Host, toast, and boast. Easy cocktail party tips.

photo by Martha Stewart

This time of year brings about ample opportunities to get together with friends and neighbors, and we are often asked about some tips for planning a simple but elegant cocktail party. So, as we enter into a New Year, here are just a sampling of some of our entertaining ideas.

The most important thing about entertaining is that it should be enjoyable for all - including the host and hostess! A little planning ahead of time will ease those last minute jitters and allow you to enjoy your guests and your party. Here we go:

• Estimate the amount of liquor you will need. We use these numbers for a basic 2.5 hour cocktail party. Adjust up or down depending on the amount of food, the age of your guests, the time of day and the weather (cold drinks may goes down faster on hot days!).

COCKTAILS: 2.5 per person
CHAMPAGNE: 1 bottle for every 2 - 3 guests
WINE: 1 bottle for every 2 - 3 guests
LIQUOR: 1 liter for every 10 - 12 guests
BOTTLED WATER: 1 liter for every 2 guests

• Packaged snacked are absolutely fine to serve! Bags of pistachios, chips, and snack mix are economical and are always a hit. Frozen quiches and other frozen finger foods come in handy if the crowd is larger than expected or unusually hungry!
  
• Organize early: write lists, shop, and make your plan a week or two ahead of time.
• Polish any silver trays and clean all crystal days before the party. This is not a fun thing to be doing just before the doorbell rings!
  
• Clean your oven to ensure that there is nothing in the bottom of it that may cause an unwelcome odor or smoke while you have guests.
  
• Set bread sticks or flat breads out in tall glasses or vases on the buffet. They add height and an interesting addition to your display.
• Use cloth cocktail napkins rather than paper for a more refined look. (We purchase these year round when we spot them on sale.)
• Set your iPod or CD player with appropriate music for the group. Test it out before the first guest arrives and have the music playing 15 minutes early (to put a festive mood in the air!)
  
• Create a sparkling evening by clustering one color of pillar candles of various heights throughout the room or on the mantel. Stick to either one candle aroma or odorless candles.
  
• Twinkle lights are always a hit. Wrap them in ficus trees or indoor plants for some extra glow.
  
• Be sure you have a candle lighter that is in working order. Light candles 20 - 30 minutes before guests arrive.
  
• Set out any cheeses on a marble slab or cutting board covered with a dome or kitchen towel, a few hours before the party so they may be served at room temperature.
• Small clusters of grapes make easy and pretty decor on cheese displays and serving platters. Be sure they are cleaned well and cut into small enough clusters so that a guest may take one to enjoy.
• Cut flowers can be placed in carafes, fancy glasses, Thomas Jefferson cups, mason jars and a variety of vases for an interesting addition to your decor. Place them throughout the house for a nice touch.
  
• Dim the lights to create a cozy atmosphere - especially if you have lots of candle to add ambiance.
• Don't forget the bathrooms. A nice candle, hand soap, a flower, and pressed guest towels show guests that you've left nothing untouched.
  
• Light a fire in the fireplace (in the winter) and assign a friend to ensure it keeps glowing all night. During warmer months, consider placing colorful daisies or mums in the fireplace... you can replant them when the party is over.
• Place appetizers on small plates throughout the room so that guests never have to go far for a bite.
  
• If you have special photographs of fun times with your guests, put them in frames and display them throughout your party. They bring back fond memories and are great conversation starters for any 'newbies' in the group.
  
• Separate the bar area from the main food area to avoid bottlenecks and to encourage mingling.
  
• Pre-pour trays of a colorful drink or champagne with a lavender sprig to offer guests upon arrival.
• If the weather outside is frightful, be sure to set aside an area for coats and purses.
  
• Consider hiring someone to help be your behind the scenes hostess - picking up empty plates, dishes, and keeping the bar area clean throughout the evening.
• Don't forget to offer non-alcoholic beverages for guests.
• Consider a small 'thank you' happy for your guests when they leave. An inexpensive small silver frame, a candle in a organza bag, or Polaroid photos taken through the night and laid on the table by the door will help show your appreciation - and help your guests remember the lovely evening.
  

Most of all, enjoy yourself. Like most things in life, entertaining just takes practice. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

We're blushing....

We received a fabulous honor to start the year, when the amazing folks from Junebug Weddings invited us to be a part of the Junebug team!

They are truly the epitome of 'good taste' and we are so excited to share in their unmatched energy and passion in creating absolutely stunning, memorable, and highly personalized wedding celebrations.

You should definitely add their blog "What Junebug Loves" to your favorites if you haven't already done so. It's marvelous! - and was recently voted the #1 wedding blogsite in the world - even over Martha Stewart's blog, which came in a close second.

Thank you Blair, Kim, and Christy for the confidence you have shown in our work. We are truly humbled.

Positively Precious Pumpkins!

Wow. Isn't amazing how absolutely beautiful a simple pumpkin can become when you apply a little 'Martha Magic' to the project? Actually, I first saw this on Meredith Tomasulo's fantastic blog Elegant Engagements. I couldn't resist sharing it as well. It's not at all surprising that she has this lovely post - her work is awesome. Be sure to check it out, you'll be hooked!

Wouldn't these be stunning at a fall wedding? I'm not even going to wait for my wedding couples to get these going... Our company is moving into a darling new office space and these will be amazing at our entry.

To make these for yourself, here are Martha's suggestion:

By paring away the skin and only part of the flesh rather than carving all the way through, the lantern becomes translucent when lit from within.

