Colin Cowie, Party Planner to the Stars, Shares Frugal Holiday Party Tips
Filed under: Budgeting & Planning, Economizer, Food & Drink, Shopping, Holidays, Your Home
You know you're going to get great advice from the man who threw a Christmas party for David Bowie and Iman, possibly the most stylish couple in the world.
Colin Cowie, a lifestyle expert and party planner who has worked with Jennifer Aniston, Oprah and Kim Kardashian, was in Toronto recently to share his tips on how to throw a stress-free and glamorous holiday party for a surprisingly low budget that allows for a few splurges.
Click through the slideshow for expert advice on saving money while throwing a celeb-worthy bash:
Décor doesn't have to cost a lot
Cowie is a fan of a monochromatic colour theme. This doesn't mean boring. He decorated the dinner table using gold and silver metallic baubles that you can find at your local dollar store. It's not the cost that's important but the impact. This colour theme can be extended to your tree and even to the gift paper.
Cheap, cheerful but effective
Cowie sourced his items from stores such as West Elm. His mirror runner can be recreated simply by using mirrored tiles from your local hardware store or even from IKEA.
Food
You can make your own food but Cowie said that he bought everything. Because who has the time to make food these days when you can pre-order everything you need for your event?
Drink
Cowie said that most people serve wine or beer but he suggests that one place to splurge is on a fun cocktail. The cocktail served at the event was a lime-based drink but you can create a cocktail based on your or your guests' tastes.
Flowers
Flowers can be expensive but one way to keep costs down is to avoid the big, showy blooms. So that means no roses. Instead, look to less popular flowers like carnations which graced Cowie's table (and have a beautiful, spicy scent). You can even go with fake flowers which look real but don't leave you with dead leaves a week later.
There are other ways to save (and to splurge) when planning a holiday party. Here are some of our favourites:
Cleaning
You can spend the day cleaning and be tired for your party or you could budget for a professional cleaning. Yes, it can be expensive but the results are worth it. You won't be tired and can be an amazing host and your home will be holiday ready for the rest of the season, only requiring some minimal straightening up.
If you're doing it yourself, clean everything but focus your efforts on the main traffic areas where your guests will be – the living room, the kitchen (because a kitchen party always happens) and the bathroom.
More drink than food
Unless you specific that you're having a dinner party, always ensure that you have more alcohol than food. You can get a good wine for less than $10 to $15 and can mix a punch or cocktail for the same cost. Average approximately three glasses per person and keep the number for a cab readily available.
Organize your food
A buffet is usually cheaper than a dinner and there are ways to save costs on the food by how you arrange your platters. Put the cheaper items on the outer ring, closer to your guests. The more expensive foods such as meat and seafood can sit in the middle. Your guests will fill their plates with the closer and cheaper foods before they go for the more expensive foods.
Colin Cowie, a lifestyle expert and party planner who has worked with Jennifer Aniston, Oprah and Kim Kardashian, was in Toronto recently to share his tips on how to throw a stress-free and glamorous holiday party for a surprisingly low budget that allows for a few splurges.
Click through the slideshow for expert advice on saving money while throwing a celeb-worthy bash:
SLIDESHOW: THROW ELEGANT PARTIES FOR LESS $$
Cowie is a fan of a monochromatic colour theme. This doesn't mean boring. He decorated the dinner table using gold and silver metallic baubles that you can find at your local dollar store. It's not the cost that's important but the impact. This colour theme can be extended to your tree and even to the gift paper.
Cheap, cheerful but effective
Cowie sourced his items from stores such as West Elm. His mirror runner can be recreated simply by using mirrored tiles from your local hardware store or even from IKEA.
Food
You can make your own food but Cowie said that he bought everything. Because who has the time to make food these days when you can pre-order everything you need for your event?
Drink
Cowie said that most people serve wine or beer but he suggests that one place to splurge is on a fun cocktail. The cocktail served at the event was a lime-based drink but you can create a cocktail based on your or your guests' tastes.
Flowers
Flowers can be expensive but one way to keep costs down is to avoid the big, showy blooms. So that means no roses. Instead, look to less popular flowers like carnations which graced Cowie's table (and have a beautiful, spicy scent). You can even go with fake flowers which look real but don't leave you with dead leaves a week later.
There are other ways to save (and to splurge) when planning a holiday party. Here are some of our favourites:
Cleaning
You can spend the day cleaning and be tired for your party or you could budget for a professional cleaning. Yes, it can be expensive but the results are worth it. You won't be tired and can be an amazing host and your home will be holiday ready for the rest of the season, only requiring some minimal straightening up.
If you're doing it yourself, clean everything but focus your efforts on the main traffic areas where your guests will be – the living room, the kitchen (because a kitchen party always happens) and the bathroom.
More drink than food
Unless you specific that you're having a dinner party, always ensure that you have more alcohol than food. You can get a good wine for less than $10 to $15 and can mix a punch or cocktail for the same cost. Average approximately three glasses per person and keep the number for a cab readily available.
Organize your food
A buffet is usually cheaper than a dinner and there are ways to save costs on the food by how you arrange your platters. Put the cheaper items on the outer ring, closer to your guests. The more expensive foods such as meat and seafood can sit in the middle. Your guests will fill their plates with the closer and cheaper foods before they go for the more expensive foods.
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