Party #2 was a success! The force was with me this weekend as I hosted a surprise Star Wars themed birthday party for Kaylene's 24th birthday. Star Wars attracts fans of all ages, but I tried to keep the event age appropriate and focus more on the color scheme with added hints of Star Wars and the general "outer space" theme.
The overall color scheme I chose included black, lime green, bright blues, white, and silver. Once again, a hand made banner was made using scrapbook paper and card stock of various colors and patterns to add an eclectic, yet cohesive touch. I also created (along with help from my friend Crystal) a hand made poster which incorporated the popular Star Wars "scrolling" effect. The sign was hung with clear fishing line from the top of the pergola which gave the illusion of floating, as if guests were experiencing zero gravity in space.
The lovely dessert table was primarily designed by the amazingly talented Crystal Pantoja, who is the founder and owner of Aurora Rose. She graciously helped prepare all of the desserts for the event which included bright green macarons, cupcakes with buttercream frosting in coordinating shades of blue and white, pretzel snacks, cookies dipped in lime green colored chocolate, and marshmallows dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. Of course, the dessert table was one of the most visited areas by guests throughout the evening.
The centerpieces which flanked both sides of the dessert table were created using simple lime green boxes, faux flowers, gemstones, and basic prints from the computer. With help from Crystal, I first took the boxes and placed styrofoam balls inside which would later hold the flowers in place. After spraying the flowers silver to match the decor, we then hot glued clear gemstones onto each flower for an added touch of "bling" (it was a girl's birthday party after all, and we know that Kaylene loves anything that sparkles). After arranging the flowers to our liking, we researched Star Wars symbols and characters online and ultimately decided to use one of Kaylene's favorite characters, r2d2 for this table. Since r2d2 is a member of the Jedi, we printed out the symbol for the Galactic Republic and glued it onto the front of the boxes.
Both the food and dessert tables were accented with food tent cards which labeled each appetizer. We used the official Star Wars font (found online) and quirky names including "Wookie Cookies" and "Galactic Cupcakes."
A similar centerpiece was made for the food table, however, this time we decided to choose Darth Vader, a character from the opposing empire. We used the same steps to create this piece, but instead simply changed the symbol on the box to that of the Sith Empire.
Aside from flowers, additional feminine details were added with a variety of white and bright blue pom poms, which also hung from clear fishing line. We created a total of 6 pom poms of varying sizes using basic tissue paper and wire. Tutorials are easily accessible online, which makes this project MUCH cheaper than purchasing pre-made kits. The beverage table featured "Yoda Soda", a mixture of lemon-lime soda and lime sherbet. Champagne, which we termed "Jedi Juice" and other adult beverages were also served.
Of COURSE we added a photo booth since it was such a popular attraction at the previous party! As you can see, guests had no trouble creating some memorable moments with Star Wars themed props. The photo booth poster was also hand made and hung from clear fishing line in keeping with our outer space theme. We researched the official Star Wars "Aurebesh" language and used it to spell out the words "photo booth" at the top for added detail. Hopefully that was noticeable to some of you fellow Stars Wars fans!
BIG thanks go out to Crystal for helping me create and execute the design in only two weeks. You ROCK! If you are looking for delicious treats for your next event, or even something to satisfy your own sweet tooth, please visit her website at www.smileaurorarose.com!
Until next time!
~A