Guest Post: Chic Anniversary Party on a Budget

Liz Banfield is one of the most amazing photographers and is as nice as she is talented. Love her! You can read about her HERE. She has a great eye and I am delighted that she shared the party details of the event she threw for her parents in honor of their 50th anniversary.

The space - the historic STUDIO 324 in Rochester, MN. 

The theme was gold (done tastefully) in honor of her parents' 50th Anniversary and to do it within a budget.

The mirror tiles add lots of sparkle and are from IKEA. Genius.

The garland adds pop and is from MICHAELS. 

With no budget for fancy linens, the fabric is also from Ikea and Liz trimmed it with pinking shears.

Liz made custom swivel sticks by gluing pom poms on bamboo skewers. 

A clever trick - line drink trays with festive paper like this paper from WEST ELM and double sided tape.

Flowers can be expensive and blow your budget, so Liz used branches from a local floral store.

A dedicated place for cards that is actually a magazine rack from the CONTAINER STORE.

Of course Liz has great family photos. She wanted a more modern way to display them that didn't feel like a shrine. She scanned them in black and white and printed them in a uniform size. To give them a vintage look she cut them with craft scissors and hung them with mini clothes pins. 

The photo below was also the custom stamp on the party invitations done through ZAZZLE.     Liz framed it herself (of course!) in an inexpensive frame that she decorated with flowers. It was hung by the exit door.

The pièce de résistance - the cake! It is from DAUBE'S BAKERY and Liz trimmed it with vintage ribbon and candied the kumquats for the top by brushing them in egg whites and dusting them in sanding sugar.

Liz - outstanding and thanks so much for sharing all of the details (and the sources)!