Party Invitations, Party Planning & Event Ideas

A Graduation Party

We recently threw a graduation party for a very deserving high school graduate named Blake. In the Fall, Blake will start his first semester at Illinois State University studying to be a Special Education Teacher. Over 100 people stopped by to wish Blake congratulations!

We set up tables outside and served a delicious spread of food catered by One World Cafe. For the centerpieces we used pomander balls make of white carnations. They look like pom poms! We then added Blake's varsity letters from tennis and basketball and pictures of him throughout high school.

Guests enjoyed various flavors of lemonade. Sodas and waters were also available.

We gave Blake a "Sweet Sendoff" to college with a candy and dessert bar. We had all of his favorites in his high school's colors: red and white. There were Hot Tamales, M&M's, Swedish Fish, Peppermints, Red Hots, Cake Pops, Red Vines, and Smarties (for the "smartie" who graduated with honors).

We also had red and white popcorn bags filled with white chocolate popcorn.

A family friend made cupcakes and cake for Blake's party. She even made a birthday cake for his 19^th birthday, which was the day after the party!

Blake and his dad made these custom bag games for the party. The "home team" was Illinois State University and the "visitors" were Bradley University, Illinois State's rival.

 

Congratulations, Blake! We hope you have an amazing year at ISU and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you!

{ jacqueline, rissa, traci & tara }

Graduation Party Details

EventLucky here to share some fun from my long weekend. Hope your weekends are full of sun and well planned parties!

My Memorial Day weekend was crazy busy, as my husband graduated from graduate school. His mom came to visit, so we threw him a little party...and I am so excited to share the details!

We knew we had a long day on Monday for the actual graduation, so we didn't want a party that would go too late (does that make us old?). We decided on a "happy hour" party from 4-7 PM, with snacks and drinks appropriate for pre-dinner.

I asked a friend to design pennants for me in my husband's school colors. She did such a great job! I printed them out on cardstock and cut them out for decorations.

For the menu, I wanted to play with the idea of a rolled diploma, so we made asparagus rolled in procuitto, hand rolled sushi (ok, we ordered this), and pigs rolled in a blanket,  in addition to some veggies, nuts, and appropriate colored candies.

I also made the chocolate mortarboards, which were a big hit. Once you give up on finding the perfect colored "tassels"  they were pretty easy and make a big impact.

We had Pimm's Cup (not yet made in this picture) and a prosecco toast for drinks (nice and light for a hot day).

And here's the food table-- styled a la Amy Atlas! You can see the orange candies-- orange slices and reece's pieces!

I can't let guests leave empty handed-- and I hate to have tons of food leftover after a party...so I gave each guest a cupcake for an after dinner treat.

I got the cupcake boxes and black and white bakers twine from cdkane on etsy -- she was great to work with, and cheaper than any bake shop in NYC!

But...the boxes were a little big for my homemade cupcakes. I didn't want the cupcakes to rattle around while the guests traveled, so I used a small piece of stik-tak (available at any hardware store). A tiny bit of tack kept the cupcakes centered with all of their frosting intact! Guests said the cupcakes made it home in perfect form!

Does anyone else have graduations coming up this month? Any fun graduation party details to share?

Graduation 2010 - One Smart Cookie

It is graduation season again, and it's time to break out of the luau theme. Do you have a smart cookie graduating this year? Well then, let the world know with a cookie-themed soiree! With the dessert table as the new black this party season, use your skills to set up a cookie buffet as part of your party setup.

