All Things For All Parties

Arriba, Arriba...Cinco de Mayo Fiesta es Aqui!

Throw a dinner party to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year.  Have fun with this theme and decorate in bright, bold colors.  Welcome guests with taquitos and margaritas.  Oh and don't forget about the guacamole and chips. Muy buena comida (a very yummy meal). Set the mood with Carlos Santana, the Gypsy Kings or Enrique Iglesias.  Guests will feel like they just arrived in Mexico.   

In this Mexican Fiesta we mixed brightly colored linens and votives with traditional Mexican decorations.  We used a red runner with brown and chartreuse green napkins and basketweave napkin rings. Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like the large sombrero!  Arriba, arriba!  Add a touch of elegance to this table setting with our red candelabra and pair it with these great luminarias.  We used plastic red chili peppers to help our guests find their place at the table.  Fill the terracota votives with mini cactus for your guests to take home.  This Mexican fiesta es muy bueno!!   

This was a party that was featured in InStyle Magazine a few years ago and it is still one of my favorites.  The table was decorated with an embroidered Mexican runner topped with pillar candles on rustic holders and votives in luminarias.  They accentuated the rustic plates with turquoise margarita glasses and paper flowers used as napkin rings.  You can also use these paper flowers as your floral centerpiece.  They are very festive and the perfect arrangement for your Cinco de Mayo celebration.  Viva Mexico!!!

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Mini Herb Gardens

  

How great are these adorable Eco-Chic Herb Gardens?!?!  They are the perfect party favor - your guests will love them.  These Eco-Adorable Herb Kits come in recycled/recyclable packaging and are the perfect way to get back to your fresh cooking roots, while keeping eco-friendly from top to bottom.  Yummy.  They are also perfect for a little housewarming or thank you gift!  Pot is biodegradable and made from rice hulls.  Dimensions: 4" x 4".  Available in Basil, Chive, Dill, or Thyme; or buy all 4 and save!

T.G.I.F. HAPPY HOUR COCKTAILS: LIFE IS GOOD

Life is Good

It's the Lemon Drop with a raspberry vodka and a dash of Cosmopolitan Mixer - cuts the tartness perfectly.

1 1/2 parts Stirrings Lemon Drop Mixer
1/2 parts Stirrings Cosmopolitan Mixer
2 parts Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka

Fill cocktail shaker with ice and add ingredients. Shake and pour into martini glass.

 

 

I would like to introduce you all to a new great wedding website, www.weddingmapper.com.  I am very excited about this NEW Wedding Mapper site - it just launched this morning. The site has fresh, bright colors, much better navigation and new local area features.

 

If you know anyone getting married or if you are planning a wedding shower or bachelorette party then it is a great resource!

 

Check it out:

 

http://www.weddingmapper.com

 

(they are still working out a few kinks, but for the most part it seems to be working very well)

Eco-Friendly Wedding Invitations

 

In honor of Earth day, I cordially invite you to preview these great wedding invitations.  They are not only gorgeous but eco-friendly...what could be better. 

There are certain cultural traditions that are hard to let go of, especially when it comes to weddings and the invitation is one of them. No matter how much of an eco-chick you are, sending out wedding invites via email just won't cut it. Fortunately, more and more, environmentally conscious printers and artisans are creating some gorgeous options (that are tasteful enough so they won’t upset your future mother-in-law).

Thankfully this wonderful shop - Bella Figura, an artisan letterpress shop has stepped up to make sustainable event planning a bit easier and a whole lot of fun.

Debbie Urbanski and Harold Kyle are the masterminds ( and cute couple) behind this beautiful work.  The Bella Figura shop has produced many fabulous invitations, announcements, and collateral pieces. Their work has been featured in Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Bride’s magazines, and some of their clients include Barnes and Noble, Little, Brown and Company Publishers and NBC.

