Taking the "Theme" out of Theme Party

Clients contact us frequently with theme ideas for their kids parties, and while we LOVE a good theme, when it comes to popular television or movie characters, themes get almost too....well, theme-y.

 My approach to a theme party- especially those that involve Disney or other popular movie characters- is to try to break down what the movie is all about and only add back in a few copyrighted character items (So the kids still feel like they are getting their favorite characters.)

In this party, the client wanted an Ice Age theme. In June. At the beach. Hmmmm... Sometimes our most creative ideas come from the seemingly impossible. We started with an ice inspired palette of white, crisp blues and accents of lime green.

 



We dressed the table with that freaky fake snow, some super creative centerpieces and then some Ice Age themed plates from a local party store. *Tip: Try to choose only one item to work in your characters. Choosing either the plates or the cups will give you the effect you want without becoming too over the top.

For the centerpieces, we bought stuffed Ice Age character toys, filled a square glass vase with water, submerged the toy and FROZE it.  It looked like a solid block of ice with the character frozen into it- just like how the characters are in the movie!! Adorable and a conversation starter to boot!





We grabbed a few acorns from a neighbor's driveway, since the main character is a squirrel, and peppered the table with them.





The big budget item was...real snow! The snow was piped in to make a great sledding area for the kids.  This isn't an element that most people can afford to have at their child's birthday party, but if you do- what a WOW factor! The kids (and adults) had a blast!



So, the next time you're throwing a birthday party and your child suggests one of his or her favorite TV or movie characters as a theme, try taking the "theme" out of theme and using those party store goods minimally. Your imagination and some elements that simply "suggest" at the theme are the way to give your party a polished look that will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike!

Seaside Splendor

We love doing Bar Mitzvah parties. We especially love doing these parties when the Bar Mitzvah is as cool and down to earth as Jake. Jake and his family wanted a great party with no theme- just something that looked great, had delicious food, and was a ton of fun!





The modern and sleek Annenberg Beach House was the backdrop for Jake's party.  The weather cooperated perfectly and guests enjoyed a relaxing cocktail hour after an impressive and sentimental service at the family's Temple.

We drew inspiration from the beach, but kept it simple and clean with a palette of silver, gray and white.





Curly willow and a smattering of silver shells created unique centerpieces that filled the space and brought a little bit of the outside in, while subtle "Message in a Bottle" table numbers were a fun way to assign the tables.



Guests found their seats with these beach inspired "lounge chair" seating cards...





The food was incredible.  The talented team at Feast Catering created a magnificent spread, that not only looked perfect, but had the guests raving!









The amazing duo of Cindy Gold and Claudia Wong from Gold Wong Photography captured the essence of the day & evening perfectly. Their pictures are nearly as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. What a dream team to work with!







We ended the night with a decadent sweets table. A combination of candy and bite sized desserts for all- everyone was so eager to sample it, that we had to hold back the crowd just to get a few pictures!









We loved working with this amazing family, and I think this Mitzvah Project display gives you a little hint about who they are. Jake felt passionately that he wanted to do something to help a dog rescue or shelter, but he is too young to be allowed to officially volunteer. That didn't stop him. Instead, he called the local shelter, found out what they were in need of, and organized his own fundraiser in a local park! This display is a portion of what he, his family and his friends raised for the shelter! Great work Jake!!



Congratulations to this lovely Family! We get all warm and fuzzy inside when we think about your beautiful event. There was so much love in the room that night, and we feel honored to have been a small part of it!