Last updated on July 26th, 2022 at 01:40 am

Celebrate the mom-to-be with a marvelous baby shower. Baby showers can be a surprise event for the expectant mom or a party that she helps plan. Whether you’re celebrating the upcoming arrival of a baby boy, baby girl or plan to be surprised with the baby’s arrival, we have great baby shower ideas to celebrate this exciting occasion.

From baby shower theme ideas to decorations, we have all the advice you’ll need to throw the perfect shower for the expectant mom and her guests.

1. Around The Clock Baby Shower

Have you ever lived with a baby? Can you find any baby shower party idea from your experiences?

Whether the mom-to-be are ready for the arrival little one or not, there are always some “time of day” in their daily life with the new baby.

Time for breakfast, time for play, time for nap, time for bath, time for bed, day and night, again and again…it’s absolutely an “around the clock” experience!
So why not use it as a baby shower party idea for mom?

When it comes to a baby shower party idea, it’s all about helping the mom-to-be with everything they need to be prepared for a new family member. That’s why it’s important for you to know exactly what baby needs. And an around-the-clock baby shower does just that!

2.Cowboy Baby Shower

Cowboy baby shower is one of the most dad-friendly baby shower themes and also very popular at a coed party. Anyway, who can resist barbecue? “I’m loving it…deep in the heart of Texas..YEEEEHAAAAW!”

Just browser-through these baby shower party ideas below for a super special western celebration for the Mom-to-be and the Dad-to-be!

There’s no need to search around forever trying to find the best deal on cowboy theme baby shower supplies. Just compare between the packs below which cover pretty much all the boy baby shower items you’ll need:

• Little Cowboy Shower Kit
• Mini Cowboy Hats
• Cowboy Giant Wall Decoration
• Blessed Baby Boy Shower Kit-N-Kaboodle

3.Diaper Baby Shower

Do you know why diaper party is one of the timeless baby shower ideas for mom?

Diapers are absolute necessities for the new parents, you call it.

I heard, at some diaper baby showers, the new mom will be amazingly supplied with diapers and other diapering stuff for as long as 12 months – WOW, what a lucky family!

You will soon find yourself have been “Diaper-ed” by variety of diaper baby shower ideas out there.

Be creative!

Don’t plan your diaper baby shower the same old way as your mom did long time ago when you were the arrival little one. Oh, don’t forget the new daddy if you can find some special diapered and guy-friendly ideas.

4.4th Of July Baby Shower

Summer begins with 4th of July for many of us, are you arranging a couple baby shower around the big day?
The barbecue, the baseball, the camp, it’s all about the American freedoms! So have a barbecue shower and invite the guys, too – They will love to grill up the next courses as you play some of these summer-time fun games.

Ok,time to gather the most patriotic couples baby shower ideas in this summer day

5.Froggy Baby Shower

Plan a frog baby shower? Wow, that’s kind of party Toadily Awesome!

But finding out the best idea is a painful process…

Fortunately I’ve done the job for you. Jump over with me to the coolest collection of un-Frog-ettable baby shower ideas for a special family-to-be!

If you want to find out where to pick up those inexpensive froggy baby shower supplies, here is a list of the coolest “Frog Supplies“, you will love them!

6.Sweet Baby Shower

June 22 is National Chocolate eclair Day, so why not use this holiday as baby shower party ideas for Mom and only serve the sweetest things?

Chocolate puzzle, candy, lollipop, pie, dessert, pudding, cupcake…I can’t wait any more to tell you how to use them run through your baby shower.

And who can resist such a sweet memory that can last for years to come? Come with me…

7.Baby Shower Tea Party

Do you need any tea party idea so that the mom-to-be can feel a little more laid-back and quiet?

So that she can stay with a small group of people to celebrate her little one with white linens, porcelain cups and crystal glasses. Ooh, and those cucumber sandwiches and small cakes for an elegant affair!

In fact, tea party is a timeless choice for any baby shower for Mom – dont’ you agree that tea party has been the most popular theme for any ladies-only party since your childhood?

Ok, time to brew those tea-rrific baby shower ideas to your table.

8.Winnie The Pooh Baby Shower

Winnie the pooh baby shower is one of the best baby shower idea for second-time parents or a family baby shower party.

Why?

Because you love pooh, your kids love pooh and every boby love Pooh!

Ok, let’s discover some of the most pooh-rish party ideas perfectly created for your baby shower…

Before you start this big day in the “100 Acre Woods”, how can I forget telling you all most the best deals for classic pooh baby shower supplies?

They are cool and inexpensive, you can get almost everything you need for a winnie the pooh baby shower:

9.Hollywood Baby Shower

With all the wonderful baby shower party ideas below, how could the parents-to-be forget a very special “Oscar Night” party for their arrival little star?

Get up! Get out! Get in it!

10.Sports Baby Shower

This is definitely the coolest baby shower party idea for both expectant parents and their friends.
No matter the little All Star is the first, second or even the third one, choose a main sport as your theme, and hand out trophies for first, second, and third place!

You can have these general sports ideas and tweak them into virtually any sports theme, come with me…

11.Hawaiian Luau Baby Shower

Looking for fun, relaxed ideas for baby showers?

You come to the right place.

The luau party ideas below are fairly easy to put family members together to celebrate the baby-to-come at a hot summer day.

ALOHA!

Before you get into the fun “hulala” baby shower ideas, just compare between the two packs below which cover pretty much all the Luau / Hawaiian / Tropical shower items you’ll need:

Wonderful Luau Entrance
Elegant designed Luau supplies and favors
Watermelon Plastic Platter

12.Rubber Ducky Baby Shower

Which popular motif can be twisted into coolest baby shower idea?

Of course, it’s the Rubber Ducky! A perfect party for the whole family to be “quacked-up” with rubber duck collectors’ hobby.

So you won’t miss the baddiest and duckiest fun ever.

There’s no need to browse around forever trying to find the best deal on rubber ducky baby shower supplies. Just compare between the four packs below which cover pretty much all the supplies you’ll need:

Rubber Ducky Baby Shower in A Box
Foam “Little Duckie”
Duck Cake Pan

13. Teddy Bear Baby Shower

Looking for the coolest ideas for teddy bear baby shower or a care bears baby shower?

