The Greatest Interactive
Entertainment in the Country
Pictured: Emcee Andre, Emoee Layne; Emcee Lutalo .; Emcee Immy,
Emcee Parts, Emcee D. Brown; Emcee Emily; Emcee Gerald; Emcee Kwie
e tomment packages
starting at $1395
ev tr‘e419-
•:e 7.t.
CELEBRATE!
CUTTING THE COST
from page C9
ple. Design books from the
library and bookstores were
excellent resources for bor-
rowing ideas.
I wanted to use a photo of
Raquel and I wanted the
invitation to unfold, like
Raquel's life was unfolding.
Though there was no real
theme, the butterfly house
offered an inherent focus.
The cocoon and butterly
graphics were symbol-
ic as well.
• Cake: We
wanted a can-
dlelighting cere-
mony with a big
cake. The cake was
very simple. In fact, it
was downright plain
because I know that hand-
work — decorations — are
what make cakes costly.
A butterfly floral decoration was
listed at rock-bottom prices from
the Oriental Trading Company
(orientaltradingcompany.com). In
minutes, the cake was transformed
into a butterfly haven. Search for
items that relate to your theme.
• Sweets: I wanted a sweet table, but
I wanted to make it myself. The week
before the party, I baked sweets that
would stay fresh — cookies, mandel-
bread, rugelach, brownies. They are
basics everyone loves.
I made 15 pounds of glazed nuts a
week before — my easy recipe takes
almost no time. I bought chocolates
and candy from local warehouse
stores, dollar stores and local vendors.
A kids candy table was as popular
with the adults as it was with the kids.
I never used the phone book so much.
Two days before, I ordered pizza and
salad and hosted a "wrap" party at my
house. In three hours, 1,000
individual
Homemade candy bags, can-
dybar wrappers and,
below, stickers
honored
Racquet
sweets
were wrapped in small cellophane bags
and tied with ribbon. Candies and
chocolates were wrapped in pretty
mesh bags I ordered on-line
(papermart.corn).
I had labels made at a quick print-
ing company and stuck them on
everything I could think of.
Note, too, that chocolates and candy
have quite a long "shelf life." Buy
when you see what you like at the
price you like and save sweets until
you need them (be careful about pur-
chasing candies with nuts; they don't
stay fresh as long).
• Flowers: Decorations were very
simple. The WIG was a gallery. Rather
than hide the exhibits, these were the
main decoration. Candelabrum,
bought at Costco on sale for $11
apiece, offered magical candlelight at
minimum cost. Other flowers were
placed.
• Linens: Linens are very pricey to
rent, but necessary for total effect.
Rather than spend up to $4 each, I
rented inexpensive napkins and deco-
rated them with sale metal "leaf" nap-
kin rings bought on-line
(crateandbarrel.com or
ballarddesigns.com). The $1 napkin
CUTTING THE COST on page C15
- 3/28
2003
coo
Wri gtiyou
vii !Agfa].