you can always set a pretty party table for not much cash.
Yesterday I wrote about a few bold accent pieces to glam up your parties, so today let's take a look at some basic, inexpensive party staples that are great to have on hand if you like to entertain. Investing in some plain glass or white partyware provides you with a solid foundation to dress up and accessorize for any décor and color scheme you choose.
With these basics, you can furnish your home for a party for 24 people for under $150. Here are some personal favorites to choose from:
• Basic glass dessert-size plates. My husband and I throw a lot of parties, so it's neither cost-effective nor environmentally sound (nor cute, for that matter) to use paper plates. Instead we invested in a set of these basic restaurant supply glass plates, and we bust them out for every cocktail party. The dessert size fits a few canapés perfectly. They're $2.28 apiece from AceMart Restaurant Supply, and you have to buy a crate of 36... if that seems like too many, you can always split the crate with a friend.
• Linen hemstitch cocktail napkins are a nice touch. It's a lot of work to launder them, but they really do class up a party. You can always choose a dark neutral like brown or black to make staining less of an issue (or white, which you can bleach). These little numbers from the Martha Stewart collection for Macy's are on sale at $9.72 for a set of 6.
• Tea lights scattered around a room create an enchanting and intimate mood. Of course you can play with candles in other sizes in various ways, but tea lights are inexpensive and easy. Ikea carries a pack of 24 for $5.99, and glass tea light holders are 6 for $1.99. (Of course you can always forgo the holders and cluster them together on saucers, or even the glass dessert plates.)
• Inexpensive champagne flutes. Keeping a little storage bin of these in a closet really pays off. Champagne or prosecco cocktails are much easier than serving a full bar, and they're just as elegant. We love to do a self-service prosecco cocktail bar with various liqueurs and juices for mixing (got the idea on the fantastic blog Married... With Dinner). CB2 has surprisingly lovely, delicate flutes for $3.95 apiece... go even cheaper (but slightly less stylish) with Ikea's Svalka flutes, $4.99 for 6.
• Plain white serving pieces. Using simple white platters as a backdrop allows your food to take center stage, and you can always dress them up with garnish if you like. This set of five rectangular beauties from CB2, the Cuatro, is only $22.75.
• Glass coffee mugs. We don't serve coffee at all of our parties, but in the cooler months it's nice to have easy vessels for hot beverages. These restaurant supply mugs are simple and attractive, and more convenient than cups and saucers. $26.94 for a case of 12. (We use a 12-cup French press for coffee, a bit of an investment at $49.95, but tastier than an electronic coffee maker.)
Do tell: What are the cocktail party basics you keep on hand in quantity?
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dollar stores are actually a great place for simple white dessert sized plates and clear mugs (or any other drinkware) - i see them there in hordes all the time and typically the quality is pretty good (overstocks from brands like libbey).
Great basics!
thanks,
cristin @ simplified bee
Another Dollar Store suggestion: buy bandanas for napkins. I have a big stack of navy blue bandanas -- they're cheap, don't show stains, and look surprisingly like fancier provencal napkins when you see them out of context.
I stumbled upon a set of Le Rochere Perigord on Smartbargains.com. I didn't know what they were, but I like to have extra glass plates to expand whatever I am using. I later got a second set on the same site for $79 -- four glass dinner plates, four glass dessert plates, four glass footed ice cream bowls and four footed old-fashioned glasses. I have since found out a little about Le Rochere and figured out what a bargain I got. If you shop the internet, you can get matching wine glasses in two sizes at quite reasonable prices. Prices vary quite a bit, so shop around. These same items are carried at Macy's and other retail stores at quite heftier prices. Apparently Perigord is favored in the French wine country. It is the simplest design in the Le Rochere catalog -- and Le Rochere has been manufacturing glassware in France for four centuries.
I also think that the best buy at Anthropologie is their wine glasses. They import from the Czech Republic, and the glass work is beautiful and a fraction of the prices of similar quality wine glasses sold through department stores. Since their lines constantly change, you've got to be prepared to buy a quantity at once, because it's hard to buy four and come back and buy another matching four. Check their sale room regularly, because they move the merchandise out pretty quickly, and you can get some lovely things on sale there.
I know these items might be a little more higher end than what you can get at the dollar store, but they are classic and you can use them forever (or until they break). Perigord has been in production for centuries, so if you find a good buy on any of it, you can always match more later.
Occasionally I have found real linen at fabric stores, and I have been known to make up my own napkins. If you can make a fold on a fold, have an iron and a few straight pins, and know how to do a simple slip stitch, it's super easy to do. Wash down linen and it only gets more pleasurable to use. I think using navy blue bandanas for napkins is a super good idea; I'm going to try it!
kayw is right - the dollar store is excellent for party supplies. I put the good wine glasses away and bring out the case of dollar store wine glasses for big parties. They look so much better than plastic, and I don't care if they are accidentally broken.
I also am with the dollar store suggestion - you can also get cheap stuff in multiples at a Sam's Club if you happen to be a member.
I love Ross/Marshall's/TJ Maxx - Inexpensive, and while you can't always get matching sets, I like the look of a mis-matched table.
I just bought two twelve pack cases of champagne flutes at Bed Bath and Beyond for $9.99 each. They also had red and white wine glasses.
Two of my friends and I have most of these things split amongst us and bring them over whenever one of us has a party (and we're always invited to each other's parties, of course). This helps since it means that none of us has to store everything.
One friend has IKEA champagne glasses and party plates, another has mugs and a coffee pot and I have white serving platters and tealights. We're also trying to use up the cocktail napkins from yet another friend's rehearsal dinner, so maybe we can upgrade to nicer napkins when they're done.
I bought all of my wine glasses and martini glasses at Dollar Tree for $1 a piece and no one can tell the difference!
I've become an outspoken fan of CB2's serving pieces.
Before a party, I perused both CB2 and Bed Bath and Beyond for some basic serving pieces -- platters, bowls, utensils, glasses, etc. I found that the medium sized Cuatro (above) from CB2 was $3.95, and that a similar serving tray at BBB was about $14. Crikey
It became a running joke at that party that someone would compliment something in my house and get the response, "It's from CB2!" The best part was that my shopping spree there totaled only about $30 and I'm set for parties from now on.
This gives me some great ideas for what to put on my registry. Thanks!!
I love the 'Buy the Dozen' sets at Bed Bath and Beyond! I bought a set of flutes two years ago for my New Year's Eve party. They're basic flute shapes, but how often do I have a dozen people over for champagne? They look good and I didn't break the bank over something I don't use often.
thanks mentioning our self-serve Champagne cocktail bar! If anyone's looking for an actual post about it (rather than just our homepage) it's mentioned here:
http://marriedwithdinner.com/2008/01/18/dotw-kir-royale/
and here
http://marriedwithdinner.com/2008/01/25/dotw-horses-neck/
And photos of our cheat-sheet for guests are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marriedwithdinner/2215012448/in/set-72157603759225336/