Favorite Things Party: “In Bloom” | The ULTIMATE girls night party you have to host this year.
It’s come and gone, and the Favorite Things Party for 2016 is in the books. With a month of preparation, color coordinating, drink experimenting, and other pretty little details… the party turned out exactly like I had hoped.
Favorite Things Party “In Bloom”
I hosted the garden party in the backyard too, and it just seemed like the perfect place for another girl’s night party!
The Invitation:
It all started with the “wow,” factor that I wanted to create this year. The invitation. If you missed the post highlighting how and what I hand-delivered to my guests this year, you can see all the boxed invitation details, which included the cutest flower-seed party favor gift too!
The party was hosted in our backyard, and the way our home is laid out, I wanted the guests to know the best way to get to the back yard, without having to walk through the house. I thought if the chalkboard wouldn’t catch their attention, this humungo coral balloon would!
Greenery: Hobby Lobby
The weather was absolutely perfect, and the sun started setting not long after the party began, so it created the most beautiful lighting!
The invite mentioned “Sweets & Sips,” and boy did we have an abundant supply of both. I believe the words “Sugar Coma,” were used a few times, at the end of the night.
Dessert Table Details
Early Party Planning Tip: If you find yourself “stuck,” in getting started with the party planning process, simply look for that one small detail that captures the way you want your party to look. (Like the flowers were for me.)
Then, use those flowers to match color schemes, send to your vendors, etc. It will make the planning process a lot easier and will reduce the amount of “mismatched,” craziness that can happen when the party details really get to flowing.
Flowers and Garland: I found all of my flowers & greenery garland: Hobby Lobby.
(If you’re planning a party like this, far enough in advance, keep your eye out for the weekly sales on flowers, and stock up when the time is right!)
Paper Flower Backdrop: I honestly couldn’t imagine this backdrop WITHOUT the paper flowers. They were the perfect touch, and really gave the back the “pop,” it needed. I ordered my paper flowers from Declare the Hope Project, a mother & daughter team, where 100% of the proceeds go to help children in Haiti.
Paper Flowers: Declare the Hope Project
White Backdrop: I found a shower curtain online at Houzz that captured EXACTLY what I was looking for. I attached this to photo backdrop poles, and my backdrop was set!
The Sweets:
Flower Cupcakes: I couldn’t believe my eyes when Jenny with Cookies and Frosting, delivered my cupcakes. They were STUNNING, and exactly the “look,” that I was hoping they would have. She absolutely nailed it. Wait until you see what else she did for me…
Cupcakes: Cookies and Frosting
Flower Cake Pops: If you’ve been around here a while, Sweet.Sassy cake pops are old news. I use her for every “cake pop,” needed event. When I sent her an example of what I wanted the cake pops to look like, she didn’t disappoint…
Cake Pops: Sweet.Sassy
Mini Chocolate Pies: Cookies and Frosting went ABOVE and beyond, to make the perfect little mini pies. I couldn’t believe how adorable and delicious they were!!
Mini Chocolate Pies with Cookie Cups: Cookies and Frosting
Raspberry Lemon Tarts: Speaking of adorable and delicious… the little tarts were to die for on the table! Lemon just so happens to be my favorite dessert. Wait until you see the other goodies that came from Sarah’s Cake Shop…
Raspberry Lemon Tarts: Sarah’s Cake Shop
Dessert Shots: Yes, these are tiramisu dessert shots. Words cannot DESCRIBE how much deliciousness was in one cup!
Dessert Shots: Sarah’s Cake Shop
Glitter Bites: I mean, the name of these sweet little gems were good enough to have on the dessert table. But when I tried one five, I realized I’ll never be the same.
Glitter Bites: Sarah’s Cake Shop
Glitter Donuts: Two days before the party, I was browsing Pinterest and saw the cutest glitter donuts. I thought, “I can do that.” So we did. “We,” because I had a good friend help me with these the day of the party. I bought white-icing covered donuts, and then applied edible glitter to the top of the donuts after brushing the tops with a bit of water, to make the glitter “stick.”
Donuts: Purchased from a local grocery store, “Schnuck’s,” and decorated by Fantabulosity {That’s us!}
Cannoli’s: I don’t know what it is, but for some reason when I host a “sweets,” bar, I always include cannoli’s. I believe it’s because they’re usually so color-neutral, that they’ll work on any style of table that I design.
Cannoli’s: Local Grocery Store, “Schnucks“
Favorite Things Beverage Bar:
I’m not even going to admit the hours that were put in to “taste-testing,” the beverages for this party. More than it should have been, (I’m sooo not a bartender) but in the end… I couldn’t have been happier with the way they turned out. I wanted color-coordinated drinks, along with a good “mix,” of different tastes.
Cocktails: We had one side of the table holding three signature cocktails.
Shop similar drink dispensers here: Drink Dispensers
White Cocktail Recipe here.
Coral Cocktail Recipe here.
