Party Invitations, Party Planning & Event Ideas

the Rad Mad Hatter Tea Party- birthday party for my 4 year old daughter!

my little sweet baby girl is turning 4 {actually, i'm quite convinced she is 15, but that's another story}. i have never made a big deal for her birthday parties as i felt she was too young to really remember them. but, this year, she will remember this party. and, since i am completely head over heals in love with my scoots {have no clue where the nickname came from, but it stuck!}, this party has to be great.

she loves tea and she loves to throw tea parties. yesterday, we had 12 tea parties in 2 hours. we both had a great time, and my daughter was the perfect hostess. always refilling my tea cup and "brewing" fresh teas {water} for me to try.

so, when she asked me for a tea party birthday, i thought, of course! but wait, all of her friends are boys. hmmm.

i was working on another event for a client who loves bright colors, and i stumbled upon this cake.

this cake {if you made this cake, please let me know. i found a picture online with no credit. it's amazing!} sparked the inspiration for the "Rad Mad Hatter Tea Party" the perfect compromise. it's still a tea party, but it's not completely girly. i mean, who hasn't read/seen Alice in Wonderland? {if you haven't read the Lewis Carroll books, you simply must stop whatever you're doing and read them immediately!}

i googled "Alice in Wonderland Party" and you wouldn't believe what I found!!! instructions, ideas, menus, recipes, games, crafts, and so much more!!!!!

the birlliant Meghann at Urbanity Studios is creating a custom design for our invitation. Meghann is another guest blogger here. If you haven't checked out her site, do so immediately! her stuff is simply amazing and lovely!

we will be using as many elements from the story/movie as possible. everything will be topsy-turvy, bright, colorful, delirious, and as the nature of children's parties, a bit chaotic. i can't wait!!!

as i get further into the planning and design phases of this party, i will be posting more information.

now, i just have to decide if i want to hire a petting zoo, a bounce house, a face painter, or all three! {ok- probably not all three}

as always, i love your ideas and suggestions!

thanks!
allison@occasions&style

Mix up your next Barbeque Event

Make your barbeque stand out with a fun and crowd-engaging activity. Our idea centers around a drink “mixology” contest (the art or skill of preparing mixed drinks), but you can easily adapt this for a cook-off contest consisting of the best BBQ or a bake-off contest for the best dessert. These activities are fun, interactive, and engage the whole group.

How to orchestrate the contest:

Tell guests ahead of time that you are holding a contest, in this case a drink mixology contest, and ask them to bring the ingredients of the drink they are going to enter (inform them to bring enough for all your guests to taste). During your barbeque, provide your contestants with a pitcher identified with a number taped to it. Give your contestants a place to secretly create their concoction and then have them place their entry next to the others. Provide your “tasters” (aka all your guests) tasting cups, a slip of paper and a pencil to write down which drink they deem the best. Allow guests to taste test the concoctions, write down their choice and deposit the slips into a bowl or other container. When the votes are tallied, award the winner with a fun prize. Inexpensive prizes can consist of a chef’s apron with an iron-on decal declaring the title such as, “Mixologist of the Year.” Other prizes may include some fun unbreakable cocktail glasses or clever cocktail napkins.

Have fun! From your friends at Urbanity.

Blackboard Tags

Run, don't walk, to your local Pottery Barn! On sale now for $12.99, these mini chalkboard tags come in a set of six, chalk included. Available only in stores, grab a bunch of these sets and use them at your next dinner party. Hang them of wine bottles to let your guests know something about the wine your serving. Tie them around silverware and put your guests' names on the tag for a chic way to assign seats.

Go the extra mile and add more chalkboard details with chalkboard paint. For a shower, play a game of Jeopardy! Paint small 5X7 heavy paper boards (frame them in something pretty if you want - sans glass cover of course) and let guests use them to write out their answers.

For more chalkboard chic ideas, check out Modern Vintage.

The Host and the RSVP

A failure to RSVP is usually a problem for event and party hosts.

R.S.V.P.- the French phrase "répondez s'il vous plait," means "please reply". An incomplete list of respondents can cause numerous problems for a host, including difficulty in contracts with venues, planning schedules, food, parking, security, people-moving, seating, party favors and more. Sometimes the biggest issue is embarrassment for the host or the guest of honor.

Include the question the extent of your need for RSVPs in early planning phases of your event. If your event is formal or complex or expensive- you must be willing to suffer over your numbers. If you can afford to be hospitable by being more flexible or casual or simple or spending more money (!) - you will have less to worry over with your response rate.

However, we all have times when we want to provide a finely-tuned, high quality experience for guests, and the RSVP is the way to accomplish this. If you have an event that needs all the fine-tuning that a solid RSVP system provides, here are some ideas:

Take ample time on the invitations . Consider it an investment that can really pay off in favorable response for your event. Make the invitations memorable. Color, style, design, scale, a gimmick – consider these as techniques to trigger people's memory. Tune your invitation to the event so that it sets an accurate set of expectations in your guest's mind – for instance, if it is highly formal, you need to stay within formal perimeters.

Time invitations to arrive on a Saturday when people are less pre-occupied.

