13 Creative Party Themes for Any Occasion

You can throw a party for any occasion, including birthdays, bridal showers or just because it's Tuesday. Welcome guests to your home with these easy-to-create, engaging party themes that work for any occasion.

By: Farima Alavi and Keri Sanders

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Bold Casino Party

A casino-themed party is an interactive way to celebrate any occasion. Bold, lively colors and sweets bring excitement to the dessert table. Kelly Lyden of The Party Dress covered the dessert table with a black-and-white cabana striped tablecloth for a dramatic effect. She added black round stickers to a white cube vase to resemble a die and filled it with a red carnation pomander ball that mirrors poker chips. Dress up cupcakes by gluing playing cards on toothpicks, and label bite-size dessert with poker-chip tags by WH Hostess.

Playful Dining

Carry the bold, colorful theme through to the place setting. Kelly placed a crisp white napkin, tied with a whimsical polka-dot ribbon and a poker-chip tag by WH Hostess, atop standard white plates. Fill votive candles with green sprinkles to portray the traditional green color on game tables, and serve red champagne punch for an extra pop of color.

Go Glamping

Make your own backyard feel extra special with a stunning setup for an overnight glamping party. Tasty meals, homemade cocktails and cozying up by the fire never looked this good. See more of this party here>>

Summer-Inspired Invites

Help build the excitement for this fun outdoor extravanganza with adorable invitations that carry out the theme. Download the free invite template here>>

Golf Party

What's better than golf for a retirement, bachelor or birthday party? Here, mini cupcakes are covered with green grass frosting, fondant golf balls and little red flags, making this party theme a hole in one!

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Nautical Party

A great idea for a pool party or day at the lake, this nautical-themed party is easy to put together and looks like a million bucks!

Upcycled Decor

For a budget-friendly, DIY touch, use recycled metal cans to hold silverware and straws. Simply wrap the cans in twine and secure with hot glue. Other details, like shells and star fish, are great additions to this beachy theme. Learn how to recreate this party here>>

Coffee and Tea Tasting Bar

Throw a coffee and tea tasting party during the day or at night. Victoria Hudgins of A Subtle Revelry brought shades of lavender and lilac accented with white to the dessert table. She filled hanging glass bottles and white vases with purple flowers for a feminine touch. Chill the coffee and tea before guests arrive and serve the coffee with frozen milk cubes. "Frozen milk quickly becomes a treat when turned into milk ice cubes. They're extra sweet with added sprinkles for flair," she says. Serve a selection of muffins and scones and give specialized tea bags as party favors. Photography by Michael Chan

Breakfast at Tiffany's Party

Set the right tone for any feminine soiree with a Breakfast at Tiffany's theme. ALM Chandler of Her Royal Heinous and Aubrey Ache created the flamboyant centerpiece by cutting holes in standard gift boxes, placing a vase filled with clear glass pebbles in the middle and wrapping the boxes in blue wrapping paper to resemble Tiffany & Co. boxes. "My intent was to use the traditional Tiffany's elements, but to add an exaggerated sparkle," ALM says. Hydrangea-filled vases and martini glasses and black-and-white photos of Audrey Hepburn complete the feminine look. Add Breakfast at Tiffany's movie quotes to Tiffany-blue gift bags to collaborate with the theme.

Colorful Candy Party

Don't let dessert simply make an appearance at your party. Indulge your sweet tooth, and make candy the main event. Greet guests with a table of bright colors and decadent goodies for a party they'll never forget!

Candy Cake

To jazz up a simple white cake, add a new flavor of tasty Rock Candy to the base of each layer. Be sure to use mulitple colors to keep with this party's vibrant color palette.