1. Cut a hole in the pumpkin's base, and hollow the pumpkin out. If you're using a candle, cut a lid out of the top using a keyhole saw; for low-wattage lightbulbs, cutting a hole in the top is optional, but you must also cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin for the cord. Apply petroleum jelly to any exposed flesh to keep it from drying out.

2. If you're carving a monogram, find an example of typeface to use and enlarge it on a photocopier to the desired size. Tape the monogram to the pumpkin with masking tape. Using a needle tool or pushpins, poke holes through the monogram and into the pumpkin around the outline of the letters at close intervals. Remove photocopy, and connect the "dots" by pen. Pare the flesh down with a gouge in open spaces and a linoleum cutter in tight spaces, leaving about half the thickness of the translucent flesh intact to allow sufficient light to show through. (You don't need a template to create spirals or a harlequin pattern, spirals can be carved freehand, and the harlequin diamonds can be drawn, prior to carving, using a felt-tipped pen.)

3. Wrap Christmas lights around a glass for a radiant light source. To even out the light, affix a piece of wax paper with tacks to the inside of the monogram.

Tagged!

This seems to be a fun thing currently going around the blog world and I was excited to be 'tagged' by my good friend, Amy Rubins of Fete Perfection. On top of having a fantastic company name and gorgeous website & blog, she produces and manages absolutely amazing weddings & events. It's so nice to have colleagues that are inspiring and fun!

So, the rules are to post 8 "interesting" things about yourself and then tag someone else. So buckle up, kids. These will no doubt fascinate and delight.

1. I am a native Minnesotan. My native language is, ya, you becha - Minnesotan. If you've seen the movie 'Fargo' then you know what I'm talkin' about, doncha? Now, to set things straight however, many Minnesotans were offended by the movie. I'm not one of them. I thought it was hysterical and loved Frances McDermott as 'Margie'. Although I don't get a chance to visit the land of 10,000 lakes too often, I rarely have to pull out the 'How to Speak Minnesotan' guide on my shelf before I visit. If you do plan a trip there, you should know just a few of the main phrases so you won't feel totally lost and won't insult the locals. These should be helpful:

• SPAM: Not an internet nuisance thing there. It's a meat product that comes in a lovely blue tin can.
• Yer darn tootin': Most definitely.
• Spendy: Expensive.
• Yah: Affirmative agreement.
• Not so bad; Could be worse; Can't complain: The normal Minnesota reaction one may hear after being asked "how do you feel? You've just won the Pulitzer Prize!?"
• Tennies: Sneakers.
• Golly Jee Whillickers!: That is awesome.

2. I am the first to admit that although I appreciate the finer (okay, finest) things in life, I would take a Matt's Juicy Lucy over foie gras any day. Matt's Bar in Minneapolis may be my all time favorite restaurant in the world - and I've been fortunate enough to have frequented hundreds across the planet! Ahhh.... I can almost see those dusty Christmas lights that hang all year and hear that 'Mack the Knife' on the old Juke Box now. Add Matt's bar to your 1,000 places to see before you die list.

3. I am a breast cancer survivor. Yes. Get your mammogram, ladies. Please. I was diagnosed stricly through a mammogram screening in November 2003, and had a left-side mastectomy 3 weeks later. I'm happy and grateful to be amongst the pink ribbon wearing survivors.

4. Does your TIVO look like my TIVO? One of my secret enjoyments on a rainy weekend is to catch up on all my favorites. No Law & Order, Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives here, folks. Nope. What you'll find is all of the fabulous reality shows that I dig. I don't know why but I love this stuff! My favorites? Little People, Big World (This family is amazing!), Airline (gotta love obnoxious people spewing and spitting at the Southwest Airline folks), The Bachelor (I miss it), and of course all of the wedding shows that star many of my favorite wedding planners!

5. The Starbucks names they have for their various sized coffees annoy me beyond belief. Is a 'Tall' a small or a medium? I'm so confused. Add to that the fact that when you use the good old English language to order your coffee, you're often scolded by one of their personnel. My experiences often go like this:

ME (customer): "I'd like a small coffee, please."

THEY (server): "A tall?"

ME (customer): "No, just a small one. Thanks."

THEY (server): "Ahhhh , well a tall is a small."

ME (customer): "What's a medium?"

THEY (server): "A Grande."

ME (customer): "Well that's weird. Grande is the Italian word for Large."

.... so unless I'm up for a good altercation, I usually avoid Starbucks at all costs. I'll take a Diet Coke.

6. Without a doubt, I am Blessed with the most incredible husband, family and friends that anyone could ever dream of.

7. I am pretty sure that I invented the word 'juu juu'. I've used it for years ("that's good juu juu!") and was stunned a couple of years ago when my friends started calling me at all hours telling me that they heard MY word on network TV shows. McDreamy stole my word? He should be careful ... stealing is really bad juu juu.

8. I am a proud American, a proud conservative, a proud Christian, and an eternal optimist. I believe that if people want to come to our country, they should come here legally. The illegals want to better their lives? Guess what, so do bank robbers. Give me a break. Follow the laws and we'll welcome you with open arms. I believe that if they do come to our country legally, they should speak English. I believe that people should be given a hand UP, NOT a hand out. I believe that tax cuts are meant for those people who actually pay taxes. Check the statistics. The wealthier people pay the taxes - that's why the rich people should get the tax cuts. I better stop now... Sean Hannity is on the radio. God Bless America.

Okay! Now...I'm tagging Risa Provencio of Romanza Events. Talk about talent! Risa is so inspiring and gives Martha Stewart a definite run for her money. Check out her site and her blog - You'll be hooked.