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St. Patrick’s Day Food Ideas

Ahh the luck of the Irish! Even if your ancestors don’t hail from Ireland, St. Paddy’s Day is still one of the most loved holidays to celebrate. This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on Friday, March 17th and will bring tons of people out!

When thinking about having a St. Patrick’s Day party, don’t forget the food! Here are some themed food ideas:

1) Green Beer

It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without green beer! Luckily for everyone this is super easy to make, so the whole party can enjoy, whether that is 5 or 500 people! All you need is a glass, beer and green food coloring. Add a few drops of the coloring into the glass and pour the beer in slowly.


Photo source: Betty Crocker

2) Green Eggs and Ham Sandwiches

Another great tradition is the green eggs and ham. This can be served in a buffet style or individually depending on the event.


Photo source: Taste of Home

3) Guinness Ice Cream

Add some Guinness flavor in your ice cream for some dessert! Don’t forget the chocolate covered pretzels on the side as well for a salty surprise! Check out the recipe below for homemade ice cream or ask a caterer.


Photo source: Food and Wine

4) Guinness Beer Cheese Dip

Ok, we couldn’t help ourselves with the Guinness; it is St. Paddy’s day after all! And who doesn’t love beer and cheese?! This is a great dip for parties, and can be made in a crock-pot!


Photo source: All Recipes

5) Shepherd’s Pie

For a main dish guests will love a Shepherd’s Pie.


Photo source: Food Network

6) Corned Beef and Cabbage

Nothing says Irish tradition more than corned beef and cabbage. Don’t forget to add this to your menu! This is a heartier meal, so make sure guests are sitting when they eat.


Photo source: All Recipes

These are just some of the few recipes we love to incorporate a St. Patrick’s Day themed party. Grab some shamrocks, green linen and tableware and you will have yourself a great event!
Looking for more ideas to pull together a professionally planned St. Patrick’s Day party?

Check out our theme that contains a party plan from an event expert.

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Beauty and the Beast Theme Party

Beauty and the Beast. It’s a tale as old as time, and a theme that is great for an event! There are many possibilities from wedding theme, a simple tea party or a large sit down or dinner party!

When thinking about putting together a Beauty and the Beast theme, food and décor will be the two that put it over the top! Here are some food and décor ideas to make your next event a success:

FOOD:

1) Enchanted Dessert

For a wedding or large event, a castle themed cake would be the best fit

Photo Source: Disney Weddings

2) Rose Apple Tarts

Photo Source: Color Me Meg

These rose apple tarts are another great addition to your event! They look and taste great, and guests will love the thought you put into them. A simple recipe and easy to follow instructions!

3) Strawberry Shortcake

These easy to do desserts can be served as appetizers and will be a crowd pleaser! Using the two core theme colors – gold and red, they are perfect for showers, tea parties or a little get together.

Photo Source: Somewhat Simple

4) Croque Monsieur Roll-Ups

Sounds complex, but in reality this French inspired sandwich is made with dough, ham and cheese. Great finger food for guests who want to mingle and walk around.

Photo Source: Brit Co

5) French Onion Soup

For a larger sit down event, a great main dish option would be a French Onion Soup.

Photo Source: The Disney Chef

6) The Grey Stuff

Photo Source: See Aimee Cook

One of the most famous foods to come directly from the Beauty and the Beast movie is “The Grey Stuff”. Coming from the “Be Our Guest” song declaring, “Try the Grey Stuff, it’s delicious!”. Similar to a mousse dessert with Oreo flavoring, it is indeed delicious, and fans of the movie will appreciate the effort.

DÉCOR:

1) The Enchanted Rose

The most iconic décor peace in the entire theme is the enchanted rose. For an event you can be creative with this, because there are many ways to incorporate it! Use it as a centerpiece or an individual place setting. For those looking for an inexpensive route, try fake flowers or create your own paper flowers!

Photo Source: Disney Wedding

2) Gold Accents

Sticking to Beauty and the Beast’s theme colors, a gold accent for chairs and tables, will make the room look more grand and lavish.

Photo Source: Disney Wedding

And to get you in the mood of the theme don’t forget the song!

