Party-Time Tuesday: Setting the table

It's Party-Time Tuesday! Welcome to my third installment in the series. How do you decide whether or not to use paper plates or ceramic ones? Casual or formal? I usually start by answering these three questions:

1. What's my total budget? And what are my priorities with that budget?

2. How many people am I expecting?

3. How formal/casual do I want the event to be?

With smaller, intimate events, I generally go with real plates. Once I start inviting 12 or more, I generally go with paper plates. (I'm not talking weddings here - those are their own animal - I'm talking about any other kind of party.) Either way, plates can function as accessories to your theme, or even as the whole inspiration for the theme.

Ever wondered how many forks you're really supposed to have? And what do you use them all for, anyway? Well, it depends on the kind of event you're hosting. Sarah at Toast and Tables wrote a wonderful post on the proper way to set a table - for everything from a casual lunch to a formal dinner party. She even included "maps" that show you exactly where you should place each item...read her post here for a quick education.

More resources: check out Martha's Party Planning Guide

Image 1: Crate and Barrel Orchid Dinnerware

Images 2 & 3: my (tiny) inspiration boards from www.platesandnapkins.com

Image 3: Toast and Tables blog

Image 4: Martha Stewart Living

Party-Time Tuesday - A Unique Invitation

"funky monkey" baby announcements, by Elum

Welcome to Week 2 of Party-Time Tuesdays, my series running through the month of May (and possibly beyond, if I'm long-winded...which, of course, that hardly ever happens) that explores my own mental checklist as I'm planning an event. Week 1 I talked about finding inspiration for a theme...week 2, an absolute essential, in my opinion: A Unique Invitation.

As you read this post, you may think I sound a little snobby. But there's a good heart behind all my snobby ideals: People feel really special when they realize that you've put a lot of time and effort into inviting them to an event. They are more likely to come. Plus, I want people to start anticipating the event with excitement, long before they ever arrive at the party. When I get invited to an event, I usually place the invitation on the fridge for weeks beforehand...and I love it when the invitation is beautiful or creative or memorable (or all of the above).

Usually, you'll decide on a theme first, then come up with the invitation to match. I did this with...

...my dishes...the inspiration for a brunch I'm having this weekend with a few girlfriends...

...and here's the invitation I designed to match them. I didn't obsess over matching the pattern exactly; but I did choose similar colors and a simple, modern design, just like the plates. By the way, I love colored envelopes...any time you can do an invite with a colored envelope...love that! It makes your invitation stand out from all the junk mail and bills.

Occasionally, however, you may find an invitation that's just so cool, you let it determine the theme for your event (rather than the other way around). Case in point: these Funky Monkey invites from Elum. Hello! I would totally create a whole baby-shower theme around these invites. They are so cute.

my Elmo party invitations; inspired by, well - Elmo...and this fabric:

inspiration fabric for Elmo party

I do prefer custom invitations whenever possible; either creating one yourself on your computer, or hiring someone to do it for you...or asking a talented friend...these are all ideal. For all you scrapbooking gals - create an invitation with the same creativity and attention to detail that you use in your scrapbooking. Or, go to your local specialty stationery store - you'd be surprised what they can do for you. You can often pick out a package of invitations and then have them print your text for you - the best of both worlds for those lacking a little in the creativity department. The end product is one of a kind, but you didn't have to make it yourself.

print-your-own invitations from Target (everything's included); I used these once for a garden party - easy, affordable, and makes you look good

I realize that custom-designed invitations are often out of reach for a lot of people, for a variety of reasons, so your next best bet is to go with a "print your own" invitation, like this one above. Believe it or not, I actually recommend Target for fasionable, reasonably-priced invitations in this category. They have tons of invitations that you can create yourself on your computer. There are also a fair amount of true fill-in-the-blank invites for...gasp...handwriting, like the bachelorette invitation pictured below. (If you must do a handwritten invitation, please, please use nice handwriting, or ask someone who does to do them for you).

fill-in-the-blank bachelorette party invitation from Target; I would let this dictate a party scheme of pink and black

Party on! And invite your friends...in style!

Party-Time Tuesday: Finding Inspiration

Mexican fiesta tablesetting from Social Couture

It's party time this May around my house! Not to say that every moment is a party...I wish it was...but I am getting ready to put on several parties in the next two months, so I've got party-planning on the brain. I announced in my monthly e-zine, Feather Your Nest (go to the sidebar if you'd like to subscribe), that I'm beginning a special Party Planning series on Tuesdays throughout the month of May. Each week I'll be tackling an item on my mental "Party-Planning Checklist" and sharing ideas for how to turn your party into an Occasion (capital O). This week, it's...

circus theme tablesetting: Country Living, via Toast and Tables blog

What's my theme going to be?

Yes, you do need a theme. No, it doesn't have to be elaborate. It could be as simple as a color scheme; or maybe you've found some great paper plates and can use those as your starting point. If I'm hosting a baby shower (I've got them on the brain, with a few coming up), I usually start by asking what bedding/nursery decor the mom-to-be has chosen for her little one's room, then run with it, from invitations to decor to favors. For a brunch I'm having for girlfriends, I'm letting my new patterned (casual) dishes set the theme. My invites, place settings, and flowers will all pick up on the colors and contemporary style of the plates. It doesn't really matter what you choose as your inspiration, as long as you follow through with it in the details. (Note: don't be tacky...if you're worried that a certain element you have planned might be tacky...well, it might be. Maybe you should nix it. I'll talk about this more in a future week.) Perhaps you're hosting a Mother's Day Brunch. Does your mother have any special collections? An affinity for teapots, perhaps, or vintage hankies? Incorporate those into your table setting or centerpiece, and you immediately have a very personalized event.

image from Hostess with the Mostess via Simply Stated

For more ideas on finding inspiration for a theme, read this post by Jenn from Hostess with the Mostess. She's a guest blogger over at Real Simple magazine in their Simply Stated: Celebrations section and is probably blogland's foremost authority on entertaining.

Other sites for finding serious inspiration:

Hostess with the Mostess

Martha Stewart - Entertaining

Simply Stated: Celebrations

Social Couture

Country Living - Cooking & Entertaining

A few inspiring blogs about entertaining:

Toast & Tables

Head of the Table

Tastefully Entertaining