Anniversary Party Decorations
Now that you've chosen your theme, your invitations, and narrowed down your menu, it's time to focus on how you are going to spruce up your living space to give it a party atmosphere.
Furniture -- Color -- Flowers -- Candles -- Paper Products
Take a good look at how your furniture is arranged and think about your number of guests. Is there enough seating? Will you have to add more chairs? Would the room be better served with fewer things in it to accommodate people standing and mingling? If your end tables and coffee tables contain a lot of knick-knacks, consider moving most of them to make room for your guests to put down drinks and food.
Look at the main rooms you will be using to entertain during the party. Is there a way for you to incorporate the colors of the invitations, or your theme, in these rooms? Simple things like changing the throw pillows can really make for a coordinated event. Places like Target and Pier 1 have inexpensive pillows, throws, curtains, and table runners that can really make things pop.
Now that you have cleared room on your tables, think about adding simple vases for bunches of flowers. This is also an easy way to bring in the theme of the party. Don't worry if you have never arranged flowers before - we promise you it's simple!
Follow these easy steps below to create gorgeous, monochromatic arrangements that your guest will rave about!
1) Pick a color that you want to highlight at your party: it could be a color from the invitation or it could be the favorite color of the guest of honor.
2) Take stock of what vases you already have, and where you would like to place them for the party
3) Head to a local farmer's market or grocery store, and pick up a few bunches of flowers in the same color. Some great choices are: lilies, alstroemeria, or carnations (yes -- you can use carnations, just get them all in the same color!)
4) You want your flowers to be 3 to 4 inches above the rim of the vase, so cut your flower stems on a diagonal so that they are the right height.
5) Fill your vases half way with water
6) Gather the flowers in your hand, position them in the middle of the vase, and let them fall naturally
Candles are another easy way to add ambiance, set the tone of the party, and add subtle scent to the room. For living spaces, pillars in glass hurricanes are probably best as the flame will be protected and they are less likely to tip over. On the dining to buffet tables, taper candles in proper candlesticks will add height and drama to the table.
Remember to put scented candles in your bathrooms for added elegance. We love some of the scents from Illuminations.
Depending upon the guest of honor's tastes, you may or may not want to use traditional paper decorations for this anniversary party. If you want to go that route, we suggest sticking with one color and using them sparingly. Streamers and balloons can also be used, but again, sometimes less is more in this department.