Looking for more ideas to create this theme for your small venue party? We’ve generated a cohesive event concept to help you plan a Beauty and the Beast theme party and ensure everything flows from the moment guests receive the invitation to the end of the night. Great ideas on anything from invites to entertainment and everything in between. With our event concept ideas from a 30+ year event planning veteran, you can plan your party like a pro!

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Creating a Thrilling New Year’s Party

The Holidays are quickly approaching, which means events and gatherings of all kinds for you to either host or attend. One holiday in particular is New Year’s Eve, which is always accompanied by the year’s biggest parties. New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate the past year’s successes and new beginnings of the upcoming year.

As a host, you always want to put your best foot forward. Have fun brainstorming fun ideas, but most importantly make sure you are prepared for the task at hand. Whether you are hosting a celebration for friends and family or having a huge blowout party with celebrity performers, we have some ideas on how to create a thrilling New Year’s Eve party!

Whether you want to WOW! your guests with festive food, interactive games or a themed atmosphere, we came up with ideas to make your guests leave in awe:

Light Up the Night with an Interactive Activity

Instead of fireworks, surprise your guests with Chinese lanterns! This subtle, yet beautiful custom is a great interactive entertainment option. Guests will enjoy being this hands on activity where they can write their wishes for the year on the lantern and watch them float into the sky. Make sure that this activity is legal in your state, as several have acted to ban it.

Use a Bubbly Twist on Decor

Champagne is a MUST for NYE parties. Since you’ll already have bought champagne for the party, use empty or full bottles for decorations as well. Add glitter and decorate them for centerpieces or place them around the room! Pinterest has some great ideas on how to repurpose the bottles.Have Bite-sized SweetsAs midnight nears, guests will likely be standing and walking around more than before as the party comes into full swing. For dessert, try festive Cake Pops! These are easy to grab and are hard to resist.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Another great option for a late-night snack is personal popcorn boxes. Make this easy and loveable snack pop at your party by placing them in a printable box, perfect for sponsorship at large parties or a personal message for more intimate gatherings.

 Photo Source: Celebrations.com

Theme It Up

For those looking for a unique NYE party theme consider a ‘Black and White Ball’ or a ‘One Last Hurrah’. Check out the details here! Other popular options include prohibition parties, masquerade mystique, or even black light. Just be sure that your theme aligns with interests of the guests you are inviting.

Share the Year’s Highlights

NYE is also about reflecting on the past year. For smaller parties, have guests write their favorite memory of the year on fun colored paper and place them in a mason jar. Read these aloud to relive great memories. For large parties, have guests tweet or share a post on Instagram and portray them on a screen inside. Guests will love to see themselves on a big screen!

Make it Memorable with Photo Opportunities

At any fabulous party people are going to want pictures. Who doesn’t love capturing a memory of when they are dressed to the nines or having a blast with friends? Set up a photo booth or create a space with a festive backdrop. Encourage guests to strike a pose by having fun props to pose with. Include props with the upcoming and past year, fancy glasses (stars, sparkles, & funky spectacles), mustaches & lips, and printed phrases like the one below!

 Photo Source: Uncommon Designs Online

These are just a few ideas to get your NYE party started! Anything with glitter, champagne and finger foods are always a hit, but try to think outside of the box for your party this year! What unique twist are you planning on using or have you seen in the past? We’d love to hear!

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How To Choose an Event Theme

Does your event have a theme? Well, it most likely does, even though you might say you don’t want or need one. Okay, it may not an obvious theme like a 70’s disco or a Hawaiian luau, but all events have a theme or some underlying message that runs throughout the event.

It might be something much more subtle than an outrageous idea, but every event should have a theme.

Having a theme certainly helps you organize your event and assists in keeping it cohesive. It helps you create the collateral for the event, like signage and invitations that line up with the messaging and helps the attendees better understand what the event is about. It also helps to hire speakers that speak to your messaging.

So how do you choose a theme? Well, consider what is happening in your organization. It might be a new campaign, a new product or what you want your audience to hear. These are things you should base your theme around.

When deciding on a theme, consider what you want the audience to take away. For example, your theme might be ‘The Power of One’ and the speakers might talk about how one person makes a difference in the company, encouraging each and every attendee to stand up and take responsibility to make a difference in the company and rise above what they do in the company.