Since I'm not about reinventing the wheel, here's a repost of my cookie buffet post, with some new twists. Who could resist a milk-and-cookie graduation send-off? And note all the different ways the confections are displayed, from apothecary jars to buckets, just make it special with labels, ribbons, the possibilities are endless. Repurposing shot glasses and cake platters, sheer genius at this wedding. Over at Toast and Tables, a beautiful spread where they served milk out of vintage glass containers. Another inspired spread from Rebecca Thuss; I love the personalized cookie envelopes. b.a.s.h.ful Events put together a lovely spread for a baptism, check out the labels on the bags and the cookie tags. A beautiful buffet at Gourmet.com took the place of the wedding cake at this ceremony. Yes, I can't get enough of this baby shower spread at Most Likely Late, this is the second time I've blogged about it. Need a few freebies to help your party decor budget? Over at No Fuss Fabulous, she shares a free download for placecards while Living Locurto has free downloads that would make great stickers on your guests' treat bags. Not Just A Mommy!

Coordinating Your Drinks to Your Party

Happy Tuesday! EventLucky is back to share another event planning tip with you! I hope you enjoy-- and I would love to hear from you! 

I love it when people match a drink to the decor of a party. Whether a signature cocktail or a few thoughtful choices, it shows that the host took the time to consider her guests preferences while making stylish choices. And, as a host, it can manage your costs.  Good deal, all round!

For a night time event, pick your favorite cocktail and have some pre-made on hand. Or, coordinate by color. 

 

If you love the look- and taste-- of martinis Martha had a great suggestion of using more curved glasses with a stem. Kinda of fun and retro, and less dangerous for spills.

For daytime or more intimate evening events, its nice to have a signature drink deconstructed for the most options.  For an example,  if you wanted to have this Pomegranate and Citrus drink, you could have pitchers of both juices, as well as seltzer and the liquor of your choice (champagne, vodka, or rum).  Even if the signature drink is most dramatic and beautiful, guests can make a drink that best appeals to them. 

You can spruce up your drinks by adding spice (like saffron and vanilla), infuse drinks with tea, or infusing your vodka. Or, the easiest-- adding fresh herbs. This spring of mint makes this cranberry drink special.

Lastly, decorating the bar--

or the glasses can create a party atmosphere.  Paper butterflies, parasols or ribbons make these drinks so festive.

What are your favorite drinks for a party? Do you choose by color or taste?

See you next Tuesday! xoxo EventLucky

DIY Recipe: Fortune Cookies

 

 

Am I the only one that likes to take packages and packages of fortune cookies away from my favorite Asian restaurant? I usually end up having to pay extra because they're just that delicious! Well, I found a pretty simple recipe that adds a gourmet spin to this cultural staple. Head on over to No Fuss Fabulous for more. 

More ideas at Sweet Cuddlecakes.  

Final Exam Time!

If anyone in your family or group of friends is in the midst of cramming for final exams, why not send a care package loaded with treats and small, thoughtful gifts? It will definitely brighten their day! Here are some ideas beyond the traditional granola bars, microwave popcorn, and candy to get you started:

• To help students stay awake: fairly traded, shade grown, organic coffee, tea, or chocolate
• To de-stress: bubbles, stress balls
• To stay healthy: Emergen-C
• To stay sharp: a Rubik's Cube
• To focus: ear plugs
• To study: highlighters, color coded Post-it flags, index cards, and a book clip
• For good luck: custom fortune cookies

Throw in something specific to the student. For undergrads, maybe a roll of quarters for laundry. Med students might appreciate this plush heart. Law students might like a dvd of one of the greatest legal movies of all time.

Be creative!

Graduation Toasts

It's that time of year again where we wish all of our graduates good luck and much success.
While you may be attending some Graduation dinners, here are a few suggestions on a simple and encouraging toast to your Grad.

*“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”-Emerson

*“I hope your dreams take you... to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.”-unknown

*“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”-Eleanor Roosevelt

*“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”-Henry David Thoreau

*“All our dreams can come true...if we have the courage to pursue them.”-Walt Disney

*“School's out, Memories past, Don't ever doubt, Our friendship will last.”-unknown

*“The human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, to triumph to be happy.”-Ben Stein

Grad Gifts

This time of year, there are a lot of graduations, both High School and College. Gifts for grads are often times on the boring side, usually gift certificates or cash. While these are safe gifts, here are some ideas to give your graduate what they really want on this life-changing day.

