Vegetable Garden Theme

Question...

I would like to have a 70th birthday party using a vegetable garden theme for my uncle. He loves his vegetable garden and he would be thrilled to have a party based on his love of gardening.

I have a few ideas but I am looking for a unique or clever centerpiece and other decor for the guests table. I would love to hear some ideas on how to decorate the hall as well. I have considered using veggies from garden but don't think the produce will be ready by the time we need it.

I don't have much money to spend since we would like to serve a lite meal as well, so my budget will be very tight, if any at all for the decorating part.

I enjoy brainstorming on neat decorating ideas and trying to create my own decor for parties so they are unique and more special. I just need a little help to get my creative juices flowing and keeping cost down on this one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer...

What a great idea for a party. You know you have the perfect theme, when it's something the guest of honor loves. I just know your uncle will love it!

Keeping costs down seems to be the cry of a lot of people. There are certainly many ways to do that in party decorating. Although you will have to spend some money, you won't have to get a bank loan just to throw a fabulous bash. So enough of the chit chat, let's get to decorating for this fun theme.

A very inexpensive centerpiece idea for any event is balloons. Now I know it's not very inventive, but you can really doll this idea up. For this theme, I would use balloons in the colors of yellow, green, and orange. Always use an odd number for balance. 3 or 5 balloons per bouquet works great. Secure the balloons to a balloon weight. Now this is where it gets fun. You can create some fun ways to hold your balloons that will tie in to your vegetable garden theme.

The first idea is to hot glue a seed packet on a balloon weight. Then simply attach your balloons. You can also secure the balloons to a weight and set the weight down in a gift bag. Decorate the gift bag with seed packets. Add green gift basket shred to the top of the gift bag to look like grass.

Or use terracotta pots. Paint the pots or leave the natural color. Add florist foam in the pots. Hot glue seed packets, fake carrots, and garden tools to long wooden skewers. Place the skewers in the foam making sure the items are different lengths for interest. Add green shred to the top of the pot to cover the foam and to look like grass. Secure balloons to the pot if you wish.

Use pillars candles in the colors of your party and surround each candle with asparagus, small carrots, celery, or any long veggie. Secure with a ribbon and tie in a bow. The grocery store always has produce anytime of the year. Or use skewers and make vegetable arrangements.

Cut small holes out of the top of veggies and add small tea lights. You might need to slice a little off the bottom so that your veggies sit flat.

Use poster board as part of your decor. Purchase in colors that match your party and cut out carrots, beans, ect. Hang from the ceiling with fishing wire or place on the walls for fun spots of color.

Do you have pictures of your uncle working in his garden? Place in pretty frames and set on tables.

You can buy little plastic border fencing pretty cheap. Place along the wall behind your main table at table height. Add potted plants, seed packets, and garden tools to the table.

For favors, make homemade seed packets with chocolate covered sunflower seeds in them. Personalize them for extra fun by putting a picture of your uncle on them.

Even though this is a party for a guy, don't be afraid to use flowers. Make pretty bouquets of wild flowers and add in your seed packets or veggies on skewers to tie in your theme.

I hope that I've given you some ideas to help you. If you need more help, feel free to ask. Good luck.

The Decorating Diva