If ‘The Power of One’ were to be directed to a group of donors, you might have the speaker share how the amount they donate makes a difference in the organization and how it provides benefits to the recipients.

Here are a few things to think about when theming your events:

  • Know that the theme is the first impression that people will encounter when they see event updates and information
  • Make sure all the material is consistent and carries the same message throughout
  • Hire speakers that will communicate your subject matter
  • Make sure you are specific with your event theme
  • Consider who your audience is and make sure you don’t offend anyone in that group
  • Make sure your theme delivers the message you want your attendees to receive

When theming your events, make sure the theme speaks to the audience, that you use the theme throughout the whole event starting with the invites and any online elements and make it follow through.

Don’t have any ideas for your next event theme? We have you covered! Check out our pre-packaged themes that have everything you could possibly need!

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Gender Reveal Party

When theming gets personal

As an event pro, it’s always hard to plan your own event, or it is for me. Knowing all of the possibilities for planning and with tons of great ideas racing through my mind, it is hard to choose just one idea to stick with.

Over the holidays, my family had the opportunity to plan my daughter’s gender reveal party. Of course we were all excited to learn the gender of this “coming soon” attraction, but I’m not sure anyone’s excitement level could match mine; this is my first grand baby after all!

We started with one of the items my daughter loves to collect – owls –  and the nursery theme she and her husband have chosen. The theme for this event happened to be enchanted forest.

Our event happened on Christmas Eve; a busy time of year, but the only time we could get all of her friends in the same place for any amount of time. Instead of making this a “party” we went with an afternoon event and offered a little beer and wine, fun finger foods, and amazing owl-shaped cookies in pink and blue!

 Owl-shaped cookies by You Bake Me Happy

When guests arrived, the first thing they did was choose either a pink or blue owl based on their best guess at the gender of the baby. They were also instructed to write a note for the parents or baby and hang it on the Christmas tree.

I created a display using cute little owls printed and cut out, then attached to a small limb from one of our trees outside. I hung the limb on the wall and placed the little pink and blue owls all along the limb. I added some small birds and LED battery operated star lights to add a bit of twinkle.

I’ve never been a traditionalist when it came to Christmas décor for trees and this year was no different. However, it was also our first year ever for an artificial tree and I went with white. It seemed fitting for a tree decorated with baby gear.  Pacifiers, socks, bibs and stuffed toys were used as ornaments and small woodland animals placed around the base of the tree and hanging throughout the tree made sure our theme was complete.

Our food selections included rolls folded as diapers, mini cocktail wieners with little diapers, cucumber sandwiches and other fun bite-sized treats. I was able to find both pink and blue sodas and added those for beverages. Pink and blue punch served out of baby bottles would have been cute as well.

 Bite-sized treats

Do-It-Yourself Theme Packages: Why You Need Them

If you’ve ever committed to throwing a themed party or often create theme parties as part of your job, you know that you can spend hours upon hours of time searching for the right décor elements, entertainment, food, and other intimate details to make the party a hit.

What if we told you that you could save yourself 30+ hours during the planning process by using just one DIY theme package created by Event Heroes?

What is a DIY Theme Package?

A DIY Theme Package by Event Heroes is a fully detailed instructional packet that allows you to pull off a high-quality event that WOWs your guests, attendees, and clients.

We’ve included how to engage your attendees from the moment they hear about the party (invites) until the end of the night (entertainment) and everything in between. See full details of what’s included here.

How will a DIY Theme Package improve my meetings, parties, and events?

Themes are an important element of any event. They help unify your message, create excitement before and during the event, and leave an impression on guests for months or years to come when done right. Check out our five favorite themes.

DIY Theme Packages make sure you don’t overlook any detail and that you stay consistent throughout your planning. The included instructions will walk you through what to set up where, what atmosphere to create including what guests will see, hear, and experience, and exactly what you’ll need to pull this off.

The supply list included in the package aligns perfectly with the instructions page to avoid any confusion. Details found in the instructions pages are listed in the supply list along with where to find each item, how much value it brings to the overall event, and a rough estimate of the cost for each item expressed in dollar signs.

