Parisian Party

Paris - can anyone think of a more romantic and wonderful setting? Because Paris is such an incredible place to relax and enjoy pastries at an outdoor bistro overlooking the cities landmarks - it makes a perfect setting to recreate in your own home or the nearby hall. With some of our ideas and a little help from mother nature, it can be done easier than you think!

The key to pulling off a coordinated event: Evoke your theme throughout the affair. Whether that theme is as general as a season or a feeling, or as specific as a special flower, it should be the subtle thread that ties everything together. Your location, invitations, flowers, menu, cake, and favors should all cleverly reflect one common concept. Then, get as creative as you can!

The Location:

Select a location that works well with the theme. For a Parisian theme – an art museum, French Restaurant, historic mansion in a French architecture.

Invitations:

The first step in setting the Parisian mood, of course, begins with the invitation.

Here are a few ideas that we think say, "Bon Jour, please come and join us" for a Parisian theme!

Consider the style and type of invitations that will convey your theme to your guests before they even get there. Look for Invitations that might have a flower that is very popular in Paris, or a symbol that people might associate with Paris like the Eiffel Tower, or just word the invitation asking people to join you in Paris for the evening. Even if you don't speak French add a touch of French to your invitations. Mon amour, Mon cher, Bon apetite to name a few. Look up a friend or your old high school French teacher for ideas.

If you are hosting this themed party for a special occasion such as a birthday, refer to the guest of honor as "Mademoiselle or Madame Davidson" in the invitation to create an authentic French feeling.

Sprinkle some Eiffel Tower Confetti inside your invitation to give guests a sneak preview of the Parisian charm that is in store for them at your party.

ShindigZ.com offers a Design Invitation which you can use to add a design on the front. They carry several designs for a Paris theme.

Invitations by Carlson Craft,

Planning Ideas:

When planning your decorations for a Parisian Theme, envision a stroll down the boulevard with the beautiful Eiffel Tower and city skyline as your backdrop, or a beautiful outdoor café surrounded by fresh flowers and charming bistro tables. Then keep this setting in mind as you coordinate all of your details.

Parisian Motif:

The motif is the visual representation of your theme, which is created by the use of objects or symbols. This symbol may be repeated on your invitations, program, plates, or decorations. Sometimes the use of several different symbols will be used as components of the theme.

Develop your motif using a list of words related to the theme. Brainstorm a list to create your pool of ideas. This list is very important for generating ideas that can be applied to all areas of the event. For a Parisian theme you might come up with words like cafe, arches, artist, Eiffel Tower, springtime, Harlequin, paintings, Fleur De Lis, Mosaic, Wine, Perfume, Wrought-iron, Crystal, Tapestry, Arabesque pattern, Pewter, Olive Wood, Wire Baskets, Fruits (Almonds, Apples, Apricots), Truffles, French Milled Soap, & Bistro tables .

Create a special entryway

Create a special entryway and guests will feel as if they are walking down a street in Paris, drinking espresso at a Parisian Cafe, or standing in a Paris Garden overlooking the Eiffel tower.

For example, as guests arrive, they will take a stroll down a Paris Boulevard and then enter into your Parisian Garden. Grace a cobblestone walkway with delicate-looking topiary trees. A shimmering walkway can easily be created using silver metallic background material, and cobblestone flat paper. Capture the romantic atmosphere of a Paris Boulevard with Parisian Lamp Posts. Create a Parisian Garden with trees, flowers a fountain.

Bring the magic of a Night in Paris to your event with an Eiffel Tower outlined in Twinkle lights. Flank the stunning Eiffel Tower with Paris's famous skyline! Midnight in Paris decor. Pose for photos in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Room Decorations:

Wrought-iron or Pewter chandeliers, candleholders, tables & chairs.
Crystal candlesticks and chandelier with crystals
China & glassware with a Fleur De Lis pattern.
Tapestry Chair Covers
Candleholders or Lanterns etched, with a beautiful Arabesque pattern
Olive Wood Items
Wire baskets filled with Fruits (Almonds, Apples, Apricots)
Hang a border of Eiffel towers around the room.
Rent "carts" and fill them with flowers or place them around the room and use them as serving stations for food or place favors in them for guests.

Be sure to accent your decorations with some berets, an assortment of yummy pastries, croissants, and bottles of French wine!

Parisian Table Decorations:

At some point during the planning stages of your wedding the subject of linens will arise. When it does stop and think of all the possibilities available to you before you go with standard issue white polyester tablecloths. Remember the tops of the tables provide you with a very large surface area and covering them with a beautiful tablecloth is the easiest way to change the feel of a room.. It is also the most cost effective way to decorate. Ten tables covered with a theme or specialty linen print for example will make a statement that no white tablecloth can make.

Black & White or Black & Cream Toile is lovely as an overlay on tables. For a splash of color, red traditionally works quite nicely, with black and cream toile, make sure you choose the right shade, as a red that’s too bright won’t work with the subtler tone of the cream.

Other tablecloths or overlays patterns might include:

Toile in primary and vintage color groups like wine, pastel pink, pastel blue, and lilac.
Black & White Harlequin Chiffon or Satin
Filigree - White with Silver or Gold with Gold
Marquis Damask in Silver or Wedgwood Blue
Fleur De Lis in Champagne
Lafayette Damask in Salmon or Plum
Armani or Deauville Damask in Cream

Suggested table accents:

The centerpiece of the party, the cake, can be in a Harlequin or Eiffel Tower style. trimmed with roses and surrounded by ribbons & rose petals. Magnifique!

Harlequin stacked hat boxes (large pink box with black top, medium pink & black harlequin patterned box, small pink box with black lid, use as centerpieces or other table accents.

