Bored with the same old balloons? Cheezy streamers gone stale? Why not create a party more personalized with pretty accents and décor that shows your family's unique.
These three concepts can be applied to any type of party you're planning, be it a birthday, a bar mitzvah or housewarming.
1. Use traditional party supplies as a base for your own creativity. Here, plain white banner flags are strung with small clothespins holding photographs of the birthday girl. Apply this concept to an anniversary party by applying photos of the happy couple through the years, or even just photos from their wedding.
That touch of green at the foot of fireplace, explains floral provider Sarah Petryk of Behlehem's Allium Design, is wheatgrass.
“I talked to my client about wanting to do something on the fireplace hearth,” Petryk says.
“But, she was worried because there would be lots of babies and toddlers, and we didn't want anything that might be dangerous. I have a two-year-old daughter, so I know first-hand how that goes. I actually suggested the wheatgrass, because it looks great, is safe—even if little tots munch on it. It's also magnificently tactile,” Petryk adds.
2. A simple fact: balloons pop. They are also a choking hazard to young children once they do. Try investing in natural decorative materials like plants. Here, are a variety of green groupings, some with colorful blooms and others of interesting textures placed in simple glass jars and arranged at eye level. This provides the pop of balloons, well—without the pop!
TIP: Ask your florist if they have appropriate containers that you can just borrow and return.
“I loaned my client the containers,” Petryk says. “We often do this for our clients-because who needs piles of vases afterward?”
3. Remember, your house makes the perfect backdrop. Save money by not reserving an over-priced play land that has hosted hundreds of the same parties. This home's mantle provided a lovely starting point for this family's festive décor. Think about the existing areas in your own home and find a great place within it to celebrate your next special occasion.
photos by alison conklin