Teddy bear is part of your childhood and everyone loves it.

So, let’s recall your childhood enchantment and welcome the new arrival – it’s all about picnic and fun!

Before you start the “beary” special baby’s celebration, check out a list of the coolest “bear necessities” that provides almost everything you need to throw a “beary” special baby shower for the family-to-be:

Ballerina Bear One Tier Diaper Cake
Blue Bear 2 Tier Diaper Cake
Teddy Bear Photo Stands

14. Noah’s Ark Twins Baby Shower

Throw a twins baby shower?

Double congratulations! But it doesn’t mean you have to use double time and double energy. The ideas below help you easily bring double happinesses into the special Baby Shower for Mom.

15. ABC Baby Shower

These free baby shower ideas work perfectly for the mom-to-be who is a teacher or educator. And 2nd or 3rd time mothers also love them. Her first baby has already grown up and ready to learn the basics of ABC and 123 while waiting for the brother(sister)-to-be’s arrival!

Let’s start planning the special baby shower from A to Z!

16. Little Princess Baby Girl Shower

Another baby girl shower is waiting for you…

Baby girls are little angels and little princesses. Why not celebrate the most enchanting baby shower for the Queen (the mom-to-be)?

First off, here are some of the coolest princess party ideas to make the little princess-to-be’s royal dream come true:

• Baby Girl Party Kit
• Disney Princess Table Cover
• Baby Princess Sticker

17.Safety Baby Shower Planning

Are you looking for the baby shower planning that provide an effective way to teach and reinforce safety and health message?

Baby safety shower is what you need.

More than a traditional baby shower, it’s a learning party where parents-to-be have fun and leave with new ideas about keep babies safe.

Before you start design a successful baby safety shower, you might also wonder where are the best places that supply unique baby safety products.

Safety Baby Shower Planning
The concept of Baby Safety Shower is developed by the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission (CPSC) and Gerber Products company. This type of baby shower is being held by organizations across the country for new parents and parents-to-be.

Not like most of the theme based baby shower planning, you won’t find many of those traditional gifts for the parents-to-be and edible goodies.

A larger baby safety showers encourage parents visit a variety of home safety workshops where volunteers illustrate important safety information with games, prizes, and other activities.

18.Family Tree Baby Shower

Are you throwing a baby shower for a family-wide fun?

Families are now widely dispersed and this has led to the growing popularity of family reunions and the trend just to see how the newest saplings are progressing on the family tree.

With some of the coolest family reunion ideas, you would invite not just the immediate family but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, everyone for a more elaborate event.

But remember…

Although you are planning the party like a family reunion, but you’re actually throwing a baby shower for a new family – don’t get the event over-planned!

Don’t panic for such a {GULP!} shower for, sometimes, over 60 people!

Just make sure you take it with organization, communication and delegation. And what better reason for family to get together than to celebrate a new addition to the family tree?

19.Baby Shower For Adoption

How to plan a baby shower for adoption?

The answer is simple. But let me ask you a question first, “Why does adoption have to be emphasized?”

Maybe you’ve already had your answer in heart…

However, let me tell you the answers about how to turn a long standing US tradition into a wonderful theme based baby shower for adoptive parents and their adopted baby.

Basic Entiquettes For Adoption Baby Shower

Consult, Consult and Consult!

Why consultation is so important? Because there are many differences you should consider when attempting to throw a baby shower for adoption.

First of all, the age of the adopted child is very important.

Your friends may have adopted a infant, but other couples may have adopted a older child or even a teenager. And the answer of “how to plan a baby shower” varies in big differences from adopting a infant to adopting a 5 year old. So don’t get it wrong!

And for the shower timing, check with the adoptive parents to see when the child is to arrive.

It is always good that the new parents can give you their ideal timing for the party, whether before or after the child is adopted.

The shower timing for a newborn’s arrival could be before or after the big day. But if the child is older than 2-3 years old, you should have the shower after the arrival and treat the event much like a birthday party. This also give the guests a chance to introduce the child to their extended family and friends.

20.Halloween Baby Shower

Why not have your baby shower ideas stick with the spookiest fun?

Halloween is not only for the kids, it’s a timeless opportunity for family and friends to get together and have some unique laughter and fond memories over the years.

One of the fanciest halloween baby shower ideas is to make a bubble bath costume. Pin small white balloons all over white sweatsuit. Then put on shower cap, hang bath scrubby from wrist and carry a rubber ducky or glue it to the shoulder for the sweatsuit.

Another baby shower idea is making a M&M; costume. Cut two large circles out from the cardborad. Then draw on “m&m;” onto both circles using spray paint (any color of M&M;’s). Use heavy duty string to attach the 2 pieces together and hang over shoulders of a black sweatsuit, sign style.

21.Winter & Christmas Baby Shower

Where are the ideas for baby showers if the baby arrives in a winter holiday season?

Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s fun and beautiful to twist Christmas party ideas into the celebration for mom-to-be’s pregnancy if you just let the imagination flow.

White, blue, pink and silver make a gorgeous color scheme for the baby shower in Christmas.

Start your decoration ideas for baby showers from hanging little snowflakes from the ribbons around white umbrella.

Enhance the cold celestial effect by using plenty of white flowers, strings of white Christmas lights, new age music, and the scents of frankincense and myrrh.

One of the very special christmas ideas for baby showers is to decorate your party area with ceramic angles, angels in snowshakers, feathers, cotton batten, and stars made out of aluminum foil.

You can also decorate several small Christmas trees in Blue and Pink lights and hang small baby items like rattles, small stuffed animals, bottles, etc., along with snowflakes.

22.Baby Shower For Chinese Family

How to throw a baby shower if the soon-to-be-mommy is Chinese?

How about throw her a “East meets West” baby shower?

Uh…asian amercian, fusion or not. What ever you call it, let’s have some extra speical fun created from two different cultures.

