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Whether or not you’re a football fan, you love a good party and the Super Bowl will have Madonna live at half time, so why not throw a party! February 5 at 6:30pm on NBC will feature this year’s Super Bowl live from Indianapolis. The New England Patriots will be playing the New York Giants. Besides using a football in your centerpiece, a green tablecloth (for the field) and white runners (for stripes on the field) on the buffet table, you could add pom pons and napkins in the team’s colors. You could also incorporate some items below:
- American League Fans: New England Patriots colors are red, white, and blue. You could use flags and white plates, which would work well since the Patriots have white in their colors. You could get napkins in red and blue (since they are so cheap through Smarty).
- National League Fans: New York Giants colors are also red, white, and blue.
- Madonna Fans: 80’s memorabilia, Madonna’s songs and 80’s music. High fashion material girl meets tough guy football player or (pink and pigskin?), think feather boas, diamond looking beads (you could find these at a craft store), pink satin wrapped around a black medal dress form as a centerpiece.
Smarty has several items that could be used to help you with these looks. See our table linens and buffet pieces that all parties can benefit from. Besides the décor, plan on serving a variety of finger foods with dips and hardy sandwiches so people can grab something off the buffet table quickly without diverting their attention too long from the game. A signature drink, beer, and wine are all you need for the bar.
Stock up now for this party and you’ll score a touchdown with your friends!
Karen
Answers to an Age Old Dilemma
What to serve…this age old question has been asked for centuries. Before you decide, it’s important when planning an event that includes a meal, to ask guests if they have any special needs. Your menu may be influenced based on what special needs are requested, i.e. food allergies (nuts, shellfish, gluten), vegetarian, vegan, and medical dietary requirements (low sugar or carbs), etc. This can easily be obtained from your guests on the RSVP by including a list with a place for check marks and an additional line for “Other” (in case there is something that you didn’t ask) that they can fill in. You can then plan your menu accordingly.
If you are planning on having a buffet, be sure any restricted items are labeled as such:
Spinach Salad w/Pears and Walnuts
Paella with Shrimp and Sausage
Most people with special dietary needs know what they can and can’t have. Problems can arise when a sauce or ingredients are added that contain restricted items that are difficult to indentify. Be sure those items are labeled.
Trout Almandine
(contains nuts)
If you are having a set menu that is served, it’s best to have a seating chart and place cards for all of your guests. The kitchen/Maitre’ D should have a list of those names, table numbers and the special requests. Your servers can then identify where those people are and the special meal they are supposed to get without attracting too much attention to them. Further, you can place a symbol, sticker, or hot glue a colored bow on the card by the guest’s name which would represent a certain request (blue means nut free, green means vegetarian, etc.). This way the waiter knows who is getting the special meal and what that special meal is supposed to be. When the waiter serves the special meal, they can verify it by mentioning what the meal is, discreetly to the guest (such as “Your gluten free sea bass, sir”).
The labels and place cards will look nice in holders that won’t detract from your décor. Your guests will appreciate the extra attention and care you have shown them to make your event as enjoyable as possible for everyone!
Karen
While I was watching the Tournament of Roses Parade, I was reminded of something I saw last year. While many brides sprinkle rose petals on top of the table around a centerpiece, what I saw creates a bed of petals all over the table overlay- a more dramatic décor statement. The way they achieved this look was they took an organza overlay and hot glued silk rose petals all over it and then laid each over a floor length satin tablecloth on each table. The organza was teal and so were the petals, then they used floor length teal satin tablecloths underneath but you can use any color.
I saw another table done in a similar way using a white floor length table cloth with a yellow organza overlay (and chair ties) with yellow petals glued on to them. If your dress has a ruffle or rosettes anywhere on the dress, copying that look on the chair cover will make quite an impact. If you have a ruffle around the bottom of your dress, then take a floor length tablecloth and hot glue rose petals around the bottom 6- 8 inches, as well as to the bottom of the chair cover. You could even hot glue the petals in the back of a chair cover in a triangle pattern – which looks like the bustle of a wedding dress if you have one. If your dress has any rhinestones on it too, you can even hot glue some of them on the chair covers or ties as well.
Besides the venue, music, food and drinks, every memorable event has special decorations. Whether you have a certain color scheme or theme, sticking to it and incorporating that into as many of the details can make a big difference. With this look, you won’t need to use elaborate, expensive centerpieces. Just simple crystal or silvercandlesticks, or a vase with a small arrangement, would be sufficient. When your guests walk into the event, they will be stunned by the how gorgeous the room is!
