Why Some Parties Look Boring

One of the things people hire caterers and event planners for is the fact that we know how to create a design for any event, no matter how small or large.  And we also know how to avoid the visual "blahs" at a gathering--by using simple design principles that anyone can learn.

No, you don't have to become an interior decorator to add visual interest to your party or gathering, though of course the most high-end affairs do require that level of design skill.

For smaller or less over-the-top gatherings, it's not at all difficult to avoid your party looking boring. 

Start by deciding a color scheme.  This is the easiest way to avoid your party looking blah.  If you want your party color scheme to complement the color scheme in your home or wherever your party will be held, remember that you don't want your party decor to be the same color exactly as your home decor or it won't stand out.  It's better to have a complementary color (or two) rather than to try to match your party decor to your walls or furnishings. Or at most use one of the colors in your home and then add in a complementary color for your gathering.

Another quick way to add color and interest to your party table(s) is with the use of greenery.  We use greenery at most of our events as our supplier raises wonderful climbing vines such as passionflower most of the year, but you can pick up several types of greenery even at the supermarket these days.  Lay it on the tables, leaving room for the serving pieces with the food, then put the serving pieces with the food down (some do it the other way around but we've found the final effects to be better if we lay the greenery out first, and it also forces you to see whether you're overcrowding the party table with food and thereby losing any nice visual, non-blah effects).

Or go to a gourmet supermarket and buy baby vegetables or champagne grapes and put them on a pedestal by themselves as a centerpiece or on serving pieces with food on your party table(s).  Or mix in the baby vegetables or small fruits among the greenery leaves.  And then if you don't want to eat this produce, donate it to a shelter rather than throwing it away.

Or buy a few fresh flowers and put just a few or even just one large bloom on your food trays or serving pieces--looks great if the flower is in the middle of the tray with the hors d'oeuvres around the bloom. 

Any of these ideas add color with little work or previous design experience, saving your party from looking boring. 

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com