Planning a birthday party? If you're in the process of picking out a theme for your birthday party, you know you want it to be something truly unique. It's important to you that you have a party theme that stands out and hasn't really been done among your family and friends. So, if you're a candy and sweets lover, this party is definitely for you. Wedding and Party Network has a few party tips and ideas to host your own Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory birthday party.

For The Party Decor – Of course, you should think all things candy when planning this party. There are lots of fun ways to incorporate candy into the party decor. First up, gather all your favorite types of candy. You definitely don't have to go with a color scheme with this, however, you can if you would like.

Take different sized vases and fill them with your favorite candy and scatter them throughout the party. You can also take those styrofoam cones and spray paint them in whatever color you would like, then stick lollipops into them creating a unique centerpiece.

String candy on twine and make garland and don't forget to take balloons, tie them to yard poles and place colorful paper around them to make a lollipop, which you can line the entryway with them. You can even take styrofoam balls and stick lollipops in them and hang them from the ceiling.

Before you start planning for your party, definitely watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to find a bit of inspiration for your party decor. From there, make a list of what you would like to see and what you think you can create yourself. Don't forget to visit your local party store, you may find inspiration there as well and some great decorations.

It's All About The Candy – For your party food, think of it as more as a desert party. You definitely need a candy bar. Use different sized vases and containers to create this look. Use your favorite candy bars, suckers, hard candy, sweet and sour candy and whatever else you may enjoy. It's all about what you enjoy, especially since it's your party.

You can also feature other sweet items like cookies, pies, cakes and top it off with a bit of milk. That could even be your party favor to send home with your guests. Don't forget the chocolate fountain, macaroons, cotton candy, rock candy and all the accessories for the chocolate fountain.

Also, pair colorful drinks with the candy as well. You can also have food that looks like candy or sort of has the sweet and savory taste going for it. That way, you aren't just serving straight sugar to everyone and not having any other options. Talk with your local caterer, they will have a variety of ideas for your party.

This party is really simple to set up. You just need to choose what type of candy you want to display. You just have to stock up on candy, especially since you use it for your party decor and food. If you are wanting to host a party that is truly unique and all your friends will love, a Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory themed birthday party is an absolute must.

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There are many types of baby showers out there. With so many themes out there, your possibilities are endless. One shower that you may need an idea for is an adoption shower. When parents go the route of adoption, you should celebrate this joyous occasion as well. There are many unique ideas to make this shower so much fun for everyone, and especially the parents. Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas to make this shower one the parents won't forget.

The adoption process can be a long road for any parent, so when they find out they are getting to adopt, they are beyond thrilled. So, they want to celebrate this joyous occasion with family and friends, therefore, an adoption shower is perfect.

Inviting words – The baby shower invitations say it all, just like they do for any other type of event. You can research some wording ideas, but be sure to state that it's an adoption baby shower. Come up with some sweet wording, like including the phrase like, the love we feel runs deep and real or life gave me the gift of you. Visit your local invitation & stationery store and ask them for suggestions.

For the shower decor, pick a theme like any other shower. You can go with a cloud theme, duck shower theme of if they are adopting a child from a specific country, it would be a great idea to match the shower to the country. No matter where the adoption is taking place or from what country, it would be nice to celebrate the heritage of the child. However, you can also go with any adorable baby shower theme that you would like. Find inspiration through baby shower photos or if you're going with a country theme, learn new things about the culture and incorporate that into the shower. Don't forget to include photos of the baby and family throughout the shower.

Lets not forget about the shower food. Food is also an important part of any event. First off, think about what time you are hosting this shower. Is it on a Sunday afternoon after church, Saturday afternoon, weekend morning or at night? If it's on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon, stick to something light. More than likely, your guests ate lunch and aren't too hungry. Again, if you are finding inspiration for the shower from the child's country, stick with that style of food. Don't forget to talk with your caterer as they may have some great suggestions.

For the shower cake, you can stick with the theme. However, you can also opt out of a cake and always go with cupcakes, desserts and different types of candy for everyone.

