Want to throw the perfect luncheon? Today, I shared some great tips on the Arizona Midday show that are inexpensive and fun to help you throw the perfect party!

1. Read Between the Wines-Every luncheon needs a fun game to break the ice and get the conversation flowing. For wine enthusiast there’s Read Between the Wines, a party game of wine, wit & wordplay. Here’s how it works. 1. Sample a wine (as if you needed an excuse) 2. Pick a Theme (The game comes with 54 hilarious themes to inspire your winescribing 3. Write your hilarious wine
description (Let the wine speak from within you. Be as serious or as silly as you like.) 4. Pick your fave! After all of the descriptions are read aloud, each player votes for their favorite.) 5. Announce the winner. Crown the woman who’s the best winer. This is perfect for a small luncheon and is sure to build memories coupled with laughter. Price $34.99
Chyron: www.readbetweenwines.com
2. Eleni’s Conversation Cookies-No luncheon is complete without some sweets and cookies are a must. I love Emeni’s famous conversation cookies. These cookies are absolutely adorable and yummy at the same time. There are several themes to choose from to go with your tablescape and party theme. They really add a special touch to any luncheon, party or event. What I love most about this company is that they have something to fit every party theme that you can imagine and they give back to several charitable organizations so each time you bite into one of Eleni’s cookies you are contributing to helping others through your purchase. Eleni’s also offers cupcakes, design your own cookies, which are great for a kid’s party as well as corporate gifts, gift boxes, gift tins and darling party favors. Prices range from $4.00 to $70.00 for gift sets.
Chyron: www.elenis.com

3. Tablescape Placemats and Napkins-You don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve a beautiful look for your table. I love to use white paper doilies for placemats, coasters or as liners for my serving pieces. They also make beautiful envelopes for invitations. The best part is that they are inexpensive. You can buy them at any party in a variety of sizes and prices start at .99 cents. I am also a fan of repurposing items or shopping at vintage or thrift stores for fun finds. One of the thinks that I love to collect is vintage hankies. They come in a variety of beautiful fabrics, patterns and colors and they look lovely as a napkin for a luncheon or tea. It’s also a great party favor for your guests.
4. Serving & Centerpieces-When it comes to entertaining I always look for unusual ways to serve my guests after all presentation is what makes any event memorable. I am also very passionate about creating unique centerpieces for the table. A centerpiece is just as important as the invitation when it comes to setting the tone and theme for the luncheon or event. I love to use two or three tier serving dishes for each guest if it is a luncheon or tea or to create centerpieces with a combination of food and flowers. I also love to use cookie cutters to create fun shapes for finger foods such as tea sandwiches. It’s so easy and adds such a charming detail to the food. Here’s a little secret. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve this. You can purchase them at thrift stores or by shopping at stores such as Target or Home Goods or you can make them yourself by using items from around your home, purchasing vintage pieces at thrift stores and simply using a hot glue gun to glue candle stick holders, cups and plates together to create a two or three tier serving plate. You can use these at a luncheon as an individual plate with tea sandwiches, veggies, fruit and flowers or as centerpiece serving dishes for your guests. Have fun with it. I can promise you will be the talk of the town when you set your table this way.

5. Tea Forte-No luncheon is complete without a great tea. I love Tea forte. Their teas are infused with the finest ingredients and the presentation is elegant, unique and simply chic! Their signature pyramid design topped with a green leaf is a delightful way to drink a cup of tea and it makes a great conversation piece at the same time. Your guests will love it. Oprah said it best…“If you’re a tea
lover, this is about as good as it gets. Whole leaves picked from the tea gardens of China are hand-packed in pyramid-shaped infusers that give buds lots of room to bloom into a spectacular cup of tea.” – Oprah Tea Forte offers a variety of choices when it comes to tea. They offer individual tea, loose tea, gift sets, beautiful tea ware and so much more. The little details are what matter most and
Tea Forte serves up a sophisticated and charming cup of tea that will create a memorable experience for your luncheon guests. Prices approximately $10 and up.
Chyron: www.teaforte.com
6. Individual Place settings & Party Favors-I love to use mismatch china, silverware or glassware and hand pick the pieces with the pattern design that I feel best represents each of my guests personalities. I also love to create something beautiful for each of my guests as a place setting. I have always loved teacups because well, I love tea, but I also love the way it feels to hold a beautifully
handcrafted teacup in my hands. Teacups are so elegant and they make beautiful party favors for your guests. You can fill them with chocolates, bath salts or flowers to dress up each place setting and to serve as a parting gift for your guests. You can find them at thrift stores or discount stores such as Home Goods.