This weekend we hosted a graduation party for my little sister who just completed her cosmetology license program at Regency Beauty Institute. With that in mind, I thought I'd share a few tips on creating a pleasing food spread at your next gathering!
Because we were hosting the party at my house, we had to be fairly creative with anything "decorative." After all, this isn't some grand banquet hall, it's my dining room! And that means we have to clean up the mess! This is why it's best to simple make the functional pieces pretty.
I picked up these perfect black and white striped napkins at Walmart, along with the paper straws to match. As far as colors go, I used a lot of what I had on hand. I happened to have black, white and pink tissue paper, so I made a simple garland and used that as the jumping off point. Don't go crazy with too many colors and overwhelm yourself, but you definitely don't need to be matchy-matchy with everything.
I attached extra tassels to some pink chopsticks just for fun, and used wine glasses in varying sizes to keep the height of objects varied. You want your eye to move around the table! Flat spaces are boring!
The fabric tablecloth over the buffet table has hints of teal and gold to tie the party decor and my wall color together. Make the party match your house!
Let your food make a statement. The color and arrangements of the food you serve can be just as beautiful as any decoration you could buy, and you get to eat it! A tiered stand isn't just for dessert. It displays this selection of fruit beautifully.
Offer a variety of food choices. Meat, cheese and veggie trays are just important as chips, candy and snacks. Not everyone wants to eat junk all the time, and if you are having small children at your party, parents will appreciate being able to incorporate some healthy items on their child's plate besides just treats. I always make my own cheese trays, it's more cost effective and I can control the quality of the food I'm setting out.
Group your condiments together. Extras and fixin's become beautiful when placed on a gold charger.
We chose to offer a sandwich bar as well as snacks. Guests can build their own with choices of several meats, cheeses and spreads. Keep the food spread over several tables. It allows for better traffic flow.
Use your pretty pieces. Now is the time! This gold ice bucket is beautiful and funtional, and when else will I have an excuse to use it?
I hope you were able to take away a few ideas for your next gathering! Remember to keep it simple. The company is what really counts!
Xoxo,
Natasha
