We’ve already talked about a Pinterest party and saving money by using Pinterest, but did you know that you can also plan any party or get-together using Pinterest and save money on that same party? One of the best features about Pinterest is that you can act as your own virtual party planner as you find ideas about décor, food and themes. I was lucky enough to find Pinterest before the two birthday parties I would throw in January for my boys and so the brainstorming and pinning began.
Themes
For Jack’s first birthday, I chose a pirate theme (Captain JACK Sparrow, get it?) You can find his birthday board here. For Charlie, he loves the beach (and that’s his room theme), so this was the perfect opportunity to play that out on a larger scale. His birthday board is here.
Food
From appetizers to main dishes to cupcakes to cakes to sweets, just about any major party theme can be found on Pinterest. It’s also likely that the theme has been translated into the food in some way. Many times, if it’s something that looks more professionally done, I’ll consult family and friends who then recreate a similar idea for me at a fraction of the cost. For example, I found this pin for a sandcastle cake (pictured) and my friend was able to create this beautiful cake for the party. (Not to mention it was absolutely yummy!) I’ve also found that a recent trend is to serve finger foods or appetizers and a variation on a sweets table (cake, cupcakes, little treats) as opposed to a larger meal. This can cut down on your food costs and the table presentation is beautiful. Search Pinterest for some cute themed tablescapes and the possibilities are endless.
Drink
Every great party usually serves something wonderful in a glass. One of the biggest hits at our family parties are punches. They are quick, easy to assemble and taste deliciou. Lemonade punch with vibrant fruits and colors not only provide a drink for the party, but also something pretty to look at. You can also usually create something wonderful at minimal cost.
Décor
With the emergence of the popular crafter site, Etsy, handmade goodies have become all the rage. Your budget, however, may not necessarily appreciate this. Many of the papergoods, banners, and cupcake toppers you see can be recreated using a Cricut machine and some ideas you find on the internet (and then later pin to Pinterest). With some cardstock and a good computer printer, you can generally create something that looks marvelous. (And in some cases, you may just have to leave it to the crafting experts, but don’t be afraid to pin what you bought after the fact and send some traffic to an upcoming business.)
I recreated this background using crepe paper and streamers – simple and cheap! I also personalized parties by creating birthday books for the boys and plan to continue to add to those year after year. A milestone banner is perfect for first birthdays. You can also always just add a cardboard cut-out of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack for instant party fun and decoration.
Pinterest really is the world’s oyster for party planning. You never know what pearls you may find to make your party a success. Have you thrown a party using Pinterest? What are your favorite party pins? I’d love to hear more about them and feature them on my Party Planning Showcase which links up Pinterest-inspired parties every week. You can follow me on Pinterest here or Chicago Parent here.
