My 4 fool-proof, fail-safe secrets to throwing the BEST parties!

It’s me, Lou from Sunshine Parties – did you miss me?? 🙂 I MISSED you guys!

I haven’t always been a party planning guru but it’s been SUCH fun learning, creating a business and setting up parties as a team. And boy have we learned plenty over the years!

Today, it’s all about divulging my 4 fool-proof, fail-safe secrets to throwing the BEST parties!

Secret number one – Use printable decor! It’s quick, easy and looks incredible every time!

So you’ve browsed our website www.sunshineparties.com and, after much deliberation (or, if you are an instant decision-maker, no deliberation ha ha), you’ve chosen your theme, purchased either the full set or a specific item/s and now you’re ready to rock!
You download the digital file, open in Adobe Reader and then add your text, save and print!!!

My advice? BEFORE you start, watch this 4 minute instructional video. It’s really simple and tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about digital printables, and Adobe (you need the latest version), about the editable fields and how to use them, the whole shebang. Four minutes, I tell you, it can save you 10, and we understand that time is precious!

There’s Always Someone to Lean On

If you still have a little glitch somewhere with downloading, editing and printing your party decor and invites, don’t stress, just drop us a line at support@sunshineparties.com and we’ll help you out as soon as we can….OR, take a browse through our FAQ page, where we have step-by-step A’s to all your Q’s!

You’re SOOOO on top of it, now you have your files, you’ve downloaded them, you’ve edited them and you are ready to print, cut and assemble. But before you start, consider adding flair to your party with labels!

Secret number 2 – Create AMAZING names for your food labels, party favors, treat bag toppers and water bottle labels.

This is your chance to get super funky and creative! So, once you know your theme, try to think of related food labels and food items that tie in.

Using alliteration (words start with the same letter, like ”Smiley Sweets”) works really well. So does searching for synonyms of words on the internet, for new inspiration!

Here are a few favorites that we have used over the years:

One of our processes is to write a list of words that are linked to your theme, and then try to match that with the food and drink you want to serve. For example, if your theme is construction, you would write down words like insulation, backfill and beams, and then match these to your food.

Printable Water labels

A note on party favors – if you are doing a take-home favor, remember it does not HAVE to be sweets (although sometimes sweets are perfect!) For example – the lovely little planter in the Lumberjack Party above, or the sunglasses in the Luau / Tutti Frutti Party above.)

Secret number 3 – get some party set-up tools!! See our must-have items below:

You actually don’t need much besides a pair of sharp scissors and some Scotch tape to get your printables looking perfect. BUT, we have found a few tools to be very handy (absolute life and time-savers) over and over again for parties. Tools like:

A glue gun – this comes in SOOOO handy. If you don’t have one, you NEED one. I never knew these little things of sticking joy even existed!! Why did I not know this for SO long? Anyway, they are just SO useful for all sorts of stuff….like gluing banners, and pom pom flowers, gluing sticks onto cupcake toppers, anything you would normally use Scotch tape or Blu Tack for, you can use your glue gun for. It’s quick, easy, and the stick is nice and sturdy!

Using a glue gun for party decor

A circle punch – this is amaze balls for your cupcake toppers. No careful cutting around the circular topper, just punch, done! The standard topper punch size is a 2”punch.

Using a circle punch for cupcake toppers

A craft knife and metal ruler – For those beautiful straight lines, every time, use a craft knife and a metal ruler for the 100% perfect cut. It’s quicker too! I’m all about doing things properly and saving time!

Using a craft knife and cutting mat for party printables

A cutting mat – for use with your craft knife. It saves your table surfaces from cut marks and provides a nice, flat surface on which to work your crafting magic! I use this mat every day, it never gets put away. Best thing ever!

Secret number 4: Get organized with a planner or tick list of sorts. If you don’t have one, you can download the one we use. YEEEEHAAAAA!!!

This FREE Cheat Sheet includes:

What to do 1 – 2 months before, 2 weeks before and on the day of the party
How much food per guest? Take the guesswork out and have the perfect amounts of food and drink
Guest list and RSVP details all in one place
A list for gifts and thank-yous sent

You Super Party Fairy You!

So, there you have it, a few of the little (yet VERY important) things that make life as a Super Party Fairy a little quicker and easier. And all your efforts very effective!