To all of you with event planning talent

[danacara]

We're hosting a calypso-themed 75th birthday party on July 17 ... it's outdoors, under a white tent, 3-9 PM, not catered, but we are renting round tables and seat covers. The average age of the attendees is about 60, so we're shooting for comfort. I could use any and all advice/creative ideas regarding upscale decor. Besides a centerpiece, white tableclothes and green napkins, what should we put on the tables? And elsewhere, thoughts on votive candles, flowers, anything you've ever seen that really impressed you?

Thanks!

 

[two4ruff]

Saw a show about a tropical themed wedding the other day -

They used the small fish bowls with a beta fish in them surrounded by flowers for centerpieces. Looked beautiful, but I would then worry about homes for all the fish...

 

[Arabella Figg 2003]

I went to a bar mitzvah last year with a similar theme -- they used mini palm trees as the centerpieces. And they hired a few dancers to perform a calypso number.

or you could float tropical blossoms in the water insead of having beta fish.

 

[cheeringmom]

Originally posted by two4ruff
Saw a show about a tropical themed wedding the other day -

They used the small fish bowls with a beta fish in them surrounded by flowers for centerpieces. Looked beautiful, but I would then worry about homes for all the fish...

Our grad night decorators used little fake fish that were hooked on by some kind of string with a floating flower or frog on top of the water.. Cutre idea. and they looked like real fish.

 

[Winka]

Juat as a practical matter...in July, make sure you have fans or a cooling station especially if guests are elderly.

And building on the 'fish' idea..there's a type of lighting with filters, oftentimes moving, that can be bounced off the underside of the tent ceiling to give the whole tented space an "under the sea" feel when used with a bluish light. May not be effective in the daylight hours, though.

 

[Griggle]

I would only suggest if it's a hot one (lol) that whatever centerpiece you go with - make sure you have enough of them to go to everyone at the table! You don't want anyone getting hurt. Some of those centerpiece brawls can get nasty

To that end, I've been seeing a lot of individual flower arrangements combined to make one big one. Placed on a mirror, it's really quite pretty....and, everyone gets one to take home.

 

[r3ngels]

We had a luau party for my mom's 60 last year (she would love the fact that I just told everyone her age but since she can't figure out the internet I think I'm safe). We found some cute things at Oriental Trading, some big hits were the coconut shaped cups and the huge box of lei's. We even got some of the big blow up palm trees and beach balls just to have laying around. Our party was a pool party so we didn't want anything to nice. It is such a cute theme have fun with it.

Love the fish idea.

 

[tw1nsmom]

Just some ideas:

-a pile of white sand in the center of each table...fish bowl or tropical flowers....shells....lit votives scattered through the sand

-make napkin rings with torn strips of tropical patterned fabric or raffia.

-rent real palm trees and other greenery (add fake hibiscus/other flowers to trees if you can't find flowering plants)...you can also add white lights to the trees

-if budget is low, turn the poles of the tent into fake palm trees...wrap scrunched up brown butchers paper loosely around the poles...make paper palm fronds

-hang fish netting/white lights from ceiling of tent

-make bar into a grass beach hut

-skirt the buffet with grass...intersperse tropical fruit,with the other food, as decoration

-surround the area with tiki torches (are they too hawaiin?)

 

[r3ngels]

tw1nsmom: boy can you plan a party!!! Invite me next time

 

[mickeyboat]

How about a limbo contest. It would be amusing to see the 60-something crowd try that - I bet they'd really enjoy it too!

I was going to also suggest the white lights - string them at the top of the tent and drape sheer blue fabric over them. It will look like the night sky.

Denae

 

[danacara]

Thanks so far! What do you all think of candy on the tables, maybe those jelly fruits?

 

[tw1nsmom]

I just did that for my mother's 60th birthday party and it was a big hit! In my case, I purchased candies that were popular in the 40's and 50's. I scattered them down the center of the tables along with purple tinsel and confetti. I don't know if that presentation would work for you, but everyone loves candy and I'm sure your guests will like it as well.

 

[AspiringCindy]

What about Carribbean Morraccas on the table!?

 

[shortbun]

coconuts and pink flamingos! you can get flamingo garlands,
yard ornaments-just about everything. Coconuts are pretty easy
to come by too. For flowers, Birds of Paradise.

 

[danacara]

I am LOVING these ideas. Sand pile, maracas, brilliant. Any thoughts on how to line or accentuate the driveway (guests will need to park on the street and walk down the driveway to enter)

 

[4cruisin]

I had a 40th bday for my dh last year. Beach-party/clambake theme. As stated above, Oriental Trading has some great things for reasonable $$. You can use tiki torches to line the driveway. I used colorful beach pails filled with sand and bought pillar candles embossed with a fish design for the centerpieces. (Although I wish I had though of the fish bowls with real fish) I scattered sand and sea shells around the pails. Strung sea shell lights around the tent. I used bright colored table cloths and napkins for the tables. Each table had a different color. I had an 8' light up palm tree, inflatable money, inflatable kiddie pools, beach balls etc scattered around the yard. I hung several fishing nets and put plastic crabs, lobsters etc in them I had lobster traps scattered around. I had it catered on site with a clambake company that did a fantastic job. Played Jimmy Buffet, Beach Boys etc for music. You will only be limited by your imagination. Have a ball.