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Host a professional-looking party Everyone loves a party and putting personal touches on their events, but not everyone has a big budget or knows how to get started. Hosting a great party does involve some work, but the chance to try out new ideas and be innovative often makes it well worth it. Still, throwing a party can be easier than you think; you can even create one that looks like a professional party planner had a hand in the details. "By placing attention on the little details and relying on products that can make your work easier, your party can seem like you hired a professional when you really did all of the work yourself. Here are some tips to get you started. 1. Look like you hired a caterer: Concentrate on embellishing food and décor without much effort. For example, you can purchase pre-packaged hors d'oeuvres and other foods and dress them up with fresh herbs to make them look homemade. "Plating" can also make the party seem more lavish. Plating is where professional chefs present food in interesting ways, which can make even ordinary foods seem more extraordinary. Plate a piece of chicken atop a mound of mashed potatoes piped onto a plate. Or, serve cake on a plate drizzled with chocolate syrup. Other details include using real linens instead of paper tablecloths, mood lighting, such as candles or twinkle lights, and décor that borrows from the theme of your party or the season. 2. Professional-looking invitations made at home: Invitations set the mood of the event, particularly because they are the first element of the party that your guests will see. Today there are more options than ever in invitations, and depending upon your budget or preference, you can have invitations printed by a company or do it yourself with similar results. 3. Think fresh: Go fresh whenever possible in your décor. Fresh flowers, plants and fruits can bring your party to another level. If your budget doesn't allow a room full of roses, pick and choose among a variety of flowers and use "fill" like leaves, berries and other greenery to enhance the look. Fruit is often less expensive than flowers, so think about making a table centerpiece of a bowl filled with brightly colored fruit, such as lemons or cranberries, and accented with fresh flowers. 4. Keep the occasion in mind: Match the scope of the party with the occasion. For example, you can make a children's party stand apart from other kid-fests with some simple touches. Instead of the typical party games, think about other ways to keep children busy. Visit the local craft store and purchase small hobby kits. The children can have fun making foam signs or wacky pipe cleaner animals. Set the theme of the event with coordinating invitations, decorations and even an embellished cake - many grocery store bakeries can now airbrush intricate designs onto cakes or print out a picture onto edible paper to affix to the top of the cake. Instead of fresh flowers, make centerpieces out of candy "bouquets" or other edible treats. Searching online will yield a bunch of clever ideas. 5. Thank your guests: Sending guests home with a party favor can set your event apart. Think about a decorated bag filled with gourmet chocolates or another interesting touch like wine glass tags with guests' names printed on them for your next party. Purchase extra invitations and use them as thank-you cards or notes for your guests so that the theme will continue through to the end of the party.
Hosting a professionallooking party can be easy and fun.
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