THINK B.A.R.E.

Simple Celebrations

Who says celebrations have to cost a lot or involve a ton of work to be special?!?!

Regardless of finances or hectic schedules --- birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, engagements, or any special day SHOULD BE and CAN BE celebrated with style and elegance without a hefty price tag or hours of preparation. Just KEEP IT SIMPLE! Some of the sweetest celebrations are the most uncomplicated. Whether with a significant other or a few dear friends and family, you can make the celebration positively memorable.

One of my favorite types of simple celebrations is what I've coined an Elegant White Cake and Bubbly Soiree! Not pictured here :)

Create the backdrop: A beautiful table! Use your finest tableware. Why not? Set the table with your most tasteful dessert dishes, elegant napkins, and stylish forks. If you are fortunate enough to have crystal glasses, use them! If you have a cake cutter -- use it too. Cover the table with a pretty table cover, light some candles (real or battery operated), put the flowers in a glass vase, and maybe decorate with a few white balloons trailed by white ribbon. Try to use real ribbon which is made of cloth or a natural material such as silk or cotton. It looks so much nicer!

Place a bouquet of flowers for the guest of honor (GOH) either in the middle of the table as the center-piece or off to the side as a gift. My personal favorites are white or ballet-slipper-pink roses. Even inexpensive bouquets can be very impressive. Of course if the GOH happens to be male you can choose more masculine flowers or balloons. For ambiance, set the mood with the appropriate genre of music playing in the background. My choice is soft jazz, big band, or music from singers such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

Now for the refreshments: a bottle of wine -- flat or sparkling. I especially like sparkling for parties. The fizz evokes a sense of excitement and opening the bottle with a “cork pop” adds to the ceremony of the occasion. Lambrusco and Prosecco are wonderful sparkling wines. They are also less expensive than pricier champagne, and they are sold in dry and sweet. Brands can be purchased for as low as $10-$15 dollars and are quite good. My favorite brands of Prosecco are Riondo and Tiziano with a cost of approximately $12 and $15 respectively. For the non alcohol drinker, choose a non-alcoholic sparkling alternative. Regardless of the beverage, maintain an elegant aesthetic by placing the bottle on a wine coaster. For the White Cake and Bubbly Soiree I recommend a silver coaster.

The cake should be the GOHs favorite! My personal choice is a dense white cake with white icing because it’s just so elegant. But if you prefer more embellishment, decorate according to your taste. Display it on a pedestal cake dish for effect. For birthdays I would include extra tall white slim candles and for other celebrations festive gold touches!

Remember to recognize the guest of honor with a meaningful toast expressing love, appreciation, gratitude or simply a wish for the future!!! A gift is always nice too. See previous posts for unique gift ideas.

By keeping things simple and small, you can create a bit of magic on a small budget.

Of course a small budget is relative but you can customize according to your particular situation. Enjoy!!!