To Old Memories and New… How to Throw a Golden 50th Anniversary Party

May 09, 2019

Recently, Plum Polka Dot had the incredible honor of providing party favors for a 50^th Anniversary Party. It’s not every day you see a couple reach such a milestone, and the party host - Kelli Hiser of Kelli Hiser Photography (@simplylifebykelli) - wanted to be sure that this “golden” anniversary was extra special. Through some careful planning and creative touches, she was able to design an elegant anniversary bash, right inside the family home!

Have you been tasked with planning an anniversary celebration of your own? Let us show you what Kelli did to create such a magical evening for the special couple:

Pick Your Colors

Picking a color scheme for your anniversary celebration can actually quite simple. In this case, she stuck to the traditional 50^th anniversary gift – gold – and built her pallet around it.

Of course, if you’d rather not use the traditional gift as your inspiration (I mean, do you really want to plan a 3^rd anniversary party around leather?), you can always deviate from this plan and pick a color scheme that you feel best reflects the couple, location, and time of year.

(If you’re interested, here’s a list of the traditional wedding gifts by year)

Use Place Settings to Accentuate Your Theme

While we tend to think of décor as balloons, lighting, centerpieces, and other more prominent items, the role your plating and silverware play in the overall look and feel of a party is equally important. Thankfully nowadays there is absolutely no shortage of wonderful plate and silverware options that can add a beautiful touch to your celebration.

For this 50^th Anniversary Party, Kelli opted for a simple white base plate, a brilliant gold salad/appetizer plate, a striped gold napkin and gold silverware. These were all disposable, making it super easy to clean up. After all, time spent at an anniversary party should be with the guests of honor, not with a sink full of dishes!

Best of all, the gold plates and silverware provided the perfect pops of color against the white tablecloth!

Dress Your Table

Depending on the size of your table, you may have some gaps to fill once places are set. Thankfully, there are a lot of easy, elegant ways to round out your look.

In this case, Kelli chose to keep it simple, laying in some gold party strands and some white candles placed in gold jars throughout the table. Throw in a few subtle touches of green courtesy of some foliage, and the table was ready to shine at this golden celebration!

Bring the (Wine) Charm

To add a final piece of golden sparkle to the table setting, Kelli asked Plum Polka Dot to equip each wine glass with a special Swarovski gold crystal wine charm. These really finished out the look, and were a hit with all of the guests. And little did they know, but they’d all be leaving with a customized 50^th Anniversary wine charm as a party favor, so that they could remember this special celebration for years to come!

Add in Personal Touches

Of course, no anniversary party would be complete without some personal touches to highlight the happy couple!

For this party, Kelli collected a series of photographs from the couple’s wedding 50 years earlier and put them on display throughout the space. Not only did guests love seeing how these two lovebirds looked on their big day (since most in attendance had not even been born when these two got married), but the couple themselves were overwhelmed to stare back at these photographs and think of the magical 50 years they had spent together.

Whomever you’re toasting at the celebration you’re planning, be sure to collect as many photographs as you can. They’ll be the highlight of the event for sure!

Incorporate a Guest Book

In addition to the photographs, Kelli wanted to incorporate one extra special sentimental item for the happy couple. With guest books being all the rage at weddings these days, she decided to give this couple a new guestbook, so that party goers could leave their well wishes and advice for another 50 wonderful years of marriage!

While this particular couple did not have an original guestbook from their wedding, if the couple you are celebrating still has theirs, it’d be a great idea to place the new book right alongside the old one. That way guests who attended the wedding can look back at the advice they gave years before and see if it still applies today! A fun trip down memory lane for everyone…

Plum Polka Dot was honored to have our wine glass charms incorporated into such a magical 50^th Wedding Anniversary celebration. According to Kelli, the event was a total success, and everyone there was able to reminisce wonderful old memories, and make some great new ones too.

Next time you’re tasked with creating a tasteful wedding anniversary celebration, rest assured this guide will be here to help you get the job done. From picking a color and décor, to incorporating mementos of the couple and special, customized party favors, your perfect celebration is just a few key steps away.

So, here’s to the happy couple…cheers!

How to Throw the Perfect Mother’s Day Brunch

May 01, 2019

With all that moms do for us, it’s important that we take the time to properly thank them and treat them this Mother’s Day. By hosting a well-planned Mother’s Day Brunch, all the moms in your life will know exactly how much you care about them. So, start planning your special event now, and from our family to yours, Happy Mother’s Day!

