When planning a party, you keep up with the latest trends. Even within events and parties, trends change. This includes party invitations. There are really some fun ways that you can invite guests to your party that is creative and truly out-of-the-box. Invitations are such an important part of your party since they immediately show off the theme of your event, therefore, they must be special. Wedding and Party Network has got some great party invitations that are definitely on trend.

Invitation & A Gift – What better way to get your guests more into your party than with a gift? It doesn't have to be big, just attach something small to the invitation. Small paperweights, bookmarks or even a cd with a few songs that conveys the theme of your party are all wonderful gifts to include with the party invitation.

Video Or CD – A creative way to invite guests is to send them a little DVD with a movie on it inviting them. This is really creative and such a fun thing for your guests to pop in their DVD player and watch. This will definitely grab their attention and get them extremely ready for the party. Find a videographer to help you create your own little video montage.

Make sure it goes with the theme. However, if you can't go with the video invitation, think about creating a CD. You can create a song montage with your speaking or even do a mash-up of songs to let them invite your guests over, that may be a little bit of work but so fun to listen to that your guests will listen to it a few times.

Food – If it's a smaller party, think about hand delivering your invitations, which makes it great when you are hand delivering cupcakes or cakes. Write out the details on the cake or spell it out with cupcakes. Your guests will find it truly delightful when you show up on their doorstep with some freshly baked goods and a party invitation. However, remind them to write the details before the eat it all up.

Flowers – Again, if this is a smaller party with not a lot of guests, consider delivering them flowers as part of their party invitation. Make sure the flowers match your party's color scheme and even the design. Having you show up on their door with fresh flowers will truly make their day. They'll definitely be attending your party!

However, pick the party invitation that best fits your party budget and style. Invitations make impressions on your guests and makes them excited for your event.

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Here at Wedding and Party Network we want to give you inspiration for your wedding details. The details are what sets your wedding apart from anyone else. The colors, theme, detailing and style all creates your wedding day style. So, today's Inspirational Friday will focus on wedding invitations. When your guests receive your wedding invitation, that's the first impression they have of your wedding. Therefore, you want to give off the right impression by finding the right invitation to show of your wedding theme.

When it comes to wedding invitations, you'll find many styles. Pocketfolds, photo, different shapes, sizes and colors are gorgeous styles of wedding invitations. There are also many color combinations and prints with beautiful embellishments that you can feature on your invitation. However, they're not limited to paper. Some send out e-wedding invitation or even videos. The main key is to get creative with it and make sure that your guests get a good first impression of your wedding.

I had a friend ask me this a few weeks ago when she was planning her wedding. Her wedding invitations were gorgeous but the script for each was becoming a chore. Her biggest question when asking for my help was "do I still put mom's name on the invitations?" Her mother has been deceased for a few months.

I wanted to say "no" immediately but I knew that it was a sensitive issue. It's still a pretty fresh wound for her so I didn't want to write it off so fast. Instead, I gave her the options that wedding etiquette provides and asked if those would be acceptable.

First, it is not acceptable to put a deceased person's name on the invitation. Instead, the surviving spouse (if there is one) is noted. This is because the wedding invitations typically list only those who are hosting the wedding. While her mother undoubtedly shared in her joy on the wedding day, she was unable to be with us and therefore could not be listed on the invitations. This did not please my friend so I gave her several other options that did not go against the grain of wedding etiquette.

• Ask guests for a charitable contribution in the deceased's name in lieu of wedding gifts
• Include the deceased in a wedding toast, or let the toastmaster know that this would be nice
• Choose the deceased's favorite wedding cake flavor, place a small note beside the cake explaining this
• Cutting a piece of cake in honor of the deceased and either eating it later or presenting it to the surviving spouse

There are many other options that make it a sweet, honorable thing to pay tribute to the deceased. I felt especially compelled to find some way to pay tribute to my friend's mother because she was such a special lady. She raised a great daughter and we both cared deeply for her mother. We knew that we couldn't include

We wanted to keep a line of distinction between a wedding celebration and a memorial, so we chose to honor my friend's mother with a wedding cake tribute. The second tier of my friend's cake was chocolate fudge with vanilla buttercream icing. My friend and her groom (who was also close to her mother) cut a piece together after eating their own piece. They presented it to my friend's father which was sweet because he had not remarried. Had he, we may have considered something else.

While it's easy to let a wedding invitation fall into a pile of mail and be forgotten, it is poor guest etiquette to do so. In wedding etiquette, it is proper to r.s.v.p. promptly.

There are many reasons why you should choose to respond quickly. Two stand out above the others. First, responding quickly allows for a more accurate head count. Brides need this information when preparing seating charts, making arrangements with the caterer and dealing with other limited-space matters. Responding quickly is a kind gesture that will allow the bride an easier planning process. Plus you'll have more time to shop for the gift!