Tipsy Toes

 

add a little kick to your next Girl's Night out and your cocktail with these fun Tipsy Toes freezable ice cubes - they won’t dilute your drink and can be used over and over. Put a pair in your punch, or dip your toes into a gin and tonic.

This one's for my good friend, April who is just beginning to plan her "Big Day!" 

I am so excited for her so I thought I would post a planning timeline for all you brides-to-be.  A checklist to help you keep it together while you're planning life's big get-together.

6+ Months

• Nail a style (i.e., big and casual? Small and fancy? Totally secret with a postelopement party?)
• Set your spending limits
• Make a guest list
• Collect addresses
• Pick the date and place
• Assemble your wedding party
• Send save-the-dates
• Hunt down gown, shoes, and accessories
• Plan the honeymoon
• Start a gift registry

4+ Months

• Bring in the pros: officiant, caterer, florist, photographer/videographer, entertainment, hairstylist/makeup artist
• Block out rooms for out-of-towners
• Order invites, thank-you notes, and other custom paper pieces
• Hire calligrapher
• Buy wedding bands
• Sort out the groom's getup
• Decide on attendants' attire
• Book wedding-night accommodations

2+ Months

• Write vows, toasts, and anything else you want scripted
• Start dance lessons
• Select gifts for wedding party, the perfect lingerie
• Start welcome gift bags for out-of-towners
• Order guest favors

1+ Months

• Prep documents if you're changing your name
• Run through hair and makeup looks
• Have final dress fitting
• Take final guest count
• Finalize catering plan
• Find out where everyone's staying
• Start wearing your wedding shoes around the house

1 Week to Go

• Confirm seating plan, sort out place cards
• Delegate absolutely everything you can (i.e., passing out boutonnieres, mailing announcements, pet sitting)
• Get your hands on your dress
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Gather all travel docs in one place

1 Day to Go

• Start day with deluxe mani/pedi
• Confirm wedding day transportation
• Sort out payments and set aside vendor tips
• Do a play-by-play of the wedding day
• Have rehearsal dinner or welcome reception
• Say your thanks and hand out gifts (you may not have time tomorrow)
• The Big Day
• Have fun!

This great timeline comes from Daily Candy's new Wedding Site.

Food (and Wine) Centerpieces

 

A good friend of mine is getting married and she is on a very tight budget since she is also busy growing her business so I wanted to suggest some centerpieces that were much more budget friendly and could also be used at some point in the party so these are a few of the ones I found.

I love the idea of using food as your centerpiece.  These tomatoes look beautiful - they are so colorful and enticing - I like this table for someone who is getting married in Napa or Italy- very Tuscan. Ripe fruits symbolize abundance and fertility -- and make delicious favors.

I love love love doughnuts and how perfect is this edible centerpiece for your next baby shower or bridal luncheon.  Replace the centerpiece at kids' tables with this yummy display. 

Lemons and grapefruits tied in yellow taffeta ribbons and piled into a glass compote make a bright, casual arrangement. The bows are secured by pins, and sheer yellow organdy drapes from the bowl. A coordinating menu card is trimmed with taffeta ribbon.

Wine bottles on this table double as table numbers and later guests to drink to you!! 

For more great ideas like these check out www.marthastewartweddings.com.

Spring Brunch Cocktails

I think if you choose to serve wine for a brunch or shower then a Rosé is a perfect selection for these occasions - it has the refreshing crispness of a white wine, as well as the medium body of a dry red wine. A pinot grigio or pinot gris is another great option.

If you are looking for a new, unique cocktail specifically for the brunch try a sparkling combination of white wine and chambord in the form of a chambord spritzer.

Mimosa's are a classic brunch cocktail and you really can never go wrong with this one.

Turn your event into a highly social scene, where the conversation centers around trendy jelly bean blends, inspired by classic cocktail concoctions. No alcohol here, but plenty of fresh, tangy flavors.  These are a truly unique and stylish favor for your brunch (or wedding receptions, birthday parties or showers).