April 2020

Wedding Signs: 3 Easy Ways to Make Your Own

Wedding Signs: 3 Easy Ways to Make Your Own

What's one wedding trend that isn't going away any time soon? Cute, clever, and witty wedding signs! Whether it be for decorative or informational purposes, signage is essential. You'll want to put these up as a creative way to share personal messages at a ceremony or reception. If you're wondering what details you can include, here are a few: 

  • a witty welcome message

  • ceremony program 

  • funny and cute love quotes

  • directions

  • a hashtag for social media sharing

 

Now, it's time to learn how you can make your own! Here are three of the easiest tutorials for making wedding signs.

wedding-sign-welcome

Reverse Stencil Using Stickers

You can achieve a reverse stencil effect with a set of stickers and some spray paint. And yes, it's as easy as it sounds! You'll need just three materials and you're good to go. 

What You'll Need: 

  • any material you want to use as the sign's base (birch plywood, canvas, driftwood, glass, cardboard, etc.)

  • cute stickers (letters, shapes, and numbers)

  • spray paint

What to Do: 

  1. Paint your sign the same color as you'd like your letters to be. 

  2. Spell out your message using the stickers. You can include fun shapes as well! 

  3. Spray paint over the stickers. You can even get creative and make an ombré effect with two colors. 

  4. Remove the stickers to reveal a reverse stencil effect.

wedding-sign-acrylic
Transfer Printed Designs on Wood

If you don't have the skills of a calligrapher to make a hand-written sign, don't fret! This is an easy technique to create a beautiful customized sign. The trick is to choose a design with a "hand-written" font for an authentic feel.

 
printed-wood-wedding-sign

What You'll Need: 

 
  • a design printed on regular paper

  • chalk or graphite 

  • pencil 

  • paint pen 

  • birch plywood

  • tape

  • cloth

What to Do: 

 
  1. Look for a quote, illustration, or whatever design online. You can even make your own!

  2. Print out the design on a regular piece of paper. 

  3. Flip the paper and shade in the backside with graphite or chalk. 

  4. Flip back to the frontside and place on the birch plywood. 

  5. You can use tape to keep the design in place. 

  6. To transfer the design on the plywood, firmly trace the design on the transfer paper with a pencil. 

  7. Remove the paper to reveal the design's outline transferred onto the plywood. 

  8. Use a paint pen to trace the outline. 

  9. Carefully wipe away any chalk/graphite residue with a cloth.

  10. All done! You can leave it as is and place it on a stand. Otherwise, you can adorn it with decorative pieces or put it in a frame. 

Decoupage Your Message

 

Who says the decoupage is out of style? It's one of the easiest ways to adorn your sign with stickers or printed images. Reach out for the Mod Podge hidden in your craft drawer and make your own!

What You'll Need: 

  • Mod Podge or any decoupage glue

  • decoupage brush

  • any material as the sign's base 

  • plain paint or spray paint

  • stickers, decorative paper, printed images, etc. 

What to Do: 

 
  1. Paint the sign in your desired color. 

  2. Decorate the sign with the stickers or decorative pieces. 

  3. Use a decoupage brush to apply glue over your design. Apply up to three coats. Make sure to leave the glue to dry for an hour in between each layer of coating.

Spread the message of love on your wedding day!

Sometimes, wedding signs aren’t enough. If you’re looking for an extravagant way to spread the love, consider giant love letters for hire! Giant light up letters can be arranged to spell out “LOVE” or “MR. & MRS.” Interested? Please reach out to us to find out more.

party-games

10 Simple & Fun Party Games Everyone Will Love

Have you ever wondered why games are always a hit at parties? That's because we have the most fun at a party when we let loose and play around. Indeed, a line-up of exciting party games is a must for a roaring good time. And we've got a list of the best ones that will suit all ages. Get ready to have a roaring good time with these ten simple and fun party games!
party games

The Best Party Games for Your Guests to Enjoy

  1. Giant Jenga

Who knew wooden blocks could be a source of merriment? The classic Jenga game packs a lot more fun when it's lifesized. Ideal for outdoor parties, giant Jenga is a game of skill and a little bit of luck. 

  1. Giant Connect 4

Pair up and see who can best each other in a game of giant Connect 4. It's a larger-than-life version of everyone's favorite game. Prepare for a battle of wits as you block each other's discs in an attempt to get four-in-a-row.  

