Hello S.,
I am a party planner and have seen plenty of ideas. Nobody wants to take a fish home!!
The photo cubes are nice, but usually too small for the table.
easy ideas:
small patriotic bucket filled with peanuts, good anchor for balloons too.
Collect coffee cans or large powdered formula cans... place blue jean scrapbook paper around it and place a mason jar inside with fresh daisies. Tie a red bandana around the can. It will be very masculine and western.
Buckets filled with rootbeer at the tables or different flavors of colored soda pop in the glass bottles...its 100 degrees here and cold drinks are refreshing when waiting at the table... remember to place a small plate under bucket for condensation... sprinkle rootbeer barrel candy or tootsie rolls around like confetti....
Find fun candy's from the 80's....
Lanterns are cute, you can tie a bandana (99 cents store) around the handle.
buy mason jars for glasses. You can place red gingam ribbon around the glasses and serve lemonade. You can give them away as gifts....
Buy pretty plastic water pitchers..Big Lots has a nice variety... you may place lemons, oranges or limes in the pitcher... I like the Ikea vase idea, but outdoors, where there might be a pool.... plastic could be the way to go..
simple? citronella candles.... you might find them cheap at Target or Dollar Tree..
Wrap Hershey Bars with your own personalized wrapper. You may add Hubby's picture
to make it fun.. All done on the computer. Go to Smart and Final for a whole box!
Board Games... ask friends to bring over board games. They stack nicely in the center of
the table and everyone can take home their own.
Be personal, be easy and be simple.. have fun!
M.