For many students, partying means good times with good friends, no matter what the theme. But for the hosts of the party, planning can be stressful and pricey, especially if the theme calls for some fancy decorations. Follow some of these tips for throwing a classy party on a small budget:
1. Do a quick paint job:
Use colorful electrical tape to dress up plain chairs, making vertical, horizontal or candy cane stripes.
2. Paper napkins? No way!:
Buy a used tablecloth from a secondhand store or garage sale. Cut it up into squares to make fancy linen napkins.
3. Faux Fancy Napkin Rings:
You don't need to pop the question to have a ring. Again, check out your nearby consignment store or rummage sale for big, old bauble rings to reuse as napkin rings.
4. Magnetic Attraction:
If you can't find enough rings or find the idea too feminine, spend a few extra dollars and buy a set of alphabet magnets. You can stick them to the silverware inside each napkin and use them to identify guests' seats.
5. Paint Chip Place Cards:
Go to the nearest paint or hardware store and take a few paint chip cards that match your color scheme. Fold them over and write each guest's name on them for an easy, beautiful place card.
6. Lollipop, pop:
Stir your cocktails with lollipops for a fun burst of color and sweetness.
7. Rubber bands rebound:
Buy a pack of colorful rubber bands and put them around guests' glasses for an interesting way to identify cups and even prevent slippage when condensation occurs.
8. Ice, Ice, baby:
If you plan to serve ice for drinks, pop those frosty cubes into a colander (that big pasta strainer you call the bowl with holes) and place on top of a large stewpot. The runoff will drain into the pot, preventing the ice cubes from sitting in water and melting faster.
9. Quick, close the curtains!:
If you're throwing your party indoors and your walls have stains, holes, cracks or that ugly poster of your roommate's that you just hate, run over to Walmart and buy a few panels of cheap, sheer curtains in a bright color. Use sticky strips to hang them on the wall and cover up any unsightly blemishes.