Confetti and Calligraphy | An Engagement Party

I have been so excited to share this party with you!! I made myself wait until I got through a bit of my blogging backlog, but I can't wait any longer. This might just be one of my favorite parties yet.

This also happens to be the very first party I have ever been paid to plan. And while I still don't plan on starting a party planning business any time soon, I must admit it was pretty fun. It didn't hurt that my 'clients' were two super awesome friends of ours.

Our friends were throwing an engagement party BBQ in honor of their brother and his fiancé. The original inspiration for the party decor was the bride's love of funfetti cupcakes and the fact that the couple met at a first birthday party for our friends' daughter. I loved the idea of a very festive confetti theme, and decided to make it slightly more adult and fancy with the addition of calligraphy accents.

A calligraphy and confetti door sign welcomed the guests to the party.



Inspired by my calligraphy table runners for the cookies and milk engagement party, I created black and white versions using song lyrics from the music for their first dance.

It turns out you can make something pretty fancy looking with a roll of kids art paper, a pencil, an eraser, and a big Sharpie.

I chose turquoise as the primary background for the black and white calligraphy. Small colorful floral arrangements of spray roses, dahlias, and freesia kept the confetti theme alive on the tables.

I also created a custom piece of calligraphy artwork that doubled as a party decoration and a gift for the lovely couple to take home.

One challenge with a confetti themed party is how to incorporate the confetti without making a huge mess. We contained the confetti in a few ways. Clear balloons make a great place to add a little confetti and these are an easy DIY touch.



Take tissue paper and fold it several times and insert it into a 1" circle punch to make custom confetti. Then take your confetti to a party store when you place your balloon order. Use clear balloons and stuff them with a handful of the confetti. This is easier with two people, one to hold and one to stuff. Try not to crinkle the confetti so it lays nice and flat inside the balloon. The stores will inflate your confetti filled balloons and have them ready the day of the party. Diddams did not charge any extra for the confetti and only stipulated that it had to be made out of paper.

For a little fun with this after the party (or during!), if you pop the balloon the confetti sprays out and showers you. That will make a mess, but it would probably also make a great picture. 

The second way I got a confetti effect in the decorations without the mess, was by creating confetti garlands.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut different sized circles in all the colors of the party. Then I took a stack of circles and sewed straight through the center of each circle one at a time to create a garland. This was the first time I had ever sewn a garland and it was by far one of the easiest and quickest ways I have ever put one together. Try it! Just realize it might dull your needle a bit. I made enough confetti garlands to hang down throughout the house and give the impression of falling confetti.

With the theme based around funfetti cupcakes, these cupcake wrappers made the perfect complement to the featured dessert.

I was able to squeeze in one last confetti decoration and use Washi Tape (yay!) in packaging the utensils. For a backyard BBQ, It seemed like a convenient (not to mention cute) idea to package the utensils and napkins inside a glassine bag so the guests could hold it all easily with one hand while filling their plates.

And the confetti washi tape was too good to pass up.

By all accounts the party was a success and the guests loved the festive theme. They sent a few photos for me of the final party prep.

Here's to wishing Edwin and Amanda a lifetime of wedded bliss.

And to you for your patience with how many times I said 'confetti' and 'calligraphy' in this blog post.

Supplies List:
White frame - Michaels
Flower vases - Michaels
Art paper roll for table runners - Michaels
Tissue paper and cardstock - Michaels
Sharpie - amazon
Utensils, plates, table cloths, napkins - Partypail.com
cupcake wrappers - amazon
Washi Tape - Pretty Tape on Etsy
Glassine bags - wrap works on Etsy