Welcome to our family. Have your guests fill out a thumbprint tree when they walk in to the shower. You normally see these at weddings, however, featuring this at an adoption shower is a great idea. It's like family tree that the parents can hang up in their nursery.

This shower is a great way to congratulate the family and welcome their new addition into the family. It's all about the celebration for this shower.

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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.

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It's that time of the year again! Everyone is ready to make their bets and pick their favorite horses. However, you may not be able to make it to the actual Kentucky Derby. Therefore, a viewing party is in order during this weekend. There are so many ideas for this party. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas to host your own viewing party right in your own home.

Lets Go To The Races – For this party, it's definitely about capturing the essence of the race itself. You do this by offering all things that you find at the races through your party decorations. Start out with picking colors for your party. The best colors to choose are pastels. Pick a few and even take a look at some derby photos to get an idea of what colors to go with.

Next up, pick out all the accents like the table cloths, choose a white table-cloth and then a colored table runner to put over. Also, since this is more of an elegant affair, now may be the time to break out the china. Use vintage pieces for your serving platters and mason jars for the glasses as well.

Next up, set up the food table. It would even be cute if you got some of the plastic mats that look like lawn and placed it on top of the table. This would give the feel of the derby and you could even add different race features on top of the table, like a horse track. On top of the table, make a trip to your local florist to choose a great event centerpiece for the table and even little arrangements to display around the party. Even if you find vintage horse items, they would be extremely great to place around the party.

You can either go with red roses, baby's breath or even have your florist make the garland of roses that they place around the horse's neck after they win. Lets not forget about the hats as well. Place those wherever you find appropriate. The best way to find inspiration for this party is to take a look at photos from past Kentucky Derby's and take a look at what's going on in them. What accents and details are featured in the photos?

Appropriate Derby Food – Again, take inspiration in what type of food you would actually find at the Kentucky Derby. Create tea sandwiches, little ramekins of mac & cheese, cheese trays, meat trays, toasted pecans, brie delight, andouille sausage, grilled fish dishes and just about anything you would like to serve. Also, meet with your local caterer, they'll have lots of ideas for this occasion. For dessert, create Bourbon balls, pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake and a hazelnut dessert. Also, don't forget about the mint juleps!

The Dress Code – Of course, the most important detail about this party is the dress code. Sun dresses, khakis, polos,  button ups, ties, blazers and of course, big hats are an absolute must for your guests. That is the whole fun of the party. You can even make a contest out of this and give out awards for the most creative hats and outfits.

A Kentucky Derby viewing party is a must for this event. Having everyone dress up, eating delicious food and watching the horse races are all elements of a wonderful time.

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Graduation is quickly approaching. Are you ready to send your children off to college and to celebrate this special time in their life? It's definitely a celebration! Therefore, a party is in order. Have you decided what to do for graduation party? There are lots of different ideas and themes that you can go with. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas for your graduation party.

The main thing to focus on with this party is the theme and party detailing. First off, pick a site. The venue doesn't have to be anything all out, unless you are inviting everyone in town and making it one big celebration for all the graduates. So, if it's just for close family members, let the party location be at home or even the grad's favorite restaurant.

Once you figure out the location, think about the decor. You can keep it simple or really play up the graduation theme. The graduate may be tired of school, however, use that as the theme of the graduation party. You can truly find inspiration for a graduation party through school. Find inspiration from notebook doodles, books, pencils and all the other school supplies that you find in school.

Place photos of everywhere of the graduate from the time they started to school up until now. It'll be a fun touch. For the centerpieces, pick their favorite books and stack them, tie ribbon and then place a floral arrangement on top that are accented with pencils, pens and crayons. Don't forget about the graduation caps and diplomas.

Next up, settle on the menu. If you've chosen their favorite restaurant, then you won't have to worry about the food. However, if you have chosen to host this party at your home, have their favorite restaurant cater the grand affair or cook their favorite foods. This party is all about them and celebrating, therefore, having what they enjoy is an absolute must. You can even recruit family members in creating some of their favorite foods. Don't forget to include cute desserts like a graduation cake with a childhood photo on it or cupcakes with graduation caps that you can make with a miniature reese's cup and piece of chocolate bar.

