Party Trends with Tara

Tara Berger is the Stylist and Founder of One Stylish Party, an entertaining blog and online party boutique featuring designs and inspiration for entertaining in style.

www.onestylishparty.com

When it comes to decorating what are the newest decor ideas that you’re loving for this year?

While the trend started to catch on last year, I am loving the use of streamer/fringe backdrops for parties this year. It is such a fun and impactful way to add colour to any party theme and it looks great when combined with balloons or creative event signage.

I am also loving party styling props that are versatile and can be used over and over again for a variety of party themes. This year, I think we will see more acrylic party props used in event designs, such as signage pedestals, chargers, dessert stands and more.

What colour schemes will be the favorites for kids parties in the 12 months ahead?

It is so tough to narrow this down! I am seeing more and more parents gravitate towards bold, bright colours for their children’s younger birthday parties, which is a shift away from the more muted tones we used to see, especially for first birthday celebrations. An example of a trendy boys colour scheme would be Caribbean blue, wintergreen, royal blue, turquoise and perhaps the addition of a bold graphic black and white print. For girls, I see a lot of bright rainbow colour schemes or a selection of jewel tones such as fuchsia, turquoise and amethyst. Depending on the theme, soft pastels are still on trend, however, you will see very soft, unique shades of pastels used, rather than just standard light pink, light blue, etc.

What overall trends are you seeing for kids celebrations in the US and around the world?

Many overall party trends typically originate from the seasons throughout year. Every spring, you can expect to see lots of bright pastel floral parties, and every fall, you can expect to see darker hues and a more rustic approach to party themes.

There are a few party trends that are popular right now that work well regardless of the season. One party theme I am seeing a lot of is llamas! This sweet little animal is popping up just about everywhere in kids celebrations this year. I am also seeing many retro throwback parties gaining traction in the party world, such as 90’s inspired parties.

What are your favorite ways to get inspired and stay on trend when styling or planning for children’s celebrations?

Instagram and Pinterest are the top two sites that I look to for inspiration. But I rarely look for actual party ideas! Usually I am inspired by a colour palette, interior design, or maybe a fashion trend that was recently on the runway, and then I try to translate these things into ideas for styling a party.

Number one tip when it comes to planning for a child’s celebration?

My first step to planning a party is always to create an inspiration board. By dedicating an hour or so up front to search and compile party inspiration, I have found that it can save me hours (or more!) throughout the party planning process. An inspiration board requires you to loosely form your ideas for the theme, colour palette, and vibe of the party. It also serves as a visual reference to keep you on track when selecting and ordering details for the party, and it is also helpful to send to vendors you work with too.