Create My Event - Event & Party Ideas Blog

Build a Birdhouse Party

Do you have craft and nature loving friends?  Try having a birdhouse building party where you supply the materials and your friends make their own party favors.  An American Kestrel birdhouse is an excellent choice.  The house is easy to build and Kestrels are found in most of the United States and Canada, so your guests have a great chance of having their house inhabited.  Cornell Lab of Ornithology is famous in the birding industry and they have great resources on line.  Provide your guests with a handout about American Kestrels and instructions on birdhouse placement. Play fun music while your guests are building, but place bird songs in a surprising place (such as the bathroom) for an added touch to the ambiance. Serve "birdfood" such as peanuts and sunflower seeds. Check out Sendomatic.com for invitations that would match the theme of this party. New Life and Dragonfly would work great. You and your guests will have fun building homes for your new feathered friends.

Elopement Announcements & Reception Only Invitations Wording

Many people choose to skip the details and hassles of a big wedding.  Here are a few suggestions for announcements of elopement:

Just letting you know!

Eileen Short
And
Stan Manfred

Were married on
April 4, 2006
In a family ceremony
St. Luke’s Church
Larksbur, New Mexico

Or

We've Eloped!
For further details
You must attend a lobsterfeed
In our honor
on July 12, 2012
At 2 o’clock
12 Main Street
Norwich, VT

Daisy and Bart Simpson

Or

From the moment they met
It was a beautiful thing
They knew some day
They'd hear wedding bells ring!

Dave
&
Ben
were married
January 3, 2010
Burlington, VT

Or

With stars in their eyes
and love in their hearts.
Deanna Louise
And
Jason Jones
Were Married on
August 27, 2001
Maui, Hawaii

It is becoming more common for a couple who eloped or had a destination wedding to have a reception later. Here are a couple suggestions:

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gold
Invite you to join us
In celebrating the recent marriage of our daughter
Alice Sonja Gold
To
Arjun Gangadharan
Which took place March 25, 2005 in Dubai, India

Come toast the happy couple
Saturday, August 20, 2010
Goldfield Country Club
Plano, Texas

Or

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gold
Invite you to join them for a dinner honoring
Mr. and Mrs. Arjun and Alice Gold Gangadharan
Saturday, August 19, 2005
(etc)

Little Readers

Next time you throw a children's birthday party, why not skip the party bags filled with candy and plastic toys and instead send each child home with a book? With some dedicated shoping, the cost to you will be about the same and instead of a sugar high, you will be providing an opportunity to learn. Not to mention, colorful children's booked tied with bows make great table decor. Here are a few ideas:

• Curious George and the Birthday Surprise by H.A. and Margret Rey

• Up Above and Down Below by Sue Redding

• Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton

Pancake & Franks Letter Press Invitations

Founded in 2002 by artist Stacy Pancake, Pancake and Franks is a graphic design studio based in San Francisco, California. Specializing in cards that combine high-quality letterpress printing with hip, modern and often amusing design. Pancake and Franks offers greeting cards, announcements, invitations and wedding stationery with a unique and expressive slant. Artist Stacy Pancake is the vision behind Pancake and Franks; her interest in design is influenced by a rich ancestry of Russian artists and her childhood environment of the Sonoran Desert. Big skies, blazing sunsets, and desert mountains were her playground until her adult vision matured with world travel and an appreciation for the rich textures of daily life in other places.

Flower Power

I attended a party this past weekend with the most marvelous whimsical centerpieces. (See picture below.)  Each one was fabulous and unique, and all were made of paper, yes paper, flowers.  Not only were they perfect for the night of the celebration, but because they have no need for water or sunlight, they are guaranteed to last. Ooooh-la-la. And the best part of all of this, Paper Source sells a wide variety of paper flower kits, so you can create a masterpiece or two for your next party. What fun!

Formal Wedding Invitation Wording

We all expect planning a wedding to be a sea of details, but did you expect the tidal wave of etiquette difficulties too?   Here are the basics, so you can spend your precious time planning the fun stuff.  The standard, formal wording meant for a wedding paid for by the bride’s parents is:

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Ellen Anne
to Theodore Edward Jones
at the Seal Beach Club
Saturday, the Seventeenth of May
At four o’clock

If bride's parents are divorced, the mother's name traditionally goes on the first line and the father's name on the second line separated by the word "and".  The same layout fits if both sets of parents will be hosting.  If Bride's parents are hosting, but would like to include grooms parents on the invitation, the invitation is generally phrased like this:

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Catherine
to Theodore Joseph Johnson
son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Johnson
etc.

A deceased parent may be mentioned using the following form, since they are unable to formally host the wedding.

Maria Louise Jones
daughter of Margaret Elizabeth Jones and the late Mark Allen Jones
and
John Matthew Smith
son of Mr. and Mrs. James Michael Smith
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
etc

If you are getting married at a place other than a place of worship, then use the phrase “request the pleasure of your company” instead.  Formal wedding invitations never use “a.m” or “p.m.”, they use “o’clock”. Jewish weddings use the joining word "and" instead of "to" between the bride and groom's names. Also in Jewish weddings, both the bride and groom's parents always appear on the invitation.

