Are you inspired by all things vintage?  Pretty teacups, hydrangeas and full blown roses, lace and doilies?  If you’re hosting a vintage style party for a shower, birthday, charity event or simply because you love your friends, you’ll find a lovely range of vintage themed party supplies, decorations and accessories to bring this theme to life in your own home at Australia’s #1 online party shop, Pink Frosting.

Here are some of my favourites:

Clockwise from top:  Vintage style bunting flags in pretty designs with pink ribbon make gorgeous decorations for your party ceilings or the front of your buffet table; this vintage sandwich stand is such a pretty decoration for serving the daintiest of tasty morsels to your guests; guests will love to be invited to a high tea at your house with these pretty vintage teacup invitations in three different designs; Eat Me! Take One! Scrumptious! these fun vintage canape picks are the perfect way to display your yummy treats and give a high tea at the Ritz feeling to your soiree.

Shop the whole range of vintage party decorations and supplies at Australia’s #1 online party shop .

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Personalised Napkins - Whether you’re throwing one party or ten this year, you’ll want to have these personalised wedding or party napkins on hand for every occasion. Customisable down to the last detail, these party serviettes can be personalised for weddings, baby showers, birthday parties or any milestone event! Choose from dazzling napkin colours and a nearly infinite array of imprint colours. From formal monograms to fanciful fonts, we offer designs for all occasions—your imagination is the limit!

Personalised Coasters – It is all in the details when planning a magnificent wedding and party! You will be sure to catch the attention of your guests with these tasteful, personalised coasters at the cocktail reception, or the dinner table. Each coaster is cut from heavy cardboard and printed with your names, date and perhaps a personal message to your guests.

Personalised Table Runners - Let our personalised table runners be your wedding reception’s perfect finishing touch – but we can also customise them for your party! With it’s polished look, free personalisation and vibrantly coloured accents, this table decoration is easily completed by the colour of your choice and overall styling… giving every party planner a creative pop of personalised fun to their celebration day setting.

Personalised Wine Labels - Add personalised flair to your champagne or wine bottles with the Wine Label Sticker. Mix and match with other components in the collection for a cohesive look. Our wine labels are personalised with your details and come in many colour combinations for you to choose from. 

Customised Wedding and Party Banner - Let your imagination run wild at all your special occasions with a Pink Frosting Celebrations Custom Banners. With the ability to add three custom lines of text, this durable, poly canvas banner allows you to be as humorous, solemn or witty as you want! A great way to add a pop of individualised style to any event, this one of a kind detail looks great decorating everything from your wedding day aisle to your best friend’s graduation.

Personalised Vase Decorations - Pink Frostting’s personalised vase decorations are as practical as they are fashionable. Doubling as standout table identifiers, as well as polished centrepieces, these amazing vases come equipped with a colourful cling, accented by a table number, your names and wedding date. They’re perfect for embellishing your wedding reception or party tables and make it super easy for your guests to find their spot!

There are so many customised and personalised party decorations to choose from, you can really create an event that is perfect for your special day!  If you’d like any advice on your wedding or party decorations, the customer service team at Pink Frosting are always willing to help!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

If you’re organising a party of any kind, there isn’t a nicer treat for your guests than a beautifully presented cupcake.  Of course, I am a little biased towards these little morsels of great taste and fun (just look at the Pink Frosting logo!), but cupcakes truly are an easy way to create a beautiful cake presentation for your celebration.  In my series of party presentation ideas, I’m going to look at beautiful ways to style up your party without too much investment in time or money – after all, most of our customers at Pink Frosting’s online party shop are busy, busy, busy and want to create a celebration that looks spectacular without spending days tinkering away making crafts.

To present a gorgeous cupcake for your party, first start with a standard cupcake.  This is my basic recipe:

• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 125g butter, melted, cooled
• 2 x 59g eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin pan. Alternatively, line holes with paper cases. Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
4. Once your cupcakes are cool, frost them with a swirly buttercream.   Here’s our easy how to create a swirly buttercream top on your cupcakes demonstration.