If you’re having a special event or wedding later this year, it’s never too early to get started on those details that will make your day even more special. It’s important to not wait to get things done. Anything that you can do early in the planning stages, you should do. Planning far ahead will keep stress in check, keep the planning fun, and leave time for all those last minute details that are sure to come up.
In the new year, everything is coming up roses!!
Karen
Table runners are so versatile, not only do they dress up a table; they can really dress up your chairs too. For your next event, consider these ideas to dress up your party:
· Center runner down the middle of your table running lengthwise
· Center runner down the middle of your table running widthwise (either using one or two parallel runners)
· Cross runners on your table running both length and widthwise
· Tie a runner (one, two or three) around the back of a chair so that a neat knot or bow hangs from the back of a chair
· Tie a runner wrapped with a chair sash to make a more elaborate knot or bow in the back of a chair
· Wrap a runner (one, two, or three) around the back of a chair and tie a knot on the side of the back of the chair for a unique elegant look
· Lay a runner lengthwise on a chair with one end draped over the back of a chair and the other end hanging to the seat. Tie another runner around the back of the chair to hold it in place in one of the ways listed above.
There are so many ways to use runners, and at prices starting at $2.25 each (in multitudes of colors), Smarty can help you make the space your own- inexpensively! Check out the various runners, colors, specials and material types now!
Happy New Year!
Karen
Everyone is talking about the latest craze: The Ugly Sweater Party. It’s such a funny way to celebrate the holidays! Who doesn’t have an ugly sweater that at one time you thought was cute or you got from Aunt Martha? Call or send out a quick e-mail to your family and friends that will be joining you for the holidays and ask them to wear the ugliest holiday sweater that they can find (Goodwill is actually running out!). Everyone will have a good laugh, then you can vote on the worst one of all!
Don’t forget to check out all of the latest Hot Deals at Smarty Had a Party. There are many very nice bargains on sale right now, so hurry before they run out!
Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!
Karen
The holidays are just around the corner and you are getting everything ready for the big day, the menu is being finalized, the silver is being polished, the good dishes are getting unpacked, and the chandelier is getting a good cleaning. The one thing that may not be getting much attention is the “kids” table. Almost every family has one. It’s the table in the kitchen, a small card table or whatever table may suffice for the younger members of the family who can’t fit at the “big” table where the adults are. Why not make this table a little more special? It doesn’t have to be fancy or a lot of work, just a fun, scaled down version of the adult table. A nice color coordinated tablecloth with fun themed placemats, using some clever items from your holiday box or dollar store will suffice, plus some pretty disposable plates and glasses to make it more special will add just the right touch.
One idea for Christmas could include using one of Smarty’s Red Satin Tablecloth and Red Napkins with Smarty’s disposable silverware tied together including a real candy cane using candy cane ribbon for each place setting. Our Tinted Red Square Plates, or even the White Plates with Silver Dots, could work well on this theme table. You could also use our Red Satin Chair Sashes (only $3.50 for 5!) twisted with candy cane ribbon to make a bow tied with a larger candy cane behind each chair. Trim off a few small branches of a pine and/or cedar tree and place in a clear vase with round peppermint candies at the bottom. Then add a couple of pretty white and red flowers (like lilies, carnations, roses), holly with berries, and add a few more candy canes and you’ve got a beautiful, fresh smelling, fun centerpiece!
You could even carry this theme over into your menu, ie, hot chocolate with candy canes, cupcakes with candy cane chips, etc. This is just one theme idea. Other ideas could include using elves, deer, Santas, stockings, menorahs, draidels, snowflakes, snowmen, etc. with coordinating colors for the linens. The main idea is to make it fun and casual for the kids so they can feel festive and special too (not to mention having it easier clean up for you)!
Happy Holidays!
Karen
This time of year will bring many celebrations and one of the most traditional ways to ring in the New Year or toast a newly married couple is to with a glass of champagne. I don’t know about you, but when we hand out champagne at a party and find at the end of the night, many glasses are still half full, it’s a little annoying. It’s not that you are serving cheap champagne, it’s just that some people prefer to drink other things. Smarty has the perfect answer! Check out the mini cocktail flutes. They only hold 3.5 oz. and are so adorable that your guests will be sure to drink to the last drop. You can buy a little base to make filling all the flutes easy, and it makes a nice presentation as well. You can always give the guests that want more, a refill!