Tee Time

Check out the Tee Time Collection at Target.com.  So fun and summery, perfect for a Father's Day BBQ. (Love this invitation from Sendomatic too.)  Cover your table with a big piece of green fabric, fill small metal buckets with golf balls for the centerpiece and scatter tee's around the table. Super cute and super easy.  If you don't want to purchase the plates in the collection, big white plates will work too as they will look almost like giant golf balls on the green background.

The menu is up to you but think about cupcakes decorated with green coconut frosting and tee's for dessert. 

Memorial Bar-B-Q Reminder

Memorial Day is this weekend!.   Don't forget to have a full propane tank for your Bar-B-Q.  Lines get long as Memorial Day approaches, so to save time, fill it up as soon as possible.

Informal Wedding Invitation Wording

Many people are choosing a non-traditional wedding and tossing all the traditional formalities to the wayside.  Even though you are letting your creativity shine through, don’t forget to mention 1) who is sponsoring the event, 2) what the invitation is for, 3) what day the event will take place, 4) what time the event will take place, 5) where it will be held, and 6) if there is a reception following and at the same location or someplace else.   Here are a few suggestions for less formal invitations:

We're getting married!

You're invited to attend
our wedding event
On Saturday, September 2, 2011
Sunrise 7am
Wild Park
Yellowstone, CA

John & Lisa

Or

Our marriage will be a fairy tale…

Jeri Lynne
And
Ben Scott

Invite you to share in the joy
when they exchange marriage vows
and begin their new life together
on Sunday April 16, 2009
at 4:00 in the afternoon
etc.

Or

Please join us as
Lucy Jane
and
Larry Marcus
Follow their dreams together in marriage
October 11, 2009 at 1:30 pm
etc.

Or

The stars & heaven
brought us together.

Katie Ann and Jimmy

Invite you to join us
for a wedding under the stars
to celebrate the beginning
of our marriage
on December 1, 2009
etc

Or

Hear ye, Hear ye.
Let it be heard that
on the 29th of June, 2013
Sylvia Anne and Barry James
will be united in Holy Matrimony.

Your presence is requested
by the parents of the bride
Sam & Diane Tilton
to join in this celebration of love
at 2 pm in the afternoon
etc

Or

Please join us
For a celebration of love, friendship, laughter, and family
as
Margarite Salida Romerez
and
Robert Scott Titus
Join their hands in holy matrimony
Friday, June 28, 2017
etc

Some people want to acknowledge that this is there second wedding, with wording such as:

Please join us
As we celebrate new beginnings, new dreams, new love
at the marriage of
Brad Alex Beck
and
Lola Anne Zigler
Sunday, April 4, 2008
5 o'clock in the afternoon
Salinas Botanic Garden, CA
Dinner and dancing to follow

Second weddings with children, may want to honor their children by mentioning them in the invitation.  Here are a couple examples:

Please join
Janelle Anna Marie
and
Matthew Luke Perry 
as they exchange marriage vows
and together with their son, Quinn, celebrate their family
etc.

Or

Please join us
At a celebration
Of the marriage of
Linda Peters
and
Peter Zigler Friedman
And
The family of
Molly, Ned, Lindley, and Elise
Etc.

What to Wear?

Ladies, recently I received an invite specifying attire as "Dress to Impress".  Yikes.  After a fit of discussion among the girls as to what this meant, it resulted in everything from jeans to dressy cocktail dresses. In the midst of the what-to-wear chaos, I scanned numerous fashion mags and am now well aware of what is in this season.  In case you haven't had time to review Vogue or caught the fashion segment on the Today Show, I thought I would share my newfound knowledge so that you will arrive as a "Hot" and not as a "Not" to all of your summer soirees.

Let us begin with shorts, not just for the gym anymore.  Short shorts, long shorts and shorts just in-between are all fashionably correct.  However, please keep in mind your body type when making your selection.  Think of shorts as a stand in for casual skirts or capris.  For a dressier look, pair long shorts with espadrilles (another easy-to-do must this season) and a short jacket. 

Dresses of all shapes, colors and lengths are another hot item this year and there is not an easier way to feel comfortable, pretty and feminine.  So, wear a dress.  Make them work appropriate by covering your shoulders with a cardigan or, again, a short jacket.  Dress them up with long layered necklaces for evening. (I was one of the few at the “Dress to Impress” party not sporting dress.  A huge mistake on my part.)

In the tops category, as well as dresses, empire waists are huge.  Made out of flowing fabrics and accented with delicate trims, one can look fabulous and not be scared to indulge in that ice cream sundae.  On the other hand, be sure to try on before making a purchase— if the fit is not perfect and the fabric not just right, this style can also create the look of pregnancy when there is none involved.  Ooooooh.

Color you ask? Neutral colors and organic fabrics (think linen) are the biggest trend this season.  They are found across all categories, from t-shirts to formal wear, and are the most democratic as far as body type and age are concerned.  Try layering different neutrals and accenting with metallic accessories for a hip look that won’t get you lost in the crowd. 

If this is all just too much to digest, just remember, all white (from head to toe) is always appropriate and so fresh looking.  And most of all, a great pair of big sunglasses will make you look and feel like a star, no matter where you are going.