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It’s Hollywood’s biggest night, but it doesn’t have to put a big dent in your wallet. I mean let’s be real, it’s easy to spend oodles of dollars on a glitz Oscars watching party — but we’re here to show you that you don’t have to!

Here are some tips and tricks on how to throw a party worthy of a trophy!

First, what goes better with the year’s biggest films than popcorn?! It’s the quintessential movie snack… and it’s also easy on your bank account and on your party planning anxiety. I chose a popcorn bar with a variety of seasonings — aptly named after some of this year’s Best Picture nominees — and displayed them in glass jars of varying heights. Frequent visitors of my blog know I love me some clear, light and airy party spaces!

Now, no party is complete without desserts, and I just happened to get the most ADORABLE Oscar-themed cookies from my good friend Briana with Just Call Me Cookie! Our “cookie wardrobe” was complete with dresses, tuxes and even the envelopes for award announcements.

But the big winner? These Oscar statue cookies that STAND ON THEIR OWN! I’m in love with these cookies, and the reasons are endless. They are a delicious treat, but also double as cute decor or party favors for your film-loving friends.

Okay, so you’ve got your treats taken care of… But how do you pull your party together?? I’ve written it once, I’ll write it a thousand times: It’s all about the details! The printables made especially for this event by the lovely Linda from Sprinkled Designs were the perfect touch to tie everything into the Oscars theme.

From the invitations, to the labels for our different popcorn flavors, to the Bingo cards for the guests, Sprinkled designs was the ticket! The little things at a party like this are what your attendees will remember, and it’s an inexpensive way to go the extra mile.

This party is all about the stars of the big screen, but it was special for me because I got to make an appearance on the small screen! My good friends at WFAA-TV were so kind and had me talk about hosting an Oscars watching party on News 8 at 4!

It was a blast being at the studio and meeting some of the WFAA on-air crew!

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Agate and geode decor is one of the hottest design trends in homes and weddings this year, and it’s not hard to see why! Their vibrant hues and natural patterns are the perfect way to add a pop of color and texture to your modern and chic decor that will leave everyone swooning!

I’ve been eyeing this rockin’ trend for quite a while, so when I had the opportunity to work with the very talented Ashley Rutland Photography and style a geode styled wedding shoot, I jumped all over it!

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I still can’t get over all of the details that went into this shoot, especially the stunning head table! With On the Rocks’ napkin rings and glassware, Bella Grafia Ink’s place cards, and florals by Fox and the Fleur, this look is just flawless. And honestly, if you like this trend, it is relatively easy to recreate for your own at home dinner party!

Check out some more of my favorite photos from this shoot, and I hope it brings you some inspiration for your next dinner party or wedding!

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Special thanks to everyone who made this shoot possible!

Photography: Ashley Rutland Photography |

Styling: The Everyday Hostess  |

Furniture Rentals: Gold Dust Vintage Rentals |

Geodes/Geode Stemware & Barware: On the Rocks |

Calligraphy: Slinging Inks of Bella Grafia, LLC |

Floral: Fox and the Fleur |

Cake: Sweet Things Bakery |

Invitation Set: Fingerprint Designs |

With the summer coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to grab your honey and mix up your standard date night with a little picnic! This is a great way to enjoy the cooler weather, explore your city, and dine al fresco!

A lake or park are always two favorites for picnics, but I always love finding a unique spot with a beautiful view. Deep in the heart of downtown Dallas, my fiancé and I decided to enjoy an end-of-summer picnic at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, which is an iconic Dallas hotspot. It’s definitely not the common picnic locale, which made it even more romantic and memorable. The Everyday Hostess PicnicThe Everyday Hostess Picnic 2 with Kate and Landon

If you are looking for a fun way to switch up your upcoming date night or evening with friends,  this is definitely an entertaining idea to consider! Picnics are simple and easy and usually only require assembling a few items! Check out our favorite tips and tricks for throwing together an unforgettable picnic!