Remember, this party is simple to host. Just remember to make this party all about the graduate. Include all of their favorite things like the food, colors, location and decor. It's all about the graduate for this party.

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There are many events out there that let you get creative. You choose a theme and then everything else falls around it. You choose different styles and themes for weddings, special events, bridal showers and of course, baby showers. There are so many cute themes out there for any party that you are planning. However, baby showers have absolutely adorable ones. You can't go wrong with any of the themes. One stands out though and that is "A Star Is Born" baby shower. Wedding and Party Network has great party ideas and tips to make this baby shower a success.

Glitzy Decor – Of course, you want your guests to walk in and immediately get that glamour, Hollywood feel. For the party colors, go with black and an accent of gold. Think of an awards show whenever you are looking for party decorations. Of course, the first place to start is with a red carpet. This is a definite must for any Hollywood themed party.

Set up round tables with black table cloths and get with your local florist to create gold arrangements with maybe hints of stars or even popcorn around the centerpieces. You can visit your party rental store for tables and chairs that are great for this theme. Glitter baby bottles, pacifiers and anything else you think is appropriate and set it on the table. Set out place settings with fun place cards on each table. How you set up the tables will be the main decor for this baby shower.

Also, another fun accent that can be just for the mother-to-be is by creating an awards stage and podium. Of course, she doesn't have to stand at the podium, it can be by her seat and the gift table can be up on the awards stage. Hang big stars and fun lighting around it.

For some other added accents, use mannequins, feathers, tickets, photos and frame them like Hollywood posters, pearls and anything else you can think of when you think of Hollywood.

For The Food – Again, think about what they serve in Hollywood. Think about food that you see in the movies or being served at award shows. Serve different appetizers and a good suggestion is to meet with your caterer. They will provide you with many great ideas that will leave everyone's taste buds wanting more. Also, don't forget about the dessert. A great baby shower cake made shaped into a star with the future star's name on it along with more treats like cake pops, different flavors of popcorn, French macaroons, cupcakes and even different types of candy. The best way to go is with the mom-to-be's favorite foods.

Swag Bags – Another detail that goes unnoticed at any special event are the party favors. Along with any special Hollywood event, they always have swag bags that are filled with great stuff. Therefore, create one for the baby shower. You can fill them with many different items, just get creative and find cute things to fill the bags with. Also, another cute detail is customizing the bags for the shower.

This baby shower is great for the glamour mom. Who doesn't want a taste of Hollywood? This is all about the glitz and glamour. Everyone will truly have a great time and the mother-to-be will love it.

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Do you know someone who is in the process of planning a wedding? Are you a bridesmaid in their upcoming wedding? Along with being a bridesmaid, comes pre-wedding activities that must be planned. There are multiple bridal showers, maybe a luncheon, dress fittings and lets not forget about the bachelorette party. This is a time where everyone can let go and put the wedding stress on hold for one night. However, what type of bride is she and what type of bachelorette party will you plan that suits the bride's style. It's her night after all. Well, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas for your bachelorette party.

Retro Pool Party – Since it's close to summer, pools are getting ready to be opened. Therefore, now is the ideal time to host a bachelorette swim party. If the bride is more laid back and enjoys the sun, this is perfect. However, throw a fun twist on it and go retro. This gives you a good excuse to find fun party decorations and for the girls to dress up. First off, find a pool to host this party at. Next up, find party invitations and party decorations that give off a retro vibe like polka dots, paisley, zig zags and are featured in retro colors like orange and green. For the activities, just plan fun mani and pedis by the pool. This is time for relaxing and enjoying everyone's company. Don't forget about the retro inspired bathing suit, magazines, retro sunglasses, fun totes and the drinks with the cute umbrellas.

