RSVP

Sometimes you’ll see “regrets only” on invitations instead of RSVP. RSVP came from the French "répondez s'il vous plaît" and simply means "please reply." The response gives hosts and hostesses the chance to be sure they have enough food and drink for a party or event.

Often an RSVP date is set a week or so ahead of the actual party or event date. However, if a caterer is involved, invitations may have an RSVP date of several weeks in advance. This is very common with wedding receptions.

The RSVP lettering, date and contact info, whether phone or email, are often on the invitation itself. For a more formal invitation, or an invitation where food choices are requested, a response card made be sent. These smaller cards come with a self-addressed envelope to be returned to the event’s host.

If you want information on RSVP etiquette, check out this site. Click here to read more!

Graduation Party Time

When you have a high school or college graduate—or you yourself are a graduate—it’s often nice to have an “open house.” With this style of party your invitations give a span of time when people can drop in. Family, friends and neighbors of all ages can come, visit with the graduate and others, enjoy refreshments, and leave when they are ready to go. Sunday afternoons are often a good time for an open house.

Make your food easy to replenish and self serve. I’ve been to parties where the offerings are appetizers and finger foods, others with sandwich platters or plates with sandwich makings to “build your own,” desserts or a large sheet cake, or combinations of these. Beverages have ranged from punch or sodas to tea and coffee. Whatever food items you choose, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of time during the party with food preparation. Instead enjoy visiting with your guests.

Decorations can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire. Balloons are always festive. It’s nice to set out some graduation pictures, if the party is after graduation. Or how about the high school yearbook for those high school graduates with pages bookmarked where their photos are found. I’ve also seen baby books or photo albums on display. They make fun conversation starters.

I’ve not seen games at these type of parties, though I have seen a room set up for the younger set with toys and videos playing.

We’re featuring some of our graduation invitations on the front page of our website. For more click here.

And if you’d like to read about Graduation Announcement Etiquette, check out this article. Click here to read more!

Easter

Easter is so early this year that I’m sitting here and suddenly realize, oh, my gosh that’s THIS Sunday. Today is “Good Friday.” You’d think it would have connected in my brain. Last Sunday at church they announced the service times for Easter, but I still didn’t think about an entry for my blog. So it’s way too late for me to give you Easter party ideas. Maybe next year.

At our house Easter is family time. When my kids were little we always decorated eggs ahead of time. It’s fun to do Easter egg hunts with the kids. Maybe have some Easter baskets with chocolate. My children were taught though that Easter is more than bunnies and Easter baskets. Someone shared the Resurrection cookie recipe with me a few years ago—I would have loved to have done these with my children.

I can’t find the original source, but here is a very readable site with the recipe for Resurrection Cookies.

Have a Happy Easter Click here to read more!

Party games for elementary age kids

I remember when my daughters had evening birthday parties – often a sleepover – one of the games they loved to play was Sardines. With all the lights out in the game area of the house, one girl is "it" and hides. The other girls search for her and when they find her, they smoosh into the spot with her. They stay there quiet as they can until the last girl finds all the others. It’s amazing how quiet they can be for a game! This is a good game to calm things down before bed. Well, if they actually go to sleep...

More Kid Party Games

“Top 8 Outdoor Party Games for Kids” by Kimberly L. Keith at about.com

Some Traditional Party Games for kids

Party Game Central has 182 kid games

Party 411 has a whole section on Sleepover Party Games Click here to read more!

Adult party decorations

Adult parties often don’t have themes, so how to decorate? You can always focus on the honored guest, if there is one. (i.e. Her hobby or passion. His job or how he likes to spend his spare time.) Party stores have almost anything you can think of to go with a décor theme.

Another option is to decorate to match the food you plan to serve. (i.e. Mexican food would have Mexican décor).

Yet another choice is to decorate using the theme of the closest holiday.

Then there’s always a bouquet of flowers, a few balloons, and some lit candles.

I’ve also seen someone decorate to match tableware, whether it be their own dinnerware or nice paper plates. Which reminds me, IBY is adding Tableware. I’ve been having a blast looking at a huge catalog and choosing paper plates in round, square, octagonal, prismatic, metallic with matching or coordinating cups, napkins and tablecovers for about any kind of occasion. The new products should be up in the next week or so. Click here to read more!

Game for Teens and Adults

Recently I came across a fun game idea called: I've Done Something You Haven't Done. It’s an Ice Breaker and Get Acquainted game that takes some thought, but could be lots of fun.

Here’s how to play:
1) The first person introduces themselves and tells the group “something they have done that they think no one else in the room has done.” This could be theme related or place related (i.e. somewhere I’ve been) or limited by senses (seen, touched, tasted), depending how you want to set up your game.
2) If someone else has also done it, they call out “Done It!”
3) Person one now needs to come up with a new something, until they succeed at mentioning something no one else has done.

One variation is to have each person start out with tokens (or pennies, etc.) – say 3 a piece. Whoever calls out “Done It!” first gets to claim the token. The game winner is the one with the most tokens. You could even make your tokens a donation item, such as bring 3 cans of food for a game—the winner gets to decide what charity receives the food. Click here to read more!

Bachelorette parties

Often put on by the bridesmaids or close friends of the bride, this party can be a fling before the wedding. Or just a fun female celebration. Here are some resources:

14 rockin’ bachelorette ideas from theknot.com

Bachelorette party icebreakers

An article – “Ideas for Throwing a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party” from about.com

Bachelorette Parties from bridesmaidaid.com

Welcome to Bachelorette Party Tips from lifetips.com

IBY has a Bachelorette Party Invitations section, too. Click here to read more!