Roxie I love hosting parties. Birthday parties, Christmas parties, wedding and baby showers … I do not discriminate! If it is worth celebrating then I am ready to party! I thought I would share with you one of the parties that I hosted recently and let you in on a few of my tips for throwing a successful gathering. This past October, Jorjanne and I hosted a wedding shower for our gal Tara. Tara and Phillip are getting married in March and we couldn’t wait to celebrate this precious couple! An evening in October was chosen as the date and invitations were ordered!
The Importance of Nice Invitations
I cannot stress enough the importance of a beautiful invitation. This sets the tone for your entire event.
The Importance of Nice Invitations
I cannot stress enough the importance of a beautiful invitation. This sets the tone for your entire event.
I found these particular invites on Minted, and knew the minute that I saw them that they had Tara’s name written all over them! They perfectly summed up the feel of the evening I was planning and were also a nod to Tara’s personal taste and style. When your guests receive a beautiful invitation in the mail, it immediately makes them want to be a part of the event. I know that costs are sometimes an issue when deciding whether or not to send invitations. There are many creative things you can print on your own computer if ordering custom invitations are just not in your party budget.
I know it has become trendy to send evites or Facebook invites. I also know that some of you will disagree with me on this point but let me make it very clear how I feel about this issue. I do not think eviting or any other kind of impersonal electronic invitation is appropriate for showers, weddings, and other formal events. I know these mediums of social interaction have their place in the world, such as kids’ birthday parties, community events and casual get-togethers, but using them as an invitation to a meaningful event in one’s life is just tacky.
The Guest List
Your party budget will usually dictate what size party you plan. I tend to like smaller get-togethers but as our little circle grows the list keeps getting bigger! When planning your guest list, keep in mind the comfort of your party-goers. You want folks to feel comfortable with each other. If you invite a hodge-podge of people with no connection, you are setting yourself up for an uncomfortable evening. Jorj and I decided to invite our Fourth and Cherry family as well as Tara’s and Phillip’s immediate families. You can see from the pictures that we had a great turn-out! (Our Fourth and Cherry family is always growing!)
I know it has become trendy to send evites or Facebook invites. I also know that some of you will disagree with me on this point but let me make it very clear how I feel about this issue. I do not think eviting or any other kind of impersonal electronic invitation is appropriate for showers, weddings, and other formal events. I know these mediums of social interaction have their place in the world, such as kids’ birthday parties, community events and casual get-togethers, but using them as an invitation to a meaningful event in one’s life is just tacky.
The Guest List
Your party budget will usually dictate what size party you plan. I tend to like smaller get-togethers but as our little circle grows the list keeps getting bigger! When planning your guest list, keep in mind the comfort of your party-goers. You want folks to feel comfortable with each other. If you invite a hodge-podge of people with no connection, you are setting yourself up for an uncomfortable evening. Jorj and I decided to invite our Fourth and Cherry family as well as Tara’s and Phillip’s immediate families. You can see from the pictures that we had a great turn-out! (Our Fourth and Cherry family is always growing!)
The Location
I live in a tiny 980-square-foot house, but I am blessed to own a beautiful building with a nice big Café dining room! When I entertain, I usually do it at The Café! If you are planning a large party, consider renting a venue. If this is in the budget, it will make things a lot easier on you (the hostess). You will not have to worry about set-up and clean-up, and you will have help! If it is a smaller party or if you have a large home, then by all means have your get-together at your house! I think inviting people into your home is such a gracious way to make folks feel loved and included. It is so personal! People don’t open their homes up to guests much these days and if you do, you will see, it goes a long way to make your guests feel important. It is also so much fun to get to use all your pretty things!
I live in a tiny 980-square-foot house, but I am blessed to own a beautiful building with a nice big Café dining room! When I entertain, I usually do it at The Café! If you are planning a large party, consider renting a venue. If this is in the budget, it will make things a lot easier on you (the hostess). You will not have to worry about set-up and clean-up, and you will have help! If it is a smaller party or if you have a large home, then by all means have your get-together at your house! I think inviting people into your home is such a gracious way to make folks feel loved and included. It is so personal! People don’t open their homes up to guests much these days and if you do, you will see, it goes a long way to make your guests feel important. It is also so much fun to get to use all your pretty things!
Choosing the Menu
Whether you are planning heavy hors d’oeuvres or a meal, you want to make sure that it is something that the guests of honor like! In this case, after much discussion with Tara and Phillip, we decided on traditional southern fare of pot roast cooked with carrots, potatoes, green beans and Vidalia onions. We served this up with warm yeast rolls and sweet tea, of course! I have found that simple meals like this are always a crowd pleaser and you (the hostess) don’t have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen preparing high maintenance, frou-frou food that no one wants to eat.