Flip the Tassel! How to Throw the Perfect Graduation Party

April 18, 2019

In the coming months, schools everywhere will be celebrating the close of another year. And with that, Senior level students at high schools and universities will be donning their cap and gown, walking across the stage, receiving their diploma, and flipping that tassel to signify the close of one chapter, and the beginning of another.

And of course, with graduation comes graduation parties!

Planning a celebration for the soon-to-be graduate in your life? Let us help you celebrate their academic achievements with the Plum Polka Dot Guide to Planning the Perfect Graduation Party.

Choosing a Style of Party

Before you do anything else, you’ll want to pick the style of graduation party you are going to host. Will it be a formal seated meal? A large elegant affair? A small, family-only casual gathering? Are you envisioning lunch or dinner? Maybe brunch? All of these questions will affect the other decisions you need to make when planning the event, so be sure to decide what you’re going for early in the process.

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: Stick with a more casual open house affair. As we’ll talk about in the coming sections, the logistics of planning a great graduation party can get complicated. Open house parties alleviate this by removing some of the most stress-inducing elements of traditional parties, including timing the service of meals, waiting for everyone to arrive before beginning the festivities & games, etc.

An open house style party let’s guest come and go as they please over a certain window, making it easier on them, and easier on the host, who can spend more time enjoying the party, and less time running it.

Picking a Day and Time

One of the biggest problems with graduations is that they all take place on the same day, meaning that many of the parents in your neighborhood are all going to be vying for the same 1-2 weekends to host their child’s party.

This is where an open house style party can make things a lot easier for everyone. With an open house, folks can now attend two, three, or even four or more parties in the same afternoon, vs. a more traditional affair that would limit them to one or maybe two.

During a weekend where there will be lots of competing parties, you want to make it as easy as possible on your guests, and eliminate an either/or scenario where they have to choose between your party or another. An afternoon gathering with a large open house window can do just that.

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: Team up with the parents of several of your child’s closest friends and host a joint party. Not only will this reduce the number of competing parties in your neighborhood, but it will spread out the costs and responsibilities of hosting. A win-win!

Choosing a Venue

Based on the style of party you choose, your choice of venue may be limited. One downside of an open house event is that you don’t know when the guests are going to show, and need to be prepared for the peak moments where most or even all of your guest list is trying to get inside all at once. It’s always better to have a room that’s a little too large than too small…

Due to the limited windows on graduation parties, be prepared to pay higher than usual premiums for local banquet halls and restaurant rooms. Also, know that many of these facilities will require you to work with their preferred vendors, who will also be charging premiums for graduation weekend events.

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: Roll the dice that you’ll have a nice spring weekend, and host your party outside. Choose your backyard (or the backyard of a family member or friend if yours is too small) and find a local tenting provider to set up an elegant outdoor tent, tables and chairs, ensuring that even if it does rain your guests can still enjoy themselves outside. Plus, the money saved on venue costs will more than cover the fees associated with tent rentals.

Food & Drinks

Of course, the food and drinks tend to be the focal point of any party. Your theme will drive much of the decisions around what to serve, but if you are planning an open-house style party, you need to make considerations for food that is easy to make and restock throughout the entire evening.

Serving alcohol at your party is a very personal choice, especially if it is for a high school graduation. If you do decide to serve, you can cut down on the costs, hassle, and most importantly, the chances of guests being overserved by limited the number of options. Skip the full bar and opt instead for cold light beers, one or two types of wine, and a signature cocktail that can be premade and placed in a fun dispenser. This provides guests with plenty of choice, but limits the chances of the crazy neighbor or uncle going a little too hard on the whiskey!

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: With spring in the air, nothing says party quite like BBQ! Build a menu around BBQ classics like burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, and more. It’s delicious, relatively inexpensive, and easy to keep stocked all party long. Plus, depending on the size of the party, you may be able to get away with just a couple of grills and a few uncles and cousins willing to man them for the evening. And for larger gatherings, there are plenty of great BBQ catering companies that can serve your entire event without charging you and arm and a leg.

Décor

With the purpose of your party to celebration graduation, your décor can take inspiration from the academic world. In addition to classics like balloons and string lighting color-coordinated to your table cloths and plating, sprinkle in some light educational touches, such as textbook centerpieces.

