Ya’ll. I love me a theme party. If you’ve been hanging around my blog long, you’ve probably noticed! 🙂 You can do it up big or keep it simple, but having a theme is the single most important way to tie all the elements of your party together. That’s why I’m launching this blog series “How to Throw Your Best Party” with a discussion on THEME.
Now, you’ve probably seen enough Pinterest boards of theme parties to make your head spin. You know the kind. The pictures are swoon worthy. The cupcakes look like they’re out of a fairy tale. And the decor? Forget about it. How much did these party throwers spend?! As much as I love Pinterest, sometimes I get discouraged by what I see there. It’s easy to look at picture perfect boards and think, “I could never pull that off.” I’m here to set you straight. You CAN pull off an amazing party with a theme and you CAN do it without breaking the bank!
Why is a theme so important?
“Do I really have to have one, Meg? It seems like so much work!” I know you’re thinking it! Here’s the thing. A lot of people assume a theme party involves decorating your entire house, making your guests arrive in costume, and spending a gazillion dollars to make the party come to life. Turns out, that’s just not true. While a theme party *can* be like that, it doesn’t have to be.
A theme is simply a fabulous way of tying all the elements of your party together. It doesn’t have to be showy or overdone. It can be as simple as using the season. Or a color scheme. Or words from your little one’s favorite lullaby. With a well done theme, you can really set the scene for a cohesive party that makes people say, “How does she do it?”
Step 1. Choose a THEME
You’re thinking, “Well, duh Meg. You’ve already told me I have to choose a theme. But HOW?!” It’s a question I often hear. There are an overwhelming number of ways to answer that question so I recommend this – start with the occasion OR person for inspiration.
- Occasion
-Is the occasion you’re celebrating in a season that would be fun to highlight? Does the season inspire a certain color palette?
-Is the occasion near a holiday? Can one aspect of the holiday be highlighted in your party?
-Is the occasion a life event like a baptism or bar mitzvah? Does that event have a meaningful aspect that you want to highlight with your theme?
-Is the occasion a milestone birthday or anniversary? Does the birthday or anniversary have a tradition that could be played-up in a theme?An example: My son’s baptism was in the summer. Summer made me think of ocean blues and bright hues. I wanted to incorporate the meaningful aspect of water from the baptismal ceremony which led me to think again of the sea and aquatic life. Hence, an aqua and orange “Micah’s O-fish-ally Baptized” party was born!
- Person
–Who is the person you are celebrating?
-Does their name inspire a theme?
-What do they love to do?
-What is their favorite color?
-What is your little one’s favorite toy?
-What is their favorite food?
-What is their favorite book or author?
-What is their favorite movie or song?
-How do they relax?
-Where do they like or want to adventure/travel?An example: My sister’s love for reading was inspired by author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series which she has read many times cover to cover. She was expecting her first (muggle) born and there was no better way to celebrate than “A Very Potter Shower“.
You get the picture. All of these questions are meant to get your creative juices flowing to pick an amazing theme for the next party you throw. I have a never ending supply of ideas behind each of those questions but I won’t bore you with them today…maybe some other day. 🙂
BUDGET FRIENDLY TIP: Pick a theme early. The earlier you choose a theme, the earlier you can be on the look-out for sale items that might help you bring that theme to life. It also gives you more time to DIY which makes a huge difference in your budget. I’m known for deciding on my children’s first birthday themes before they’re rolling over. I know. Call me crazy! It really does help me squirrel away party supplies with astounding savings though!
Never fear if your party is next week though. You can still make a huge impact without taking out a second mortgage with a common theme tying your party together!
Step 2. Bring the THEME to life
Over the next few weeks of the “How to Throw Your Best Party” series I will be diving into aallllll the ways one can bring a theme to life in detail. For now, here is a an overview of some of the ways you can start weaving in your theme:
- Invitations
- Decor – The “Party Zone”
- Decor – The Tablescapes
- Menu
- Cake
- Games and activities
- Favors
First things first though – put your thinking caps on and consider the occasion and person you are celebrating. I guarantee that thinking about these things will lead to a rockin’ theme! 🙂
Party on, friends!
xoxo,
Meg
