Every host always wants at least two things for his or her party: for guests to have a delightful time, and figuring out how to get more bang for your party planning buck! Today, you’ll find three ways to do just that.
1. Add Depth and Dimension
As at-home hosts, most of us use our furniture to serve on, which usually means lots of flat and boring surfaces. Even if you have fabulous pieces of furniture, it will be boring if everything is the same height without any depth or dimension. We solve this by going vertical whenever possible.
You can always hide books or other stackable objects under linens to place food at varying heights. Pedestals and tiered serving pieces are simple solutions. And in rooms where you have a chandelier, consider hanging florals or light-weight decor instead of placing it only on your tabletop. Keep it interesting and add unexpected elements.
Make fabric your best friend! Any piece of furniture can easily be spiced up with fun and fabulous fabric. You can either splurge by renting beautiful linens from local companies, or you can go to fabric store sales and get something for only a few dollars that you can keep in your supply stash for years to come. Either option is just fine.
Add florals and greenery to bring life to your tabletops. Not just on your main tables, but also in unexpected areas throughout your space. When selecting pieces for your display (especially on your food stations), make sure to choose containers, serving dishes, and arrangements in different sizes and shapes to add depth and dimension.
Trays are also a beautiful way to serve food. When I have the budget to work with, I also make sure we have one or two servers passing hors d’oeuvres on trays in addition to presenting them on food stations. It just makes people feel so pampered and brings the party’s elegance to another level.
You can also customize trays you may pick up at local shops so that you can use them again and again without anyone ever knowing. Spray paint does miraculous things for customizing on a budget. You can also think out of the box with your trays, and buy inexpensive oversized mirrors (watch for jagged edges), old distressed frames without pictures, or even bamboo place mats laid in a tray can be a beautiful presentation. Choose what reflects the formality and tone you want your event to have.
2. Tags and Labels Work Magic
Signage that also reflects your party’s underlying theme is a great way to add wow to your festivities while also providing practical information to your guests about food and beverage. I love having beautiful paper, fabric, wood or even chalkboard signage at stations presented in different ways.
I also have to say a tag does wonders. Adding beautiful tags and custom labels to anything really kicks your presentation up a major notch.
You can add tags or labels to wine bottles and decanters, or even to signature drinks.
Add signage to your stations and your guests will appreciate knowing what they’re eating while enjoying these details.
The best part is, you don’t have to spend a lot of time, money or energy to create a big impact with your signage. You can create these easily by simply using stamps, or you can print a design or fun font at home on pretty paper, or if you really don’t have time, reach out to a local store like Plain Jane’s to create something snazzy.
Ideally your signage, labels, tags and so on will coordinate nicely with your invitations and all other printed materials you may have (like napkins or paper guest towels). Remember - consistency is the queen of personalization!
3. Lighting Tops it All Off
Lighting is crucial to any event. If your guests can’t see, or if it feels like the lighting is harsh, all your other efforts will be pointless. When at all possible, forego the overhead lighting for evening affairs. At night, it’s amazing if your party feels like it’s glowing. Everyone looks more beautiful, and so will your event!
Low-wattage table lamps, candles everywhere, subtle up-lighting and white Christmas lights are all beautiful choices. Especially around your food and beverage tables, make sure it can be seen.
If you want your guests to venture outdoors, lighting will invite them. Add ambience and guests will follow. Make it comfortable, make it have that glow that’s so enticing, and guests will flock to it like moths to the flame.
With all your details, make sure to coordinate everything you do to really jazz it up. Just don’t over-do your color matching. This screams DIY. A professional designer knows that it’s okay to have shades of the same color, and falling in love with various patterns to mix and match. So the trade trick here is to coordinate, but don’t be too “matchy-matchy” with your choices. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.
If you consider any or all of these elements in your party planning, you’ll pack a lot more punch into your event that guests will notice while costing you very little. Happy planning!
Blessings,
Want to use this post in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Southern Event Planner & Designer Natalie Bradley publishes the “Soirée Secrets” blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://NatalieBradley.com. Soirée by Natalie Bradley Events is an event planning and design company based in Athens, serving Northeast Georgia, the Carolinas and select destination locations.
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