Before planning your chinese baby shower, talk to your friend’s family and finding out about Chinese customs and traditions. If her family is not available, you can also look online. Here are some quite useful ideas that came to mind when I looked online: Chinese customs, superstitions and traditions.

And here is the coolest party supply makes the Chinese soon-to-be-mommy know that you really put some thought into the baby shower planning.

24.Valentine’s Baby Shower

If you’re expecting your baby in February, why not have a coed shower incorporating a Valentine’s Day theme?

Think about your experiences of the most loving holiday of the year where people celebrate their feelings and express about love, and blend this theme beautifully in planning a Valentine’s Day baby shower.

Oh my dear, who can blame you celebrate Valentine’s Day a littel early?

Make sure the dad-to-be, grandpa-to-be, and their buddies are on your guest list – without them, how could you have a complete Valentine’s Day party?

And your your kiss-on-the-tummy can really bring SUPER sweet memory for the new parents and their little sweet heart can keep for years.

Before you get into the most romantic coed shower you’ve ever imagined, I’ve listed almost the coolest valentine party supplies that you don’t have to spend a fortune to throw a fabulous baby shower:

• Diaper Cake and Heart-shaped Baby Shower Supplies

The post 30 Coolest of All the Baby Shower Ideas appeared first on Birthday Inspire.

Need a place to host a Halloween party but don’t have enough space?  What about converting your garage into a party room or making it a Haunted House?  I am embarassed to show the world how messy our garage was but watch how easily it can be converted into a useable space for Halloween.  The converted space served as a dual purpose – after the party was over, we used it as a Haunted house for trick-or-treaters. It was a huge hit and the neighborhood kids look forward to it every year!

Our before and after pictures of our garage. Yes, my kids decided to warn others with chalk that entering into the garage was a hazard. Enter at your own risk!  The garage was already scary looking to begin with!

Easy Halloween Garage Haunted House in 7 Steps

Makeover Plan – These are the basic steps to get started.  The entire garage was set up in two days so you don’t need a whole lot of time or supplies.

• Step 1. Gather Supplies.
• Step 2. Clean up your garage.
• Step 3. Cover the walls and hide the junk.
• Step 4. Create interior rooms or divisions inside the garage.
• Step 5. Place Halloween decorations and props.
• Step 6. Lighting, sound and fog.
• Step 7. Enjoy!

OK, so let’s go through the steps in detail:

Step 1. Gather Supplies.

Here is what you will need:

• 1 Roll of cobblestone gossamer 60″ x 50 yard
• Optional for interior walls: 1 Roll of solid black gossamer 60″ x 25 yard
• Optional for interior walls: 1 Roll of Weedblock black landscape fabric (can also get from any garden store)
• Strips of wood in various length (any scrap slats you have leftover from previous projects or get from building supply store)
• Floral wire, heavy duty or Metal gauge wire, heavy duty
• Plastic wall anchors
• “O Hook” Wood Screw

Tools:

1. Screwdriver, either electric or manual.
2. Heavy duty stapler
3. Hammer
4. Scissors

Step 2. Clean up.

Picture 2.  Clean up your garage.  This one is an obvious one but clean up as much junk as possible.  This is a good time to throw things away, donate items or have a garage sale! While I was at it, I decided to also repaint the concrete floor since it was full of art work and drawings from my kids and their friends from the previous summer. (We let each kid paint their own square with acrylics for some fun art time.)  The garage is starting to look much better now, thank goodness!

The post Easy DIY Halloween Haunted House Garage in 7 Steps appeared first on Birthday Inspire.

Last updated on July 14th, 2022 at 05:25 am

If you’ve been tasked with planning your friend’s bachelor party, you’ve got a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. What can you do to make this party a suitably memorable “last hurrah?” Whether you’re dreaming of flying everyone to Vegas for a weekend of gambling and debauchery, or you want something more low-key (like a co-ed trivia night), you’ll be sure to find proper inspiration with our bachelor party tips.

Planning and Creating the Perfect Bachelor Party

A bachelor party for the groom can mark the end of a single, independent lifestyle and the start of the transition into married life. While bachelor parties are usually accompanied by a reputation of drinking and debauchery, there are plenty of new and creative takes on the bachelor party tradition. No matter what happens, the main theme and feeling of the event should be camaraderie and celebration. There are many traditions and different elements to consider when planning the perfect bachelor party.

The best man traditionally plans the bachelor party, while the other groomsmen may contribute as well. There are no set rules for what the party should entail. Whether it’s a one-night blowout or a calm weekend retreat, you can be as creative as you want. It’s a good idea to pick a location and activities that best represent the groom and his personality. For instance, an exotic dancer would be a bad choice for a religious man, while a party animal may loathe a tame afternoon at the country club playing golf.

The attendees for the bachelor party should include the groomsmen, but the father of the bride, father of the groom, brothers, and good male friends of the groom can also be invited. However, remember that any guest invited to the bachelor party should also be invited to the wedding. Having guests at the bachelor party who aren’t invited to the wedding could create confusion or an awkward situation later.

The groom should not have to pay for anything for the party or surrounding preparations, and, in fact, most grooms are typically kept in the dark about the plans as a surprise. Surprises aren’t always practical with work schedules or when traveling is involved, but try to keep some elements of mystery, even if it’s a detail as minor as where you are going to dinner or the guest list. Be mindful of every attendee’s budget in order to plan a celebration that everyone can afford.

Another thing to keep in mind when scheduling the party is to host it well in advance of the wedding. While the night before the wedding may be the traditional date for the bachelor party, everyone will want to look their best and be well rested for the big day and activities ahead—especially the groom. After a late night, especially one involving alcohol, everyone will probably not be at 100%. If your event does involve alcohol, be sure to make arrangements for a taxi or a designated driver.

If the best man or groomsmen want to plan a celebration different from the typical beer and stripper-involved shindig, there are many creative options available:

– Getting everyone together to attend a sporting event for a favorite team of the groom

– Hosting a poker night or hiring a casino dealer for a game night

– A scenic camping trip

– Whiskey or tequila tastings

– A road trip to a fun or quirky destination

– A cruise to an exotic location

– A cigar rolling demonstration

– A guided hunting or fishing trip

– Skydiving or another extreme sport

These are all examples of fun, male-bonding activities that don’t involve strippers or a heinous hangover.