It is particularly important to r.s.v.p. to a wedding invitation if you do not plan to attend. Though rare, the bride may wish to send another invite in lieu of your attendance. That is not to say that one guest is preferred over another or that your lack of presence will go unnoticed. She may simply decide to invite her groom's boss's nephew after all.

It's nice and it frees up time for both you and the couple planning a wedding. When etiquette matters, respond to a wedding invitation post haste.

If you missed the first kickoff of the official football season, don’t worry! You can still kick off the next big game with a fun football themed party. Grab your team colors and have a blast. Bring on the face paints and team jerseys. Warm up the foosball table. Practice your dart throwing abilities. Warm up your vocal chords and practice your cheerleading moves. These are some tips for a great game day blowout. Below are some great ideas to match your team colors. Just pick your team, invite your guests with party invitations shaped like footballs, rustle up some snacks and get the party started!

Red, White, Blue (Patriots, Giants, Texans, Titans, Bills)

These are probably the easiest colors with which to decorate for an event. Recycle some of the old Fourth of July decorations for a festive event. Check with the city before setting off any fireworks Continue reading "Score Big With A Football Themed Party" »

Wedding Shower Etiquette: Keeping The Love

What could be better than being in love, surrounded by your closest friends and family, and receiving beautiful gifts from those who know you best? A wedding shower is a lovely event full of both tradition and creativity that is only rivaled by the wedding ceremony itself. Just like a wedding, a shower is an intimate celebration of the beginning of a life together. Good food, gifts, and loved ones–what’s not to like?!

Nevertheless, being the honoree at a wedding shower has its responsibilities. Wedding shower etiquette is something many brides-to-be find intimidating and sometimes a little outdated. However, by adhering to a few tried-and-true rules and suggestions you can ensure that everyone (including you) will have a wonderful time at this special event!

The first thing you need to consider is that, although someone else is planning the party, you as the bride need to have a say in a few key areas such as the guest lists. By keeping a master list for yourself no one will be invited to more than one shower and certainly only those on your wedding invitation list will be in attendance at your showers. Programs like Microsoft Excel are ideal for keeping track of your guests, their contact information, and what shower they attended. You can also add what gift they gave you to make writing thank-you cards a breeze!

When it comes to inviting people to your wedding shower they must first be invited to your wedding and Continue reading "Wedding Shower Etiquette" »

Invite Excitement With Creative Party Invitations

Of all the responsibilities of throwing a party, the invitation is often the most overlooked—and the most important. The party invitation is the first thing guests will see. It gives them an idea of the theme, atmosphere, and basic information about the party. If you rigorously work to throw a party, you want the invitation to show it!

For every type of party, there are hundreds of invitation possibilities. While creativity at a party is somewhat optional, it is a must for the invitation. It’s the “calling card” for the event. Invitations represent the event in its entirety.

Add A Personal Touch To Party Invitations

Invitations for common events, such as weddings and birthday parties, are opportunities to display some uncommonness and personality. Elaborate invitations are always an option; however, the more personality injected into an invitation, the more effective it will be. For example, with birthday parties, try a snapshot of the guest of honor in his or her youth with information on the back or, for something more formal, place the photo inside of a more intricate invitation.

Find a humorous or endearing photograph from a scrap album, have copies made at any photography development counter, and add the time, date, and location on the back or on the rest of the invitation. Imagine getting a photo in the mail of a friend dressed like a cowboy as a four-year-old and how difficult it Continue reading "Party Invitation Ideas" »

Wedding Invitations Tips

Selecting and Sending

Creating the perfect wedding invitation is an exciting part of every ceremony. Brides along with bridesmaids, family, and friends gather together to shop for, select, and send the announcement of the happy couple’s union. It is an experience to be cherished as the bridal party talks and laughs together while addressing envelopes. Special memories are created when mother, daughter, and future son-in-law sit together at the family table to prepare a wedding guest list and number the invitations needed.

There are thousands of styles of wedding invitations from which to choose. Materials, colors, patterns, wording, fonts and more come together to provide a huge array of choices. There is no need to be overwhelmed by choice as it clearly means that your perfect wedding invitation is out there! Discovering and preparing the right wedding invitation is fun and easy with help from these great tips! Continue reading "Sending And Selecting Wedding Invitations Tips" »

Modern ceremonies have taken on a vast array of new roles. Traditional weddings are coming into the age of blended families, military weddings, and same-sex unions. Adjusting wedding invitation wording to reflect these changes may seem like a large task but following etiquette guidelines to properly word wedding invitations is as simple as following the guide below and filling in the blanks with your personalized information. Continue reading "Wedding Invitation Wording Tips" »

After telling your family and friends about your engagement, the next step is to announce the happy news in your local newspaper. Traditionally announcements are placed in the papers of the bride and groom's hometown, as well as the hometowns of both sets of parents.

Engagement announcement tips

Begin by checking out the paper's announcement section to see Continue reading "Tips For Announcing Your Engagement" »