“A gifted hostess makes it look easy. She knows the shortcuts that make entertaining less laborious and more enjoyable for everyone.“
~ An excerpt from “What’s a Hostess to Do?” by Susan Spungen
It’s all about keeping it simple but fabulous. You all know this because you’re Cuisinistas. Throwing parties with unique and fantastic flair in the least laborious way possible is our thing. And as evident from last month’s guys BBQ, guys you are in this with us. I read this in “What’s a Hostess to Do?” and found it appropriate here – “Real men may not eat quiche, but they can certainly serve it up. So guys, please strap on your aprons and get to work!”*
But this month’s party is not about you or me, or whether we are a “he” or a “she”. It’s about whether Tonya’s BABY is a “he” or a “she”! Yes, our own Tonya is PREGGERS and we’re throwing a party for she and her husband Chris to find out the baby’s gender! It’s called “He or She? What Will The Baby Be?”
Pretty Sweet Party Giveaway
We are thrilled to be partnering this month with Susan Spungen and her new book “What’s a Hostess to Do?”, which includes 313 clever ideas to make entertaining easy, 121 recipes for no-fail party food, and so much more. Its every hostess’s best friend! We will be featuring some hot party planning tips throughout our blogs this month to help prepare for the party – “He or She? What Will The Baby Be?” Also you have a chance to win this fabulous book along with a delish cookie and bar platter from our other partner this month – Verbena Pastries. Now this is a Pretty Sweet Party Giveaway! Click HERE to enter for your chance to win and for information on both partners.
Now lets get started with the planning process and ask ourselves some important planning questions that I find helpful (from “What’s a Hostess to Do?”).
Ten Important Questions:
- Who are the guests?
- What time of day is the party?
- Is it going to be a formal or casual affair?
- How many people will there be?
- Is it all adults or will there be children, too?
- Is it a carnivorous crowd or are there any vegetarians?
- Does anyone have special dietary needs?
- Is it buffet-style or a sit-down menu?
- Is my menu well-balanced, with rich and light flavors, colors, textures, carbs, protein, and veggies?
- Am I forgetting anything?
The Invitation: How & When
How: Another important question is “How will you mail the invitation?” Since this party is a less formal get-together, we have decided to go with an email invitation with the invitation attached as a pdf. Guests will be asked to wear pink or blue to cast their vote! If you want to add importance and or formality to your party, we recommend sending a traditional formal invitation. When I do this personally, I often choose to accompany it with an emailed invite to help make party updates more convenient.
When: The timing recommended in “What’s a Hostess to Do?” for mailing or emailing party invitations varies greatly depending on formality of the party from last minute to 8 weeks. Gender Revealment Party is not mentioned but based on the recommendations for a cocktail party, we are emailing our invitation out 3 – 4 weeks in advance.
So is the baby a “he” or a “she”? We can’t wait to find out! Stay tuned for a pretty sweet recipe from Verbena Pastries and more from Kristi.
Party On!
Ashley