Dark Pink Cocktail Recipe here.
Mocktails: For the non-alcoholic side, I simply put cucumbers, min, and water in one dispenser, and pink lemonade with watermelon in the other dispenser! Easy easy.
Each glass had a garnish, associated with each drink choice. Either pineapple, rosemary sprig, or these super cute swizzle sticks from “My Paper Romance.”
Peony Swizzle Sticks: I couldn’t BELIEVE how quick and awesome the communication was between the two of us. I messaged about the swizzle sticks, and they were literally shipped out within a day. Now THAT’S service.
Peony Swizzle Sticks | Drink Stirrers from Etsy
Cocktail Tables: The wine barrels came in super handy for cocktail tables. The gals were able to gather around, and place their drinks down, before they headed over to the photo booth.
I rented the wine barrels from a local party rental store, but believe I have my hubby in to buying me a couple. They have SO many uses!
Photo Booth:
It wasn’t your typical photo booth, and that was EXACTLY the way that I wanted it. Natural, flowey, and cheerful. My friend and I, tied the backdrop to the tree limbs with twine and clothespins, and then draped flower garlands over it, to tie in the flower theme.
I snagged a chair from our living room, and it suddenly became the photo booth statement piece. Perfect for sitting, and posing!
I saw the cutest photo booth sign on Pinterest, saying “Shoot it, Share it, Hashtag it,” and thought it was DARLING. So off I went and made a sign, that had the signature flowers from the invites and other party signs.
Look at these darling cuties…
Favorite Things Gift Exchange:
When the gals arrived, I had them place their gifts on the table, and fill their names out on three different sheets of paper. This way, when it was time for the gift exchange, we would be all ready to exchange!
Surprise Gifts!!!
This year, I wanted to do a little something extra, and surprised the girls with gift giveaways! Don’t worry… they were small items, but I still wanted to giveaway something, to add a little more “fun,” to the mix…
I kind of yelled “GIVEAWAY,” in my Oprah voice. (Again… the cocktails.)
I just gave away small items like my favorite notepads, thank you cards, planners, coffee cups, cake stands, etc.)
I may or may not have something up my sleeve for bigger and better giveaways for next years Favorite Things Party! 😉
Party Favors:
Macaron Jar Favors: We found the CUTEST little jars at TomKat Studio’s shop, and I cut out the word “sweet,” with my Silhouette Machine, and applied it to each jar.
Then, to add to the cuteness, I found Mila Sweets who made crazy-delicious macarons. She had the PERFECT color scheme to go right along with my party colors!
Macrons: Mila Sweets
Elderflower Liqueur Bottle Favors: On impulse, the day before the party, I found the most “fitting,” little elderflower liqueur bottles. They were glass, classy, and perfect. All of a sudden, we had a second party favor on the table. It was a “must.”
Wrap-Up:
I wanted this year to be the best yet. But I must say, with the 3rd “Favorite Things,” party in the books, there’s one thing that remains the same, every…stinking…time:
The girls. When you get your closest group of gal pals together for a night of unwinding, getting pretty, and spending time together…
it just doesn’t get any better than that.
To see the other “Favorite Things,” Parties, you can jump over using the quick links below:
Laura says
Jessica,
I just LOVE everything about this party!! The details are over the top and so beautiful!!! Amazing job!!
Jessica says
Thank you Laura!! That means a lot! Wish you could come to one sometime!
Chandice says
Looks like so much fun!! Great job on everything doll!!
Jessica says
Thank you so much Chandice!! XO
Beth says
really pretty, what was the party for? favorite sweet things?
Several of the links to the drink recipes don’t work. I’m curious why you linked to pin instead of the websites for the recipes.
Jessica says
Thank you Beth! I host a “Favorite Things Party,” every year where we all bring 3 of our favorite things and gift them to others.
I linked to the pins, because I found them on Pinterest, and wanted everyone to be able to “pin,” them for later, easily, as well as go to the websites that they recipes were on. Easy for the reader, and double exposure for the creator of the recipe(s).
Millie says
Amazing Jessica! Every detail is so special. You are absolutely the best party planner I know!
Jessica says
Thank you so much Millie! So hope you can come to one sometime!!! XO
Colleen says
How many people do you usually invite to your Fave Things party? Do you invite many knowing people won’t be able to come and aim for a certain final number or do you limit the number you invite too?
Jessica says
Hi Colleen! It varied from year to year really. (I haven’t hosted a Favorite Things in a couple of years.) But some years I invited just a few for a more intimate setting, and then another year I invited with a “the more the merrier” approach! With favorite things (as far as gifts) it didn’t really matter how many attending since we all brought gifts so there would be enough for everyone!
I do ask for RSVP though to have a better idea of how many will be there, and then I aim for who I think will still show up even if they don’t RSVP. Haha!
But I tend to over-prepare (food and drink wise) because I’d rather have leftovers, than fall short! I hope that makes sense and helps!