// HOW TO: THROW A FABULOUS PARTY ON A BUDGET #style //

Buttons

I love to collect buttons to pin on things like backpacks, denim jackets, and sweatshirts. So I wanted to make buttons for the party that would both promote the new blog but also pins that I would actually want to wear too. Stickermule does the most amazing job creating buttons, and it’s so easy to do on the site. Just select the size, shape, upload the image, and you’re done. Shipping is super fast too. The quality is really great for the price.

COASTERS

Custom coasters is a detail that I love. How chic and fun to create your own coasters for guests to use and appreciate. (A few of my friends loved them so much, they took them home.) And again, it’s so easy. Find images that you like, select the shape, and upload them…it’s that easy! Vistaprint does a good job and the price can’t be beat. The more you order, the lower the price. 20 paper coasters came out to be about $1 each, which is pretty great and they almost always have discounts on the site. The only thing is that the quality might not be the best, the print can come out a little grainy and the ink smell quite strong ( just air them out when you first get them), but for the price and fast shipping, it’s a great option.

STICKERS

Stickers are always fun to have at a party. Although I thought Stickermule would be the best place to get stickers made (hello the name), it was pretty expensive. Depending on the qty ordered, it was anywhere from $0.50 to $1 per sticker. No thanks! And then I found Vistaprint, who does them for so cheap, about $0.15 per sticker and they turned out really great quality-wise. Alot of places will do stickers but you’ll find when you get to the checkout page, that it could take a few weeks for shipping. Vistaprint ships in a matter of days. And again, the process is super easy online with lots of options to choose from.

NAPKINS

Custom napkins are another great touch and super easy to order. I found that The Stationery Studio had the most color options to choose from and their prices were great; I ordered 100 pieces for $0.35 each. Prices start at $0.11 each and can go a little higher depending on how much you order and the design options. I loved the way it turned out and the quality of the napkins were so much nicer than I expected. Super chic.

FLOWERS

If you don’t need specific flowers, Trader Joe’s spray roses are hands down the best option for pretty flowers on a budget. At $4.99 a bunch, you can get so many spray roses for your buck and it looks beautiful. Bunch them up and display in one large vase, or split them up into different sized vases, small and large, and display them all over the place. I like to put them in large vases as a centerpiece but also put them in little mason jars or small mini vases and place them near the bar or in the guest bathrooms. If you are looking for specific flowers, Chelsea’s flower market (in NYC) is the best bet for the more expensive flowers that are in season, at a decent price.

CANDY

Store-bought candy is a great, inexpensive way to inject pops of color into the space without dropping lots of money. And the best part? It serves dual purposes: It acts as part of the decoration and the guests will love eating all the candy. Fancy it up by displaying them in nice bowls or large glass jars and place them around the space. For my party, I bought pink Starbursts to go with my color theme.

CUTLERY

Sure, there’s an endless option of cheap plastic cutlery for parties. The dollar store will have the usual lineup of white plastic, clear, black, etc for your fork, spoon, and knife options. But the thing is yes they’re cheap, but they also look cheap. If you’re wanting something that looks nice and doesn’t break the bank, Target’s private label party supply brand, Spritz, has some great options. My favorite is their gold cutlery box which is a 60 ct of spoons, knives, and forks divided into 20 of each. They actually look really nice; the gold is a nice modern looking gold, not cheap or tacky looking at all and adds the perfect gold accent to any party. The best part? It’s $5.

DRINKS

There’s lots of way to set up the drinks for a party. Bar carts, punch bowls, beer tubs, etc. are just a few options. I like to dedicate a space and let guests help themselves. Gather all the wine bottles together and place them next to some nice plastic drink cups with some florals for decoration, and allow the guests to mingle and help themselves to a glass, or three. For non-alcoholic drinks like water or juices, pour them into nice glass carafes or bottles. Target always has nice ones and for great prices. It looks so modern and much nicer than keeping them in their original jugs or packaging. I’m all about the presentation and it’s so easy to go out and buy large glass carafes and bottles in different colors for when you have guests over.

MARKERS

I like keeping markers around at a party for a few different purposes. They’re a great way for guests to keep track of their drink cups by writing their names on (plastic) cups. Another great ideal is to cover a large dining table with brown craft paper and have guests write their notes or wishes with the markers. This is fun for any holiday party like Thanksgiving or Christmas or for baby/bridal shower celebrations and it gives something for the guests to do while they mingle and catch up with one another.

PRESENTATION

If you decide to go the custom button route, then a great way to display these are to place them in bowls and plates vs just setting them out on a table which can look a little messy. I also like to display things on clear acrylic trays which creates an elevated look. Either way, it’s easy to show these off these nicely by using the things you already have around the house like jars, large bowls, clear vases, etc. If you have gift bags or takeaway items for the guests, try and place these near the door so that guests can easily grab them on the way out. This is a nice ‘help yourself’ option so you don’t have to worry about handing them out to each guest as they leave.

GIFTS/GOODIES

It’s always nice to have small gifts or goodies that guests can take with them when they leave. It can be anything from baked goods to printed pictures from the party that they can take with them as a small ‘thank you’ for attending. And surprisingly, it doesn’t have to cost alot. There’s lots of funny, quirky tchotchke things that you can pick up at the dollar store and do a grab-bag type option. One of my favorite stores to pick up fun takeaway items for parties is the Flying Tiger store. I think to think of this store as our generation’s 99 cent store. Originated from Copenhagen, it’s modern, the items are well designed, the prices are great, and there’s an insane assortment of things from homeware to coloring books, and everything in between that you could think of. They have a great selection of notebooks, pencils, pens, pins, etc which I bought for my party and put custom stickers on them for a nice touch. So fun!

PLATES & NAPKINS

I really try to stay away from bland, boring options for paper plates and napkins when throwing a paper. There’s so many other cute options, that there’s really no reason to go stick with the boring ‘white paper plates and napkins’ route. I love H&M, and many people don’t know that they have a great home collection at insanely good prices. Most of the items are chic, well designed, and the quality is actually pretty nice on things like dinnerware, frames, rugs, etc. They also have a nice selection of fun paper napkins like the cheetah ones pictured above, which I got on sale for $1.99. And again, Target’s party line, Spritz, carries the cutest assortment of paper plates for all occasions.