Kentucky Derby Birthday Party

For my nineteenth birthday, I decided to host a Kentucky Derby themed party in my basement. I had gotten the inspiration after seeing pictures from a similar party my ex-roommate attended held by her sorority at another university. Originally, I planned to use the idea for our annual summer themed pool party, but it was harder to decorate at that venue and I had less freedom to make it as elaborate as I wanted.

Host: Kelly
Date: Friday, August 15th, 2008
Lasted from: 7:04p to 9a

Concept: After seeing pictures of my ex-roommate and her sorority sisters in big-brimmed, floppy hats and sundresses on facebook, I decided that "Kentucky Derby" would be an excellent theme to base a party. Her facebook pictures only provided me with the initial concept, since no decorations or food were shown, but that concept was broad enough to build upon easily. I knew I wanted horse-y decorations (things like flower garlands, horseshoes, ribbons, etc); I envisioned the party as being very classy but still fun and a little country. I brainstormed with my best friend (and often coplanner) Laken, and she came up with the idea of having the primary colored hanging flags that most car dealerships use, and that ended up being a vital part of the decoration scheme. My mother provided me with tiny glass vases (which were actually medical tubes) to use for flowers and gave me ideas for making it a little less prissy (with blue-and-white checkered material, possibly serving barbecue and more classic Southern food). {My best works are collaborations, so I'm always open to working with others and bouncing ideas back and forth.} Also, I wanted the party to be a traditional Kelly birthday party, in that it would require themed attire and would serve as a sleepover for my girlfriends.

Food:

• Grilled chicken on herb rolls
• Oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies (we used oats as a throwback for horse food)
• Cream cheese tortilla rollups
• Carrot sticks and dip
• Sausage balls (special requested by my friends!)
• Cucumber pasta salad
• Cream cheese grape salad
• Mocha chocolate cheesecake

Drinks:

• Frozen strawberry punch

Invited: 15
Attended: 12
Held in: My parents' basement
Attire: Dressy preppy; sundresses and polos and pearls

Decorations:

• Swags of Christmas lights
• Swags of primary-colored racing flags
• Blue-and-white checkered plastic tablecloth material used as wall covering
• Old horse-riding competition prize ribbons sporadically hung up
• Dried rose arrangements in vases
• Living hydrangea in medical vases
• Floral material as tablecloths
• Horse magazine pictures cut out and hung along walls, with nametags of fake racing horse names attached
• Extra hats hung around