Many modern couples have started a new trend of co-ed bachelor and bachelorette parties where the entire wedding party can be involved. Celebrating together can be something fun and crazy to do before getting bogged down with wedding planning. Some guys choose to skip the party altogether to save money, time and energy before the wedding. It’s all a matter of personal preference. Never force the groom to do something that makes him feel uncomfortable.

While it may seem like a fun and silly tradition, it is still important to put time and planning into a bachelor party in order to make it the best possible experience for the groom. Take the time to research options, organize attendees, and make reservations so that all will go smoothly. It is also a perfect time for the members of wedding party, friends, and family of the groom to show their appreciation for him and to bond before the wedding. These helpful hints and ideas should make for a wonderful celebration.

Alternative Bachelor(ette) Party Ideas

While Vegas seems to be synonymous with bachelor and bachelorette parties in recent years, why not break the mold with some alternative plans instead?  If you’re in charge of planning your best friend’s/brother’s/sister’s/cousin’s bachelor or bachelorette party, it’s time do some serious thinking about what you think they’d like to do.  It’s also not a bad idea to check in with them first to see if there’s anything they simply must do on this momentous occasion or something they’d like to avoid altogether.  No matter how well you know them, their answers might surprise you, so make sure you’re prepared for virtually any answer.

Whether you want to help cross a few items off their bucket lists, or want to take them back to a different time altogether with some fun activities from their youth, find a few alternative bachelor and bachelorette party ideas below.

1.Face the Music

Maybe there’s a band that epitomizes the bride’s or the groom’s angst-riddled teenage years. Maybe there’s a band that they used to tour with—or at least that they wish they had. Maybe it’s a band so stellar that its reunion quaked their very existence.  If you’re determined to get them to the show, make sure to get tickets early, especially if they’re in high demand, and do your very best to get backstage passes.  You can’t often buy full-access passes, so make sure to tap into your network early if you think you might know someone who can get them for you.

2.Break Stuff

There’s just something about huge sprays of mud, the roar of engines, and the very real possibility of a fire breaking out at any moment to get the blood pumping.  Take the bride or groom to a monster truck rally or demolition derby for a heavy dose of crunching metal, more horsepower than they can handle, and possibly lingering tinnitus.

3.Death-Defying Escapes

For those who laugh in the face of danger, consider a bungee jumping or skydiving trip.  Make sure to find a reputable vendor in your area and then get ready to “take the plunge.”  If you must, as your bride or groom heads out, go ahead and say it, “You’re about to jump out of a perfectly good plane, (insert bride or groom’s name here)! How do you feel about that?!”

4.Game On

Whether the bride or groom would be more at home in a laser tag arena, plugged into a multi-player game of Halo, or would prefer a game of Scattergories, bring out attendees’ competitive edge with a fun game night.  Include fun prizes and wacky trophies for winners to ensure guests bring their “A” games.

5.Take It Outside

A camping trip may be just what the doctor ordered.  Whether you want to “rough it” by hiking to a secluded, out-of-the-way spot, or you feel more comfortable with nearby plumbing available, a little fresh air never hurt anybody.  Take advantage of your natural terrain by camping out on a beach, in the mountains, or—if it’s the best your area offers—in a friend’s backyard.  Pack foods you can cook over an open flame and don’t forget the chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers—no one’s too old or too cool for s’mores.

6.Bat a Thousand

If you’ve got a sports fan on your hands, consider taking your bride or groom to watch their favorite team play.  Looking to get out of town for a few days?  Take a trip to a rival’s city to watch your home team in action on the road.  If possible, try to get some autographed memorabilia.  Professional teams will often have planned autograph sessions, so make sure to keep your eyes open.

7.An Old Dog

Whether it’s a bartending class, a cooking class, or something more risqué, everyone can stand to learn a little something.  If you know your groom wants to learn how to cook more than just boxed mac and cheese for the new bride, or that the bride wouldn’t know how to make a dry martini if you paid her, a little classroom time might be the perfect fit.

8.Host a Roast

Everyone can do with a little joshing from time to time; just make sure guests know the difference between a friendly poke and an outright insult.  If your bride or groom has the skin and the sense of humor for it, invite friends and family over for a nice dinner and a lot of laughs.  If you don’t think you have what it takes to emcee, choose someone you know will rise to the occasion.

These ideas can be a great way to offer your bachelor or bachelorette a little something different.  Break the mold entirely by combining the two and hosting a joint bachelor/bachelorette party if your bride and groom are up for it.

As you celebrate this bittersweet occasion, whether you use one of these ideas or all of them, the most important thing is to make it memorable.  Usher your bride or groom off to marital bliss with a celebration they’re sure to love.

Handling Last-Minute Mishaps at the Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

After months, weeks, or even just a few days of planning, the bachelor or bachelorette party has finally arrived. While you may be excited to get the party started, no matter how well—or not—you’ve planned the perfect event, hiccups can and do occur. Reservations get lost, venues close, and, occasionally, natural disasters strike.

When these things happen, don’t lose your head.  What is done is done, and instead of getting angry, accusatory, or unreasonable, it’s time to get creative, proactive, and resourceful.  Getting hysterical won’t accomplish anything, and can only serve to upset the bride or groom or make alternate plans harder to secure.  You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, so getting huffy will only make the concierge, front desk person, or other vendor that much more likely to shrug their shoulders and dismiss you completely.  Keep a cool head and do what you have to do to salvage the moment.

This can be the perfect time to enlist the help of one or two willing and able fellow attendees.  You’ll want to choose people who know the bride or groom well and are not easily shaken.  Having more than one person on-task gets that many more people on the phone to try to figure out alternate arrangements. It can help prevent you from getting frustrated as easily, and, at the very least, it can give you an extra someone or two to vent to if needed.

