Hollywood fans, the Oscars are right around the corner. Although you may not be attending any of the red carpet bashes in Hollywood, you can have a fancy celebration with dazzling drinks, food, and DIY decoration in your own home.
We spoke with lifestyle experts who had lots of simple, creative, and fun ideas for throwing an Oscars party. So get ready to celebrate your own soiree with lots of glitz and gold, signature cocktails, star-studded cupcakes, and maybe even a popcorn bar, a candy buffet, or a photo booth. Your party will be the talk of the town!
Images (clockwise from left) via thesweetestoccasion.com; unusuallylovely.com; sugarandcharm.com; Jim Barber/shutterstock; iStock.com/spxChrome
Red Carpet
We spoke to Kimberly Winthrop, a designer at Laurel & Wolf, and she gave us all kinds of simple but fun ideas. "For the ultimate in dramatic starts, roll out an inexpensive red carpet or rug to make guests feel like they're arriving like a Hollywood star," says Today. "Dim your lights with Bluetooth-controlled lightbulbs, and you're destined for a fabulous Oscars night."
Printable Decor
Cristina Riches of Bird’s Party has a simple solution for a DIY Oscars party: Print out your Oscars décor. Her Printable Oscars-Themed Party Kit ($5.99, birdsparty.com) includes invitations, party tags, buffet cards, and more in black, white, silver, and gold. Oh yes, and plenty of festive and printable gold stars, too!
Golden Flair
"Take a look through your holiday decor," suggests Winthrop. "Select unique non-holiday-specific metallic decor pieces such as ribbons, tassels, and garlands from your seasonal stash and use them to add flair to your party." Gold-starred garland — don't mind if we do!
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Fancy Wares
"If there was ever a time to use your fancy glassware and china," says Winthrop, "a glam Oscar party is the perfect occasion. White plates with metallic accents on a bold black tablecloth instantly glams up any table setting or buffet."
Fresh Flowers
"A party would not be complete without fresh flowers," says Jessica Today, a designer for Laurel & Wolf. "Whether you personally source them at the flower mart, grab a few arrangements from the grocery store, or you have a local florist put together centerpieces, fresh flowers add a touch of warmth, color, and elegance."
Cozy Seating
"Bring out small stools, poufs, floor cushions, and large pillows [to] help make a cozy spot on the ground for younger guests to sit," recommends Winthrop. "Making a comfortable spot on the rug instantly creates 'stadium' seating in your home so everyone has a spot to view the show."
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Signature Cocktails
Delicious cocktails are a must for any Oscars party. "Pick a signature cocktail or mocktail for the evening and showcase it in a gold-rimmed champagne glass," Today suggests. "Mocktails," she adds, "are perfect for those who want to avoid alcohol but still feel fancy!"
It's true. Drinks do always taste better in a fancy glass!
Spectacular Sweets
Every swanky party needs a sweet treat, and cupcakes do a good job of dazzling a crowd. "Consider setting up a cupcake tower, complete with gold stars, or treats in the shape of the iconic statues," Today suggests. She loves these easy DIY Glitter Star Cupcake Toppers from Diana at Unusually Lovely.
Popcorn Bar
If you want to go bigger with the theatrics at your Oscars party, Today suggests a traditional movie theater theme, pointing us to this fun Popcorn Bar idea from Kara's Party Ideas. "Lay out a black or gold tablecloth to tie in the iconic Oscar colors," recommends Today. Then set up a popcorn bar with fabulous fixings such as garlic salt and flavored sugars. So swank.
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Candy Buffet
Here's another idea for an unabashed display. Laura Russell of Make Life Lovely wanted an old Hollywood feel for her Oscars party, so she used classic red, black, and gold to pull off her fancy fete. Of course, her over-the-top Oscars Party Candy Buffet really takes the award.
Photo Booth Fun
"There's one thing I've found in my years of throwing parties," says Today, "guests LOVE photo booths.
"So, rent a photo booth (even if it's just for an hour) complete with costumes, and your guests will have the time of their lives. Your guests will leave with Polaroids so they can always remember your fabulous Oscars party!"
Oscar Ballots
And what’s the most important thing about the party? Picking the winners! Eden Passante of Sugar and Charm offers a free, downloadable 2016 Oscars Ballot (in an elegant black and gold). Provide prizes, such as DVDs of nominated films, or take bets on the winners. Just make sure ballots are all in before the awards show starts!
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