My top party tips and tricks are the most requested information you guys ask me. Luckily, Jason and I have been busy prepping for my first event since the depths of the pandemic. Y’all, trust me when I say, it was not easy.
When it was all over, our house looked so good we either had to call a realtor – or have a party! Instead, we decided to have TWO parties!
Yup! Because the house prep was such a beat-down, I decided to indulge in an entertaining twofer. I hosted a morning coffee for Canwick to honor longtime members of this local social club, and a Friendship Cocktail Party in the evening to celebrate all the supportive women I love. So that’s exactly what I did. It made for a long day, but it was so worth it. I had a blast, and I know my guests did, too!
Throughout both events, I can’t tell you how many people asked me, “Who did you hire to do this?” and, “Who did that?” Well, you know I love to share information and to support amazing local businesses — I never hesitate to spill the T!
But before I do, please know that I do love to shop around and try new things, so here is a compilation from several lovely ladies’ events. I hope you enjoy.
Party Tip #1
FLOWERS ARE EVERYTHING
Flowers make a party. Sure, you can have a party without them, but fresh flowers elevate any gathering from ordinary to extraordinary. Lately, I have been using Bill Bostelmann with Flowers on the Square, but I also love putting together my own floral arrangements when time permits. When I DIY, my favorite source for budget blooms is Dollar Hydrangea. They pack a punch and last forever!
Party Tip #2
FEED ME, I’M HUNGRY!
For this month’s day-long partypalooza, I needed morning food and evening food. For the morning event, I hired Sarah Hooton with Hot Box Biscuit Club to make precious mini biscuits, scones, and bite-sized quiches. Fun tip, I bulk ordered a bunch of Bonne Maman mini jam jars and filled them with whipped butter.
For the early-evening happy hour event, I reached out to Chris Reale with Roy Pope. He and his executive chef Clay made the most incredible coconut shrimp and pork lollipops – both of which paired perfectly with cocktails!
Party Tip #3
PASS THE CHEESE, PLEASE!
Something you may not know: I LOVE to make my own charcuterie boards when I entertain an intimate group of friends. For me, it’s a labor of love. But it’s also just common sense (and cents!) because things can add up fast. My go-to resources for saving a buck in this department are ALDI and Costco. Toss in a few things from Central Market, and you’ve got Gouda and Gruyere on an American Cheese budget.
If you’re long on money and short on time, though, I highly recommend the My Sweet Roots charcuterie displays. Now those are stunning! And I can’t leave out my favorite place to order vegan cheese, Vromage.
Party Tip #4
CAVIAR FOREVER
If you know me (or you read my post about my 40th birthday), you know that there’s only one caviar brand for me: Marky’s. I’ve been ordering from Marky’s since 2015 — their price points are the best I’ve seen, it’s all fresh and delicious, and the selection is fire.
Party Tip #5
HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO
What’s a party without dessert? Lots and lots of dessert! My goal is to create a sweet spread that’s as irresistible as it is delicious. If that girl in the tightest dress goes back for seconds, I feel my mission is complete. That’s why I adore Jordan Smith. You may recognize him from the Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge, but he owns Jojo’s Cookie Studio and is such a talent! I completely left it up to him on what to create, and he crushed it like candy. Best part? He even made them vegan and compliant with all of my food restrictions!
I also hired two other confection conjurers to elevate my party game. Jill Roberts with Sugarbear Baked Goods cooked up floral decorated teacup cookies and perfectly packaged them for favors. And, Sarah Mitchell made the most precious mini cupcakes, who is known for her darling floral bouquets cupcakes.
Party Tip #6
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS
Perfect parties are all about the details, so having love-themed stir sticks for our drinks was a given. I mean, if you’re going to have carafes of vodka, you at least need something magnificent to go along with the mixers, amIright? I have been so happy with Acrylic Sticks, they are my go-to for every event, and they don’t disappoint. They have so many designs, it was easy to choose the perfect set of sticks. But had I not immediately fallen in love with the lip-print, macaron and pink-bow heel sticks, I could easily have customized a collection – which is what I did for my parent’s 50th surprise anniversary party last May!
PHOTO CREDIT: Laura McCarthy / Elusive Images
SoFortWorthIt GIVEAWAY!
Hope you all enjoyed this festive post, which was only a fraction of my tips and tricks. I look forward to sharing more with you in the near future. In the meantime, we are doing a fun little giveaway over on my Instagram, so click HERE to see how to enter! xoxo