During a bump in the road of an otherwise-fabulous bachelor or bachelorette party, do your best not to alarm the bride or groom.  Come up with an alternate activity for them while you get things figured out.  It’s up to you whether you’d like to let them know that you’ve hit a snag, but a little distraction can be enough to avert the issue entirely.  Pull attendees aside to let them know what is happening and have them take your bride or groom on a fun outing to keep them occupied. Consider having them hit up the mountain of your snowy locale for a bit of boarding, skiing, or tubing. Take in a little sun on the beach of your exotic location. Book an impromptu spa treatment, or subtly encourage a little retail therapy nearby.  You may have to shuffle around the rest of the event schedule a bit to accommodate, but it can be well worth it to avoid upsetting the bride or groom unnecessarily.

Once you’ve carved out a window for yourself, it’s time to get down to business.  Depending on the hole you have to fill in your event’s schedule, utilize the well-laid groundwork you’ve established with local vendors to establish some alternate plans.  If you’re celebrating out of town, no one will know the area better than the people who live and/or work there.  Talk to the valets, concierge, or front desk people at your hotel to find good nearby restaurants, bars, clubs, spas, or whatever gap you have to fill.  Not only will they know which ones to avoid and which ones have promise for your particular group, they may also be able to make reservations for you or can even get you special deals.  Hotel personnel often have special arrangements with select local vendors to get out-of-town visitors to fill their venues, or have the necessary “ins” that can get you into otherwise exclusive areas.

While these last-minute hiccups are often difficult to foresee and even more difficult to plan for, remaining thorough and persistent throughout the planning process is often the best safeguard against possible problems.

Before you’ve even begun the task of organizing the event, talk to the bride or groom about what they’d like to do at their bachelor or bachelorette party or any particular places they’d like to visit.  You probably know their temperament and personality best, but they may surprise you.  Someone who seems to know about every party being hosted in a three-month window may want a quiet weekend snowed in at their favorite mountain resort, while someone who can usually be found playing board games on random Saturday nights might want to celebrate with a weekend stay at a swanky hotel in Las Vegas.  While you don’t want to give too much away, an ill-planned bachelor or bachelorette party will be talked about for just as long as a successful one, but not nearly as fondly.

If possible, you’ll also want a physical confirmation of your planned activities and accommodations. If something does go wrong, prior printage can help prevent poor performance.  A phone call or two also goes a long way to ensure that everyone is still on the same page.  If you’ve made your reservations online, give each venue on your list a call to make sure it was received properly, as well as another in the days leading up to the event.  A lot can happen, even in a matter of a few days:  a bar can close its doors for renovations, a hotel can sometimes overbook, but a quick phone call can help to put your mind at ease or give the location a chance to rectify the situation if possible.

No matter what happens, chances are, by remaining calm in moments of chaos, you can ensure a wonderful celebration.  In the end, your bride or groom will be surrounded by people that care about them and even if you have to “wing it” a little bit, they may not know it unless you decide to tell them.  He or she will take their cues from the people around them, so show no fear and you’re sure to show them the time of their life.

The post 20 Best Bachelor Party planning ideas in 2022 appeared first on Birthday Inspire.

Whether it’s the first time you try party food planning or the 10th time you try to plan a party menu, you’ll quickly discover that food planning combines a bit of science, math, and art… all three neatly on one platter.

The saying goes that we eat with our eyes. But the truth is, we eat with all our senses! So the perfect party food menu has to appeal to your guests’ every sense: with flavors, textures, scents, and your overall beautiful presentation of the food. How you make that all come together is where the alchemy begins!

This page will talk about lots of different elements of party food planning, from how much food to make for a party to how to present what you’ve made.

7 Birthday  Party Food Planning Tips

1. Get an Early Start

Second, give yourself plenty of time. Party food planning isn’t something that should be rushed. Not to mention the fact that you want to enjoy your party, not spend all your time rushing around!

Generally speaking you’ll want at least 6-8 weeks to think through your party menu planning and ideas. Begin with your party’s theme and menu. That way you can shop for bargains. Make a complete list of what you need and start buying those things for which you have space. And get started early.

2. Choose Make Ahead Recipes

Another element of good party food planning is smart food preparation. If you can make things ahead and preserve them, then all you’ll need to do is defrost and warm. Or make things that can be stored for a few days before eating.

Some of my favorite party food recipes that can be made ahead of time are:

Blue Cheese and Caramelized Shallot Dip
Deviled Eggs
Ensalata Caprese Skewers
Apricots with Amaretto Cream and Walnuts
Cold Crab Dips
Baked Bries (just assemble ahead and bake at the party)
Marinated Goat Cheese
Spanish Salpicon

Make Ahead Desserts. Plus, any cupcakes or cakes can generally be made a day or so ahead. Even pies can be cooked a day or two before your party and re-warmed before serving. A fussy dessert is the last thing you want to be messing with at your party. Smart party food planning should help you prevent that.

3. Get the Quantities Straight

First, since recipes often have metric portions, always have a good conversion chart handy when preparing party food for your guests. It will take a lot of frustration out of the whole affair and you won’t wonder if you’re off the mark. Note: there is a difference between fluid measure conversions and dry – make sure to use the right chart!

4. Keep ‘Em Entertained

The best way to ensure that your party is a success no matter how you go about your party food planning? Keep your guests happy and entertained. If you have quite a few guests that don’t know each other –or even if they do know each other!– plan some party games! Put together some:

Fun Icebreakers for a Party (coming soon!)
Party Mixer Games
Fun Drinking Games
Teen Party Game (coming soon)!)
Party games are a great way to keep everybody occupied. that way, you can focus on getting things ready without having to worry whether or not your guests are happy. Because they are!

5. Employ Extra Hands

If several guests want to help with food, decorations, or even napkins, by all means let them! It makes the party feel more special when folks feel involved (this also adds to the excitement). The best way to go about this? Have any guests that want to help commit themselves to a dish or task ahead of time. That way, you know what you have to make and do yourself… and what you don’t.

