Theme Concept:
Who doesn’t love an all-out theme party? When your Napa friends move to Texas and come back for a visit you’d better go all out. It’s not often I do something this big on the theme front but once I got rolling, I just couldn’t stop. Go big or go home, right?
Read on for the details. And if you don’t have friends from Texas but just want to have a theme party, don’t you worry, these simple ideas will translate to any kind of overall theme.
How to decide between sit down or casual:
First, you need to decide, sit down dinner or take the more casual approach with heavy appetizers. And, because I knew this friend group well, and I knew it would get rowdy (and wanted to encourage all the shenanigans) I chose the more casual route.
For some, the sit-down experience is more relaxing as it can be less pressure to mix and mingle. There’s no right or wrong way to throw a theme party. Another way to go is one long dinner table (3-4 folding tables lined up) if you choose the seated route and then swap chairs in between courses. The best of both worlds. Just know your guests and decide based on what will make them the most comfortable.
The Fun Details:
The main hub for the food and hanging out was around my kitchen island, but I did decorate the entry and include a drinks table to welcome guests and set the festive mood right from the get-go. This area included two Texas flag runners and a Texas banner I found online on Amazon. The rest I pulled together from what I had or borrowed from a friend.
Entry Way Table
- Mason jar pitcher of Hill Country Lemonade (vodka and Lavendar lemonade) stacked up on a box flipped over and draped with bandanas
- Galvanized tray lined with red and blue bandanas with canning jars tied with twine for drinks
- Printed sign of a Texas flag and the name of the welcome drink in a wooden frame I had on hand
- White ice buckets with wine, regular lemonade and ice
Kitchen Table & Island Counter
- 3 large Mason jar glass lanterns (HomeGoods) filled with white rock and a candle. Around it I tied a red or bandana and hung a metal Texas star with twine.
- Table and island had little chalkboards with the menu item and serving platters that would be placed there
- Flowers and cookies were both store-bought items to fill in the table
- Red and blue star buckets and tea lights & more bandanas to line the table.
The Foodie Facts:
While this post is more about the details of a theme party in terms of decor, you can’t forget to tie in the menu with the theme. My Texas friends are big foodies because they are wonderful cooks themselves and lived in Napa for years. So, my menu was a bit more upscale while still sticking with the Texas vibe. As always, remember to pick dishes with at least some do-ahead components to make your life easier.
Menu
- Texas Cheese Straws – Store bought cheese straws wrapped in prosciutto
- Cowboy Queso – chorizo and roasted poblano queso with warm tortilla chips
- Duck Fat Fries with Calabrian pepper aioli and black garlic aioli
- Corn cakes with filet mignon, ancho butter and fried onions
- Southwest salad
- Flatbread with Duck confit, fontina and caramelized onions & arugula