- Personalized Gifts: These can really only be successfully done if you've known the graduate for at least a few years, but most likely if you are going to their graduation, you've known them for a while. Personalized gifts would include anything with personal photos, engraved names/messages (like in jewelry), or even video montages.

- Vacations: This is more for the parents, who generally spend a LOT more money on graduation gifts. Vacations to your grad's favorite city is an excellent gift, especially after the stress of completing school. There can't really be an element of surprise for this one; be sure to ask your grad where they'd like to go!

- Tech Gifts: I don't know a single grad that wouldn't love to get a laptop, a new iPod, or that hot new cellular phone. The great thing about these gifts is that they are useful for both work and play, so aside from being cool gadgets, they can help your young adult excel in the real world.

- The Essentials: As boring as it sounds, if your grad is moving into a dorm or their first apartment, there are several essential things that graduates might not have the dough for right away. While they may not be extravagant, buying things like microwaves, bedsheet sets, bookshelves, and small TVs can be very useful to a new grad.

- Sentimental Letter: This costs no money at all (well, except for maybe the paper), and can make the biggest impact of all. Writing a sentimental letter to the grad about your years spent together, how proud you are of them, and how well you wish them in the future can be the most treasured gift out of the whole pile.

End of School Year Thank You Gifts

The school year is rapidly approaching the end. For some lucky kids, summer is in full swing already.
Many teachers still have a few days of clean up and winding down before their school year is officially over. Don't let the year slip away without thanking those who make an impact on your child's life everyday during the school year.

Here is an easy and inexpensive way to thank the special people in your kids life:

Take a digital photo of your child. Print multiple copies and then paste them to a sheet of construction paper. Depending on the age of your child, have your son or daughter help with the gluing.
Next instruct your child to write something nice to each person or draw a picture that represents what this person means to them. For example your child can write 'my bus driver, Mr Hansen gets me to school safely everyday, thank you Mr Hansen!'
They can draw a nice picture next to their picture.
This little project should not take too long and it will teach your children to appreciate what people do for a living and how many people care about them on a daily basis!

Here are some people to consider thanking:
The Teacher
The Bus-driver
The School Nurse
The Principle
The Teacher's Aide
The Janitor

You don't need to spend a lot of money on an 'end of school year gift'. Thanking these people with something from the heart will surely put a smile on their face.

Happy Summer everyone!

Backyard Bashes

It might only be May, but who says it has to be blistering hot to enjoy the outdoors? This would actually be a great time to throw a backyard bash, which can be for really any occasion. I personally will be having at least two in the next month, one for my brother's graduation and one for my parents' housewarming party.

Here are some delicious recipes for any outdoors event!

      

Deviled Eggs
6 eggs, hard boiled, cooled, and peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
Hot pepper sauce
Paprika
Salt and pepper
Variation: add 1 teaspoon chopped canned jalapeno peppers
Place the cooked egg yolks in a bowl. Using a fork, work the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, chives, and salt and pepper into the yolks to form a smooth paste. Taste. Place 1/2 of this mixture in a small pastry bag with a large star tip. To the remaining mixture, add the jalapenos and season with Hot pepper sauce. Fill 6 of the egg halves with the basic filling. Fill the pastry bag with the jalapeno filling. Fill the remaining egg white halves. Top with paprika.

Potato Salad
4 potatoes
4 eggs
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup sweet relish
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain and chop. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water; peel and chop. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, sweet relish, garlic, mustard, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Gently mix together and serve warm.

Baby Back Ribs
2 pounds pork baby back ribs
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil big enough to enclose each portion of ribs. Spray each piece of foil with vegetable cooking spray. Brush the ribs liberally with barbeque sauce and place each portion in its own piece of foil. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake ribs wrapped tightly in the foil at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from foil and add more sauce, if desired.

Whatever foods you make, be sure to check the weather ahead of time, wear plenty of sunscreen, and most of all, enjoy each other's company - which is what any party is all about!