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Online ShopTop Party Theme Ideas!
Posted on: 27/04/2011 By: KittyConfetti • Occasions, Party Planning
Looking for a little inspiration for a themed party? We’ve got 21 amazing ideas, plus everything you need to give your celebration that special touch! Plus, for more great party ideas, see our fantastic party guide.
Party theme idea 1: Alfresco Dinner Party
The idea: Elegant summer dining, with a touch of rustic chic.
Decoration: Adorn tables with white linen or gingham tablecloths, vintage tableware and delicate lanterns. Tie napkins with raffia and fill vases with country flowers. Thread fairy lights through the trees and use hurricane lamps to line pathways.
Food & drink: Serve simple grilled food and colourful salads, with an abundance of fresh fruit and cream for pudding. Champagne or chilled white wine is a must, along with elderflower cordial as a non-alcoholic option.
Party theme idea 2: Arabian Nights
The idea: Think deserts, sand dunes, rich fabrics and soothing music. This is the perfect party for a summer evening.
Decoration: Decorate the room like a harem with an abundance of cushions and drapes. If you’re really going for it, you might even consider having a glamorous Bedouin tent, with flame torches lighting the way to the entrance. Candlelight is a must as the sun goes down. Add some fun by asking your female guests to dress as belly dancers!
Food & drink: Serve delicious, spicy meat dishes with rice, and rich, creamy cocktails. Of course a little Turkish Delight on the side wouldn’t go amiss!
Party theme idea 3: Big Band Swing Party
The idea: A party in the true sense of the word – this is all about great music and lots of dancing.
Decoration: Of course the most important thing here is to have a good dance floor. If you want to splash out, book a live band. Otherwise, decorate with silhouette cut outs of jazz musicians playing the saxophone and photos of jazz musicians. Small tables around the side of the room with candles are the perfect place between dances.
Food & drink: It’s sleek cocktails all the way, from Martinis to Cosmopolitans. Keep energy levels high with plenty of substantial canapés.
Images courtesy of The Fabulous Photo Emporium
Party theme idea 4: Caribbean Night
The idea: Who needs the sunshine when you can bring it to your home!
Decoration: Well you can’t be expected to create a beach, but you can stick to the great outdoors, dress in brightly-coloured clothes and perhaps hire in the odd palm tree? Have a steel band playing or plenty of Bob Marley CDs and a limbo stick to provide endless laughs.
Food & drink: Serve big, bright cocktails, Caribbean-style fish in coconut milk and lots of fresh fruit. Failing that, a barbecue will go down a treat.
Party theme idea 5: Casablanca Party
The idea: Based on the classic 1940′s movie, this is pure romance. Perhaps a party to celebrate Valentine’s Day…
Decoration: Deck the place out like Rick’s Café with palm trees and cocktails. You could even have a pianist playing As Time Goes By and other 40s favourites. And, of course, make guests must dress as Humphrey Bogart with the ladies as Ingrid Bergman.
Food & drink: Only champagne will do!
Party theme idea 6: Children’s Party (for adults)
The idea: We all think fondly of our younger days, so why not recreate a little of the fun as adults?
Decoration: School uniform is the dress-code, and the room should be adorned with simple, fun decorations – helium balloons and plenty of party poppers. Games on the list include sardines, spin the bottle and truth-or-dare!
Food & drink: Serve the classics – sandwiches, sausage rolls, cheese and pineapple and cake. You can always add an adult twist to your jelly and ice cream by adding a little vodka to the jelly!
Party theme idea 7: Cocktail Party
The idea: This is James Bond style – time to dress up and go for full on sophistication.
Decoration: Anything, so long as it’s stylish! Think candlelight and classy music. You could even hire a few waiters to serve your guests.
Food & drink: Cocktails, obviously! Spend some time experimenting with the cocktail mixes and have a go at creating your own bespoke party cocktail. Food should take the form of delicious, delicate, bite-size canapés.
Party theme idea 8: Country and Western Hoedown
The idea: Yee Hah! Dust off the cowboy hats, checked shirts and snakeskin boots. Play old Country and Western favourites and add a band and caller for some square dancing.
Decoration: A barn is the perfect location, and even better if you can fill it with a few hay bales. Invitations can come in the form of a WANTED poster.
Food & drink: Hotdogs and steak provide the perfect snack, washed down with a cool beer and jugs of lemonade.
Party theme idea 9: Eurovision Party
The idea: We all love a bit of Eurovision. Best played on the night of the Eurovision Song Contest. Do your own voting and select your own winner.
Decoration: Allocate a country to each guest who must bring along an appropriate decoration.
Food & drink: As with the decoration, ask each guest to bring along food and drink from a particular country.
Party theme idea 10: 50s Rock Around the Clock
The idea: A celebration of the fifties, it’s party time!
Decoration: Send out invitations shaped like old 45s. Women should dress in poodle skirts and bobby socks, men in tight cuffed jeans and white T-shirts. Use Grease for a little inspiration! If you’re splashing out, rent a jukebox and play your favourite 50s tunes. Have a rock ‘n’ roll dance competition, a hula hoop contest or a bubble blowing competition.
Food & drink: Serve cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes (with added alcohol) or Manhattans, Grasshoppers and Martinis.
Images courtesy of The Fabulous Photo Emporium
Party theme idea 11: Grande Casino
The idea: It’s time for a little harmless gambling -Vegas style.