Create fanciful pillar candles by covering the bottom with a border of Harlequin-inspired studded diamonds.

Plain black sconces with a mirror background or Fleur De Lis pattern.

French advertisements for wine & perfume.

Bring a little bit of French summer to your party with bouquets of dried lavender. The scent is divine and will linger for a long time.

A fresh pear for a place card

Colorful ribbon rosettes, placed in the center of each plate.

Linen napkins folded in the shape of a bird or rose.

Eiffel Tower tea light lamps

Edible roses and rose petals

Imprint Napkins with a Parisian theme design, Eiffel Tower Silhouette or with French words.

Table runners, tablecloth and chairs covered in striped fabric

Copper-colored charger plates or Fleur de Lys charger.

Toile and striped; napkins

China with gently scalloped borders and a Fleur de Lys in a raised motif in gold or ivory

Glassware reminiscent of Versailles, delicately decorated with a shell motif.

Personalized glassware with a Parisian design for favors.

Elegant crystal glassware donning a traditional tulip shape, a perfect example of French beauty and grace.

Ice sculpture in the shape of an Eiffel Tower or French Sculpture.

Espresso Cup & Saucer like those found in French cafés

Decorate your tables with Gossamer, and sprinkle Eiffel Tower Confetti all around.

Medici vase (classic urn shape) filled with spring tulips, wildflowers or red roses.

A Glass Candle Lamp

Fresh flowers or loose petals scattered around.

Candlelight for even more ambiance and romance.

Personalized Napkins:

Show your guests just how much you care by offering Personalized Napkins by Carlson Craft that complement your theme.

Napkins can be laid out on a buffet table, or can be displayed at each place setting.

Place napkins in the center of each place setting at an angle, or unfold them and place them in glasses for a tall dramatic look.

The napkins can also be tied (and bundled with plastic cutlery) with a multitude of items to match your theme. Try gossamer streamers or ribbon.

Paris Favors:

Favors & Gifts:

The French love their wine; Personalize a wine glass for a favor and a toast.
Imprinted Champagne Flute Favor
Celebrate that special event and shake plastic Champagne Maracas . This item is also available with a custom imprint.
Great black tie parties. Our champagne glass shaped bubbles make a great toast.
Make your Toast with our light up champagne glass. Choose from 7 color selections to add to the excitement at your event.

Entertainment & Music:

Give your event a Parisian Flair.

The main activity for this sweet and romantic gathering is really great eats and wonderful conversation, but sometimes just a small activity or two can really make the party one that is filled with memories to last for a long time. Here are some suggestions for just the right touch of entertainment!

Have your guests arrive in berets and scarves. Have a contest for the best dressed, or most authentically French!

Hire a Caricaturist to sit with a easel, wear a beret, and draw Caricatures of your guests.

Hire a local artist or two and have them bring their palettes and easels to your party. Not only will this idea enhance your atmosphere, it would also be fun to have a demonstration on different forms of painting. Provide paper for all your guests and let them try to create their own watercolor masterpiece!

Hire a gardener (or just a friend that has a green thumb) and have them give a flower-arranging lesson. You could have the expert also provide some basic gardening instructions that will help your spring flowers look as magical as those in the Jardins des Tuilieries!

Set up a runway and have a fashion show of all the latest spring designs!

Play an interesting game of "French Trivia". Before the party, look up some interesting and unusual facts about France, French people, French cuisine or art. Give a prize to the guest that knows the most about this beautiful country and its heritage!

If your guests are interested in wine, arrange to have someone from your local wine shop and give a short presentation on French wine. At the end of the presentation, let guests have a taste of the wine.

Have a French cooking lesson and teach guests how to prepare a traditional French delicacy. Crepes are a good idea, because they are quick and tasty. Allow guests to sample the food at the end!

Why not hire a French Quartet (complete with a Accordion of course) or just a Accordion player to stroll around serenading your guests.

The Food:

Although you can't transport your guests to a party at the base of the Eiffel Tower, you can cast the charm of the city's spell at your event.

The country's epicurean delights are- foie gras, truffles, Roquefort cheese, well-built crustaceans, succulent snails plucked off grape vines, sharp-tasting fruit tarts.

A typical day's eating begins with a bowl of café au lait, a croissant and a thin loaf of bread smeared with butter and jam.

Lunch and dinner are virtually indistinguishable and can include a first course of fromage de tête pâté (pig's head set in jelly) or bouillabaisse (fish soup), followed by a main course of blanquette de veau (veal stew with white sauce) and rounded off with a plateau de fromage (cheese platter) or tarte aux pommes (apple tart). An appetite-stirring apéritif such as kir (white wine sweetened with syrup) is often served before a meal, while a digestif (cognac or Armagnac brandy) may be served at the end.

Other beverages designed to aid digestion and stimulate conversation include espresso, beer, liqueurs such as pastis (a 90-proof, anise-flavoured cousin of absinthe) and some of the best wine in the world.

When it comes to food for your event, it really is possible for it to be elegant and economical at the same time. Your caterer will be able to make suggestions on the perfect menu that will fit your budget.

With a buffet meal, you and your guests will be able to mingle and converse more easily than at a sit-down dinner. Serve easy-to-eat finger foods that will lend a casual, comfortable feeling to your event.

Your menu doesn't have to break the budget. To carry out your Parisian theme, put out baskets of baguettes, oodles of olives, and Smoked Salmon Pâté to spread on toasted baguette slices and mini-croissants.

Serve deli chicken salad to which you have added fresh tarragon.

For hors d'oeuvres, serve Palmiers (puff pastry pinwheels filled with chopped olives), and mini-quiches.

You'll also want to have a variety of French cheeses and wines at a Parisian event.