The big moment is almost here. As you glide through the room, you notice the final details have all been tweaked. The personalized music playlist, that you spent the last month searching for and downloading, is at the right level. The candles are all flickering and sending reflections of light dancing around the room. The wine is breathing and the couple-to-be are on their way.

 

Your at-home engagement party is about to be the talk of the town! The trick is to make it look awesome without anyone knowing the amount of time you actually put into it. Forget about the boring cliche decorations and favors that we've all seen ad nauseam—hello, crepe paper bells!

 

As a bridesmaid, your job is two fold: wow your friends but make sure the spotlight is on the bride. Not an easy thing for any well meaning friend in a recession but it can be done says Lisa Jowell of Dallas-Fort Worth design shop The Ink Plum. Jowell not only creates and designs custom invitations, but also takes care of the pickiest of tastes and has great party ideas as well.

 

Her most recent engagement party was also her most challenging, she says, "The best ideas come from your imagination. Don't count out anything! Take what you know about the bride, her likes and dislikes, her dreams and desires and get creative!"

 

Table top decorations: Have all attendees, or even out of town friends who can’t make it in for the party, email favorite pictures of the couple, collage the pictures to create a total image and use as an iron-on for t-shirts. Roll them up to look like flowers, mix in with real or paper flowers and insert in small colored pails center pieces on each table.

Party gift for couple-to-be: Instead of a traditional sign-in book at the front door, create a unique keepsake. Using twigs or branches from your own yard or from your local floral shop, create an arrangement utilizing silk birds and small bird nests perched throughout.

 

Under your "tree", provide small pieces of paper, which could even be cut in the shape of birds,  for the guests to write tips or wishful thoughts to the couple. This serves not only as a wonderful keepsake, as you can then paste each note into a small album,  but also as a social activity for guests who aren't yet acquainted with each other.
 
Party favors: Using small bars of indistinguishable soaps, wrap each bar in ribbons and include a small strip of paper with the couples name and wedding date printed on it. Then glue silk flowers to serve as the "bow". Place them in a large bowl near door for each guest to take home.

The sky's the limit when it comes to entertaining in your home, now Spring into action and make this garden theme party a blooming success.

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