Having a party brings excitement to some and fear to others.   A party is a great way to get family and friends together for a memory making time.  Whether you want to have a big blow out event or a small intimate party, there are ways to make the event more memorable without spending your life savings.

Here are some ideas that you might consider:

Gardening Party:    I did a BBQ party for a landscape designer which turned out to be very fun.  We did a buffet with a gardening theme.  On top of the buffet table we put a plastic tablecloth cut to fit the size of the top to protect the table and then put down sod squares on top of the plastic.  We had a real grass tablecloth.  Sod squares can be easily cut to fit the top of your table.  On top of the sod were wooden crates and planters.  Each food dish was placed on top of a planter or crate.  Instead of the usual spoons and forks we used brand new spades, forks, transplanters and other gardening utensils.  They were washed throughly before and after use.  The hostess washed them and gave them away to the guests.  For the centerpiece we put  a toy lawnmower on top of a crate.  The center piece was the highest point on the table and the food items on crates and planters were lower to create a triangle (Highest point in the center and lowest point on each end of the table).   The items for the table were of minimal cost and yet the guests loved the unique setting.

Fall Party:  Fall has always been my favorite season and now that I am a parent fall is the most wonderful season of all - the kids go back to school!!

A fall party can be so much fun and so inexpensive because your decor is readily available from the outdoors for free.   Collect leaves, nuts, berries, twigs, branches from your yard, the park, take a walk and pick them up off the street.  This would be a fun activity for a family outing. 

You can make your food table look like the leaves are freshly fallen by gently throwing them up in the air and let them fall where they may.  You might have to move some that fall in the wrong places.  The key to a great fall table is that it looks full.  Add branches, twigs, nuts, acorns and other interesting items to your table.  For flowers you can get some potted mums in fall colors and place on the table surrounded by your natural fall items. 

My favorite fall party was a finger food party.  I  did three food serving tables: 

Cheese & Fruit Table:  A variety of cheeses on cheese marble with small baskets of crackers.  Part of the decor on this table were whole fresh fruit, pears, dates, figs and apples which the guest were able to pick up and eat.

Hors d'oevures:  Bit size chicken pieces with your choice of sauces,  meatballs, vegetables and dips, warm mini cornbread muffins with jelly 

Dessert Table:  Baskets and basket trays filled with cookies,  mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins,   sheet cake cut up into small pieces, mini tarts filled with pumpkin,  cheesecake, apples, chocolate mousse

Tea Party:   Tea parties can be so stuffy or they can be fun.   We did a large tea party with a variety of tables.  Each table had a specific theme and guests were seated at the table that fit their personality. 

• One table had battenberg lace, silver serving pieces, china plates and cups.  It was very formal. 
• Another table had a Mary Engelbriet theme with a table overlay cloth with her fun teacupdesign on it and we used oversized teacups and matching plates. 
• The rainbow table had a different color placemat at each setting and the centerpiece flowers with each color on the table. 
• Ivy and gold was the theme at another table.  The table cloth overlay was white with ivy on it.  The teapot was gold and the teacups and plates had gold rims.  The centerpiece was a paper mache teapot painted gold with ivy and white flowers flowing out of it.
• Children's table had pastel colors with a teddy bear centerpiece.  Each child received a small inexpensive teddy bear as a gift which was also used as a placecard.

Each table was inspired by the items that the hostess had on hand.  The placecards were individual tea bags with the guests name attached to them.  These also served as a gift for the guests. 

I hope these ideas have inspired you to be creative.  Feel free to visit our store for more ideas.