I love the movies! Not just watching movies, but everything about the entire movie going experience. From the coming attractions and warm buttery popcorn to watching the very last credit roll across the screen! The Academy Awards Ceremony is a perfect excuse to combine my love of movies with a few of my other favorite things… spending time with friends and throwing parties!
Whether you’re rolling out the Red Carpet or planning something a little more casual here are some fun ideas to get you started.
Literally, Roll Out the Red Carpet!
Why not make your front walk into the Red Carpet? Your guests will love to “walk” the Red Carpet on their way into the party. We rented a red carpet runner from a local event planning company, but most party websites offer a more economical version and when all else fails red butcher paper will also do the trick! Before they entered the party our guests had their photo taken by “paparazzi” in front of a movie themed backdrop. The photos were a nice take way and we made them available to take home at the end of the night.
We repurposed discounted fabric from another event to make some curtains and white holiday lights gave everything a nice warm glow. However, if you’re not into DIY, Ikea is a great resource for reasonably priced lighting and curtains. Plastic popcorn buckets made great vases and we filled them with an assortment of white flowers to make the perfect “popcorn”!
Beyond Popcorn & Soda
Movie snacks are a definite favorite of mine and while I am perfectly happy to have popcorn in place of any meal, I have a feeling my guests would like something more. Heavy hors-d’oeuvres are perfect for an event like this. I like to keep the size down to one or two bites making them easy to serve and eat! After all no one likes trying to juggle, plates, napkins and drinks while trying to eat and socialize.
Small Bites:
- Cucumber slices topped with herbed cheese spread, bacon and cherry tomato slices and cucumber slices topped with herbed cheese and smoked salmon with scallions.
- Grilled Asparagus with olive oil and shredded Manchego
- Chicken and beef skewers with dipping sauces
- Roasted Brussels sprouts topped with goat cheese, pear and dried cranberries
- Sesame noodle salad
- Strawberry and balsamic crostini
- Mini Coconut Cream pies
These are just a few ideas, but the sky is the limit when considering options. Another fun idea is to serve foods based on the movies up for an award. Some examples of this are: mini cheesecakes (Brooklyn) and potato pancakes (The Martian). You get the idea!
Movie Mania
If you read my New Year’s Post you’ll know that my resolution was to see all the movies nominated for Academy Awards in the Best Picture, Actor and Actress categories and so far I’m doing pretty well! I’ve seen 19 of this year’s nominated films and I’m hoping to get in a few more before the big day!