Throw Creative Color Theme Parties!

Have you been planning to throw a birthday party for a friend, or a baby shower for your bestie but can't imagine where to begin? You'd be surprised how far something as simple as a signature color can take you. Whether it's for a cocktail party in your home or an all - out birthday bash, choosing one of your favorite hues can set off a creative spark that will take your event from humdrum to hubbahubba in one fell swoop!

The Essentials...

• Choose your color: This choice is one of the most important ones you'll make since it will be your inspiration for everything you do for your engagement. Use vibrant, bright colors to convey light-hearted, happy times. Use muted colors to have conservative shin-digs. Go all out with striking, dark hues contrasting with bling during nighttime hours to bring an element of sassiness to the event.
• Pick a venue: When choosing this the planner must consider their budget, the number of guests, and the purpose of your party. If you're planning to serve alcohol, or make it available through a cash bar, be sure to check with the venue to see if this is possible. Examine capacity standards. There are events when not everyone who's invited shows up, but then there are the ones when everyone comes and brings a friend. Make sure your venue can accommodate everyone without violating fire safety laws. Also, think of your party purpose. Banquet halls may not be suitable for showers and bachelorette parties, but they are perfect for birthdays and anniversaries.
• Decide on a time: The time of day is a key detail when planning your event. This generally determines how much food and what type of food to serve. A mid-morning party is a brunch setting. You can serve light hors douevres and punch. If the party is at noon then guests will be expecting a full lunch menu to be served. Mid-afternoon is associated with snack foods like chips, wings, and dip, while an evening party should have the whole kit and kaboodle...drinks, hors douevres, snacks, and an entrée or two to choose from.

*Note: if you don't plan to serve food make a note of it in your evite or FB post so your guests are aware and can expect to fill up before or after the event.

Be a super event planner:

Choose favors that suit your guest list and your party purpose.

• If you're throwing a baby shower, give a baby sock with the mom and baby's name and date of shower with a ribbon wrapped around it in the signature color of the event. *A nice touch is getting small, loose candies in the signature color and pouring some inside the sock. (You'll only need one sock per guest.)
• If you're throwing a cocktail party, give a champagne glass filled with gumballs coated in the signature color of the event. *To save some cash buy a bag of plastic champagne glasses from party outlets and glue the bottoms to the tops with a glue gun. It saves you money and gives the impression of a real glass without the safety concerns.

• Food: Take it back to the theme. Your central food choice can blend in with your color theme. Watermelon, strawberries, chicken wings = red; Bell peppers, kiwi, cucumbers, salad greens = green; Lemons, bananas, yellow bell peppers, squash = yellow
• Drinks: The use of food coloring can make it easy to ensure your drinks align with your color theme. Also, check out the drink isle at your local grocer. The shelves are full of an assortment of colors from which to choose.
• Music: This, of course, does not have to relate to the theme, but keep in mind who your guests are and the purpose of your event. This will dictate the genre of music you choose. Communicate this to your DJ, or if you're creating an MP3 or Itunes playlist keep this in mind.
• Décor: Think color, color, color! Your chosen theme should shine in this category. Table cloths, plates, utensils, napkins, banners, flags, balloons, flowers, table settings, chairs, and signs should all tie into your theme color and the accent.
• Desserts: The decadent masterpiece you order or make yourself should tie directly into your theme of choice. Letting your bakery know your plans is a sure way to utilize their creativity in tying it all in. If you're making your own desserts the use of naturally delicious fruits or food coloring in clever places will make your guests marvel in the fact that you thought of everything.
• Favors: Always use the signature color here. For more help choosing appropriate favors, check out the article in this hub titled "Color Themed Favors"
• Embedded events / games: These don't have to tie into the color theme, unless you want them to. What events and games aim to do is engage all of your guests and have them get acquainted with each other. This not only breaks the ice, but makes your party quite memorable. This element of your event could create friendships that can last for a lifetime, make them fun.

An important factor in party planning is deciding whether or not children will be included in the festivities. You want to be sensitive to the needs of your guests who have young children or teenagers. During the planning phase be sure to either include or rule out the possibility that children will attend by adding an age limit to the invite. If the event is inappropriate for young children let your guests know upfront so they can reserve childcare or R.S.V.P. a no.

Of course you'll need to include the most important information in your invites, like dates, times, and places. But also design your invites to fit in with your theme.

Remember, the color you choose, along with its accent are conveying a message about what kind of party you'll have. Include them and style the invite accordingly. The font and any designs included will also be there as a guide for the attendees to know what to expect and to anticipate the fun they'll have.

Splashes of your theme color along with complimenting accents will catch your guests' eyes and engage them from the start.

While throwing a party can be a taxing endeavor, it can also be fun. Use your creativity and know-how to build a solid foundation for fun. Begin with the most basic elements of party planning and layer it with your color theme. Excite and tantalize by involving the unexpected in curious places to create an event no one will forget. You'll suddenly be the host everyone wants to head up their event!