In the 1950′s people really knew how to throw a cocktail party (or at least in the movies they did, anyways!).

Finger Foods, Mixed Drinks, and Party Games

A Classic Cocktail Party (fifties theme) is the perfect setting for a bridal shower, engagement party, or jack and jill party.

And, here’s a great  idea: carry the 50′s theme a step further by focussing on that famous 50′s married TV couple: Lucy and Ricky Ricardo!

Copy the heart from the TV series credits but replace “I Love Lucy” with the names of the engaged couple. Play your favorite episodes of the show on a TV set (this will give party guests something to talk about – a bonus if your guest list is made up of lots of people who are just getting acquainted).

You can even buy a CD of Desi Arnaz performing his hits – aptly named “Cocktail Hour”.

amazon.ca

Games

Lucy and Ricky VS. Fred and Ethel

Seat the engaged couple together against the Best Man and Maid of Honor. Print out the faces of Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel and either make them into masks or use them to label the contestants’ spots if you are seating them behind table. Or, better yet, make them wear t-shirts with the character’s head printed across the chest. Explain that you will be asking questions to see who knows the bride and groom better – the fiance/fiancee or the best friends? Ask the party guests to take sides – who will win? Ask a series of questions. Give prizes to the winning couple and party favors to the guests standing on the winners’ side of the room (jello shots perhaps?).

Party Prizes

Get party prizes straight from the source – you can shop at the I Love Lucy online store. Purchases help support the Lucy-Desi Museum and the Desilu Playhouse in Jamestown, New York. They have a whole line of salt and pepper sets based on household items (vacuum, washer/dryer, toaster) all very 50′s housewife and reminiscent of classic wedding gifts. Other ideas from their store: a set of Lucy coasters or a tin of of Lucy’s Predica-mints!

Refreshments

Time to stock the bar and buy a cocktail recipe book! Designate a bartender for the evening (or several, to work in shifts). Another option is to select two or three cocktails to offer – or one signature cocktail for the couple and a big bowl of fancy punch. You can read more about cocktail party drinks at our previous article about Jack and Jill parties.

Costumes

Cocktail Party Clothes

A cocktail party also gives you the perfect excuse to wear a party dress and a cute pair of shoes!  Check out a list of top ten Retro Dresses at thefashionpolice.net.

You can get your whole cocktail costume at starletsandharlets.com –

Their rock and roll retro looks put the cocky into cocktail.

starletsandharlets.com

Related articles

• ?I Love Lucy? Friday: How do Lucy and Ethel end up in a man’s hotel room wearing negligees? (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Unique Bridal Shower Themes (myweddingideas.net)
• Best Candy Store Sites (verybestsites.com)
• Legendary Icons – Female Sex Symbols Through the Years (bizarrebytes.com)
• Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse And Wine Bar (richmondvapresents.com)

For the bachelor or bachelorette with a sense of humor…

This party theme would work well for a stag or stagette, bridal shower, or even a surprise party at work for an engaged coworker.

Costume Party

Make your victim (oops, I mean the engaged person) wear this ball and chain for the duration of the event. You can get these at most costume stores – also available online for as little as $3.99.

buycostumes.com

Does He?

zazzle.com

Life Sentence

Or, make the bride to be wear this sexy convict costume. Bride-it-up with a veil and write ‘Sentenced to Life as a Mrs’ or something like that across her chest or back.

nightmarefactory.com

Decorations

Use black or silver construction paper to make chains for decoration (you can use black balloons as the balls). Hang them on the walls or from the ceiling or attach them around all of the table and chair legs.

birthdayinabox.com

Or, you can get fancy and order some pretty precut paper for your chains:

velvetstore.co.uk

Refreshments

Martini

The ‘Ball and Chain’ martini is made from berry flavored vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice, and fresh blueberries (recipe at foodnetwork.com)

Cake Decoration

Dessert is a piece of cake with this cake topper – just stick it on top of any store bought cake of your choice (ice cream cakes are always popular with the boys).

bachelorettesuperstore.com

Snacking

Black mini chocolate balls.

candywarehouse.com

Fun and Games

Write down a list of rules everyone has to follow – guests have to take a drink or lose a point every time they break the rules (things you’re “not allowed” to do once you’re married).

Examples: Catch other guests or the guest of honor flirting, checking out men/women, dancing with men/women, ignoring a phone call from significant other, etc. The goal here is for the party guests to lure the guest of honor into doing these things (and then catch him/her at it!).