  1. Sticker Stalker 

Give everyone a pack of stickers. The objective is to place the stickers on all the guests without them noticing. If they notice, you'll have to take the sticker back and get one placed on you. Who wins? The first one to get rid of all their stickers!

 
  1. Likes & Dislikes

Each guest should have an index card and write down five things they like and dislike. Encourage them to make it as witty as they can. Gather all the cards and have everyone guess who wrote what. The one with the most number of correct guesses wins. 

  1. Malteser Game

Place two bowls in front of each participant -- one with Maltesers and one without. Then, give them each a straw. Explain that they have to use the straw to suck and pick up each Malteser on the empty bowl. The first one to transfer all their Maltesers wins. 

  1. Dancing Chain

Have all the players form a circle. Choose one player to do a one-move dance step. The player on their left will copy the move and add their own starting a chain. The chain follows until the last player. 

  1. Category!

Form a circle and think of one category. It could be anything from countries, animals, and the like. Each person has to name something under the said category in five seconds. If someone repeats an answer given by someone else or isn't able to answer in five seconds, they're out.  

  1. Mummy-fied

Pair up players and give each team a roll of toilet paper. One will be the "Mummy" while the other wraps them with the toilet paper. The first team to run out of toilet paper wins.

 
  1. Saran Wrap Ball

Guests will form a circle and unwrap treats and prizes from a large ball of plastic wrap. Start with one player while the person to their left tries to roll doubles with a pair of dice. Once doubles are rolled, the ball and dice are passed to the left.

 
  1. Freeze Dance

 

Have everyone dance to upbeat music and designate someone to pause and play the music. Every time the music stops, people have to freeze. If someone moves, they're out of the game.

Have a Blast at Your Next Party with Garden Games for Hire!

Ask us about garden games like giant Jenga and giant Connect 4! These offer hours of fun and are ideal for outdoor events. Need more exciting party ideas? Feel free to read through our blog!

Easy and Stunning DIY Wedding Ideas You Have to Try

Easy and Stunning DIY Wedding Ideas You Have to Try

DIY projects are an inexpensive way to personalize your wedding. But the challenge lies in making the finished product look refined and elegant. Luckily, you can do just that with these easy-to-make DIY wedding ideas! These will surely be stunning additions to your wedding without breaking the bank.
DIY wedding decor

Hula Hoop Wedding Wreaths

Huge hanging wreaths are eye-catching and whimsical and you can make your own with just a few materials. The star of this project is a hula hoop wrap with twine or metallic paper. You can even spray paint this to your desired color. Balloons, faux greenery, or artificial flowers are perfect for accents. Words or letter cutouts attached in the middle. See the video below step-by-step instructions:

Floral Chandelier

Looking to showcase florals and greenery in style? Get a wire wreath form and you can make a floral chandelier. Flowers hanging from above add a romantic touch to your reception venue. Use several types of faux greenery for a beautiful combination before attaching the flowers. Follow this simple video to see how it's done:

Confetti Cones

You won't believe how easy it is to make gorgeous confetti cones for your guests! You can use doilies, plain paper, or decorative craft paper. Simply roll it into a cone and seal the ends with an adhesive. Personalize these with stamps, ribbons, or stickers. Check out this how-to guide to see how they're made:

Chalkboard Wedding Sign

Welcome your guests with a personal message on a chalkboard wedding sign. If you've got a knack for calligraphy it will come in handy. If not, don't fret! You can easily make a stencil and simply fill it in. Find everything you'll need for this project and what to do in the video below:

These DIY ideas prove that you don't have to break the bank for some stunning wedding decor. With some time and effort, you can pull off making your own! And no one will be able to tell that you did it yourself. For more extravagant wedding attractions like giant love letters, chocolate fountains, champagne towers, and more, make sure to check these out here at Clique Out!

Don't have time to DIY? Consider our wedding decorations for hire!

Leave it to professional wedding suppliers to make your special occasion magical. Ask us about your options for event organizing and entertainment in East Anglia.

7 Clever Ice Breakers To Make Your Event Exciting

7 Clever Ice Breakers To Make Your Event Exciting

Ice breakers are essential for any event with either big or small crowds. You can use these activities to encourage engagement among guests and make everyone feel involved. That's why every event planner or host should have a lineup of good ice breakers up their sleeves.
party-decor

What Makes a Good Ice breaker? 