Hand-deliver invitations if you can.

Give multiple options for RSVPing, like self-addressed/stamped reply cards, a phone number, e-mail address or web portal to reply.

If you need to, set a clear, firm RSVP date. Include a phrase like: "This date cannot extend, promptness is a must. If we do not hear in time we must sadly take you from our list..."

For more formal events, use wording: “We will reserve 4 seat(s) in your honor until April 25, 2007” on the RSVP card. This firmly indicates the maximum number of guests you are inviting and the need for a response.

Cover issues of people bringing children, dates or guests. Never print "no children" or "adults only" on an invitation. The way an invitation is addressed should indicate the names of exactly who - and by omission, who is not invited. Or, one can print: “Adult Reception.” Consider providing a babysitting service for your event if the participation of children presents a problem.

If you are still having difficulty getting RSVPs:

Send out an email or call those you have not heard from by a certain date - it's perfectly acceptable in all guides on good manners.

Use face-saving phrases like:
"It has come to our attention that some people have not received their invitations to our event on May 3, 2007. If you did not receive your invitation, please let me know immediately so we can send another one. Hope to hear that you can attend the event!!"

General ideas for more casual events:

Repetition really helps and is acceptable. Plan to start with a “save the date” notice, followed with an invitation, send a “party details” notice about a week before your event.

Try withholding specific tantalizing information until they RSVP. This withheld information could be the theme, dress code, directions or an address for the party. One party with a Secret Agent theme incorporated this seamlessly and got a great RSVP response.

What hosts should know about R.S.V.P. manners:

Be clear and give good direction. Do not be upset at people if you have not communicated well.

People are obligated to R.S.V.P. any time that they are invited to an event. That does not mean that they know this fact or will comply.

People should respond by the date on the invitation. If there is no date, they should reply within 48 hours.

For formal events, like weddings, provide a self-addressed, stamped response card. For a more casual event, invite a phone call or an e-mail RSVP.

If a guest responds “no” and then finds they can attend, it is appropriate to call the host and explain that they are honored to be invited, that schedules have changed and, if it's convenient, they'd like to attend. Hosts can accept or say no.

If it is an out-of-town event or a financially complicated event, potential guests can call and explain and ask what the absolute latest date to R.S.V.P. is. This is an acceptable inquiry on the part of your potential guest.

For the most part, seeing the RSVPs roll in can be a fun part of planning your event!

Margarita Mix-Off!

Every year we have a Margarita Mix-Off at our house to determine which of our friends have the skills to take the gold medal each year.
This is one of those parties where all of our friends call throughout the year to ask 'when's the next party?'

Here's a sure way to have a blast at your next adults only party. Believe me with Tequila, things can get a bit messy, you don't want kids around at this party.
Use Sendomatic.com to find the perfect invitation. A good party has at least 4-6 couples so that there is a good range of margaritas to be made. Instruct each couple to bring fixin's for their best round of Margaritas.
**Don't forget to have your guest RSVP! You need to tell everyone how many margaritas they should be prepared to serve.
What makes this party fun is that presentation is just as important as flavor. Each couple will name their margarita for voting purposes. We enjoyed a great "squeeze my melons" margarita last year, which was a melon flavored margarita served in halves of hollowed honeydew melons. The creative ideas never cease to amaze us so encourage creativity and costumes!

Once your quest arrive, draw numbers to see who goes first, and get mixin!

Each couple takes a turn in the kitchen preparing their margarita while the rest of the guest chat and snack on the patio. After tasting the margarita each person votes individually on taste and presentation separately. (make pre-made voting cards before the party, it's much easier for everyone to use after a few margaritas).
Continue to taste and enjoy everyones creative margaritas. Vote at the end, tally the votes, and declare the best margarita maker in your hood. You can provide a nice prize for both taste and presentation!

You will want to also have on hand:
Lots of water
Lots of food
Taxi cab #'s
and don't forget the camera!

have fun!

Creative Guest Book

A guest book is a great way to remember a fantastic party.  Here is a twist on the standard guest book idea that will be cherished by your guest of honor and fun for your guests to make.  Set a blank guest book or just a blank paged book on a table at the party.  Place some scissors, a selection of colored paper, a glue stick, and pens on the table.  As soon as the guests arrive, start taking Polaroids or digital pictures that you can instantly print out. Continuously place the photos on the table as they are available.  Tell your guests to write a little something in the guest book and to be creative!  You will be amazed at how interesting the book will turn out (and you barely had to lift a finger!)

Ahoy! A Treasure Hunt!

My son had a blast looking for hidden easter eggs this Easter...which gave me the idea of another hiding game we will have to play at our next party - a Treasure Hunt!    Whether it be in our backyard sandbox or on a nearby beach, I'll hide treats in the sand, rake it smooth, then let the kids at it.    I could bury small toys, candies (wrapped in plastic bags), or other items depending on the theme of the party.   I can envision adults enjoying this game when they find $5 Starbucks, Target, or Barnes & Noble gift cards.  For a girlie party, lip glosses and hair accessories would be great treasures to find.  Just make sure the treasures are not going to break when trampled on and aren't going to cut the "hunter's" hands.  For children, you may need to set a treasure limit so there are enough treasures for everyone.  This game can also be used as the delivery system for party favors too.  So, enjoy the spring weather and start hunting!

