Whitmore Courtney - Pizzazzerie entertain in style

Pizzazzerie

Entertain in Style

Courtney Dial Whitmore with Phronsie Dial

Evin Krehbiel

Pizzazzerie

Entertain in Style

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2017 Courtney Dial Whitmore

Evin Krehbiel

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993

www.gibbs-smith.com

ISBN: 978-1-4236-4553-5

For my darling hostess-in-training, Blakely:

Start each day like its your birthday, and leave a little confetti everywhere you go!

P arties have always been in my blood. If you have Pizzazzerie: Entertain in Style in hand, youre likely a party-lover yourself. As a young girl, I watched my mother throw the most beautiful parties. They were exquisitely executed, and her attention to detail was meticulous. I learned from the best. As an adult, my parties arent anywhere on the scale of my mothers, but what I did learn was that its all about the details. Thats the difference between a good party and a great party.

These little details, the ones that put your own personal touch into each party, are my favorite part of entertaining. I believe anything we create comes directly from the heart homemade equals love , and I have raised my kids to believe in that as well. Its a great party planning motto! My kids have watched me DIY, craft, and party plan since they were bornIve created little party monsters! My kids plan my parties with me from conception to execution, especially their own birthday parties. I always ask them to start with a theme or a vision for the party, and then we move on to color palette. They love the process as much as I do. If you have children or grandchildren, get them involved in the entire party process like Courtney and I do with our own little ones. Wonderful party memories can be made as much in the planning of an event as in the execution.

So what are you waiting for? Youre about to discover dozens of creative ideas, and clever ways to personalize them, throughout these pages. No matter the time of year, your guest list, or your budget, Courtney has provided you with all the tools you need. Remember, the overall look and feel of your party is important, but its those personal details that your guests will remember. Happy party planning!

Thats what life is all about: Lets have a party. Lets have it tonight.

Lilly Pulitzer

E ntertaining, in its simplest form, is the art of creating memories: birthdays, holidays, dinner parties... With this book, youll be inspired to set the stage for beautiful gatherings all year long, from a and every occasion in between.

My mother is the ultimate hostess. Growing up in the South, I learned quite a bit about monogramming linens and polishing silver from her. Every afternoon when I came home from school, I found my mother designing tablescapes in our formal dining room. On long road trips, she would organize her favorite magazine clippings in a three-ring binder so she would never forget a fabulous idea. In other words, she created her own form of Pinterest back in the 80s!from handmade gingerbread house favors to bite-sized appetizers as far as the eye could see. While she and I each have our own distinct style, her influence on my life is crystal clear.

My love affair with the art of entertaining began when I was a single twenty-something in my first real job after graduate school. I finally had a dining room all my own and was able to host dinner parties, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and more in that small Nashville townhouse. It was after my very first party (a black-and-white themed birthday party for a friend) that I created Pizzazzerie.com, and I have been sharing entertaining inspiration ever since! Im fairly certain that at that first party the food was cold, the place settings were all wrong, and I probably broke every hostess rule in the bookbut I dont remember any of those things. I remember smiling, laughing, and spending time with people dear to me. This, my friends, is the reason to entertain!

So kick off your heels, grab a glass of champagne, and be inspired to create your own celebrations all year long. It is my sincere hope that you discover new traditions for yourself and your loved ones within these pages. Consider the table your canvas and paint away! Your art will become the setting for lifelong memories of toasts, laughs, hugs, and togetherness.

H ere youll find more than a dozen celebrations with easy-to-follow instructions in every chapter: recipes, tips and tricks, DIY ideas, and photos. Many of the projects are simple and can be done ahead of time so you can actually enjoy your party.

If you are a novice entertainer, youll find user-friendly ideas, recipes, and table settings. If you are a seasoned entertainer, youll discover new and unique touches to enhance your table settings all year long.

Mix and match not only the recipes but also the DIYs, color schemes, and more ; you now have everything you need to create a stylish celebration thats totally you. Be sure to reference the for additional party ideas.

There are no rules, except to have fun. I hope to ease the stress of entertaining and get back to the true spirit of the occasion. Remember, dont get caught up in making everything perfect. Focus on great food, drinks, and setting a festive environment; the guests will do the rest!

Are there rules for creating a guest list?

Keep your guest list interesting by inviting a variety of people from young to old. Your friends will enjoy meeting new people, so mix it up! For dinner parties, keep the total between six and ten guests so you can be seated comfortably (couples dont always have to be seated together). Game nights or viewing parties work best with less than a dozen guests, while mix-and-mingle style cocktail parties allow for several dozen or more depending on the size of your space. As a rule of thumb, you will usually have a third of invitees unable to attend, so plan accordingly.