Barbie Inspired – For the bride who loves dressing up and is all things girly, this bachelorette party is for them. Plan a night out on the town and rent a limo. You can go to her favorite restaurant and plan a night out afterwards. The main thing here is to have the girls dress up as their favorite Barbie. This is great for everyone to dress up and have a good time.

Parisian Inspired – So, if the bride isn't much for spending a night out on the town, another great alternative is having it the bachelorette party at someone's house. You can take the bride on a trip in her own home. Think of having a Parisian inspired bachelorette party. Feature black and pink party decor, butterflies, trellis, ruffles and French inspired photos of the Eiffel Tower. Don't forget the mini champagne bottles, French pastries, beautiful cupcakes and cute food signs. Don't forget about the movie. It can be any French movie or even a funny one like Bridesmaids.

Beauty Party – If your bride is a big glam girl, a beauty inspired bachelorette party is a wonderful idea for her. Think about keeping everything clean, light and refreshing throughout your party food and decor. Since you don't have to go all out within those areas, you can think about bringing in a makeup artist and hairstylist to show you different ways that you can put on makeup, show you the latest trends and style your hair.

There are many different directions that you can take a bachelorette party. The main thing is to just think about the bride and what she enjoys. Does she enjoy having a night or does she enjoy spending time at home? Just keep her interests in mind and have fun with it.

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When it comes to planning a birthday party, you want your party to stand out and make a statement. You want to find a party theme that is truly unique and that no one has ever done before. However, you also want the theme to represent the special birthday girl or boy. Why not look towards child icons that have been around for a while, a theme that the parents even grew up on makes a great theme. It also creates a wonderful vintage feel to the party. Wedding and Party Network is bringing you a wonderful party theme that is great for all ages that is centered around Dr. Seuss.

Settle on a party theme. Dr. Seuss has a variety of books out, so pick your favorite and center your party theme around it. You can choose from Oh, The Places You Will Go, The Lorax, Green Egg and Hams, The Cat in the Hat or If I Ran the Zoo. There are a variety of books to choose from that have great meanings and are great for party themes.

This party is all about the party decorations. These books always have set color tones and characteristics that make them stand out and noticeable. When you see a Dr. Seuss book, you immediately know that it is from Dr. Seuss and get the styling of the book. However, you can also combine books to create a mixture, which would be great too. Your party colors should consist of red and blue mainly with pops of orange, pink and yellow to accent.

Make sure you have some prints incorporated into your party too. Think stripes and polka-dots to use as your patterns. You can incorporate these patterns into your table cloths, napkins, plates, serving pieces, balloons and streamers. It's definitely all about color and patterns with this party. However, you also need other accents for your party, such as placing Dr. Seuss books out everywhere, green eggs, Lorax trees, Dr. Seuss hats, Thing 1 & Thing 2 decor and fish. The best way to find inspiration is to take a look at various books and create fun party decorations. However, don't forget to visit your local party store to find great decor as well.

The party food makes a huge impact on this theme as well. Again, there are many great ideas that go along with this party that you can serve up. You can find wonderful inspiration from the books, like green eggs and ham. Also, feature various desserts with polka dots and stripes to go with the pattern theme. You can make marshmallows, dip them in white chocolate and decorate them with white stripes to represent the cat's hat. Cupcakes for this event can feature cupcakes in a red cupcake liner, write Thing 1 or Thing 2 on it and top it with blue cotton candy or you can make green cupcakes with an "egg" on top. Don't forget to have colorful lollipops to represent "Oh, The Places You Will Go". There are honestly a ton of wonderful food ideas, just take a look through the books and find inspiration.

When it comes to a fun, creative and inspiring birthday party, Dr. Seuss is a wonderful way to go. The imagination and fun stories behind each and every book are the perfect places to look for a party theme. Your party will truly be fun, colorful and great for everyone!

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Are you a new mother-to-be or know someone who is pregnant? This is a truly joyous occasion that must be celebrated in a wonderful way. Of course, there's the baby shower with the million different shower themes that you can pick from that suits the mother and gender of the baby. However, have you thought about celebrating finding out the gender of the baby? It's a fun way to get everyone together and announce it especially since everyone anticipates this day so they can run out and start buying gender themed items. Wedding and Party Network has a great girls vs. boys gender reveal party that everyone will love.