6. Plan Your Table Settings and Decorations

Another important part of party food planning is how everything looks! Decide ahead of time not only how you want to decorate for your party, but also how you want to decorate your table. Unless you’re planning a sit down dinner party, you’ll probably opt for a buffet. Plan your party food table decorations areoun your party and your theme! Or just make them look nice by being a bit creative and keeping organized. You’ll find some great ideas for decorating a party buffet table at:
Buffet Table Setting Tips
Creative Buffet Table Ideas and Photos
Dinner Party Centerpiece Ideas (coming soon!)
Inexpensive Table Centerpieces (coming soon!)
Buffet Table Decoration Ideas (coming soon!)

7. Establish a Cleaning-Up Plan

One thing most people don’t give much thought to when doing their party food planning? Ongoing clean-up. But it’s important!

When tables are covered with half filled or empty glasses, snack plates, etc. it’s a recipe for disaster. Have a plan for maintaining an uncluttered look. Take a moment every 40 minutes or so to do a spot check and remove items that could make a mess and ruin someone’s outfit.

If you’re having a large party you may even want to find a few people to act as bus-people or the clean up crew. (Remember to give them something for their time and effort– even if it’s just a gift that shows how grateful you are. This will go a long way to getting help again in the future!)

Birthday  Party Food Quantities and Portioning

One of the most important parts of party food planning is making sure you have enough for everyone– but that you don’t go too far overboard. Here are some basics to go by when determining how much food to make for your party guests:

Amount of Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvres for a Party: 5-6 hors d’oeuvres per person for a three hour event; 8 per person for a 4 hour event. Note that if you are having a meal later in the party, you can decrease this.

Amount of Bowl Snacks for a Party: 1 pound of snacks, such as chips, snack mixes, etc., per person. You can allot less if they’ll be followed by a meal.

Size of Main Dishes for a Party or Dinner: 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of food per person for the main meal. Make a bit less if you have appetizers and / or snacks before the main dish.

Amount of Fondues or Other Dips for a Party: 1/3 loaf of French or Italian bread, 6 ounces of meat, fish, cheese, or vegetables. 2 ounces of dip per person.

Amount of Pizza for a Party: Depending on other fare, you’ll want to allot about 2 slices per person. If pizza is the only offering, up that amount to 3-4 slices.

Amount of Punch and Drinks for a Party: In general, about one gallon of punch will cover about 10 people

Amount of Cocktails for a Party: During a four hour event most people will have three to four drinks. This also includes wine

Amount of Ice for a Party: Pick up one pound per person. Add more if you’re having an outdoor gathering, more still if the weather is hot, and more still if it’s the only method you’re using to keep party drinks cold.

Birthday  Party Menu Planning and Preparation

Party food planning is all about being prepared! Sometimes you can stick to a plan and sometimes you need flexibility. No matter what, innovation is a great helpmate. If you give yourself enough time, portion your food properly, create fun icebreakers, and generally come up with a great menu people will be raving about the event for weeks to come.

The post Simple 7 Birthday Party Food ideas appeared first on Birthday Inspire.

Last updated on June 2nd, 2022 at 10:03 pm

Ideas for Retirement Parties: Planning a Fun Retirement Party

Coming up with fun ideas for retirement parties can be difficult. You don’t always have close relationships with the co-workers involved (ones where you actually know their tastes, friends, history etc.), so can have a hard time planning a retirement party they’ll appreciate.

Even if you do know them well, these days the budget for retirement parties is very limited. How can you find budget-friendly retirement party ideas that will also create a good memory for the retiree?

Planning a Retirement Party in 6 Simple Steps

Fortunately, if you go about it the right way, coming up with smart ideas for retirement parties isn’t all that hard. All you got to do? Take it step by step, and let things come together naturally. Want some tips? Read on

Step 1: Retirement Party Guest List and Invitations

When it comes to planning a retirement party, you’ll want to be sure to include everybody. This is an important time in your retiree’s life… so be sure that everybody who should be there IS there. Try to assemble a list of friends, family and co-workers (past and present) and get those invitations out early– and to as many people as you can budget for. This should be a celebratory moment!
Offer a Gift Option. On the invitation, don’t forget the option of making donations to the retiree’s favorite charity! For many people, this can be the most thoughtful retirement gift you can offer.

If you’re looking for some ideas for retirement party invitations, Minted.com has some nice and very elegant-looking ones.

Don’t make it a late party. As far as timing goes, try to be considerate to the guest of honor. By the time people retire, they do not necessarily want to party till the cows come home. Make sure your invitation indicates what food (if any) will be served and how long the party runs. Also indicate if there’s convenient parking, if there’s a specific theme or dress code, and what gifts if any are suggested.

Step 2: Choose a Retirement Party Theme

Of course, the one thing that will guide all of your retirement party planning is your theme. But coming up with a creative retirement party theme can be difficult. Some good ideas for retirement party themes are:

His or Her Hire Year. You can often find a retirement theme idea in the year the person was hired. Go to HR and tell them the basic plan if you don’t know the year (or check with other staff who have been there a while). You can plug that year into a search engine and get all kinds of information from clothing styles and popular movies to cars and news worthy events. Note that these details could become the foundation of a fun icebreaker.

His or Her Career Path. Know the retiree very well? Then you might want to build your theme around the different roles and positions he or she has held at the company. Everybody can dress/act as a different role, from Mail Boy to President. Or you can simply put up photos of the retiree in all of his or her different roles at the company.

Company in Mourning. Another fun idea for a retirement party theme is the “funeral.” The company is so sad to see the retiree go that everybody will dress in black! If somebody high up in the company is there, get him/her to play along. Have the attendees go up to that person to “pay their respects” for losing such an important employee.

Permanent Vacation. If you’re looking for more casual ideas for retirement parties, this one is one of my favorites! Make it a luau-style party, where everybody will wear Hawaiian shirts and drink tropical drinks. After all, the retiree is going on permanent vacation… so this retirement party theme is just perfect!

Step 3: Plan Some Retirement Party Activities and Games

After you’ve decided on your retirement party theme, your next step is coming up with activities. These should somehow tie into your theme and the overall interests of the retiree. Additionally the activities should somehow reflect the lifestyle change that retirement represents.
Clock-Themed Games. A good example of a “change of lifestyle” game or activity is to take an old watch or clock and bash it to pieces and use it as a prop. After all, they don’t have to watch the clock or worry about being on time any more!