Impact (star rating) and pricing estimates ($-$$$$) for each item will help you determine how to get the most bang for your buck and still pull off an event that WOWs and stays within your client’s budget!

The proposal included is available for you to present to your client or planning team. A theme proposal helps bring your vision to life and can inspire unexpected creativity as you put yourself in the shoes of those attending the party, event or meeting.

The proposal included is available for you to present to your client or planning team. A theme proposal helps bring your vision to life and can inspire unexpected creativity as you put yourself in the shoes of those attending the party, event or meeting.

So what are you waiting for? We’ve done all of the hard work for you!  All you have to do is take advantage of our of our DIY Theme Packages TODAY.

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DIY Elegant Holiday Wreath

Snow has started to fly and the cold weather has arrived, that means it’s time for holiday decorating and company parties or as I like to think of it “Party time!”

We get a little excited this time of year when we can combine our event planning skills with our artistic abilities. It’s always fun to bring on our hot glue and glitter skills and put together some great table decorations for this year’s crop of holiday parties.

This year our primary holiday themes are all silver and white. For the perfect accent piece, we are creating holiday wreaths using all silver holiday bulbs of various sizes and textures.

Gather the following items:

  • Styrofoam wreath – I prefer 11.8” but you can use whatever size you prefer
  • Holiday ornaments of different sizes and textures
    • 2.625” or 6.7 cm
    • 1.50” or 3.86 cm
    • 1.12” or 2.80cm
  • Cool glue gun and lots of glue sticks
  • Wire (I just use the glue but it might help if you have some wire)
  • Wire cutters
  • Beaded garland
  • Any other accent pieces (ribbon, snowflakes, etc.)

Getting Started:

Now find a comfortable work space, pour yourself your favorite warm drink, and if you’re feeling festive put on some holiday tunes.

Once I have all of my items gathered, I start by gluing the larger ornaments first. Place these around the outside, gluing them next to each other. Be sure to hold the ornament in place for approximately five seconds until the glue holds on its own. There will be some gaps, but don’t worry your next layer will fill them in.

8 Holiday Cocktail Party Ideas

A list of popular cocktail party themes for your holiday celebrations

The holidays are QUICKLY approaching and if you are prepping last minute – well shame on you! However, with the following list of creative and fun cocktail party ideas you can easily plan a memorable party that will WOW everyone in attendance.

1) Winter wonderland – Decorate your party with crystals and use blue lighting to create an icy effect. Add snowflakes for additional winter ambiance. Have a hot chocolate or hot tottie bar to warm guests up. Doing a company event? Surprise guests with snow from a snow machine or bubbles.

2) Naughty or nice – This theme can be created using food and drinks that are “naughty” vs. “nice.” You can also decorate one side of the room in red and black and the other side in white. If you want to be a little riskier, ask guests to dress in celebrity naughty or nice costumes.

3) James bond – This is a black tie affair. Have guests wear suits and formal dresses. Décor should parallel a royal casino or upscale dinner party with martinis being served shaken, not stirred. Tell guests to watch their favorite Bond movie prior to attending to get in character. You can even rent a red carpet for the entrance to set the stage for the evening.

4) Fire & Ice – Use red and blue décor to signify fire and ice. Guests wear red, blue, or a touch of both. A strong fire in the fire place and an ice sculpture in the center of the food display will really set the two areas apart. If you don’t have a fireplace, faux fires are safe and inexpensive and can add a warm touch to any party.

5) Ugly sweater – This is a more laid back and fun theme. Guests wear the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find and take lots of awkward photos while wearing them. Adding family pets is always a great touch.

6) Festivus – For those frustrated with commercialism and the pressure of other December holidays, Festivus is a secular holiday that occurs on December 23rd made popular by Seinfeld. Celebrations are of grievances, feats of strength, the aluminum pole, and Festivus miracles. “Festivus for the rest of us!” – Frank Costanza

7) Break your resolutions early – Before your new year’s resolutions take full effect, have a food smorgasbord with your friends. Have a pie bakeoff, bring your favorite sweets, or set up a chocolate fondue party and pair each chocolate with a wine! This is our favorite theme!

