Refined Retro

Like the classic Santa on holiday Coke bottles, there’s something fitting about blending holiday style with retro charm. Give your holiday party a vintage twist for a festive fete that’s sure to be fabulous.

Creative Displays

Giving your holiday party a lift can be as easy as freshening up your presentation. I love the idea of serving cupcakes on upside-down cupcake pans, or adding lollipops to cocktails for a burst of fun color.

Alternative Entertainment

Who says you have to play charades? Transform your nutcracker party into a trip to see the ballet performed nearby, with cocktails after the curtain goes down. You could also have a casual showing of your favorite holiday movies or attend a local choir performance.

Foodie Fun

Make your event easier (and more fun for guests!) but organizing a potluck. You can also consider hosting a brunch, afternoon cocoa & cocktails party or evening wine & dessert party to have a little fun with your food choices for the festivities.

Invitations to Match

• Retro Chic: Seasonal Splash Holiday Party Invitations

• Creative Displays: Patterned Cheers Holiday Party Invitations

• Unique Entertainment: Sparkling Snowflakes Holiday Party Invitations

• Fresh Food Ideas:  Dotty Dazzle Holiday Party Invitations

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The real kicker is, she wasn’t in the bridal party. She was the only non-bridal party guest who was expected to be at every event because she’s know the bride since they were kids.

What wedding events should be mandatory for non-bridal party members? Who should be expected to pay for extra events? What’s the proper protocol for close friends who aren’t bridesmaids or groomsmen? Rant or rave about it!

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Since it’s the perfect season for barbecues, pool parties, pre-wedding cocktail events and other summer soirees, I set out to find the best ways to balance a drink with a plate of food. Here’s a list of the latest and greatest inventions, along with links to help you find out where to buy them.

Trust me—your guests will love you for it!

For the Casual Event: Go Plates

For the BBQ: Plastic Plates with Drink Holders

For an Evening of Wine Tasting: Drink Mates

For a Fun Outdoor Event: Wine and Dine Plates and Glasses

For the Ultimate Chic Cocktail Party: Sebastian Conran’s Fiesta Collection

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Many brides take their bachelorette party as a fun excuse to get out of town, but some fail to realize that this means their bridesmaids and close friends all feel obligated to dip into their savings to come along for the ride.

As this bachelorette party planning checklist from The Knot attests, it’s important to give the bride the bachelorette experience she wants, but when do you draw the line? Would you sign up for a trip to Palm Springs? New York? Mexico? Europe? Would you be excited or annoyed?

Do out of town bachelorette parties make you want to rant or rave?

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Have you and your fiancé discussed what you are comfortable with during your bachelor and bachelorette parties? At what point does a bachelor party cross the line into inappropriateness? Rant or rave about it!

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15 Cocktails with a Twist from the Food Network:

With recipes like the Cherry Gin-Gria and the French 75, this fabulous slide show of holiday cocktails looks as scrumptious as it sounds!

InStyle’s Celebrity Holiday Cocktail List:

Jessica Simpson is a fan of the Feliz Jefe, while Cameron Diaz prefers the French Kiss as her holiday cocktail of choice according to InStyle magazine.

Hostess with the Mostess’ Favorite Hot Toddies:

Make a batch of Peppermint Patties and cuddle up for a warm treat on a cold night with your future spouse!

Healthy Cocktail Tips from Marie Claire:

Follow these simple rules and exchange your traditional eggnog for a hot toddy if you are worried about staying in shape for your upcoming nuptials.

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• For some creative and unique New Year’s celebration ideas that will appeal to your romantic side, check out The Romantic’s New Year’s Day and Eve Celebration Ideas page.
• Citysearch has a New Year’s Eve Planner for every city.  I used the San Francisco Guide to find my perfect celebration overlooking the fireworks on the bay!
• Planning to make some New Year’s Resolutions but don’t know how to stay on track?  Check out myGoals.com, a site that will help you plan out your goals, break them in to baby steps, and face them head on!
• If the holiday escaped you and you’ve waited too long to send out those holiday cards, realize it’s not too late!  Check out the New Year’s cards on our sister site, Tiny Prints.  There are some adorable designs that are sure to stand out to all your friends and family.  My favorite is this Jewel Tones card, pictured below.

• Finally, if you’re idea of the perfect New Year’s involves hosting your own soiree, visit Delish and find a multitude of both party ideas and recipes.  My favorite article is “20 Ways to Pump Up A Party“, from feeding your guests LOTS of sugar to setting some dramatic mood lighting.

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-One of my favorite sites for party dresses is edressme.com. With an extremely wide range of choices, you can find anything from designer to discount.

-ShopBop offers a huge selection of dresses, including this Black Halo Keyhole Ruffle Sleeve Sheath Dress that haunts me each and every night in my dreams.

-iVillage dishes out a serving of helpful hints for holiday party attire, from Friendly Gatherings to Black-Tie Galas.

-Sparkle Shelf’s Blog has a great post on Holiday Dress Trends.  Some things you’ll notice as you show–ruffles, asymmetrical tops and sweetheart necklines.

-Finally, you can never go wrong with BlueFly.  With a huge selection of designer dresses in every color, I was able to find the perfect Vera Wang frock for a holiday evening gala.

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Then, match your bridal party gifts with this appropriately fun and wildly colorful invitation for a memorable night with the ladies!

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