  1. Choose a location: When planning a picnic, most people immediately think of a public park; however, there are so many other unique places you can host your outdoor gathering! Consider a beach, a rooftop, or your favorite local site!paisley-layne-photography-3
  2. Seating: Make sure you bring something for you to sit on like a picnic blanket. You can also bring towels or, my personal favorite, rugs! To increase the formality a bit, I brought out our favorite faux sheepskin rug. If the ground is wet, use a tarp as the first layer, to keep your guests (and nicer blankets!) from getting wet.
  3. Food: Keep the food simple and consider only bringing dishes that are still tasty at room temperature. Try handheld foods (sandwiches and wraps) and appetizers like vegetable or fruit kabobs, cheese, crackers, and hummus. You could also put together an antipasto platter if you want to step up the formality a bit!
  4. Beverages: Don’t forget to pack a refreshing beverage like an infused water with lemon, mint, or fruit. If you serve wine, choose something light, like a rosé and pre-mix any cocktails at home. (We aren’t big rosé drinkers, so we still opted for red wine!) paisley-layne-photography-8The Everyday Hostess Picnic Shoot
  5. Packing: Pack your food, beverages, and place settings in a wicker picnic basket or insulated tote. Make sure there is padding in the interior to protect any glasses or soft food.
  6. Place settings: Don’t forget your disposable plates, napkins, and silverware! Paper plates are easy to transport and throw away after your picnic, but if you want something a little bit more formal, check out my favorite disposable products, Tableluxe
  7. Lighting: Lighting can completely transform the mood of your picnic. If you are close to a house, you can string beautiful lights over your table. If you are more remote, consider lanterns or candles.
  8. Entertainment: Set the mood with a little music. Bring a portable radio or speakers to connect to your phone, so you can play your favorite playlist!
  9. Make a list: As you’re planning your picnic, keep a running list of everything you need. Since you are most likely hosting your picnic away from your home, you don’t want to forget anything!

Enjoy!

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Photography by Paisley Layne Photography

It’s no secret that May is one of the busiest months of the year. Between graduations, end of year projects, finals, trips, weddings, recitals, and Mother’s Day, May tends to be jam packed with activity!

Mother’s Day is sneaking up on us a bit earlier this year, so let’s get a jump start on preparing for it now before we get busy with all of the other commitments that are surely on our calendars!

Every mother wants to feel extra loved on this special day, so consider hosting a fun brunch or outdoor lunch for the special mamas in your life! To help inspire your Mother’s Day gathering, I have compiled a few of my favorite tablescapes!

Enjoy!

View More: http://katezimmermanpictures.pass.us/camille-styles-garden-partyCamille Styles

Eatwell 101 Mother's Day TablescapeEat Well 101

Lillian Hope Designs Mother's Day Tablescape Lillian Hope Designs

The TomKat Studio Mothers DayThe TomKat Studio

Sugar and Charm Mother's Day TablescapeSugar and Charm

The Decorista TablescapeThe Decorista

Tory Burch Mother's Day Tablescape Tory Burch

I would love to see all the beautiful tables you set this Mother’s Day! Tag #theeverydayhostess on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our feed!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Is it just me, or has Easter completely snuck up on us this year?! I feel like I was just celebrating New Year’s Eve, and now I’m rushing around trying to get everything I need to host an Easter brunch! If you’re like me, you may be looking for some last minute inspiration for your family gatherings this weekend, so I have compiled some of my favorite tablescapes. I hope you these inspire you as well! Happy Easter!

Easter Tablescape pizzazPizzazerie

Emily Henderson Easter TableEmily Henderson

Easter tablescape minamalistMinimalisti

Easter_table_decor room for renetRooms for Rent

Easter tablescape FrontgateInspired Living

Easter tablescape dear lilyDear Lillie

easter-69In Part 1 of “Hosting a Tea Party” we talked about our tips and tricks for creating the perfect tea party. Now we are taking it a step further and talking about how we designed our own Alice in Wonderland themed Easter Tea Party!

With Easter right around the corner, it is time to start planning ahead for all of the festivities! A traditional Easter brunch following a morning church service is always a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday with friends and family. However, this year, I decided to put a little spin on our traditional Easter brunch plans and had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with Holiday Warehouse in Dallas to host the perfectly styled Alice in Wonderland themed Easter Tea Party!

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We hosted our tea party in my friend’s forested backyard retreat, which was the perfect backdrop to create a magical and whimsical atmosphere. We kept the guest list small, and just invited about ten family friends, which was an ideal size for an intimate tea party, but still big enough that the kids could enjoy a festive Easter egg hunt!