Instant Superbowl Party

Step-by-step guide to planning your superbowl party:

1. Send out your Sendomatic Superbowl invitations today.
2. Order your football pinata and some football rockets for some half-time fun.
3. Make up a trivia game (find a wealth of info at NFL.com) for your guests.  Or use this prepared Superbowl trivia.
4. Print out enough Superbowl buzzword bingo cards for your guests to play during the game. 
5. Be sure to have some prizes for the winners of your party games.  This football cap and football glasses are sure to be a hit.
6. It probably doesn't matter what kind of snacks you provide as long as there is enough drinks and snacks to last the whole game....but here are some tempting superbowl ideas...Bar-b-q pork sandwiches, nachos, or sloppy joes. 
7. Provide noisemakers to keep everyone in the spirit.  Check out these football horns and football tambourines. 

These tips should make for a SUPER-bowl party!!!!!  Go Team!

Art Party For Any Age Group

Looking for a birthday party theme for the kid in your life? How about working around the the theme of art? Not only does this theme work for many age categories, it also can provide lots of activities to keep the kids occupied.

Start by sending invitations with words like, " you are specially invited to the unveiling of Ella's 4th birthday..." There are some great invitations on sendomatic.com. I especially like the one called "rainbow". It is not specific to birthday, but with all of the creative options on this website for invitations, you can take this invitation and really cater it to work for the art theme. Be sure to include in your invitation, a request that the children wear clothes that can get "dirty". You don't want an upset parent when she sees purple paint on the party dress...

The ideas for a party theme like this are endless, so I will just highlight a few to get you started. For toddlers or younger children, it's easier to keep it simple. Use artist's tools such as non-toxic paints or crayons. If you provide the paper, young children will play Picasso. But take it a step further and provide inexpensive frames for your artists to display and share with their parents when they get home. For older children, say 5 and up, buy some inexpensive T-shirts and provide fabric paint for everyone to make their own shirt. This is a great take home gift. For the older kids, provide a beading station where the kids can make necklaces or bracelets out of beautiful beads. The craft stores have endless, pre-packaged supplies for this type of activity and surprisingly, some boys will enjoy this activity too. Be sure to provide cool beads like surf boards or sharks teeth for the boys. They can make cool necklaces with boy like charms.

Try hiring a sketch artist or face painter for your party. This will also provide entertainment for the kids. Each kid can take home a small cartoon of themselves with the birthday girl or birthday boy. You can take pictures of each child after their face has been painted and then create a collage for your child to hang in their room

For the eating area, spread the table with butcher paper and place tins with crayons or writing utensils which are age appropriate. Encourage everyone to doodle while they eat. It's fun to see what everyone has come up with and at the end of the party, the birthday girl or boy can hang the banner like art in their room to remember their party.
Food should be easy for this theme. Go Italian, after all, Italy is where a lot of our most famous artist have come from, so celebrate them and eat pizza! For dessert either buy or bake cupcakes but request that the baker leave the frosting off. You can whip up a batch of frosting yourself or ask the baker to provide some separately. Either way, choose a few different colors of frosting and purchase a few tubes of cake decorations and various sprinkles. Let the guest decorate their own cupcakes. See, I just added another activity to the party.

Decorations should be easy for this theme too. Start off by having your birthday girl or boy create a few "masterpieces" on large pieces of butcher paper. Place the art of the same size foam core or thick backed paper to give the piece some rigidity. Stop by the art store and pick up a few easels to display the artwork. Don't forget to have your child sign their piece for authenticity...

What I love about this party theme is that it can work for many ages and it provides a lot of options for activities. In addition, rather than sending each child home with plastic trinkets that will get thrown out the next day, each person has nice mementos from your child's birthday. You can really get creative with a theme like this. Have fun!

Hip Holiday Exchange Party

Looking for a fun way to put a twist on the traditional gift exchange party? Whether you are hosting a party for the bunko girls or getting a group of your closest couple friends together to ring in the Holiday season, this idea is a sure way to spice things up.

Include in your invitation, instructions for each guest to purchase a non-gender specific gift. Put a limit on the gifts so that the gift giving is fun and not a competition. By the way, looking for fresh invitations? Log onto sendomatic.com and find the perfect design for your Holiday fun filled fiesta.

Before your party begins, take some time to write a clever Holiday story of Santa, his crew and the perils of finding the 'Hiding House of Helen and Hubert'. Make sure that your story incorporates lots of left-turns, right-turns, and a few u-turns in between.

Once your party has kicked it into high gear and your and your friends are ready to exchange gifts, have everyone stand in a circle holding their gifts. Begin reading your prepared story and instruct the guests to pass the gift with every twist and turn in the story. Once the story is over, the gift which ends up in each person's hands is the gift that they leave with.
This is a great way to funk up your gift exchange party and get some belly laughs from your friends.
Happy Holiday Happenings!