My all time favorite drink is a Kir Royale, after pouring in the champagne about ¾ full, add a splash of Chambord (raspberry liqueur)- just enough to turn the liquid pink, then add a lemon twist to the rim. Yum! You could be extra fancy and add a raspberry on the bottom too. Anyway, here’s to the holidays! Cheers!
Karen
I’ve already started getting gobs of magazines in the mail for gifts and decorating the house for the holidays. One thing stands out, lots of bling and shiny things for the table are in- in a big way! Table settings for Christmas and Hanukah show lots of silver, gold, crystal, mercury glass, tassels, feathers and beads. Even the chairs are blinged out! Before it was considered very chic to have chair covers with sashes, then designers started using two or three sashes on each chair. Now the latest is to tie the chair in the back with a simple sash and then add a crystal, beaded or tasseled pin right where the sash is tied (don’t tie it into a bow). The look is very pretty and who couldn’t use more bling in their life? Smarty has many colors of sashes to choose from in organza, satin, taffeta and damask.
Many designers are making their tables monochromatic, so if you want to get that look, use white, cream, silver, glass, mercury glass and crystals to achieve it. You can find pins for the chair scarves in so many places. Go for the larger ones at your favorite department, discount, or bling store. Note: They don’t all have to match.
Tudaloo,
Karen
You’ve cleaned and tidied the area that the party will be in, the decorations are put in place and the guests will be arriving later today. You want to enjoy your company when they arrive so turn on the music (entertainment should be set up and ready to go if you are having live music) and set up a self-serve bar in the main area that the guests will be in. Any flat surface will make a nice bar. Actually, the more unique the table or item with a flat surface, the more interesting the bar will be. Use your imagination and stick with your party’s theme. You may want to use a placemat, tablecloth or runner to dress it up and keep the table from getting wet. Set out a variety of glasses: tumbler, rock, wine, pilsner and martini glasses are good basics. They don’t all have to be the same style or have the same design. Make a pitcher of your favorite cocktail or one that goes with the theme of the party (martinis, Mojitos, Margueritas, etc.). Next, set out a bottle of white wine in a pretty ice bucket to keep it cold, red wine- either decanted or without the corks so it can breathe in time, and a few bottles of your guests favorite liquors, ie. vodka, bourbon, rum, etc. (Try to buy their favorite brands if you know them.) Set out some mixers and condiments that are needed to go in the cocktails that you know your friends will want to make. For instance, for vodka tonics, you’ll need tonic and limes, for martini’s you’ll need vermouth, olives, and lemon twists. Also put out their favorite sodas like Coke, 7up, and a diet soda.
Be sure to have plenty of cocktail napkins available on the table along with stir rods and condiment picks. A tall, narrow floral arrangement on the back of the table will add visual appeal to the bar. You could put a bowl of snacks on this table too if you have room for it. Be sure to bring out the ice (in a pretty bucket or bowl with tongs) and cold bottles of beer on ice about 5 minutes before the guests arrive. (Be sure to have plenty of extra ice on hand in the freezer to refill the bucket as needed.) Don’t forget a small waste basket with a plastic liner on the floor next to the bar will be needed too. You could stash a few extra supplies or liquors under the table if it’s hidden from view. Having plenty of snacks and appetizers around the party area will keep the guests mingling around the room instead of congregating in one area. With this scenario, you will enjoy your guests’ company and the party as if you were one of the guests! Check out Smarty’s cocktail glasses and napkins to get you ready in style!
Thanks,
Karen
Who says the reception gets to have all of the fun? Just because you don't have the same aesthetic freedom with the ceremony doesn't mean you have to stick with the same conventional decorations. If you'd like to bring a unique flair into your nuptials, here are a few ideas that will be sure to wow your friends and family before you even set foot down the aisle.
Small bouquets of flowers on the back of every chair is a nice touch, but you can surprise your guests by sprucing it up a bit. Consider hanging a wreath, for example. If you're having an outdoor ceremony, you could always tie balloons to the chairs as well.
If you're going for a more rustic charm, you can't go wrong with a healthy dose of fall foliage. The colors naturally lend themselves to decoration, and you'll save a lot of money compared to using flowers. Definitely think about going down this route if you're trying to give your wedding a unique pop of stylish flair.
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