8) White Christmas – To get you in the holiday spirit with the lack of snow on the ground, have a party decorated in all white. Request your guests to wear all white too. It might be a good idea to stay away from red wines for the night. Use white leather furniture or white drape to really carry the theme through! Need help with the details? Buy this theme in our theme library.

Now that you have the theme of your cocktail party picked out, the rest of the planning elements will fall into place more easily. Make sure you choose foods, favors, entertainment, and décor that aligns with whichever theme suits your celebration best!

What is your favorite holiday cocktail party theme that you’ve created or attended before?

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Themes We Love: Corporate Meetings & Events

Every meeting or event you plan has a purpose and a reason for being held. Having a theme helps to relay the message of the event to the attendees, helps you focus on the elements you need for a successful meeting and helps you control what you do with the meetings. Need some inspiration? Learn how we brainstorm themes.

Whether you plan events for corporations or small businesses, these 5 event themes are sure to be a huge hit with both your client and their guests:

1. Charting a New Course

Best used when an organization is changing directions or launching a new product. Charting a new course can be water, compass or map theme.

2. Mission Possible

This is a pretty obvious theme and contains a lot of fun ideas to incorporate.

Your VIPs enter in black suits, hats and brief cases. They appear on stage and can even repel from the ceiling or make other Tom Cruise-esque entrances. This theme is great for launching a new product or to encourage team work in reaching a grand company goal!

3. The Power of One

This is a longtime favorite. Use this theme when you want to encourage individuality, need to empower your attendees or move them to action. Think of ways to express how one person can make a difference or how an individual can be a hero.

4. Picture the Possibilities

This theme can be used for a variety of purposes. From creating new ideas, releasing new products to changing how a company functions or for producing an award show, this theme is perfect for brainstorming new products or for revised company procedures.

5. Everyday Heroes

Of course we love this one because it has our favorite word in it! This is a great theme for recognizing those who have gone above and beyond in their positions or careers. Whether they have created exceptional outcomes, provided valuable service to their community, or advanced the company or organization in a big way, this is a great theme to use to acknowledge excellence within a company or organization. Think of the pink Cadillac award given to Mary Kay makeup distributors when they achieve a certain number of sales.

These are 5 of our favorites! Share what your favorite theme is or what theme you’d like to see.

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Five Reasons to Theme Your Next Event

Take a moment and think about the last event you attended. If you can vividly remember the handwritten invitations, the elegant entryway, gourmet foods and classy décor, chances are, you got themed. Themes help drive the vision and also create a seamless flow during any event.  Whether you choose something fun or funky, fantastical or serious, theming will ensure attendees are engaged and relaxed.  Here are 5 more reasons you should theme your next event:

1) Clear, Concise Messaging: When your theme ties into the message your client is trying to convey, the event is more influential and impactful.  For example, let’s say you’ve been hired by an organization that will be opening new offices all across the U.S. A great theme for a company’s journey to expand is the historic Route 66 theme.  You could also use this theme for a venue along old Route 66. See other themes we love.

2) Setting the Mood: Theming enhances the atmosphere of any event. From the time attendees receive their save the date cards to the end of the event; theming sets the tone and makes the difference between a good event and an event attendees will remember forever.

3) Cohesiveness and Connection: Nothing says professional as much as seamless elements flowing as one. When the food choices, the entertainment, lighting and room arrangement all work together, attendees feel connected and in tune with all the combined elements.

4) Manageability: By using a theme, every single element becomes easy to manage and deliver – which means success for you and your client looks like the hero!

5) An Event They’ll Remember: The best reason to use a theme is that your client and the attendees will remember and recall your event – taking delight in how everything flowed and how every element made them feel connected and a part of something bigger.

Don’t know where to get started? Read our blog on 8 Steps for Creating a Theme or How to Choose a Theme

Instead of relying on a broad vision, choosing a theme for your next event can guide you as you plan, alleviating any chance for missing an important detail. The focus that comes from theming your event will benefit you as an event planner, and will delight your client and their guests. And don’t even get us started about how much time and money you’ll save –that’s a whole other blog! Find more great resources, tips and tricks for being an Event Hero at www.eventheroes.com/vip-membership

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