In Heaven There Ain't No Beer: How to Throw a Backyard Beer Bash
This summer has flown by! In the height of wedding season and taking a vacation, I took a bit of a hiatus from the blog, but am excited to be back writing about all things crafts, projects, and entertaining.
Because I can't possibly be creative 24/7 and because I have awesomely creative friends, I've decided that along with my own creations, I will also be featuring the fabulous things that other people in my life do. I know I've learned a lot of great project ideas and party planning tips from friends and family.
This week, I am featuring my friend Emily's fabulous 30th Birthday Beer Bash for her husband Matt. Emily and I became fast friends in law school after bonding over our love of crafting. She definitely brought her A-game in hosting a backyard party a few weeks ago. Below is everything you need to know for how to throw a beer-themed bash
Figuring out a tasteful party idea for the man in your life can be difficult. Emily found a classy way to feature Matt's love of trying different kinds of beers and made the event family friendly, too. First up were some fun pretzel necklaces for guests when they arrived. Party guests of all ages enjoyed wearing them and snacking on them throughout the night (especially the 2 and 3-year old guests). Make sure not to start these the hour before your guests will arrive. Emily said they took longer to put together than you would think! For some pretzel necklace inspiration see Taryn Williford's blog post.
A variety of seating areas were available for guests in the backyard. On each table, Emily had saved old beer bottles of different varieties to use as centerpieces. In each bottle, she used some faux wheat from a craft store.
If you've thrown a party and don't know about Oriental Trading Company, you have been missing out. You can find great deals on fun decor and the company often offers free shipping. Signing up for the promo emails is worth it. Emily scored a variety of reasonably priced decor including the personalized banner pictured above and a banner with beer types.
The party also had fun beer balloons with coordinating colors. She had one out front to mark the spot of the party (helpful for guests looking for your home) and some out back to make the patio festive. The balloons came from Party Safari in Wayzata.
Besides the adorable pretzel necklaces, Emily also served a variety of beers and food to guests. She also made the event kid-friendly by providing root beer for youngsters or those who preferred not to drink. As with many parties, guests often bring drinks to share. Emily used big buckets from a previous event and filled them with ice to chill the drinks. Cute and easy. Party food included bread, chips, crackers, and a variety of dips, along with a round of hot dogs and hamburgers from the grill. Just what you want with a cold one.
To keep the guests entertained, Emily asked guests to bring any yard games and also had a fire pit ready to go for when the sun went down. (Keep a look out for a future blog post on DIY Cornhole and other yard games!) Everyone had a great time celebrating!
