If you’re hosting an ice skating party for either children or adults, you’ll want it to be an event to remember.  Whether it’s to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or even just for fun, follow these simple steps to hosting the perfect ice skating party:

  • Invitations: Your invitations should set the tone for the party, while providing guests with plenty of information.  Include blue or silver sparkles in your color scheme, as this is easily replicated on the ice.  You may even wish to have your invitation be in the form of a figure skate.  Let your guests know whether your party will take place outdoors or inside, and provide directions if needed.  Encourage children to wear gloves or mittens.  (Even if you’re inside at a heated rink, these will provide some cushion and warmth for their hands if they fall.)  If skates are available for rental, or if there is a concession stand in addition to any snacks you’ll be providing, inform guests of this in your invitation so they can bring some cash.
  • Food: Ice skating is a physical activity, so people will be hungry when they’re finished!  Consider providing filling snacks, such as sandwich roll-ups or pizza.  (You may need to ask the rink if you can bring in your own food other than cake or ice cream.)  Also include a hot chocolate, tea, and coffee table where everyone can prepare their hot drinks in any way they’d like.  This table may include the usual marshmallows, sugar, whipped cream, and flavored creamers.  It may also have small cookies for dipping.  If young children will be present, offer cups with lids and fill a few before everyone gets off the rink so they have time to cool off before the children drink from them.  Donna from Party Wishes set up this a lovely display shown below with snowflakes lollipops in pretty glass mugs used for hot chocolate.

She also incorporated the favors of earmuffs and a scarf into her chair cover decorations…brilliant!

  • Decorations: Since you can’t decorate the ice, streamers, balloons, and sparkles should adorn the room where people will eat, drink, and celebrate.  (Be careful not to have any confetti or other items on the floor, as these can stick to skates and cause people to fall on the ice.)  Or, you may wish to make it feel like an Olympic event, with posters, bouquets, and even stuffed animals lining the walls.  Be sure to take short video clips of guests skating, and then you can display them on the wall or a projector as people are enjoying their food.  The same is also true of still photographs, which can be emailed or even printed and handed to everyone as they leave.

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When planning your wedding, you’ll want all your guests to be able to sit back, enjoy, and have a great time.  What better way to encourage comfort and a welcoming environment than through a country themed wedding reception?  Remember that this theme should be rustic yet classy.  Here are some simple ideas for hosting the perfect event from decorations and the cake, to rustic wedding favors:

  • Decorations: A country theme should include natural decorations, from bouquets of wildflowers to jarred candles.  You can create beautiful centerpieces with multi-colored wax candles in a number of differently shaped jars.  Once the sun starts to set, have attendees go to each table and light the candles for an enchanted feel.  Natural wreathes, also containing wildflowers, berries, and even silk butterflies or birds, can be hung on any doorways and at the entrance to the reception.  Remember that different shades of green always make people think of being outdoors in the country, so include this wherever possible, even on the ribbon holding the bouquets together.  You can also fill a vase with whole coffee beans and place these cute chocolate boot country wedding favors in them.  Be sure that there is the same number of boots as there are guests at the table.
  • Table settings: Rather than having glasses for water at each seat, consider having mason jars instead.  (However, do not provide these for your champagne toast.)  You can also have traditional cloth napkins, either in solid colors or a gingham design.  Place each in a floral napkin holder, perhaps even including silk sunflowers on each one.  (You can easily create these on your own by purchasing supplies from your local craft store.)  Simple plates and solid silver or even brass cutlery will complete the look.  Consider adding candy and placing these  cute mini mason jar favors at each setting.
  • Cake: Keep in mind that in addition to providing a delicious dessert for your guests, your cake can serve as one of your key decorations.   You’ll want the colors to match those of your other decorations, and remember to keep it simple.  Intertwining flowers or a few decals will go well with your natural theme.  (Don’t overwhelm guests with too many designs or patterns.)  You may want to display the cake on a brass serving tray that matches your silverware.  Also, cake pops have become quite popular, and they are already individually sized.  (Plus, you can make them in a variety of flavors.)  You may want place some around your cake for guests to enjoy.
  • Photo opportunity: No wedding is complete without taking pictures to remember it by.  Whether you rent a photo booth or set up a corner of the room with a bale of hay, allow guests to use props (bandanas, cowboy hats, etc.) and have their pictures taken.  This is fun for friends and family members of all ages!
  • Rustic Wedding Favors: There are so many country and western wedding favors options for favors including:  a personalized glass trinket holder, light-up cowboy boot mug,

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Olympic Theme Party

May 8, 2012

If you love summertime parties and sports, what better reason is there to get your friends together than an Olympic themed party?  Whether you choose to have guests watch the events is up to you (but we’d recommend projecting your television screen onto a wall or other large area).  Here are some ideas to ensure [...]

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Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

May 2, 2012

A Dr. Seuss baby shower can be so much fun.  Everyone knows and enjoys the stories by the beloved author, so it is easy to put together a party for your favorite future mommy.  The ideas you are about to see are from students at Ferris State University.  They entered a table top contest and [...]

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Hockey Party

April 29, 2012

Whether you’re planning a hockey birthday party for a child or adult athlete, or even just wish to host a theme party for a group of friends and neighbors, hockey themes are extremely popular.  Follow these simple instructions to throw the perfect party: Hockey Decorations: You may either choose to decorate for the guest of [...]

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Sweet 16 Themes for Girls

April 24, 2012

Planning a sweet sixteen party for your daughter’s birthday?  You’ll want to be sure it’s the celebration of the decade!  What better way to guarantee a fun, memorable blow-out bash than to set a theme for the party.  Some exciting themes include: Hollywood: Your daughter should be the star of the show, and there’s no [...]

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Las Vegas Wedding

April 24, 2012

If you’re planning a Las Vegas wedding, you’ll want the reception to be a perfect party.  Guests should talk about it for years to come!  Follow these guidelines to hosting the perfect Las Vegas wedding reception: Send fun and festive invitations: Perhaps you want to send invitations in the form of entry tickets, and you [...]

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Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

April 20, 2012

I had the pleasure of taking a Vegetarian Boot Camp class at Schoolcraft College with a wonderful instructor, Chef Gabriel.  He taught us how to make vegetable sushi rolls.  The recipe is shown below: Ingredients for the rice: 6 cups Jicama Peeled (roughly one inch cubes) 1/2 cup Pine nuts 5 tsp Sea Salt 1/4 [...]

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Photo Centerpieces

April 17, 2012

The most beautiful and meaningful centerpieces don’t have to be expensive.   Whether you are planning a bridal shower, wedding, baby shower, baptism or any other event, consider incorporating photos into your centerpieces.   Here are some great examples: 1.  Floral Centerpiece with Table Numbers by Manarae. – Flowers are always a beautiful centerpiece, but [...]

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Easter Centerpieces

April 12, 2012

Easter is over, but it just so happened that I found all of the best centerpieces after the holiday.  What makes them especially nice is that they are easy to create and relatively inexpensive.  Even if you are not naturally gifted in the craft area, you will be successful when making these lovely masterpieces.   [...]

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