Guest Blog Whitney: Keep Calm and Plan On!

Hello again Confessions of an Entertaining Hostess Readers! True Story: I got a call from the bride-to-be 3 days before the wedding asking if I could PLEASE plan the decorations (that she kind of forgot about, but really wanted) for the her post-reception party. Since it was her wedding day & we have been friends for 17 years . . . I enlisted my mom to help and we made a plan.
Oh, her only instructions . . .  “make it cute” and stay within the budget, $70.
So in case you ever find yourself in a similar situation here’s how we did it:

1. Make a list & prioritize:

We created a list of everything we needed and prioritized based on cost. There were a few “musts” we set aside money for those. For example, we wanted balloons in the bride’s wedding colors. I called Party City and got the price for 20 balloons ($1 each) and we set that $20 aside.

               

2. Make a Plan:

             With only 3 days, so there was no time to spend shopping around. We decided to start at the dollar store and see what we could knock off our list there. After that we planned to go to Michael’s where we had a coupon. (I have the Michael’s app on my phone, which downloads coupons automatically every week!)

3. Make flexible plans:

            We originally wanted 12 mason jars but the sand was expensive and we would need A LOT of sand to fill up an entire mason jar. So when we found cute 8oz bowls for $1 and needed ½ the sand, we changed gears.

4. Use what you have!
 

 

Shells were originally on our shopping list, but we couldn’t find any we liked for the right price. We had a box of sand dollars in our garage. A little bleach + paint = the perfect shells for our decorations.

So what can you accomplish in 3 days for $70?
 

 

We made 12 votives to place on each table with decorative sand (in the wedding colors!) and battery-operated tea lights.

Supplies: Michael’s: sand, ribbon, rose bowls. Dollar Store: tea lights & white ribbon

P.S. With red, white, and blue sand & citronella candles these would be the perfect decorations for a 4th of July BBQ!

 

We decorated 4 vases and had originally planned on using flowers from our garden to fill these vases, but when we found out all the flowers from the reception were simply going to be thrown out, we grabbed them! 

Supplies: Dollar store: vases. Michael’s: ribbon.

We made 2 of these prints celebrating the bride’s new last name!

Supplies: Dollar store: frames. Michael’s: burlap fabric & black paint.

 

Meredith, thanks for letting me guest blog again! & Happy entertaining!

Make-Your-Own Bloody Bar

My Make-Your-Own Mimosa Bar post got some pretty good feedback so I wanted to get this complementary idea out there as well, Make-Your-Own Bloody Bar! Combine any or all of these fun ingredients, put out Old Bay-rimmed Glasses and Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

• 1 Glass Bottle of Vodka 
• 1 Smaller glass bottle of Tequila (If Bloody Margaritas are preferred)
• 1 Pitcher of Home-made Bloody Mix (Mix the below ingredients together except for the Tomato Veggie juice. It should yield approx. 1.25 cups of mix. Put the two out separately so guests can add as much of the stronger ingredients or as little as they like. Typically people will want to follow a 1/2 cup of mix for every quart of juice. Add preferred alcohol or drink virgin  
• 3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish
• 2 Tbsp Hot Sauce
• 2.5 oz Lemon Juice (or 2 Lemons)
• 1.5 oz Lime Juice (or 2 Limes)
• 2 Tbsp Olive Brine
• 1 tsp Celery Seed
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 64 oz Tomato Vegetable Juice ( Trader Joe's has a great one!)

• Steamed, Peeled and De-Veined Shrimp
• Celery Stalks
• Green Beans
• Hot Peppers
• Baby Tomatoes
• Green Olives
• Basil leaves
• Lemon Slices
• Lime Slices
• Radish Slices
• Multicolored Baby Tomatoes
• Cucumber Slices 
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Hot Sauce
• Pepper Grinder
• Toothpicks
• Flavored Ice Cubes
• Cucumber-Basil - In a blender, puree the below ingredients with 3 cups of water. Strain through a fine sieve into two ice cube trays. Freeze 3 hours.
• 2 1/2 Cups Chopped Cucumber
• 3/4 Cup Lightly Packed Basil Leaves, Torn
• 1 Serrano Chile, Seeded and Chopped
• 1 tsp Light Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Tomato-Chile - In a blender, puree the below ingredients. Pour into two ice cube trays. Freeze 3 hours.
• 3 Cups Tomato Juice
• 1 Jalapeno, Seeded and Chopped
• 1/4 Cup Lightly Packed Dill
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco 
• Kosher Salt

xOxO - M

Removing Glass Rings on Furniture

Entertaining is fun, but there are times when your home is in need of a little extra post party care. Sometimes, hot and cold drinks leave rings on unprotected furniture. These pesky marks can be difficult but here is a great way to remove water marks and have your furniture looking as good as new. Forget rubbing mayo or toothpaste on the discoloration.

Instead, reach for your hairdryer!

Put it on a high heat setting and blast the mark. Almost immediately you will see the circle disappear. Depending on how intense the mark, it may take 10-15 minutes of direct heat for full effect. Once the mark is completely removed cover the area with a light coat of olive oil to condition and you are ready for your next soiree. Introduce your friends and kids to coasters and avoid the hassle all together.

xOxO - M

Mason Jar Cocktail Tub

Is it just me or has the Mason jar turned into a household staple? They are an inexpensive and environmentally conscious alternative with a vast variety of uses, one of which I  have highlighted below. Get an inexpensive drinking tub (Homegoods!) and uses mason jars to premix some cocktail favorites. This will give you more time to spend with your friends and family during the party. When ready simply shake and serve. Make sure if using carbonated mixers that you have a tight seal on the lid to avoid beverages going flat. Another thing to keep in mind is the color of beverages. Make sure each is a separately identifiable color to avoid confusion.

They are also great when using large glass beverage dispensers! Place Mason jars on a table with a sign that says "Your glass for the night for whatever tastes right!"

xOxO - M

Calculating Cakes!

Purchasing or baking a cake for an event and  want to know how much you will need? Here is a quick reference to consider when getting ready for your celebration!

Square Cakes:
6" Square = 18 Servings
8" Square = 32 Servings
10" Square = 50 Servings
12" Square = 72 Servings
14" Square = 98 Servings

Round Cakes:
6" Round = 12 Servings
8" Round = 24 Servings
10" Round = 35 Servings
12" Round = 56 Servings
14" Round = 78 Servings

xOxO - M

Make-Your-Own Mimosa Bar

Nothing says brunch like a mimosa! Check out ways to make this colorful cocktail all your own! Put out carafes of orange, cranberry, apple and pineapple juice in addition to raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple chunks. This not only allows your guests fun choices for their bubbly, it looks gorgeous! Cheers!

xOxO - M

D.I.Y. Water Bottle Labels- Preakness Addition

This is super easy to do and it adds to any party. These labels are usually reserved for outdoor weddings, however they are also great for graduations, baby showers, and other celebrations

If the party is at your place this year feel free to copy and paste my Preakness Water Bottle Labels designs into a document. Stretch the size to reach 8.2' x 1.4" and print away. This size will work for any standard 500 ml water bottle. Adhere to water bottle with a glue dot and enjoy. Approximately 7 labels will fit on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet.

Note: Do not place water bottles in a cooler with ice. This will prevent the ink from running. Keeping them in the fridge will ensure they are perfectly chilled.

1. Funny Option:

2. Conservative Option:

xOxO - M