An Easter Party with Carly!
With Easter right around the corner, we wanted to put together some fun ideas for the perfect small, outdoors Easter gathering with family or friends. Who better to ask than party-planning expert Carly Masters of @partywithcarly?! We hope her tips help you plan a memorable and safe Easter party!
DECORATIONS
My number one go-to for decorations are balloons! They add so much color, fun, and life into a party and typically end up being the focal point of any event. Because they take up so much space and are so eye-catching, they serve not only as decoration, but as a photo backdrop as well. I first learned how to make balloon garlands from Youtube and I promise, if I can do it, so can you! Specifically for spring, outdoor gatherings, I love using pastel shades and adding in greenery and/or flowers. You can use fresh greens by simply sticking the stems in between the cracks once the garland is finished and hung, or I have even found some great faux flowers from Amazon that add a lot to the finished garland and are reusable. This small little tip goes a long way in adding that perfect spring touch of whimsy to your décor.
Another one of my favorite spring décor DIY’s is spray painted baby’s breath. You can buy baby’s breath relatively cheap from the grocery store. Just choose the color or colors of your party palette and lightly spray them with the paint! They make the perfect centerpiece for a table, decoration by the treats, or even great wall décor. The possibilities are endless!
FOOD
For a small, outdoor spring party, I would stick to a nice dessert table. I mean, let’s be honest, I am always an advocate for a treats table because who doesn’t love some yummy treats?! One of my favorite Easter party dessert recipes are these Layered Peeps Rice Krispie Treats! I love this dessert because it is so easy, delicious and you can totally incorporate your pastel Easter party colors by picking out different Peeps! One of my other favorite Easter treat/snack hacks is filling a glass jar with pretzel sticks and Cadbury eggs, all mixed together. When you put these two together they totally look like a beautiful, spring bird’s nest. And not to mention yummy, too!
ACTIVITIES
A unique outdoor activity that I love incorporating into my Easter parties is the Easter Egg Roll. You can set up a small station with materials to decorate and fill plastic eggs (think candy, sand, marbles, rice, coins, etc). Once everyone has filled and decorated their egg, you have an egg roll competition! Roll each of the eggs down a small hill or ramp and see which eggs goes the fastest or the furthest! I would definitely also include some chocolate bunny prizes for the winners, too.
Lawn games are also very fun and memorable. I love getting cheap kites from Amazon that match my party colors and setting up a little kite flying station for the guests. It is fun, visually appealing, and will make your party one to remember. I even did this at my own wedding!
EXTRA TOUCHES
Thoughtful touches can go a long way at any party. Try adding a cute basket filled with blankets that guests can use for picnic spots or if a cold breeze sweeps in! With COVID still on our minds, it might be a cute gesture to snag some mini hand sanitizers from Bath and Body Works and give them to guests as a party favor. They typically have yummy spring scents and designs and you could tie them nicely into your décor by choosing pastel colors and displaying them on a favor table.
When I’m getting my party plans all put together, I love using the Event Planning add-in page of my Golden Coil planner. It really has all the lists I need and helps me keep track of all of the ideas bouncing around in my head! I really love the fact that I can keep all of my event planning in the same place as all of my daily life planning. Sometimes it can be hard to keep track of the two together and I just love that I have a GORGEOUS planner that keeps all my plans all neat and tidy!
Huge thanks to Carly for all of these beautiful party ideas! Be sure to follow her on Instagram for more party inspiration!