Unless everyone at an event knows each other as close friends do, awkwardness can be an issue. However, you can easily avoid this if your guests feel comfortable around each other. You'll need a good ice breaker to cut through any awkwardness. It also sets a fun atmosphere that will put your guests at ease. Here are the qualities of an effective icebreaker: 

  • It's unique. Introduce fresh activities to a crowd to make them intrigued and eager to participate.

  • It's easy to do. A complicated set-up takes up a lot of time and can discourage your guests from playing along.

  • It fits a variety of personalities. Every crowd is diverse, so an ice breaker has to be applicable for a variety of personalities. 

celebration

Ice Breakers for Weddings, Corporate Events, Anniversaries, and More

Here's a list of seven clever ice breakers that will surely make your next event exciting! 

 
  1. Hidden Talents

Get everyone a card and have them write down their hidden talent. Place all the cards in a container. Let everyone pick a card by random making sure that no one gets their own. They then have to find out who owns the card they hold and use their hidden talents as a conversation starter. You can even have them perform their hidden talents if they’re up for it! 

  1. Candy Facts

Have a big bowl of small candy pieces (like gummy bears) around the crowd and tell them they can take as many as they want. But they can't eat it just yet. Everyone should have at least one piece. Then, depending on the number of candies they have, tell them to share that many facts about themselves. 

  1. Cube Toss

For this activity, you'll need an inflatable or cardboard cube. Write a question on each side of the cube. Have guests take turns tossing the cube and answering the question that it lands on. Make sure to ask humorous questions for a whole lot of laughs. 

  1. Paper Plane Questions 

Get each guest to write down a question on a piece of paper as they enter the room. Have them fold it into an airplane and launch these in random directions simultaneously. Each guest must pick up a paper airplane, find out who wrote the question, and give them the answer. 

  1. Playing Cards

Randomly distribute a playing card for each guest that arrives. You can use multiple decks if needed. Have them group each other according to the suit of their cards and discuss a funny topic.  

  1. Dynamic Duos

Assign a partner for each guest based on one thing they have in common. The guests then have to look for each other and find out why they were paired together. 

  1. Lock & Key

 

For this activity, you'll need a lock and key for every pair of guests at the event. Distribute these making sure that each one in a pair doesn't know each other. Have everyone find their matching lock or key and ask a question about each other.

 

Make your next event all the more engaging with fun entertainment and attractions!

Once you get the party going with these fun ice breakers, it’s time to keep everyone entertained! Consider hiring entertainment like a live band or interactive attractions like a Magic Mirror photo booth. See events entertainment and photo booth hire in East Anglia to find out more!

How to Pull Off an Amazing Surprise Birthday Party

How to Pull Off an Amazing Surprise Birthday Party

Planning a surprise birthday party isn't as easy as it looks. When it's for someone near and dear to you, it's hard not to raise suspicions. Movies make it seem like sneaking around is the only thing to it. But there's a lot more that goes on behind the scenes. In this article, I'll guide you through the ins and outs of pulling off a successful surprise birthday party. Let's begin! 

 
birthday-cake

Doing Your Research for the Birthday Party

First thing's first, you have to find out what the celebrant is into even if you've known them for years. The party has to be planned according to their interests because it's a celebration of their life! Obtain the answers to the following questions:

 
  • When will they be completely free for the night/day?

  • What theme would they be interested in? 

  • Would they prefer an indoor or outdoor celebration? 

  • Are they partial to an intimate celebration or an all-out bash? 

  • What is their idea of a good time at a party? 

 

Having all the answers to these questions takes the guesswork out of planning. But aside from the first question, you can't just ask them directly. The secret? Get the birthday celebrant to share their thoughts. Here's how to get the info you need: 

 
  • Initiate a conversation about the parties you both have been to. 

  • Look through Pinterest or other social media platforms together and exchange comments about party trends and themes. 

  • Bring up recent celebrity parties and events and ask the celebrant what they think of these. 

 

Pro Tip: Make sure to practice the art of subtlety. It’s too obvious if you do all these at once or if it's all you talk about. Work questions into a conversation naturally. Share your sentiments to show a mere exchange of ideas.

party-planning

Get Organized

After securing all that info it's time to start planning! Being organized helps you execute the surprise birthday seamlessly. Take note of everything you will need by creating checklists. You'll need a list of guests to invite, a to-do list, and a checklist of everything you'll need for the party. Don't forget to prioritize these essentials: 

 
  • venue

  • food/catering & beverages

  • decorations

  • entertainment

 

You should also organize to-do lists depending on the tasks you need to do ahead and on the day itself. 

