There are many reasons to host a dinner party, and one of them is for the chance to get creative with a “themed” dinner party. One  theme you can try for your next dinner party is a mystery dinner. The whole dinner party would be focused around finding out “who done it” and each dinner guests will be a part of the mystery. You can send out murder mystery invitations online which will allow you to send each guest unique information. Tell them what character they will be playing so they can dress the part (dressing up will add to the fun). Check out these murder mystery online invites from My Punch Bowl.

They also have other fun tips to plan your murder mystery dinner party, so get planning!

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Do you like to entertain but not are not too fond of the party price tag?Personally, I always find myself “doing too much” in an attempt to make every party detail just perfect for my guests. Though these days, it is not so easy to splurge on all the party essentials. Here is one way I have rethought my party drinks in order to save more money without cutting out the style:

 Skip the individual cocktails.

I still recommend serving your guests a party cocktail or signature drink however, but rather than puring individual glasses, opt for a cocktail punch instead. Your drink dollars will stretch much further if you switch to serving your drinks out of punch bowls, allowing guests to fill their own cups. Think about it: If you were serving Mimosas, how many could you make using one bottle of champagne? Now, consider the fact that you could make an entire punch bowl of Mimosas with that same one bottle.

Brilliant, I know.

photo via Yum Sugar

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Looking for a fun family idea? Want to impress and surprise your kids? Host a “Fancy Friday” and see the smiles appear on their sweet little faces. The whole idea: a “just because” excuse to get all dressed up and break out that dusty china. The twist: make it fancy but still fun!

Here’s some starter ideas:

- When they get home from school give your children handmade invitations to the “Fancy Friday” dinner you’re hosting. Be sure to mention formal attire is mandatory. Tell them to pick out their fanciest clothing (this will also be fun to see what they choose to wear). Don’t forget to tell them what time to arrive at the dinner table.

-Dust off all of your fancy dinnerware (after all this is a “fancy” occasion) and set a formal table. The twist: do not serve formal food.

-Order pizza or serve another kid-favorite food. They will think this is so fun to be eating pizza of of Mom’s fancy china! Make sure to display the “menu” which can be as simple as writing it on a chalkboard for display.

Get as creative as you wish, just remember to make it equally fancy and fun! Bonus: This is a nice way to remind your children of dinner table etiquette and because it is a fun dinner they won’t feel like it is a lesson in manners.

Posted by Tori under Occasions & Table Setting | 3 Comments »

A large part of entertaining is dessert, oh and how I love dessert! From tarts to ice cream…… cookies to cake- a wonderful dessert can make for a memorable event. Right now, Cookie Magazine is having a contest for the most creative cakes (so fun). Here are a couple of my favorite entries so far:

Sweet sushi! I love this play on real food, so clever!

And more fun with food  cake, hamburgers!

You can check out all the creative cake entries so far. You might even have a creative cake to enter yourself!

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I love the idea of getting creative with your menu display. The gourmet goddesses over at Sunday Suppers came up with this rustic (yet sophisticated) option for displaying your individual menus: a paper bag.

Other creative menu displaying ideas are  mini chalkboards and/or small framed menus. Have fun and get a little creative when it comes time to let guests know what you’ll be serving.

Posted by Myriam under Occasions & Party Food & Table Setting | 1 Comment »

Do you entertain? Upload your best “Summer Entertaining” photos and enter Hostess With The Mostess’ Facebook contest! Check out the fab prizes they are giving one very lucky winner. Five finalists will be selected then it’s open for a vote on The HWTM Facebook page!

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If you want your looking for  dinnerware that has a punch of personality, check out the Fiesta collection that has an art deco feel. Not only are these pieces bold and vibrant, they are very practical.

- Dishwasher safe

-Oven Safe

-Microwave and freezer safe

The Fiesta dinnerware collection comes in 15 fabulous colors; a little something for everyone!

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With many tightening their budget belts these days, finding creative ways to save money can almost be considered  a new past time. From cutting back on your party budget to money saving tips on your party food here on Entertaining With Style we try to share practical money saving tips that don’t have you sacrificing your entertaining flair. After all, we believe you can be classy and thrifty- why not?

We have thrown out a lot of our ideas to you and are dying to know: How do you save money when hosting a party? Please, dish!

Posted by Myriam under Hostessing & Party Food | No Comments »

Little ones will giggle over this birthday party theme- it’s a backwards party! I stumbled on this idea over at Simply Stated, the Real Simple Magazine Blog and had to share it with you!

Here are a few of their backward ideas:

• Hang typical party decorations backwards (like this banner shown). You can also hang upside down like these balloons, or a pinata if you had one.
• Have them eat under the table rather than on top of it.
• As guests arrive say “Good bye” instead of “Hello.”
• Have guests enter through the back door.

OH– and my idea (this will be a huge hit), serve them cake before the food!

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