Life of the party

A blog by Evite

What to buy at Trader Joe's for a shockingly impressive Friendsgiving

Pull together a mostly store-bought Friendsgiving dinner from TJ's with these potluck picks for drinks, sides, entrees, and dessert.

A woman wearing glasses and a green satin shirt sits at a desk with a laptop and tablet, raising her arms in celebration. Behind her is a decorated Christmas tree and festive ornaments and stars float around on a red checkered background.

The company holiday party etiquette guide

Don’t be the talk of tomorrow’s water cooler chat… we’ve got you covered with helpful etiquette tips to make a lasting impression at your office holiday party.

Two people sitting on a fluffy carpet, playing a card game with bowls of snacks around them, overlaid on an illustration of a large dice, playing cards, game pieces, and a pencil with a game rules sheet titled 'Threefold'.

I love hosting board game nights. These 6 convert game haters.

Guest author Heather Leith shares 6 games (Azul, Codenames & more) that turn game night skeptics into fans. See what to buy, how to play, and pairing ideas.

Hmmm… we can’t find anything that matches that 🤔

Two-tiered white birthday cake decorated with colorful animals, presents, and the name Ford in orange.

Real Parties: Ford’s animal-themed 1st birthday party

See how mama and actress Becca Tobin put together the perfect animal-themed first birthday party for her son, Ford. It was a roarin’ good time!

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Man crouches holding toddler by a red toy car on grass in a backyard with wooden blocks nearby.

Real Parties: Ari’s Formula One birthday

See how Mama Jess celebrated her son Ari’s 1st birthday with a fuel station, winning party favors and a dessert option that had everyone racing for seconds.

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Bowl of mashed potatoes with kale, bacon bits, green onions, and a pat of melting butter on top.

You have to try Natasha Bull’s St. Patrick’s Day colcannon

Irish mash with bacon, greens and lots of butter to take your spud experience to a whole new level.

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Birthday party table with unicorn-themed cupcakes, colorful balloons, and a Happy Birthday Lulu & Chloe banner.

Cool parents agree, these are the top 25 kids’ bday party places in LA

Laser tag. Bowling. Soft play. See where our trusted network of parents takes their kids for the best birthday parties in Los Angeles.

White cart with green 'Baby Meaders' sign holding metal buckets of assorted colorful flowers.

Real Parties: Rachel Meaders’ Beverly Hills Hotel-style baby shower

A special day for her baby on the way: see how Rachel Meaders’ celebrated her baby boy bundle of joy.

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Smiling family with man, woman, and toddler in blue dress celebrating a 2nd birthday party indoors.

Real Parties: Taya Turns Two-ey

You can't go wrong with a b-day party centered around your toddler’s fave show! See how Bre Sheppard threw a Bluey-themed bash for her daughter in Seattle, WA.

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Bowl of guacamole garnished with pomegranate seeds and herbs, with a chip dipping into it.

Gregory Gourdet’s Guacamole with Roasted Chiles recipe

Guacamole is always a crowd-pleaser, but add in some roasted chiles and homemade jalapeño oil, and you’re definitely scoring all the points from your guests.

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White inflatable castle decorated with green, orange, and white balloons outdoors on grass.

Real Parties: Laken’s 3rd Birthday Par-Tee

Looking to ace your next birthday party? Lauren Mulloy shows us how she celebrated her son Laken’s 3rd birthday with an adorable par-tee in Virginia Beach, VA.

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Outdoor scene with toy cars, yellow balloons, striped tablecloth, and picnic blankets on grass.

Real Parties: Hayes’ construction-themed 4th birthday party

If a party has kid-sized cardboard cars, you know it'll be a wheel-y good time. Get the deets on Hayes’ 4th, put together by mama & DIY-guru Brittni.

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Elegant table setup with white cake, pink flowers, bottle of rosé, orange slices, and yellow and orange blooms.

Real Parties: Ashley Rose’s pasta party al fresco

There’s nothing like an outdoor dinner party—especially one like Ashley Rose’s in Houston, TX with pasta, cocktails and gorgeous decor.

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Child arranging plastic letters on black board reading Happy 2nd Birthday Lucia Jahji and Indy.

Real Parties: Lucia’s 2nd birthday rose garden picnic

Lucia’s 2nd bday picnic in Santa Barbara, CA was picturesque: From chic lounge chairs to a hand-carved watermelon fruit basket, mama Jessie DeLowe nailed it.