Career Trivia. This is one of my favorite activity ideas for retirement parties! Consider creating a trivia game based on the retiree’s career. You can work up a whole history and have everyone try to guess the right answers. The person who gets the most questions right wins a prize.

Future Retirees. Another fun activity for a retirement party is “what do you want to do when?”. To play this game, simply ask the retiree’s co-workers what they’re looking forward to when they get to retire. Then let the retiree share their plans for their future.

Roast ‘Em. One of those ideas that’s great for a retiree with a good sense of humor? A retiree roast! Have a list of specific questions for people who want to participate. Examples would be, “the funniest thing I remember about X is” or “the greatest moment in X’s career was…” or other things along those lines. Be sure to video tape it… because it can be a lot of fun.

Icebreakers and Other Games. If there will be a lot of people present who don’t know each other well, you may also want to consider some fun icebreakers to play. Most standard party games are simple to adapt to any theme. You can find lots of ideas for party games to play at a retirement party right here.

Step 4: Your Retirement Party Decorations

Of course, when you’re coming up with ideas for retirement parties, it’s the decorations that will have the most “oomph.” Fortunately, coming up with retirement party decoration ideas might just be the easiest portion of retirement party planning. Just go along with your theme, or do a search for retirement decorations at your favorite party planning store. (BuyCostumes.com has a lot of wonderful ones.) Some great ideas for retirement parties decorating are:
Make Your Retiree the Decoration. Want to make your retirement party decorations thoughtful and personal? Have co-workers supply a bunch of photos of the retiree. Put them up on walls, or even have an automated PowerPoint presentation rolling with some music from each era in the background (BTW– this makes a great and inexpensive retirement gift, too).

Decorate from His or Her Life. Another fun idea for retirement party decorations? You can decorate different parts of the room, or various tables, so they reflect various aspect of the retiree’s life. It’s fun to make a game out of this. Have the people in each area or each table guess what the decorations represent, then let the retiree share the memories and stories. Be sure to put a cheerful banner like this one up in the background.

Go Black. Black plates, balloons, and other decorations are the perfect thing for a “mourning” themed retirement party. Plus, black decorations are elegant and easy to coordinate.

Step 5: Retirement Party Food and Drinks

Now it’s time to do your party food planning! While some fun ideas for retirement parties can include a sit-down dinner, buffet style retirement parties are the easiest to handle– whether you set your party at a restaurant, at the office, or at somebody’s home. You can have food pre-prepared, have co-workers make dishes, or even get delivery. And don’t forget the snacks. A buffet also gives guests more flexibility in their schedule if they can’t be there when the party starts.
You’ll find lots of buffet recipes and suggestions for setting up a party buffet right here.

If your guests are going to be milling around, the easiest foods to eat are generally appetizers and finger foods. If it needs a knife and fork, be sure there are tables and chairs where guests can sit and eat. You can find some good appetizer and finger food ideas at:

Buffet and Finger Food Recipes
Easy Party Appetizers
Make Ahead Appetizers
Cold Appetizer Recipes

Step 6: Record it All

Pick out music, and have a camera ready to record the event. Do you know somebody with a video camera who would be willing to walk around and record it all? Ask him to do so. Even better, assign somebody to walk around and ask each guest to say a thing or two about the retiree. This is one of those ideas for retirement parties that not only makes the experience more fun, but –once edited– will make a great retirement gift, too. And be sure to give a full set of pictures to the retiree!

Getting it All Done! One of the most important ideas for retirement parties is to simply to give yourself enough time to put things together! On average you’ll want about 6 weeks and the cooperation of various family and co-workers to make your retirement party planning really successful.

The post 6 Simple Retirement Party ideas appeared first on Birthday Inspire.

Last updated on June 4th, 2022 at 11:20 pm

Sleepover or Slumber parties name it the way you like, these parties are usually parties that happen over night at a friends place or may be if have a bungalow or a specific place to spend the night. But generally these parties are at a friends place.

Every teenager has a dream of having sleepover parties to celebrate the bonding they have with their friends or to make the bonding more special, and not only teenagers but also kids and adults have this thing of having sleepovers. Though generally sleepover is moreover a girl’s thing, guys hardly chose these kinds of parties.

A sleepover party is really an amazing time to spend with your loved ones, friends, family or collogues. You can have so many things done in just one night so many talks (gossips for girls), activities never done before, games that reveals the truth or may gives a deadly dare, movies that touch your heart or may be just scare you to death.

Here I have certain ideas that you can use while planning for a sleepover or a slumber party.

1. Plan it at someone’s house.

Having a party planed at a friends place itself gives a excited vibe to other friends and even parents would have no complaints for their child going out in the night as it would be safe to go to a friends place where they know there are adults to take care.

2. Decide a theme.

Well deciding a theme is surely important as it gives more taste and flavors to the party. There are themes like Horror, Pajama, Bollywood, Hollywood, Classic Retro, if its only girls party have themes such as Makeover, Pink, Dressed only (which means everyone should be compulsorily dressed almost same). You can have some accessories prepared for the theme so that with those prefect pictures can be taken.

3. Change the way your house looks.

Your friends have surely been at your place otherwise than a sleepover so make sure to give your house a bit of new look so that you’ll get the party feel. Add up some cool cozy tents, decorate with candles or tiny LED lights, some kind of art or creativity you can add to make you place look super cool and ready for party. Or have cozy bean bags or too many cozy huge pillows or over soft beds all over the floor.

4. Guest list.

Obviously you don’t want unwanted people to crack up to your party and spoil the fun you have planed to have, also you have to make sure nobody is offended if you have a certain person to call whom others are may be not okay with. These sleepovers have only special kind of people invited mostly, but it’s always good to have new friends isn’t it! Let yourself and others get a chance to know new people to know whether you can gel up or not.

5. Invitations.

So definitely this is going to give a personal touch to the people who are going to make it to your party. Its always nice to be invited officially for a party don’t you think so! Have the most unique invitation cards. You can have it handmade or get it printed or readymade. Have a personalized touch to it may be a particular quality of that person or the picture of that person or a picture of you’ll together.

