with family and friends.
Your day doesn't have to be a swim day, but if there is something you and your family love to do together, make a day out of it! You're off of work and the kids are out of school. It can also be a fun time of discussing beforehand with everyone what plans they would like to make for that day.
If you're a planner like me, it's extremely comforting–and, dare I say, fun–to sit down and plan something. Sometimes it's stressful, but if it is something leisurely and exciting then it can be just the opposite. Labor Day marks the beginning of the end of summer so why not use it as your guide to start planning for things you want to accomplish this fall season?
Fall is the favorite season for a lot of people, and it gloriously shifts us into a different mindset of flavorful breezes and holiday preparations. Some not-so-fun preparations you can tackle are:
More cheery preparations include:
Whatever mood you find yourself in this Labor Day, allow yourself to do something different from your day-to-day. Whether it's a day spent surrounded by special people in your life or a quiet day alone, spare yourself the stress and have fun!
Kwanzaa is a seven day event celebrated the world over. Conceived as a holiday celebrating African heritage in African-American culture, its principles and values stretch to everyone regardless of race, nationality or color. Each of the seven days of Kwanzaa corresponds with one of the seven principles while a feast should be held on the final day of Kwanzaa. The key to making that feast successful, in addition to the regular decorations and symbols that Kwanzaa suggests, lies in understanding those principles and incorporating them into your preparations.
This tenet can easily be represented by having your guests wear traditional African cloth such as kente. Everyone dressed in a similar fashion will be an easily recognizable symbol of unity.
This tenet is all about defining yourself and your culture as you see fit, not accepting the labels that society places on you. Encourage your guests to discuss something about themselves that is unique and special. You can even do it as a group, each individual getting an opportunity to speak.
Allow everyone an opportunity to help with the feast preparations. This displays a community atmosphere and an opportunity to share the load of cooking for so many people.
Allow everyone an opportunity to discuss their jobs, businesses and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Read a few uplifting chapters from black history. Share some of the great things the culture is responsible for and allow it to inspire the group toward greater success in their own lives.
Plan an outing to the local park to clean the grounds or work on the playground equipment. This promotes community spirit and offers everyone a way to help in a small way.
Hold a group prayer wherein you extoll the virtues of those present and ask for strength and support throughout the rest of the year.
As you can see, Kwanzaa is a beautiful celebration that extols values any community should be proud to display. Incorporating the seven tenets of Kwanzaa into your final day feast will not only remind your guests of each of the days which have already passed and their defining principle, but will also reinforce a sense of togetherness, unity and community within your circle of family and friends.
I know what you're thinking, "C'mon, Ed. Christmas? Already? It's not even Halloween yet!"
And you're right. There are still two big holiday parties to throw before Christmas rolls around. But that doesn't matter. If you're planning on throwing a stellar Christmas bash, (and who isn't I ask you?), there is no time to waste. You need to start planning right now!
And I don't just mean big. I mean HUGE! 95% of of the United States population celebrates Christmas. Why does that translate to planning early? Because there are a finite number of caterers, florists, decorators and party venues available, and all of them will be booking their Christmas activities on a first come, first serve basis. If you don't get your order in soon, you may find yourself left in the cold!
Early planning will allow you to know what services you're going to need and what date you're going to require them. This will allow you to contact those vendors in plenty of time to guarantee the necessary items are yours!
Don't be the one with bologna sandwiches for appetizers just because you neglected to book your caterer in advance. Impress your guests with delicious, mouthwatering fare. Decorate with gorgeous, holiday themed flowers and plants. Pick the perfect venue to let your guests dance the night away. And contact those vendors NOW!
Remember that stat about how many people celebrate Christmas in this country? Yeah, that applies here as well. Odds are, if your invitees aren't going to make it to your party, they'll be attending someone else's. Just like with your party vendors, you need to get those invitations in the mail ASAP.
You need to know how many people are attending to properly book the caterer, ensure you have the right venue, etc. It's true in most things and party planning is no exception, information is power. The more you know about who is attending, the better you can plan the party around that guest list. Don't sit on those invites, get em in the mail!
Christmas is still a couple of months away, but that lee time is a good thing. With all the planning you will need to accomplish and all the details you're going to have to nail down, you'll need it! Don't delay, plan today!
2024 is here, and that means it’s time for everyone’s favorite blog: wedding trends for the year! If you’re planning a wedding for this year, or hope to plan one soon, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn what’s …
