Party Talk

IN MEMORIAM: Indoor Parties

It’s May, the lusty month of May (thank my interest in Broadway musicals for that line), and it’s time to move parties from indoors to outdoors beginning on Memorial Day.

It used to be that Memorial Day meant you could start wearing white.  But now it means, it’s time to party, picnic and enjoy nature.  And I’m first on the block.  Twinkle lights on all my railings and fences, Japanese lanterns hanging from my trees, flowers and lush green plants anywhere and everywhere, tiki torches lining my pathways, umbrella tables with citronella candles disguised with a “people inviting scent” in pretty little buckets.  And then.  The zapper.  Not at my house.

No. No. No.  Please, I beg you.  I’ve been at so many outdoor events, relaxed, laid back, drinking a summer-tini when all of a sudden…zap or more like ziiiiiiipich.  An unsuspecting mosquito, moth or poor dragon fly flies into the light only to be electrocuted.  Some rally at the sound with a resounding, “yesssss!”  Others, like me, are jolted into reality that a) nothing lives forever; b) what a terrible way to go; and, c) this is nature at its worst.

Thus, in closing, I ask you go to your favorite home store, get a little froggy citronella candle or a lady bug…they work just as well, they don’t smell like they used to and the bugs avoid them without the need of a funeral!

Have fun outdoors, and have a great Memorial Day Party!
The Party Girl

LOST Series Finale Party

 

The finale of LOST is airing Sunday, May 23rd beginning with a recap show at 7pm EST. So, gather your friends together to celebrate and have a LOST finale party and to finally get some answers about what is happening on that Island!

Send a Dharma theme recruiting letter invitation to the finale.  Keep your text simple without giving too many details since we all know how evasive those Dharma folks can be with information.  Tell everyone that they have been chosen by the Dharma Initiative for an important job and let all the recruits know what time they need to report to the submarine.  Maybe send a small package of jelly beans with the invitation and cover the label.  Tell people to please eat the "vitamins" before getting on board the sub.  (You do remember that all the Dharma recruits were knocked out during the submarine rides, right?)

Ask everyone to dress in their finest LOST theme apparel.  Some may show up in ratty tank tops and jeans.  Others may wear jumpsuits.  Some may dress in 70s gear.  Maybe someone will come wearing scrubs pretending to be Jack Shepard.  I'd wear a tank top and a pretend pregnancy belly to be Claire.  You'll want to have a camera on hand for pictures of this crowd!

You can also turn an area of your party room into your own Dharma station.  Start with 70s music playing in the background.  Then give all of your guests a plain white nametag to wear with their name and Dharma job.  Make sure someone is a "Workman" and that you have a security team.  Name different areas around the house (or party location for the different Dharma stations, such as The Swan, The Hydra, The Flame, The Looking Glass and The Orchid.  Small signs with our faux logo work perfectly.) 

For your menu will be determined by the time of your party.  If you're having people for just the show, then all you need are some desserts and snacks.  If you want to start the festivities early, start with dinner.  Theme all your food around LOST, of course.  Here are some food ideas that work well at a LOST party:

• Fried chicken - cover the boxes with homemade "Clucks Chicken" labels and even add a photo of Hurley
•  Island Fare - coconut shrimp, jerk chicken, etc.
• Airplane food - for snacks, offer airplane pretzels and peanuts.  For the meal, serve everyone on those small trays used on a plane.  (Those small bottles of alcohol would be fun too!)

All ready to Throw your own LOST theme party? Check out the full "The End is Near: A LOST Series Finale Party" for even more great party ideas!

Passport Invitations

We are so excited about our newest product, custom Passport Invitations.  These handmade passports look incredibly authentic.  They are all handmade and have a great variety of color and design options.  We think they'll be great for weddings, save the date cards, luaus, welcome home parties for soldiers, birthdays, Bat and Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events....the list goes on and on! 

 
Take a look at your passport invitations.  We hope you enjoy them as much as we do at Party411.com!

Graduation Party FAQ

There are many graduation parties right around the corner, and we are seeing lots of questions about the do's, don'ts and hows of graduation parties. We thought we would share a few of the more popular questions (and their answers).

How far in advance should invitations be mailed?

We recommend mailing invitations 3-4 weeks before the graduation party. If you're inviting out of town guests, contact them with the date as soon as possible so they can schedule their trip. You can also give an advanced notice to "save the date" to the a-list guests, like Grandma and Grandpa.

How long should a graduation party last?

3-4 hours is sufficent for an open house graduation party. If you are hosting a party with a set time plan on 3 hours.