6. Food.

Yeah! Food it’s the essential part of the sleepover right? Oh it surely is important specially choosing the right kind of food on the basis of the taste of your buddies. Food is definitely the way through anyone’s heart. Sweet treats that everyone likes. You can pre order and store the food if you want to otherwise all of you together can prepare different dishes by experimenting different recipes.

7. Fun drinks.

You heard me right Nah! Don’t get me wrong fun drinks don’t have to necessarily be hard drinks (it can if you are adult enough to choose that and your parents should be okay and also it should be limits). Fun drinks can be mocktails, which are just different mixtures of soft drinks or chocolates drinks. Make drinks by your own self using chocolates, fruits, biscuits, etc.

8. Activities for the night.

Activities for the night need to be special and planned so that it doesn’t turn down to be boring or sad. Including different kind of games.

a. Photo-booth.

Pictures are the best way to treasure memories for life. Pick up a corner of your place and set it up well for pictures to be taken. That surely shall be the spot for girls. Have different kind of tags with different kind of famous dialogues, gestures and quotes. Have stupid but unique caps or hats and cool glasses. Have frames that can be hold and than you can click! Click! Click!

b. Spin the bottle.

One of the constant games for sleepovers. Trust me it reveals a lot more than you expect. Add up Situation as one of the options, so it will be Truth, Dare or Situations and spin that bottle. Spices up the night surely. Or rather just prepare a questionnaire that goes same for all to answer, and have that answered in front of all.

c. Dark room.

No one is old enough to play this game, be it a child, a teenager or an adult, everyone loves to scare each other and this game is prefect for your friends who get scared easily. Play the clap game in the dark room. (In this game there is one person who will be blind folded and will have to follow the claps others give him/her and catch hold of them.)

d. Movies.

Oh! Damn yes movies are a part of sleepovers. Watching movies with friends that give a special feeling. Watch people that are based on friendship, relationship, may be comedy; Horror is always the best option though. If not watching create your own short film. Act, dance, cry, laugh do anything and everything in that movie as its your movie put it the way you want it.

e. Music.

Of course how will it be complete without having music that rocks up the ambience or make it smooth, soft, have dancing numbers, EDM, etc. arrange for a playlist you want to listen to with common interest of your gang. You will know about each others choice of music and also might discovering some beautiful music which you wouldn’t have heard before.

f. Dance off.

Have a dance challenge to spice the environment show some really cool moves and have fun in just dancing to your favorite numbers how can it not be amazing to see each other dance and than judge who’s the best! Have couple dances, have group dances. Don’t pre plan your dance just dance on the spot that is the beauty of that night.

g. Pillow fights.

Who wouldn’t want to have a pillow fight with friends at the sleepover? It’s probably the best thing about the night obviously without hurting each other in real. But it has to be the part of the sleepovers. Make unstitched pillows for yourself so that you enjoy the cotton you stuffed inside coming out and giving you the feeling of Bollywood.

9. Favors.

No this is not what you are thinking. Favors means preparing something or buying something like a giveaway gift for you closed on who have to celebrate the night with you. It be a handmade bracelet, a thank you card, a show piece, and kind of small token of love will be appreciated and remembered.

10. The morning preparations.

Oh!! The night has gone by in so much love, happiness, gossips, secrets and fun. So now when your friends are about to leave why not send them with a fresh start to the day from an amazing sleepover party. Have a coffee and tea session followed by some light snacks to end the sleepover in a pleasant way.

***That was all about if you choose to have a sleepover in the house. What if you want to have sleepover at a bungalow or say a farmhouse it surely is a brilliant idea unless your parents mind it. Having said that I have some ideas to be shared for the same.

11. Find a location.

Pen down the location you have in your mind. It can be location you like or probably the locations where you or your friend already owns a property. It should be in consideration of all the people whom you invite and the travel should be safe. Go to new locations every time don’t stick to one as the excitement might turn down.

12. Rent it.

Not necessarily everyone would be having a farmhouse or a bungalow, so if you don’t own a property no issues at all you can always rent it for the time you want to have the party. (Make sure it’s safe and that it has the basic things a house should be having and also that don’t damage it in anyway otherwise you will have to bare the cost).

13. Travelling.

Hardly people would like to drive for a sleepover party and also if it is far away it better to hire a mini bus so that even till the time you reach to the destination you have a quality time with your friends and so that nobody is tired when they reach and can start partying. Sings songs, play games such as dumshara’s (the acting game where there are two teams against each other. Team A will give a movie to team B’s one person and that person has to enact that movie in front of his/her own team to make them recognize the movie without speaking – only actions allowed.)

14. Pool Party.

Having pool party is probably a dream of everyone, specially the people who love that kind of environment and for people who love to be in water for like life. It’s in all a very different kind of experience. You can have a neon theme rather than having the typical pool party theme. You can have a dresses, bands, glass also drinks of neon colors. You can have water games. Prepare a questionnaire and let people answer it in open and who doesn’t answer push them in the pool you do the same for dare, give them a dare and if they cant do it push them in the pool as a funishment (fun+punishment). You can have swimming competitions. Have cocktails and mocktails both organized and they can choose what to drink.

15. DJ night.

What would be better than having a private DJ night? Usually when you go for DJ night its always filled with so many people around and you hardly enjoy. This is the time have your own DJ night and it all by yourself. Have dance competitions. Dance on paper competitions (keep on folding the paper and dancing on it until anyone falls and gets out from the game.)

16. Trampoline.

No body is adult enough to have play on a trampoline it is equal fun for adults as for the children.

*** Actually out of all these you can also have one more and the most unique kind of sleepover, which can be in a bus. No! That’s not I mean like in proper bus. Change an old bus into a mobile home i.e. transforming it into a house. If you cant do that you can hire already built mobile house buses and have a stay.

So here are few ideas of having an unforgettable and prefect sleepover parties so that you can become the King/Queen of organizing such parties and would never mess with anything or have something missing. Hope you already are planning it for the weekend.

The post 16 Sleepover/ Slumber Party Ideas appeared first on Birthday Inspire.