A textbook centerpiece is super simple to make, and is a cute addition to any graduation party. Take a couple of old books of varying thickness and sizes and create brown-bag covers for each (you know, like you used to do in primary school). Once they are neatly covered, create an asymmetrical stack of several books, tie them together with twine, and wrap with ribbon. Top with a small floral centerpiece, and you’ve got a fun, easy décor piece that screams graduation party!

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: The best part about hosting a celebration in one person’s honor is that you can make it uniquely personal to them. Capitalize on this opportunity by focusing the décor around personal items. Photograph collages make for great décor, and are loved by all the guests, who relish the chance to see how the grad has grown over the years!

Party Favors

What party would be complete without party favors? Let your graduation party stand out by sending guests home with a memorable, personal party favor.

Plum Polka Dot Pro Tip: Graduation-themed “mocktails” - served in fancy stemware with a personalized Swarovski wine charm - provide your guests with a special keepsake that’s sure to be enjoyed for years to come. And for all the girls and ladies in attendance, custom hair ties color-coordinated with school teams are a fun way to tie your theme together!

Planning a graduation party doesn’t need to be as challenging as passing your finals! With this guide and a bit of imaginative thinking, you’ll be sure to plan the perfect graduation party for the grad in your life.

Let’s Taco Bout Love! How to Plan a Cinco De Mayo Engagement Party

April 15, 2019

To finish off the Taco Bout Love theme for Jessica and Michael’s engagement party, we here at Plum Polka Dot created not one but two different personalized party favors for guests to take home. The first was one of our beautiful Swarovski crystal wine charms, featuring a fiesta-themed background, the “Taco Bout Love” party tagline, and a simple “Jessica & Michael | Summer 2020” on the bottom. The second custom party favor was a similar Swarovski crystal wine charm, with a themed card that read “Taco Bout a Party – Thanks for Coming”.

5 Cute Easter Party Outfit Ideas

April 09, 2019

Nothing says spring like reconnecting with your cute spring clothes. And with Easter just around the corner, the timing couldn’t be better. Since Easter Sunday generally serves as the first big family gathering since December, it’s always nice to dress to impress.

Scavenger Hunts, Escape Rooms, and 5 Other Unique Birthday Party Ideas

March 21, 2019

Invites, decorations, food, cake, and so much more. Let’s face it – planning a birthday party for your kids is a lot of work! But one of the most challenging tasks? Picking a venue. It’s no surprise that most parents end up defaulting to the classic bowling alley or arcade birthday parties. It just makes things so much...

backyard wedding planning, wedding favors

How to Plan the Perfect Backyard Wedding

March 05, 2019

While backyard weddings may have a lot of little details that need to be thought through and organized, the end result is an evening that you, your significant other, your friends and your family will never forget. So follow these guidelines, and start planning the backyard wedding of your dreams!

Halloween Has Landed at Plum Poka Dot!

September 27, 2018

Halloween is here and we are excited to share our new festive party favors with you for all your upcoming Fall parties!

We are also going to share with you some Fall party must-haves that are trending now on Pinterest to get you in the party planning mode and help you plan the most spooktacular party this upcoming season.

There are so many factors that go into throwing a spooktacular Halloween party and below are some fun ideas and inspiration to get your creative juices flowing!

We can drool over the Halloween party decor!

When it comes to celebrating holidays, I’m a firm believer in keeping things FUN.

Often times people complain that they can’t host parties because it’s too much work, too expensive, or too overwhelming.

But, it doesn’t have to be. There are lots of creative ways to use what you have around the house added with some new and some things you had from previous years.

As long as your main goal is to have a good time, the rest is a piece of cake!

Decor Inspo Pin

Balloon Inspo Pin

Tableware Pin

And of course, we have you covered for Halloween Party Favors!!

It wouldn't be a complete Halloween bash without the PERFECT party favor now, would it?!

These fun hair accessories will sure be a hit at your big party.

You can customize your card to fit your theme and write your own custom message as well.

Halloween Party Favors

Party Favors

Halloween Party Favors

More Spooktacular Halloween Party Favors

And we can't forget all the yummy Halloween treats!

These look oh so delicious

Halloween Treats

Bundt Cake Pin Here

Halloween Treats

Cookie Pin Here

Make sure you plan a craft to keep the kids busy and entertained at your Halloween party.

These fun kids activities are sure to keep your kids in the festive mood!

Keep their imaginations playing all month long.

Halloween Kids Activities

Halloween Activities Pin Here

Bingo Printable Pin

And there you have it, some great little tidbits to help you plan a fun Halloween party this upcoming October.