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I worked with Holiday Warehouse’s stylist, Nancy, to design this beautiful scape, which came together and absolutely exceeded my expectations! She worked with me to understand my vision and brought in all of the decor needed to create this colorful and playful Wonderland! Decorations are what make a simple gathering into its own little world for your guests, and that it was! These life-sized rabbits, beautiful serving trays, floral arrangements, wreaths, lanterns, and even the beautiful sheep are just a few of the decor pieces from Holiday Warehouse that brought my Alice in Wonderland vision to life.

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If you are not familiar with Holiday Warehouse, go check them out! I worked with them earlier this year to decorate my Christmas tree and thought they mainly sold Christmas decor, but boy was I wrong! They have an incredible selection of products for all holidays and events including Easter, Wedding Season, Summer beach parties, baby showers, and much more! They also have an incredible in-house silk floral department that can design arrangements for anything that you could possibly imagine!

Now, no tea party is complete without the perfect menu! Of course I served a selection of hot teas, but also made a chilled peach iced tea in case one of our guests wanted something more refreshing. Based on the timing of my Easter tea party, I decided to serve a combination of light tea sandwiches, scones, and a few sweet treats. I made three different tea sandwiches including a pimento cheese sandwich, a traditional cucumber tea sandwich, and a chicken salad puff sandwich. easter-99

To cap off the perfect tea party and menu, the creative and talented ladies at The Best Dressed Cookie and We the Birds Macarons provided the most incredible desserts, which took my tea party to the next level!  

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The Best Dressed Cookie made the most adorable decorated Easter cookies, which helped pull the entire theme of the party together! Alason made a combination of Alice in Wonderland themed cookies (Do you see that AMAZING clock with the Rabbit painted on it?! Or the cookie with the stacked tea cups?! SWOON!) Plus she made some adorable decorated Easter egg cookies and tea cups that matched the patterns in my tables perfectly. I am a huge believer in the saying that “It’s all in the details” and theses cookies absolutely prove that! The intricate designs paired with the bright colors were an incredible way to tie together the theme of my tablescape and the holiday, not to mention they were absolutely delicious – I could not get these out of the kiddo’s hands!

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We the Birds Macarons also provided us with these gorgeous macarons! Don’t these mint chocolate chip and raspberry macaroons just look incredible?! I didn’t know it was possible, but I can tell you they tasted even better than they look! I took one bite and could not stop myself! Natalie with We the Birds Macarons is so incredibly talented and she worked with me to make sure the colors correlated with the pink and mint colors in the porcelain tea cups and painted them with edible gold paint to bring in the metallics reflected in the silverware. Her attention to detail is amazing and she can customize any order. No tea party is complete without macarons and these were the perfect addition to our party!

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Thanks to Holiday Warehouse, The Best Dressed Cookie, and We the Birds Macarons, this tea party went off without a hitch. The company was a delight, the food was impeccable, and the decor transformed our backyard into the perfect magical Wonderland that everyone dreams of.

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Tea Party Details:

Styled ByThe Everyday Hostess | Nancy Intrator | Holly Haaf

Food –  Tea Sandwiches: The Everyday Hostess | Macarons: We the Birds Macarons | Cookies: The Best Dressed Cookie

Decor – Floral Arrangements & Easter Decor: Holiday Warehouse |

Tea Cups: Gracie China | Cup of Tea Print: PrettyLovely Prints | Straw Flags: CURLbyJSD | Easter Basket: Target

PhotographyBeckley & CO.

Between the Super Bowl on Sunday and Mardi Gras on Tuesday, we are in for a whirlwind of fun this weekend! I have to admit though, I have been so focused on preparing for the Broncos game 🙂 that my Mardi Gras party and decor has taken a little bit of a backseat. For those of you in the same boat and looking for how to decorate for a large scale party of just an intimate gathering, I have compiled some of the most inspiring Mardi Gras decor that I have come across! I hope this too inspires you and gets your party planning juices rolling!

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Ruffled - photo by http://nikkimoorephotography.com/ - http://ruffledblog.com/mardi-gras-wedding-inspiration/Ruffled Blog

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St. Regis Wedding