End of Summer Party Decor Tips and Tricks

I realized that I jumped the gun a bit last week and dove straight into school without addressing one of my favorite events of the year... the end-of-summer party! I'm so ashamed that I forgot something so important, haha! So I'd like to take this week to focus on my perfect party! Well, it's perfect to me... it incorporates some retro love, delicious food and super fabulous music. What more can a girl ask for? With Labor Day creeping up on us, its time to start the fun, yet sometimes difficult task of planning.

I'll be honest with you, it took me hours to figure out what I wanted to do for my party. I have a million theme ideas floating around in my head but my sister finally set me straight. She reminded me that summer in and of itself is a theme worthy for an all out bash and there's no reason to restrict myself with the boundaries of a theme. Keeping that in mind I set out to find the decor, menu and music that touched my soul and made me truly happy. Today I have decided to give you some tips and tricks to finding the perfect decor for you!

The first and most important trick I have found for decorating your space for the party is to pick your favorite color or colors. This helps you in so many ways. First of all, the color sets the mood. Let's say for instance your favorite color is navy. Traditionally navy is used for very sophisticated, sharp design. Or maybe your favorite color is peach. Peach lends well to a more rustic, vintage feel. Picking a color can also help you nail down details like the time of day to host your party. Navy would make a stunning evening setting and peach just feels right for an afternoon kind of gathering. My favorite color is... anything pastel! So as you can see, I used pastels to move my choices in the right direction.

Picking out decorations seems to be the most trying task. You have to find the tablecloth that matches the plates, that match the cups, which match the napkins and the spoons! Don't forget that they all need to coordinate with the hanging decor and the tabletop! It can be overwhelming when you don't know where to start. This is why I A) pick the color first and B) find a picture or object as my inspiration. Again, a theme is not necessary here but an inspiration piece helps you focus on what you want out of the decor! Keep it fun and flirty. Also, you'd be amazed at the wonderful products you can find on sites like www.etsy.com. It allows you to find original items that no one else will have at their party!

Now, my biggest tip is to do what you love. I know it sounds cliche but its true. If you are designing \your party with things you love, the creative energy will flow much easier!