Ain’t No Party Like An Oscar Party
And the Oscar goes to...
YOU! Well, it would if they gave out Academy Awards for throwing the most fabulous Oscar party (which they totally should). I love movies and the pageantry and excitement of the Oscars, so it seems like the perfect excuse to host a fabulous little get-together. Read on for my top 5 tips for making your party award-worthy …
1. HELP YOUR GUESTS MAKE A PROPER ENTRANCE.
What’s a red-carpet event without a red carpet? Exactly. I found this one at Party City – 15 feet of paparrazi-ready glamour for $6.99. Win!
Get creative with your backdrop. A quick google search (think “photo backdrops”) will turn up dozens of options at every price point. The sparkly little number you see in the photo is from tableclothsfactory.com. Seriously. Throw in some 3-D elements (plants, balloons, ceramic poodles, whatever you have on hand) and you are all set!
2. MAKE SURE YOUR FOOD TOPS THE BEST-DRESSED LIST.
•Don’t overpay for those charming tuxedo-clad strawberries at your local chocolatier. They are pretty easy to make with a little patience and some online instruction.
•Popcorn is an obvious choice for a movie-related party, but find a way to dress it up for the occasion so it doesn’t look basic. I rolled up pretty damask patterned cellophane in some tall parfait glasses. Voila!
•Add sparkle to finger foods with pretty party picks. Ordinary, albeit delicious, buckeye treats are easily made Hollywood with some gold stars. These are from the Meri Meri Toot Sweet Pink Cupcake Kit.
•Make it cookie-cutter … in a good way. Turns out a mummy cookie cutter looks a lot like an Oscar statuette. Use it to cut out rice krispie treats, put them on skewers and make all your guests feel like winners. Bravo!
3. DON'T SNUB THE DRINKS.
•Go for cute mini bottles of champagne (or, if your crowd is full of non-drinkers like mine, Martinelli’s sparkling cider). Dress those handsome fellas up in paper tuxedos.
•As for the lady beverages, you can use a bunch of those pretty bejeweled wine scarves – if you want to spend a fortune. OR … you can make your own for a fraction of the cost by cutting craft “fur” into strips, wrapping it around your drink bottles, and securing with rhinestone brads.
4. GO COMFY CHIC.
I don’t know about you, but where I live it is COLD during Oscar season. Here’s what it looked like in 2014 …
Your friends don’t want to go traipsing through six inches of snow in stilettos. Plus, it’s a school night. Give everybody a break. It is possible to allow for total comfort without settling for total slobbishness. Think nicely-fitting black loungewear with a little bit of glam thrown in — some fancy jewelry or these sparkly slippers should do the trick.
And for the lucky gents on your guest list? They can’t go wrong with the classic cheeky tuxedo t-shirt. Two thumbs up.
5. FOSTER A LITTLE HEALTHY COMPETITION.
Don’t let the Hollywood folks have all the fun! Watching the show is more exciting when everybody cares who wins – even if they didn’t see the movies. Print some Oscar ballots on heavy, shimmery paper and see who correctly predicts the most winners. There is a cute printable here, or get creative and make your own.
As for the prize … if your party is an annual event, get an Oscar of your very own and use it as a rotating award to be passed on to the new winner every year. Some lucky guest gets to keep the trophy and bragging rights for a full 12 months, and everybody wants to come back for another chance at victory next year. Win, win!
Now you have everything you need to make Hollywood’s biggest night a smashing success at your house. May you receive the highest honors in filmmaking … er, party throwing. Enjoy the show!