Smiling baby sitting barefoot in a highchair outdoors beside a table with colorful wrapped birthday gifts.

Real Parties: Rowan’s “One in the Sun” birthday party

A ball pit, strawberry cake and piñata? Sounds like an especially sweet party! Here's how Kaitlynn Carter celebrated her son's 1st bday in Newport Beach, CA.

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Collage of summer treats: watermelon feta cubes, popsicles in wine glasses, metal cocktail glass, and fruits.

Collage with drinks, orange slices, flowers, a cherry, and photos of dessert cubes and cocktails.

Get to know this summer’s hottest hosting trends

The weather forecast is sunny… and the trend forecast has just arrived. Check out our top 19 picks for chic hosting details this summer.

Rectangular dessert decorated with blueberries and raspberries mimicking the American flag.

American flag made from blueberries and raspberries on a white background with red stripes.

Meet Ina Garten’s festive Fourth of July cake

Need a little Fourth of July menu inspo? Here’s a summer berry cake by the OG hostess with the most-ess, Ina Garten.

Charcuterie board with citrus slices, jalapeños, blackberries, salt, sugar cubes, herbs, and a margarita glass.

Cocktail with lime garnish beside a photo of citrus, spices, and herbs on a poolside surface.

A charcuterie board for your margarita? Count us in.

Meet the margarita garnish board — the perfect blend of trendy grazing spreads and delicious summer cocktails.

Bear-shaped cookie, drizzled dessert with cereal, and upside-down pink ice cream cone with sprinkles on pink background.

Bear-shaped cookie, chocolate-drizzled pastry, and pink ice cream cone with sprinkles on pink background.

3 sweet kids’ birthday party treats that will wow the little ones

3 cute, crowd-pleasing birthday treats kids will love that are easy to make and fun to serve. See the viral recipes here!

Melted pink ice cream cone with multicolored sprinkles on striped pastel background.

Pink ice cream melting with colorful sprinkles under an upside-down waffle cone on striped background.

These ice cream cake pops just melted our hearts

This summer sweet is simply adorable and shockingly easy to make! See how to create the treat of the summer with only 5 ingredients.

Collage of Italian-themed outdoor dining, pasta, fresh tomatoes, drinks, and people celebrating with wine.

Collage of outdoor dining, wine, fresh produce, and shared meals in a rustic setting.

10 Italian-themed parties for a "dolce vita" summer

Al fresco parties are going to be everywhere this season, so we’re kicking things off with ten ideas to bring a taste of Italy to you, wherever you are.

Bridesmaids and bride in dresses holding floral bouquets linked arm in arm facing away.

Bridesmaids in green dresses holding bouquets of flowers, standing side by side with linked arms.

The ultimate guide to wedding dress codes

What do people actually mean when they say “black tie optional”? What length dress do I wear if the invitation says "cocktail"? We’re breaking it all down.

Outdoor dining table with white plates, amber glasses, fresh flowers, fruit decor, and name cards.

Table set for a meal with printed white cloth, flowers, amber glasses, and menus on white plates.

The 7 things you should always have on-hand when hosting a dinner party

From chic dishes to total lifesavers during a mini hosting emergency, here are 7 items to keep on standby so you can host any time, anywhere!

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Cocktail glass with orange and lime peel garnish, surrounded by lime, orange, and fruit ice cubes.

These “carrot” ice cubes use 3 ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen

What can we say… somebunny is going to love these! See how to make easy + adorable ice cubes for your spring sips.

Collage of baby products including bottles, clothes, air purifier, thermometer, baby kit, and toys on blue background.

Key items parents-to-be forget to put on their baby registries

Our team shares the must-have baby shower registry items that they could never let other parents-to-be go without!

Graduate in cap holding a large bouquet of white roses with cloudy sky background.

Triptych: pink ribbon decor over a floral table, graduate holding white roses, pink balloons and photo of two people.

Class of 2025 grad party themes just dropped 🎓

From an entire event centered around custom trucker hats to a “tying up her studies” concept… here are 10 ideas that’ll get you that party planning diploma.

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Young boy in blue graduation gown and cap smiling with gold star balloons and colorful wall backdrop.

Smiling child in blue graduation gown sitting cross-legged with gold star balloons and colorful backdrop.

BIG party ideas for your little grad

Pre-school and elementary graduations are a big deal! Check out our list of unique graduation party themes for your young graduate.

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