This is an excerpt from the Anders Ruff blog; for the full details and many more gorgeous photos, click here!
I’m Jen Carver of Banner Events, and I am thrilled to share the sophisticated soirée I styled for my daughter’s 10th birthday! Fashion and fun paired up for one fabulous fête in this Kate Spade-inspired pool party! Sequins and glitter, polka dots and stripes, hot pink and gold – this party was full of stylish decorations, fashionable favors and delicious desserts. A Fresh Take Photography beautifully captured the enjoyment of the event.
I love building anticipation for an event by sending out creative invitations. Adria from Anders Ruff designed an adorable Kate Spade inspired invitation and tied in our pool party theme. I love the stripes and gold glitter bow that provided the inspiration for the rest of the party decor. To add that bit of unexpected fun for recipients, I packaged each invitation in its own square gift box filled with coordinating hot pink paper shred from Nashville Wraps. I added a custom return address label designed by Adria and tied off each box with lovely striped ribbon (also from Nashville Wraps).
Along with all of the décor, we also displayed darling striped beach totes full of fashion goodies as the main party favors for guests. Each contained either a pink and white beach towel or cabana striped black and white towel with a gold spade monogram. I love including practical items as party favors that I know will be used time and time again. In addition to the towels, I wanted each girl to receive some pool party fashion essentials inspired by Kate Spade.
I relied on my go-to packaging company, Nashville Wraps, for stylish boxes and tissue paper to wrap up gifts for each girl. Inside each box was a gorgeous pool loungewear outfit to wear before and after swimming.
Once guests arrived, they excitedly pulled out the gift boxes from their beach totes and dressed for pre-swimming refreshments. I just love how cute they all looked in their dresses and accessories!
Popcorn—one of my daughter’s favorite snacks—was served up in mini gold popcorn boxes. Super cute mini baked donuts in party colors, accented with edible bows, sat perched atop their own striped favor boxes (from Nashville Wraps), as did custom mini chocolate covered Oreos with the sweetest edible spades and bows. I wanted to reinforce cute boutique-style packaging that fashionable jewelry, clothing and accessories might be packaged in for customers.
A custom wooden spade-shaped centerpiece was affixed to the top of stacking boxes from Nashville Wraps, spray painted in party colors. Each place setting included an empty gable box accessorized with a party label and thank you tag. Guests were invited to fill these with their favorite treats after swimming for the car trip home.
My favorite part of this party? I didn’t have to plan any activities! The pool provided hours of fun entertainment, and I got to sit back and be a guest enjoying the smile on my daughter’s face as she celebrated with friends and family.
