D.,
My daughter graduated from hs in 2005 and I have another graduating this year. The party I threw my eldest was a 50's drive-in movie theme. I found a guy who set up a giant screen in my backyard and at dusk we played Grease (everyone gets into that movie at any age). Before that we played 50's music in the background as we served food that we made ourselves. The highlights of the party besides the screen were the things I rented from Detroit Popcorn Company (in Detroit on Greenfield). Ice cream cart full of Good Humor ice cream, popcorn machine, cotton candy maker, hot dog machine. Everyone had a great time. I found a bunch of old hot wheels type cars on ebay to set on the tables, I made the centerpieces out of the black plastic flower pots you get when you buy your spring flowers. I tied racing ribbon around them, put florists foam inside then put five or six balloons on sticks (got them from Orientaltrading.com) and surrounded those with candy from the 50's (bought at Z's in Eastpointe? on Stephens rd). I know it sounds like a lot, but it was well worth the effort and I started buying and setting money aside early. It really wasnt that much effort and everyone had an absolute ball. Should work well for you since you seem to be splitting the party. Oh I forgot to say that we sent out movie ticket type invitations that we made on the computer inviting them to an '05-50's Drive-In
This year I'm going to throw a James Bond 007 party in honor of graduating in '07. I don't have all my ideas worked out yet, but I'm picking up martini glasses at the dollar stores to fill with something, not sure what yet lol. Everyone will get a copy of a James Bond movie. I have to look in to something fun like slot car racing or.. I don't know. I did find a place online that will come set up a background for several Bond movies but I'm afraid of what kind of price they're going to quote :o). I plan on serving food on those silver looking platters from Party City.. going to try mostly fingerfoods. Sorry I'm not as clear on this one, but I don't have everything worked out yet.
When my siblings and I were young, three out of four had parties. Mine was a nice boring sedate elegant party mostly thrown for my parents friends. My brother was thrown hoedown. Everyone dressed for it and my father bought straw cowboy hats in bulk for the guests. He had a friend of his paint a giant piece of plywood with a rope lasso looking circle on it and a huge D in the middle of it (first letter of our last name) and put it up to the entrance of the "Circle D Ranch" We served texas bbq and it was great.
My youngest sister had a luau (before they became the typical they are now). We had tons of lei's, great food, and he hired hula dancers and fire dancers (there is still a group in the Detroit area that does that. They're in the phone book either under parties or entertainment). The show was amazing. If this was something you wanted to do you could always get a limbo set (oriental trading again) and coconuts for drinks, at least a ton of those little umbrellas. I think its always those little touches that make people say WOW this is great.
I throw many many parties and its my firm belief that planning and a theme (regardless of what it is) will make your party the talk of the town. Adults arent much different from teenagers. They congregate with only those they know, they don't usually invent their own fun and they get bored easily. No matter what you decide, plan fun, games, distractions, a raffle that goes with the party in some way... anything to bring people together. Even if it's just planning teams for horseshoes or a hula hoop contest (bought at walmart fo the drive in). Get them involved.
other ideas (details if any sound interesting and you want to email me):
mexican fiesta, christmas in july (in this case june.. mine was in august lol), old fashioned picnic (barbershop quartet strolling or a small group of sweet adelines, lots of blankets.. baskets not necc picnic but everything set out in one or groups of meals in baskets for people to grab w a blanket. easy food for this idea too with them getting up to get bbq or pieces of chicken shack), you could try a total red/white/blue but do things soo non traditional with just a touch of 4th of july thrown in like sparklers, maybe a party based on something one of them loves like guitars or cars or movies.
Hope this helps. I would love to expand if any of these sound interesting to you. ____@____.com
good luck
L.