Save Room for (More!) Dessert

Guest will love this retro-inspired setup that includes milkshake glasses filled with cotton candy and classic Dots candy lining glass cake stands. See more from this party here>>

Vintage Fisherman's Party

This vintage fisherman-themed outdoor party by Kara Allen of Kara's Party Ideas is perfect for the avid fisherman in your life or for any outdoor fall gathering. Kara covered a simple table with a burnt-orange tablecloth and topped it with fishing net to build the foundation for the rest of the table setting. Fill a vintage basket with fall foliage and various fishing gear, and accessorize the table with log stands and vintage wicker creels.

Catching Dinner

Place vintage plates on genuine log chargers surrounded by coir rope to add to the natural, outdoor feel. Kara dressed up plaid napkins with white napkin rings adorned with bait. Incorporate items you already have, such as fishing lures and reels to enhance the theme.

Cultural Gathering

Infuse cultural elements for your next gathering. Chris Nease of Celebrations at Home began by using a rich color scheme of deep red and gold emphasized by Asian accents, such as fans, a bamboo centerpiece and a Japanese teapot. "Exotic travel themes are popular for all types of celebrations. You may be inspired by the cuisine from a certain area, a trip you took there or simply love the unique cultural differences," she says. Fill Chinese take-out boxes with fortune cookies to double as decor and party favors for guests.

Pirate Party

A red-and-black color scheme sets the stage for this fun party filled with pirate decor and sugary booty. Skull and cross bone cookies are the perfect dessert for this sea-worthy event.

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Treasure + Treats

A cute box filled with treasure is a fun way to display party favors, while an adorable fondant medallion on each cupcake ties in the party's color scheme.

From: Kim Stoegbauer

French Toast Fondue Party

Hold a French toast fondue party for friends for an effortless yet memorable experience. "French toast fondue is very simple, and makes for a great activity where people can linger over the table chatting," says Kelly Lyden of The Party Dress. Fill the pot with oil and serve dishes of egg mixture, French bread cubes and dipping options such as sugar, brown sugar, strawberry jam and syrup.

Simple and Sweet

Kelly set the fondue brunch table with wicker charger plates and a wheat centerpiece set atop a bold yellow-and-white plaid tablecloth for a natural, healthy look. Tie gift tags by WH Hostess to miniature maple syrup bottles for a sweet way for guests to remember the brunch.

For the Fashionista in You

You don't need an excuse to get together with the ladies. An outdoor fashionista-themed luncheon is versatile and whimsical. Chris filled decorative storage boxes from the craft store with light, easy-to-eat meals. She tied the storage boxes with lavender ribbon and a tag with a list of the contents inside. The storage boxes make a great party favor, along with the leopard-print bangle bracelet used as a napkin ring. Chris attached brown grosgrain ribbon handles to a paper bag to resemble a shopping bag and filled it with a variety of flowers for a playful centerpiece.

Breakfast Burrito Party

Start the day off right with a party. Victoria of A Subtle Revelry kept this breakfast burrito party simple but enlivened the space with bold and colorful feathers, yarn and paper cups. "Incorporate bright colors, a simple design and a few quirky elements for a relaxed and pretty celebration," she says. Photography by Jackie Wonders

How Do You Like Your Eggs?

Victoria used stark white plates and dressed them up with messages written in bold ink. She wrapped the burritos in several strands of colorful yarn for an extra punch of color. For a buffet layout, place each ingredient on a plate and label it with colorful writing. Allow guests to match up their favorite pairing of spices and ingredients for an engaging gathering that will be remembered forever. Photography by Jackie Wonders

13 Creative Party Themes for Any Occasion

Related To:

Shop This Look

Bold Casino Party

Playful Dining

Go Glamping

Summer-Inspired Invites

Golf Party

Nautical Party

Upcycled Decor

Coffee and Tea Tasting Bar

Breakfast at Tiffany's Party

Colorful Candy Party

Candy Cake

Save Room for (More!) Dessert

Vintage Fisherman's Party

Catching Dinner

Cultural Gathering

Pirate Party

Treasure + Treats

French Toast Fondue Party

Simple and Sweet

For the Fashionista in You

Breakfast Burrito Party

How Do You Like Your Eggs?

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