Whether you are planning heavy hors d’oeuvres or a meal, you want to make sure that it is something that the guests of honor like! In this case, after much discussion with Tara and Phillip, we decided on traditional southern fare of pot roast cooked with carrots, potatoes, green beans and Vidalia onions. We served this up with warm yeast rolls and sweet tea, of course! I have found that simple meals like this are always a crowd pleaser and you (the hostess) don’t have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen preparing high maintenance, frou-frou food that no one wants to eat.
For Dessert we served my dad’s famous bread pudding along with red velvet cupcakes and amaretto sour cupcakes. All three were a big hit! Click this link to find the recipe we used for the amaretto sour cupcakes. http://buicupcakes.com/2014/02/16/amaretto-sour-cupcakes/
We also decided to serve beer and wine and one signature cocktail. Tara’s drink of choice is the amaretto sour, and we thought it appropriate to welcome our guests for the evening with a specialty cocktail. I would like to add that every good, southern hostess knows that providing a little cocktail goes a long way in helping your guests relax and enjoy each other’s company!
The Decorations (My Favorite Part!)
Decorating for an event is just one of my favorite things to do! For this party, I drew inspiration from the color palette that Tara has chosen for her wedding. Blush, Ivory and Navy set the tone for the evening! I also wanted the party to have a vintage feel as Tara, Jorjanne and I are all lovers of all things vintage! I spent a month scouring EBay for vintage pink damask napkins.
Decorating for an event is just one of my favorite things to do! For this party, I drew inspiration from the color palette that Tara has chosen for her wedding. Blush, Ivory and Navy set the tone for the evening! I also wanted the party to have a vintage feel as Tara, Jorjanne and I are all lovers of all things vintage! I spent a month scouring EBay for vintage pink damask napkins.
It took me no time to order enough for the party. This might seem costly but it really wasn’t. If you keep your eyes open and are a savvy shopper there are deals to be had! I ordered ivory polka dot lace to cover the tables, which was completely beautiful with just a touch of whimsy! A very sweet friend let me borrow miss-matched tea glasses and mixed flatware for the occasion. Since the napkins, glasses and silverware were all an eclectic mix, I opted for plain white plates. Didn’t want to go too overboard with the mixing and matching! If mixing patterned china is more your style, then think about using the same napkin and tea glass on all tables. Having a little continuity helps ground your tablescape and helps make sure the guests see what you want them to see.
I ordered white and green hydrangeas from my local flower provider and cut all other greenery and florals from my dad’s and my yards. Using what you find right in your own back yard will not only stretch your budget, but I think it just looks prettier and more genuine. What better way to make things feel personal than to collect your floral embellishments from your own back yard! The arrangements for this party were displayed in clear hobnail jars. Perfection!
I wanted the hydrangeas to have a pink tint. Floral spray paint can be purchased from your local floral provider or craft store. If you don’t use too heavy a hand, your tinted flowers may be prettier than the real thing! Helpful Hint: I didn’t have any floral paint so I used regular, pale pink spray paint. Worked like a charm, just be careful not to over-do it!
The Timeline
I am not one to like to play games or to feel the need to provide entertainment. If you get the right folks together, they provide their own entertainment! For this party, we had a short cocktail time while folks arrived and got comfortable. This was followed by a buffet dinner and dessert. When the bride and groom had finished eating we moved right along to opening presents! Your guests really appreciate it if you keep the evening moving!
The Timeline
I am not one to like to play games or to feel the need to provide entertainment. If you get the right folks together, they provide their own entertainment! For this party, we had a short cocktail time while folks arrived and got comfortable. This was followed by a buffet dinner and dessert. When the bride and groom had finished eating we moved right along to opening presents! Your guests really appreciate it if you keep the evening moving!
You can see from the pictures that we had a great time celebrating the upcoming marriage of Tara and Phillip! I hope my little tips were helpful. I am sure we will be talking more about entertaining in the future!
Some of my favorite entertaining items are available for purchase at The Southern Mercantile! Click HERE to head to the store!
If you are always looking for good party ideas and menu ideas, follow The Southern Mercantile on Pinterest. We are sharing new ideas every day!
https://www.pinterest.com/thesouthernmerc/
Thanks for reading; we hope you will continue to share The Southern Mercantile with your friends. We just love to see our little online community growing!
If you are always looking for good party ideas and menu ideas, follow The Southern Mercantile on Pinterest. We are sharing new ideas every day!
https://www.pinterest.com/thesouthernmerc/
Thanks for reading; we hope you will continue to share The Southern Mercantile with your friends. We just love to see our little online community growing!
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