For the party invitations, explain the details of the party and tell them to pick a boy or girl for their gender. You can even tell them to dress in the colors of what gender that think the baby is going to be.

It's all about the party decorations. Of course, the main colors should be pink and blue. Divide all your party decorations into half pink and half blue. This goes for absolutely everything. Table cloths, balloons, signs, pomanders over the food table, napkins, plates, utensils and streamers should all be pink and blue. Get creative with the signs. Let them say "Team Girl" or "Team Boy", "Girls Are Better" or "Boys Are Better" or something along those lines. You can even make t-shirts that represent what gender you are rooting for. Don't forget to put question marks everywhere.

Create pink and blue food for the party. Just like the party decorations, make sure your party food is all about the pink and blue. This party maybe on the week day so if it's later, think about just serving desserts. Have your bakery create a cake that is neutral on the outside, however, let them know beforehand and have them color the cake inside blue or pink for the big reveal. Also, serve up cake pops, cupcakes and cookies that are colored blue and pink on the outside, but have the gender color on the inside. They can be whatever flavor you like, however, champagne flavored maybe appropriate for some. Decorate everything with question marks and when everyone bites into their sweet treat they'll be pleasantly surprised to find out the gender. Serve up different colored drinks as well. Whatever the guests choose, they must stick to that color of food to let it be known what gender they think it will be.

For the big reveal, you can have everyone pick up a dessert, while you cut the cake and have everyone take a bite at the same time to find outside the gender. Everyone will love celebrating and finding out the gender together. You can share this joyous occasion with your close friends and family and celebrate together.

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When it comes to planning a unique birthday party, the theme is what makes it truly unique. However, are you running out of ideas or need some inspiration to add a unique twist on any party? How about finding inspiration from the different cultures around the world? There are lots of great ideas to be found from other cultures to put a unique twist on any party. So, Wedding and Party Network has a party with Asian influences that will be a hit for every age group.

Party Invitations – For the party invitations, think red and gold. Those are the significant colors that you think of when you look for Asian influences. However, you can put a fun twist on the invitations by using a Geisha girl for a little girl's birthday party.

Just look towards the culture to find great colors and icons to use in invitations. A visit to your local stationery store is always a great idea since they will have wide varieties of great invitations for every occasion.

Party Location – Honestly, this party can be held anywhere you like. It's all in the party decorations with this party theme. You can host this party at your house, local park, recreational center, pool or wherever you would like depending on season, availability and weather.

Asian Party Decorations - Again, look through photos and to the Asian culture to find influences. You can use items like paper lanterns in various colors, red and gold table cloths and runners, paper umbrellas and tall branch centerpieces. You can keep within the color scheme of red and gold to truly set the tone of this theme. Set out candles and bamboo throughout the party as well to create a great ambiance.

For The Food – Of course, think about serving sushi and Asian inspired food like lo mein, fried rice or lettuce wraps. There are lots of great ideas when it comes to food to serve at your party, just visit with your local caterer and they can come up with some great ideas, even for your guests who may not be a fan of Asian food. Sushi is such a great thing to serve at this party, however, not everyone is a fan of sushi.

So, to put an unexpected twist on it, take candy and make sushi out of that. Make rice krispy treats with Fruit Roll Ups in between to create a colorful swirl or use chocolate cakes with the cream swirl in the middle as sushi. This is just a fun take on sushi and can even be served as part of desert for this party. Don't forget the chopsticks!

Say Thank You – Lets not forget about the party favors. Use take out boxes or even bags, place an Asian symbol on it, tie it up with ribbon and chop sticks and fill it with sweet treats or even some of your candy sushi. These are fun little treats to send home with your guests that they'll definitely enjoy.

So, when planning your next party, put a fun twist on it with some Asian culture. The gorgeous reds, golds, party decor and food are all great for any party and your guests will definitely enjoy themselves.

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