Don't Forget to Delegate

A lot of hard work goes into a surprise party. The good news is, you don't have to carry the load on your own. Once you've got a list of tasks, you can assign some of these to guests who are willing to help out. Allocating roles also make guests feel involved. Now that's one way to get them in the mood to party! 

party-organizing

Keep in Touch via Social Media 

Round up your team of party planners in a private chat group. A WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger group will allow you to plan things out by having a channel to share info. It's easier to coordinate with everyone and keep things covert this way. 

 

Avoid Sending Mass Invitations

Forget about the traditional invitations and keep in touch with everyone on your guestlists one by one. You wouldn't want to risk exposing the invitations. That way, you can explain that the celebration will indeed be a surprise. Let them know if they should send you a confirmation of attendance via email or call. 

surprise-party

Get Creative with the Surprise

Now it's time for the surprise! Putting a blindfold on the celebrant is a little outdated and might be a dead giveaway. Find creative ways to execute the surprise according to the venue. Leave the cliches behind for something smart and convincing. Don't forget to inform the guests beforehand!

Don't forget to capture memories on the celebrant's special day!

Are you planning a big surprise birthday bash? It won't be complete without all the fun snapshots. Make sure you have your camera around or hire a Magic Mirror photo booth to shake things up. Check out photo booth hire in East Anglia to learn more!

5 Best Ways to Make Your Rustic Wedding Unique

5 Best Ways to Make Your Rustic Wedding Unique

The rustic wedding went from being a trending theme to a classic favorite. Couples of this generation are no longer drawn to the usually stuffy and formal nuptials. Instead, many prefer a warm and inviting ambiance for their weddings.
Reinventing the Rustic Wedding 
A rustic theme is perfect for the air of coziness and intimacy that couples love. However, the "rustic revolution" became the new normal over recent years. Seeing the same elements and decorations over and over again makes it seem overdone. So how can you reinvent the rustic wedding for a unique and original experience? Here are five surefire ways to do just that!
Make an Effort to Personalize

If you don't want "just another" rustic wedding, personalization is key. A personal touch to elements of styling and decor is something no other wedding can have. Doing so will make your wedding entirely one-of-a-kind. Feature ornaments and pieces that are customized to your taste. You can also coordinate with a talented stylist who brings your story to life.

personalized-rustic-wedding
Play With Geometric Elements 
Give this theme some modern flair with geometric shapes and patterns. Think decorative pieces in angled forms for a chic twist. This concept is ideal for reception backdrops, centerpieces, wedding signs and even as cake decor. Tired of the usual mason jars? Go for glass pieces in geometric shapes. It's almost like decorating with art!
geometric-rustic-wedding
Try Lush Metallic Accents

Rustic weddings often highlight the textures and earthy hues of wood. You'll want some contrasting elements to shake things up. Experiment with decorative accents and pieces or include metallics in your color scheme. Smooth, shiny metallics provide a tasteful contrast against textured wood. Go for gold, rose gold, or copper for warmth. Otherwise, the cool shades of silver is a great option. 

metallic-wedding-decor
Choose to Be Minimal

Decorations are easy to overdo when it comes to rustic themes. Especially when it comes to twine, burlap, and mason jars. Frankly, it's time to divert from these. Opt for a minimalist aesthetic instead. Choose one or two decorative elements to highlight (like lighting and foliage) so there isn't too much going on with the styling.

minimalist-wedding-decor
Don't Be Afraid to Go Wild

Some weddings can be a little too neat and tidy. When symmetry is all there is, styling can look monotonous and boring. It's always better to choose an authentic look over a fixed one. Make messy an artistic choice and embrace the untamed. Instead of the neatly cut round bouquet, opt for an asymmetrical one. Let vines hang loose around your arch instead of the carefully arranged florals. Don't hesitate to experiment!

rustic-wedding-elements
Turn your rustic wedding into a one-of-a-kind affair! 
Find excellent wedding suppliers in Norwich to hire the best entertainment, attractions, and decorations. Need more inspiration? Feel free to read through our blog for more wedding trends and ideas.