I was out of town through the weekend for a business mastermind and got home just hours before our sweet Emilie turned 15. I love hosting parties and gatherings, but with zero time to prep, I had to dramatically simplify this one. Here's how I pulled off the most low-lift but wildly successful party yet:
Emilie loves getting crafty, and her only request was that her friends be able to make bucket lists and vision boards. Having a single clear anchor meant I didn't have to plan a whole itinerary, and it gave the girls something fun to dive into the moment they walked in.
With zero time (or desire) to shop, I repurposed what we already had — watercolor paper, cardboard, old magazines, postcards, stickers, stencils, and basic art supplies like markers, pencils, scissors, and watercolors. I also texted the girls before the party asking them to bring any spare magazines or art supplies lying around.
Setup was simple: one sheet of thick watercolor paper at each place, with all the supplies piled in the middle to share and pass around. We also hung some star garlands around the dining room so things felt festive. Ten minutes, so easy. Side note: thinking of hosting this exact same event for my women’s group this fall.
Emilie is a fantastic baker and had actually planned to bake a cake herself, but at the last minute decided she was too wiped from the weekend and wanted to keep things simple. I suggested an ice cream sundae bar (naturally), but we landed on warm blondies — from a box! — topped with flakey sea salt and vanilla bean ice cream. Delight ensued.
I'd be lying if I claimed I normally cook for events. Really good pizza saves the day every time, and this was no exception. We ordered three sourdough pies from our local pizzeria, and everyone was delighted that the seasonal special of the day was sweet summer corn and lime.
I keep a party supply bin stocked with biodegradable paper plates and napkins, so everything went straight into the compost bin when we were done along with the cardboard pizza boxes— zero plastic, zero dishes, rejoice!
About an hour before the party, I took Emilie to Trader Joe’s so she could pick out a few snacks and treats to round out the low-lift pizza situation. We grabbed baby carrots and hummus, chips, peanut butter pretzels, and dark chocolate peanut butter cups (a family fave). This was also where I scored the vanilla bean ice cream and my ride-or-die blondie mix — it’s incredible, just add flakey salt.
My number one hosting tip: dim the lights and put on a great playlist. We’ve gotten over a decade of use out of this lantern/speaker hybrid, and I also lit a handful of candles in each room to create a cozy, warm glow. If you do nothing else when you host, pay attention to the lighting - in my opinion low light (no overheads ever) makes everyone feel more comfortable.
This was truly the easiest and most budget-friendly event I've ever planned. Everyone had fun, we were all in bed by 10pm, and (huge bonus) nobody was on their phone for a full three hours.
Reader Prompt: What's your go-to move when you're short on time but still want to make an occasion feel special? Any other low-lift party hacks to share in the comments?
Watching: Group Therapy - a comedy focused mental health documentary starring some of my all time favorite comedians (loved)
Re-reading: Ann Patchett’s brilliant Bel Canto - am I finally entering my fiction era?
Fewer Better Faves: Chrissy Dawn just launched a $99 version of her bestselling dress, the cutest sardine charm, a chic vegan leather flip-flop, and wearing this blouse on repeat
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