Now you’re ready to present the cupcakes and make them suit your theme.  No matter what you are celebrating, Pink Frosting’s cupcake decorations shop has a huge range of themed cupcake toppers, decorations, racks and presentation stands, and cupcake wrappers to suit your style. 

Using cupcake wrappers is so simple!  They come flat packed, so take one end of the wrapper with each hand and hug the wrapper around the cupcake until the ends meet.  Then loop the smaller end through the slit (outside to inside so you’re hiding the ends) and you have a beautifully wrapped cupcake!  From there, you can place your cupcakes into a cupcake rack or stand for beautiful presentation instead of a cake, or if you’re using the cupcakes as favours, carefully place the cupcakes into a cupcake box and tie a coordinating ribbon around it’s centre.  Perfection and it only took about an hour from start to finish.

Here are some gorgeous cupcake wrappers presented perfectly for your inspiration:

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Clockwise from left:  Ruby red party lanterns, chocolate bomboniere hearts in red, natural dried rose petals in red, ruby red party balloons.

Clockwise from top left:  Heart swirl cupcake wrappers in red,  miniature martini glasses for favours and catering, heart topped cupcake favour boxes. chocolate bomboniere hearts. 

I hope you find some inspiration here for your Valentine’s Day celebration.  I can’t wait to put this all together and share the glamorous party with you!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

I’m starting a new series today focusing on party presentation ideas.  There are so many beautiful blogs around the world to give you excellent ideas on how to present your party.  Some of my favourites are Hostess with the Mostess, Pizzazzerie, Kara’s Party Ideas and Amy Atlas’ Blog.  You can subscribe to these blogs to get daily inspiration for your party and see how the experts do it.  Many of these blogs also present real party ideas and galleries – straight from the house of people just like you and I – people who just love to entertain and have created a really beautiful party.  The catalogue of ideas will have you inspired for years of creative parties!

Then you have amazing websites filled with party planning tips and ideas.  The one you’re reading now – Australia Entertains - is packed with tips to make your party perfect.  Others that we adore and turn to for inspiration include Martha Stewart’s most excellent website which could have your days filled for months reading entertaining tips and inspirational ideas, the Pink Frosting party ideas website is packed with great Australian ideas for party planning including seasonal menus and flower guides for our part of the world, and although it’s not very pretty, the About Entertaining pages are packed with great party tips and etiquette guides.

Finally, even if you’re planning a christening or kids birthday party, you should visit the exquisite wedding ideas blogs for inspiration.  Our favourite wedding blogs are the ultimate Australian wedding blog Polka Dot Bride, the spectacular daily swoon-fest at Style me Pretty and Brooklyn Bride, as well as the lovely and entertaining features at Wedding Chicks.

So over the coming months, we’ll explore great party presentation ideas.  The first will be cupcake wrappers, which must be my all-time favourite indulgent party decoration!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

I remember a time when a few cheap balloons from the supermarket and a store bought sponge cake were enough to signify a party.  These days it’s very different and that is a great thing.  We’re becoming more creative with our party themes, favours and decorations and we’re celebrating in style!  As it’s not unusual for party planners to be given budgets to rival weddings for children’s birthday parties and other celebrations, we thought it was time to give you some tips to create a celebrity-worthy party without the crazy budget.

Australia’s number one party decorations shop Pink Frosting has been involved in birthday parties, christenings and baby showers to rival any party given by Britney Spears, Elton John or Tom Cruise that have the budget of a wedding and the styling to match.  But our favourite celebrations are ones that are heart-felt and match the budget that fits the family.  Pink Frosting would hate to see anyone overspend on a party and then have a debt to pay.  The Pink Frosting team offers some great party planning tips to help you host your party like the stars but without over-spending:

1. Everyone loves candy! One of the key trends of the moment is a candy bar where you buy lots of different kinds of lollies and assemble them in different containers and lay them out on a table.  Give all of your guests a lolly bag and let them scoop in their favourite treats.  Celebrities are using Dessert Bar specialists like Amy Atlas to create wonderful candy bars for their events, but you can get inspiration for the colours online and then create a fun candy bar yourself.
2. Hold the party at home.  One of the biggest expenses for any event is the venue hire, so if you hold the party at home, you’re already on your way to creating a more budget-friendly party.  You also get to decorate over many days, rather than having a small space of time to get ready at a hired venue.
3. Have the guests decorate their own cakes!  Suri Cruise’s recent birthday party was a cupcake themed party where the kids decorated their own cupcakes.  This is seriously one of the best ideas for entertaining kids at a party and you don’t even need to decorate a cake yourself!  There’s no reason why this also wouldn’t work for adult celebrations like bridal showers or hens parties – give the guests a theme and ask them to decorate their own cakes in the theme.  Fun!
4. You don’t need to hire entertainment.  These days, your iPod can do most of the work for you.  With a little bit of work and the Genius tool, you can create a fun music list that suits the theme of the party and makes everyone get into the celebratory mood.
5. Balloons are making a come-back!  Big bulbous balloons and lanterns are the best way to create a beautiful party atmosphere and you won’t break the bank.  Go overboard with hundreds of helium filled balloons (do this yourself with a hired helium canister) and hanging lanterns.  You seriously won’t spend more than $100 filling the ceilings of most rooms this way. Add some paper bunting around the outside of the walls, and voila – you have a spectacular party space.
6. Party favours don’t have to be expensive.  They are a great idea because they are a reminder to your guests of the fun they had at the celebration.  Stores like www.PinkFrosting.com.au and Baby Showers Australia have hundreds of options for favours under $5.00 each and include personalised lollipops, customised candy and fun practical gifts.

The most important tip is to always give your party from the heart.  A party isn’t about how much money you spent on the presents or decorations, it’s about enjoying time with the people you love the most.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1.  Don’t use numbers, use locations, books or other items that have meaning for you!  Name your tables after places you have visited, streets you have lived on or musicians you love.  We love this example from Jesse Leake Photography where the couple took the idea even further and took polaroids of themselves holding street names.  Fun!

2.  Use timber cut-out numbers in place of card and paint them the colour of your wedding theme.  These pretty table numbers below blend in perfectly with the theme of the wedding.  Images from Elisabeth Millay with Jonathan Young via Brooklyn Bride.

3.  Create vintage style table numbers by using pretty frames, lacey paper and glitter pens.  This gorgeous idea can also be easily created on your computer and printed at home for a fun look without breaking the bank.  We love the baroque frames at Pink Frosting’s wedding shop which would work perfectly for these table number creations.   Image Bridal Cookie. 

4.  Use miniature chalk boards to create a rustic table number – perfect for garden and beach weddings.  Miniature chalk boards can be purchased online at Pink Frosting’s wedding shop for delivery world-wide.  Photo Credit: Meg Runion.

5.  Coordinate your table numbers with your wedding stationery such as place cards, invitations, thank you cards and more.  These fun baroque paper frames on an easel match the Pink Frosting Love Bird Damask stationery range - gorgeous huh?  They will be available from March 2011.

6.  Make your table numbers your table centrepieces – yep, all in one!  These personalised vase decals (which come with the vase) include the table numbers in your wedding colours, so simply sit in the middle of your reception tables and fill with gorgeous flowers.  You’ve achieved the perfect two for one wedding decoration! 

6.  Create table number luminaria to add atmosphere and light to your wedding reception tables.  Take a standard luminaria and create the perfect table decoration by following the easy tutorial at Intimate Weddings.  Voila – perfection and a fun crafting activity for you and your girls!

Now, if you haven’t found a fabulous idea for making your table numbers extra special and unique, here are some more ideas:

• Create table numbers out of beads or wire and wind ivy or flowers around them for a rustic look;
• Custom create your table numbers with miniature pots planted with your favourite flowers with a big flag with a table number in the centre;
• Cover your favourite books or photo albums with your table numbers, so once guests have found their table they can enjoy browsing through the books which have meaning for the bride and groom;
• If you’re hosting a Las Vegas style wedding, use playing cards as your table numbers – simply stick a round sticker with the table number in the centre, or you could name each table after your cards – Ace of Spades = table one etc;

We hope you’re inspired by our table number creative ideas! 