I included the pin links for reference under the photos to give you the source, but also so you can scroll down past the pin source and see similar ideas and concepts without having to search any further, easy peasy!

Let us know in the comments below what you are planning on doing this year, we would love to hear.

Happy Halloween!

Pinterest Giveaway!

July 12, 2018

We are excited to offer this fun Pinterest Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win a $100 store credit!

Two LUCKY winners will be chosen!

To enter:

- Follow @plumpolkadot on Instagram and leave your Pinterest username in the comments of the giveaway post

- Follow Plum Polka Dot on Pinterest (link in bio)

- Head on over to our shop Plum Polka Dot (link in Pinterest Bio) and pin three items of your choice...

- bonus entries if you repin from our Pinterest profile too!

- double bonus entries if you comment on any of our shop pins

Giveaway ends 1 week from now and both winners will be announced.

This is the season of bridal showers, baby showers, and fun birthday parties. Below are our Pinterest boards dedicated to helping you find the perfect party decor, favors, recipes, gifts, and so much more!

Plum Polka Dot Party Favors

Plum Polka Dot

Baby Showers

Party Planning

Also check out our most popular pin here!

Let us know in the comments below which are your favorite boards!

Do you have a special occasion coming up this summer? Enter for your chance to win!

You can also share via the Pinterest Pin it button below

Gear Up for Summer Events | Free Party Planner Inside!

May 29, 2018

Summer has sprung and that means party season is upon us!

Warmer weather means spring blooms and lots of sunshine. This time of year is a BIG season for all things PARTY related.

We have bridal showers, baby showers, holidays BBQs, birthday parties, and so much more!

Party Printable

I wanted to take a moment and share with you a few things that could help make these upcoming parties a little less stressful in the planning department. At the bottom I include how you can get your hands on a FREE party printable, just print out and start filling out and in no time at all, you will be a party master!

Want to get your hands on the freebie now? No worries, follow this link and we will get it to you ASAP!

Throwing parties doesn't have to be a long dreadful stressed out task.

Start with the fun inspirational part, and work your way through the checklist and in no time your party will be planned out!

I always start with a theme. I use Pinterest for this. Knowing the guest of honor you can easily pick out a party theme and find inspiration.

Whether it be a bridal shower full of flowers or a unicorn birthday party filled with magical touches, Pinterest is a great inspirational source and even a great party decor source, and hellooo to the PERFECT party favors as well. ;)

Create a board around your theme and pin away! Have fun with it, invite your friends to the Pinterest board and enjoy all the planning and details.

When it gets closer to the event, use your printable and Pinterest board to start tackling the list item by item.

- Make sure your invites are sent

- Make sure you have your food/desserts all planned out

- Decide on the games/activities/favors you will want

As it gets to be a few days closer to the big event, you can start getting the errands done and all the groceries needed, and make sure you bring your printable list with you!

When the big day arrives, make sure you have your printable with you and get all your ducks in a row. Set up everything according to your decor, notes, activities, etc. Ask for help when you can and tackle things as they come.

The biggest thing you will have to check off your list, and probably THE MOST IMPORTANT is...to have a good time!

Take way too many photos and enjoy every last second of your big event with your friends and loved ones.

I sure hope that this printable brings some ease into your party planning routine. To get access to the free printable click here.

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite part of party planning is! What do you find the most challenging?

Thanks for stopping by!

New Look for Spring at Plum Polka Dot

April 26, 2018

Brand New Website is Now Live!

Spring is the PERFECT time to give a fresh start to our website and doing some spring cleaning has been so fun.

Fresh new flowers everywhere and new clean growths for all of natures beauty, and of course with spring time comes more bridal shower and more baby showers!

The spring and summer seasons are filled with fun adventures and great parties and we are happy to be apart of all that these fabulous events have to offer. We love providing unique party favors for all these beautiful occasions throughout the warmer seasons.

We have all our current items listed in the shop and are ready to be viewed. Make sure to peek around and let us know if you have any questions.

Below are some fun spring party must haves and current trending party favors!

The website was designed by Michelle, the talent behind The Mix, to see more of her work please click here....

Plum Polka Dot Party Favors
Unicorn Party Favors...

Floral Baby Shower Favors

Llama Party Favors

Be sure to click the Pinterest save button to share with all your friends!

Happy Spring,
xo Christina

PlumPolkaDot

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