Something to Take Home

Great party favors or a souvenir for the bride and groom.

cutebitz.com

Playlist

Songs to stick on the record player or request from the DJ…

Ball and Chain – Social Distortion

Ball and Chain – Sublime

Ball and Chain – XTC

Lucky Ball and Chain – They Might Be Giants

Related articles

• comgwats! Cake misspelling typo (funnytypos.com)
• Bridal Shower Themes (myweddingideas.net)
• Unique Bridal Shower Themes (myweddingideas.net)
• Amazing Theme Cakes (bizarrebytes.com)
• Best Candy Store Sites (verybestsites.com)
• Wedding Planning: Fun Wedding Reception Ideas (weddingservicesreceptions.suite101.com)

Here are some ideas for a party theme that would ultimately work best for a Jack and Jill party, but would also be fun at a stag or stagette.

Flip Flopping Around

Ask everyone to wear flip flops or sandals to the party – no warm feet allowed! Give the bride and groom flip flops when they arrive (they should wear them during the party).

maxcostumes.com

maxcostumes.com

Games

Balderdash!

Once the guests have had a chance to have a drink or two, hand out letter-sized foot prints and ask them to write down their definition of where the term cold feet came from. Post the feet on a wall and let the bride and groom to be pick which one they think is correct. Read out the funniest ones to the group and give a prize to the definition selected by the bride and groom.

Footprints

Or, ask guests to step in to some paint and leave their foot prints on a big sheet of paper. Ask the bride to identify her fiance’s feet and vice versa.

Aqua Twister

Line a kiddie pool with the game of twister (go shopping for a pool with the measurements of a twister game – the larger rectangular pools are usually a perfect fit). Fill with icy water. Bring on the good times!

Refreshments

Jiggly Feet

Use a recipe for jello shots (I found one at ifood.tv), garnish with jelly feet suckers (toefood.com). Make sure you serve the shots ice cold!

ifood.tv

toefood.com

Cold Feet Sundae

Top scoops of ice cream with chocolate feet, or give these away as party favors!

toefood.com

Prizes

Here are some ideas for prizes to hand out at your party:

Pedicure Gift Certificate

spafinder.com

Hot Foot Spa Kit

lushusa.com

Flaming Slippers to Warm Up Those Feet

alibaba.com

Candy

toefood.com

In September, Get Married invited engaged couples across the country to enter to win an all-expense paid New Year’s Eve wedding in Times Square–the world’s stage – making history, as this is the first-ever wedding to take place on NYE in Times Square. Now, three month’s later, the couple has been chosen and Get Married’s online audience has voted for key details of the wedding night, from the David’s Bridal wedding gown to the Waterford Tableware. All is ready to go for the big night, and you can be part of all the action!

Whether your heading to New York City this New Year’s or not, you can be a virtual guest at the world’s biggest wedding in Times Square!  Simply “Check In ” to Party On! On Get Married.com to see all the photos and videos from the biggest night of the year as it’s happening!

From your own wedding to a fun night out, Party On is the new way to live it, relive it, share it, even download and print it. With Party On, the party’s always on. Share the news and “Check in” today on Get Married.com!

Happy Halloween Wedding Ideas

Yes, you could get married at a real haunted mansion, like the Magnolia Mansion in New Orleans. Looks pretty lively for a venue that has been selected as one of the most haunted inns in America. They offer spirited ghostly getaways, elopements and haunted honeymoons all year long:

Or you could get married at a constructed haunted mansion, such as ones located at the various Disney parks. There are also haunted houses that are portable (like the ones that accompany traveling amusement parks) so perhaps you could rent one – the owners might be interested in this during the off-season, but don’t plan on getting your hands on one on Halloween night (unless expense isn’t a problem). You could also hire an event planner to set up a haunted house for you (or delegate this to a creative friend or relative). Any creepy basement would work well for this endeavour.

Or, contact a local haunted house event about getting married there. Great opportunity for publicity for the venue, so they might be open to the idea! Your wedding guests could enter the haunted house and walk through to meet you at a specific area where you will be waiting, the ceremony will be conducted once they arrive. Possibly the funnest wedding ever!

The house shown below is in Pontiac, Michigan and is  reportedly the world’s largest walk through haunted house. For more information about it, visit hauntedpontiac.com.

And now, a lo0k back to last year for some great ideas for wedding parties planned around October 31st.

Halloween Treats for Grown Ups

Read our Trick or Treat article that includes some sweet ideas for a Halloween wedding. These elegant Halloween treats would be so perfect for any adult Halloween party, that it’s scary…

Costume Parties

Or, check out three costume party themes for a Jack and Jill Halloween party (or any Halloween party for that matter!).