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

Apart from the hibiscus, there’s perhaps no other flower that says beach wedding than gorgeous fragrant frangipanis.  Frangipanis or plumeria as they are also known are blooming everywhere along our beaches at the moment.  One of our iconic beach flowers, they make the perfect beach wedding decoration or flower motif for Australian weddings. 

Image credits: Frangipani wedding cake, photo by Nicole Pearce.  Frangipani bouquet and aisle decoration images from Lindsay Van Roy Photography for Brett and Erin’s wedding.  Frangipani beach aisle by Aloha Island Weddings at Simply Chic Wedding Ideas.  Frangipani link ring by Stasita New Zealand.  All stationery by Alannah Rose at Pink Frosting’s beach wedding shop.  All beach collection wedding accessories and decorations at Pink Frosting’s beach online wedding shop.

Here are our top tips for using frangipanis to theme your Australian beach wedding:

• Bunch them closely.  Frangipanis in tight formation are simply chic.  Look at our gorgeous frangipani bouquet above – chic and gorgeous!
• If you choose yellow frangipanis, your best colour choices for ribbons, accents, glassware, napery and decor is buttercup yellow, ivory, crisp white, black or sand.
• Frangipanis work beautifully with massive blossoms such as fully blown roses, hibiscus or lillies.  We’re not fans of frangipanis and other waxy flowers such as orchids, but they can look lovely together if you use a master florist.
• Generally, frangipanis don’t need foliage to complement them.  Think of the flower in its natural state – the flowers are clustered and the branches are fairly sparse.  Take your cue from the flower in its natural environment and don’t use leaves as part of your table decorations, aisle decorations or bouquets.
• Frangipani leis are so easy to create.  It’s a fun way to spend your night before the wedding with your best girls – simply use fishing line and a large needle to thread frangipani blooms.  A beautiful favour for your guests.
• Incorporate frangipanis into your wedding ceremony with large garlands of frangipani flowers laced together like a long leis.  Such a versatile idea – you can then loosely hang them between your chairs down your aisle or decorate a garden trelise with them behind the bride and groom.  Also, give your flowergirl frangipani flowers to toss when she walks down the aisle.
• Create a heart using frangipani flowers for the bride and groom to stand in when they marry.  This simple but beautiful idea works a treat on the beach or on grass in a garden wedding.
• For table decorations, choose faux frangipani flowers and either scatter your frangipanis loosely around the table, lay one on each table setting for a contemporary chic look, or use miniature beach buckets filled with starfish, sand and frangipanis (see the beautiful beach buckets by Pink Frosting above – we also used Swarovski crystal encrusted starfish to complement the yellow frangipanis).
• You can incorporate frangipanis in your wedding theme in many ways.  Here are some other ideas:
  • Your wedding invitations – frangipanis on the beach or in a heart make a glamorous stationery idea.  Some gorgeous styles from Dream Day Wedding Invitations and Alannah Rose make a real statement;
  • Your wedding accessories – use frangipani flowers in your bridesmaid’s hair and in your groomsmen’s buttonholes;
  • Your parasols – choose a plain wedding parasol and glue on frangipanis around the centre and border to create a unique wedding day accessory for photographs
  • Your  wedding bombonieres and favours – choose a favour with a frangipani motif such as personalised candy jars (yummy filled with yellow jelly beans), flip flop candles with a frangipani toe; or a photo frame with a frangipani flower attached to the swing tag – gorgeous!

Here are some beautiful ways to use frangipanis on your wedding day:

Image: Aloha Weddings

Frangipani Cupcakes by Consumed Cakes

Frangipanis and Lillies Wedding Ceremony Site by Aloha Island Weddings

Frangipani Themed Wedding Tables by Disney Resort

Beach Bucket with Starfish and Frangipanis by Pink Frosting's Wedding Shop

There are so many ways to use these gorgeous flowers in your beach wedding.  I’d love to see your photos if you have some to share!

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn

In the heat of the Aussie Summer, hosting a fun bridal shower gets even more fun!  You can choose to host an outdoor celebration and take in the Australian love of the beach, or incorporate a sport into your bridal shower day.  Alternatively, a garden bridal shower offers a relaxed alternative for the stressed bride and her friends and family.  Here are some ideas for creating a beautiful summer bridal shower.

Choosing a Theme