What do you think about planning a party?
Does it stress you out?
Make you resent the guest of honor?
Well I have a few tips to help you answer in the following way…
I love it. No way. And I could I ever resent such a great and fantastic person!
All jokes aside I find party planning to be so much fun and exciting and I am so happy I have been able to do it as much as I have and I look forward to the next event I get to plan. I have decided in order to help any one out that may be planning a bridal shower, lingerie shower, bachelorette trip, baby shower, wedding, or birthday party (literally any party) I will give a few tips that make it easy and fun!
Etsy
When it came to decorations, napkins, confetti, and props I turned to Etsy. There are so many options and everything is relatively well priced. No matter what you are looking for or what type of party you are shopping for be sure to check Etsy first for some great ideas. For my lingerie shower I purchased the confetti, napkins, and photo booth sign all on Etsy.
Hobby Lobby
Have you ever heard of that 40% off coupon that is always good to use on anything not already on sale? Well, when it comes to party planning this can become your best friend. I purchased a lot of decor pieces via hobby lobby such as ALL the fake pineapples, pineapple chalkboard sign and the pineapple toothpicks. Be sure to look throughout the store as they are always getting new items in.
Target
If you shop at Target as often as I do you have probably noticed the section that is located close to the front of the store that has items around $5 and under. That is a perfect stop to find banners, plates, napkins, straws, etc. for a great price. I bought so many cute items in this section that were tropical/pineapple related. They also often sell small chalkboards in this section which are great to use as signage at a party.
Food & Drink
Keep it simple. I have learned from my mistakes when it comes to food preparation for a party. At my lingerie shower I chose to get tacos which tasted great but were not easy to eat. When it came to the next party I planned I went with fruit and veggie trays along with bite size chicken salad sandwiches as this was much easier to eat. As far as drinks I recommend keeping it simple as well. We decided on two different types of Sangria (one white, one red) and Jell-O shots (because why not?). This was super easy and even looked cute in the mason jars.
Bonus Tip: Get cute cakes, cupcakes, or cookies to eat and use as decoration! (I recommend Batter Up Cake Bakery or Hamley Bake Shoppe if you live in the Huntsville area)
Balloons
Balloons are a great way to add decoration easily and in an inexpensive way. I decided to decorate the front door and a few other places in the apartment with balloons in order to add more decorations.
Photo Booth
Not only is a photo booth fun for guests, it is all an added decoration. I ordered my photo booth sign off Etsy and I LOVED it (linked here). If you are looking for a less expensive route you can always just use fabric as a backdrop (which I have also done for a party) and it works out great.
Snapchat Filter
I love a good filter and I think it is always fun to have something a little extra special for a party. I did not make one for my Lingerie shower but I did for my wedding and a few other parties I planned. I personally did not want to make one on my own so I found one I liked on Etsy and purchased it. All the directions on how to make a snapchat filter are on Snapchat and it is easy and quick (click here).
Like I said, I love to plan a party and I actually find it relaxing but only because I have been able to figure out what works and how to get the best out of every dollar I spend!
What is your best party planning tip? Be sure to leave your suggestions down below!
XO
Katelyn Moshier