I have been invited to one graduation party that's for multiple students, but I only know one of them. Is it okay not to give a gift to the people you don't know?

There is no need to give a gift to the graduate that you don't know. Furthermore, it is not required that you give a gift to the grad you do know! I am sure it will be appreciated, but not absolutely necessary.

Is it proper to open graduation gifts during the party, or should we wait until after the guests leave?

Most graduates do not open gifts during the party. Many of the gift will be cards and money, so there is not a lot to ohh and ahh over like a baby shower or birthday party. Most gifts are money, so there is little for your guests to see. If a guest asks you to open their gift (because they want to see your reaction) open it and express your gratitude.

I am doing all the food myself, how do I make it easy?

Set up self-maintaining buffet and drink areas. Serve food that people can graze on, such as dips and appetizers. Veggie trays and fruit bowls are a staple. Food off the grill is another good way to go... hot dogs, hamburgers and the like. Fill those large foil roasting pans with with make ahead recipes and reheat before the party. BBQ meatballs, baked beans, macaroni and cheese... there are lots of possibilities. Don't commit to anything that will keep you in the kitchen and away from the guests.

Fill coolers with ice and cans of soda, water bottles and juice boxes. Beer should go in a seperate cooler. Disposable paper goods are a must. Make sure to have trash and recycling bins stationed around the party.

If you want to keep it really simple consider the perfect easy party food - Pizza! And don't be afraid to ask for help. I am sure Aunt Becky will bring her 7 layer taco dip and Grandma will bring her famous butter cookies.

We are have a lot of guests, what am I going to do about parking?

Every situation is different, and while I can't give you specific advice, I can advise you to have a plan! How many people are you having? Will there be enough parking on the street? Is there an empty lot nearby that you can use? Are your neighbors willing to let you use their driveways? Are your neighbors having a party that day too which might cause more headaches? Identify potential challenges and plan ahead. You may want to consider an open house where people can drop in at different times, so not everyone is arriving at the same time.

Hopefully that cleared up a few of your graduation party questions. If you have a question that we didn't answer here, leave us a comment, or send us a note on Twitter or Facebook. We are always happy to help!

Golf Theme Party

Josh's Golf Bar Mitzvah was a Hole in One!

We filled the lobby with golf balloons, custom golf tee signs and a lifesize cutout of the Bar Mitzvah boy, which also served as a sign in board.

We made a 3D golf  hole display (complete with sand!) to sit on the seating card table.  There guests got a seating card attached to a personalized Golf Stress Reliever.

In the ballroom guests found an oversized sign over the DJ welcoming them to Josh's par-tee!  Each table was set with beautiful golf theme linens.  Centerpieces were giant golf banks on Astroturf with balloons coming out of the bank.  And, each guest got a personalized golf water bottle.

As guests left for the evening, they were handed a gift bag with Imprinted Golf Tees and a personalized golf theme candy bar.  It was a great evening!  FORE!

Party411 can help you plan your golf theme party!  Let us know if you would like more information on any of the products seen in the photos or if you have theme party questions!

May is...

                                                                    Celebrating Armed forces Day,
               U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Eli Jody Medellin

May is National Barbecue Month and National Hamburger Month -  Coincidence? I think not.

May 16th is Rudolph Valentino's Birthday - A very popular cinema actor, born May 6th 1895 as Rodolfo Alfonso Raffaello Piero Filiberto Guglielmi. Have a screening of movies featuring this "Latin Lover" - The Sheik and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are a must!

May 17th is Armed Forces Day  - Several nations celebrate Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. Armed Forced Day in the United States is celebrated on the third Saturday in May with parades, parties and air shows. Hopefully you can host a    Welcome Home Soldier party, if not, a patriotic theme party is a great idea too!

May 30th is the Indianapolis 500 - Time for a Race Day Theme Party!

See more Stuff to Celebrate for May, or take a sneak peek at June!

Diploma Sandwiches

These cute and easy to make Diploma Sandwiches make the perfect graduation party finger foods!

Diploma Sandwiches (recipe and photo from Taste of Home)
Makes 22 sandwiches

Ingredients

1 loaf white or wheat sandwich bread (the light and thin kind), crusts removed
2 cups prepared chicken, tuna or ham salad
Whole chives

Directions

Flatten bread slices with a rolling pin. Spread a rounded tablespoonful of ham salad onto each slice of bread. Gently roll up; tie each with a chive. You should be able to get about 2 roll ups from each slice of bread.