Decoration: Call in the services of a fun casino company who will set up blackjack tables and roulette wheels. Many will also supply fake money and croupiers. This is all about glamour, so set a dress code for your guests.
Food & drink: Elegant cocktails and canapés. You could even name cocktails after casino games… The Blackjack, The Baccarat etc.
Party theme idea 12: Hawaiian Luau
The idea: It’s Hawaii time. Think grass skirts, leis, silk flowers and dancing.
Decoration: If you can find an outdoor pool, there’s no better place than poolside. Failing that, stay outside and decorate with shells, sand, and palm trees, with Hawaiian music playing in the background.
Food & drink: If you’re being traditional, you should serve kalua pig (cooked in an underground oven), lomi salmon and poke (a fish salad). But fish, sweet potatoes, pineapples, rice etc. will do perfectly, along with beer and tropical drinks.
Party theme idea 13: Masquerade
The idea: A glamorous, black-tie ball with the extra twist in that everyone arrives wearing a mask.
Decoration: Keep it simple and chic – letting the ornate masks speak for themselves!
Food & drink: Skip the food, this is all about elegant dancing and cocktails.
Party theme idea 14: New York New York
The idea: Take a little inspiration from the Big Apple.
Decoration: Black and silver make a perfect Manhattan colour scheme. Watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s for plenty of ideas!
Food & drink: Hot dogs, pretzels and Lindy’s cheesecake give a perfect New York feast. You could even make a cake from a tower of Krispy Kreme donuts.
Party theme idea 15: Pamper Party
The idea: One for the girls, this is an excuse to watch soppy films and gossip the night away.
Decoration: None necessary – although you will need to employ the services of a manicurist and masseuse.
Food & drink: Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate… and perhaps some popcorn and champagne.
Party theme idea 16: Race Night
The idea: Record plenty of horse-racing and make up race meeting cards. Appoint a bookmaker and bet on each race using Monopoly money.
Decoration: Add a little amusement by asking your guests to dress for Ladies Day at Ascot.
Food & drink: Go glam with champagne and strawberries, or keep it simple with fish & chips!
Party theme idea 17: 70s Flashback
The idea: Born in the era of Saturday Night Fever and the Bee Gees? This is your chance to celebrate.
Decoration: Think disco balls and John Travolta and you can’t go far wrong. Plenty of lava lamps, flares and psychedelic clothing.
Food & drink: It’s got to be a fondue – the perfect seventies party food.
Party theme idea 18: Just Been Shipwrecked
The idea: What were you wearing when the ship sank?
Decoration: If you’re outside, attempt the look of a desert island. A large bonfire can make a great focus. Guests come dressed in rags or anything they managed to salvage.
Food & drink: A barbecue, coconuts and pineapples make great refreshments.
Party theme idea 19: Travelling Dinner Party
The idea: The perfect party for four couples – each host a course at their home and guests travel from one to the next, all ending up at the final house for a party.
Decoration: None necessary – this is all about the food!
Food & drink: It’s important to chat to each other so you don’t end up with four remarkably similar courses!
Party theme idea 20: 1920′s Party
The idea: Flapper girls and tuxedos.
Decoration: Simple and elegant. Get the dancing going with Charleston music. Fringe is a must.
Food & drink: Serve elegant cocktails and canapés.
Party theme idea 21: Wine or Beer Tasting
The idea: Cover up the labels and challenge your guests to match the bottles with the names. You don’t need to know much but if everyone swallows, the party will get going in no time!
Decoration: If you do a wine tasting, create a vineyard theme with vines, checked tablecloths and candles in bottles.
Food & drink: Wine or beer… perhaps soaked up with a rustic feast of breads, cheeses and cold meats.
What are you planning for your party theme? Leave a comment below and share your ideas!
this is realy helpful i have lots of great idears for my party thanks !
You are very welcome Daisy, we’re glad you find this useful
thanks again
do you have any idea of what to do for hollywood
Hello Daisy
Hollywood is a great theme, and very glam! I’m thinking – Oscars, so gowns for the ladies, suits for the guys. You could do a trivia on previous Oscars winners, and hang little cut-outs of the statuette for decorations. Or, you could do a costume party of famous actors (Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin?). Definitely roll out the red carpet! You could also decorate with palm trees and martinis – how very Los Angeles! 
hope this helps you – good luck!
Hey Kitty Confetti,
Thanks soo much for the ideas I now can’t wait until my party <3
You are welcome Renata, hope you have a fantastic party!
hie lm thinking of throwing a kitchen tea sort of party not really a kitchen party coz lm already married what can l call it and of course l want presents
Hi Esther – a kitchen tea party is a great idea! What is the reason for your party – you say you want presents?
I had a kitchen party long back when l got married and l wantbto throw another one is it okay for me to call it a kitchen party or should l change the name if so l need name suggestions and a party where people can come with all kinds of presents
So is it an anniversary party, or a birthday party?
of course you can call it “kitchen party”, you can call it anything you like! 
We want to have a themed party for our 14th, mabe something quite grown up but we don’t think any on the top party themes would help… Is there anything you can think of that would be quite a big party themed, something quite inexpensive aswell, thanks!
Hmmm… one way to do a party is not necessarily a theme, but more of a direction, like – sailing party? Decor would be mostly in blue, and guests would come dressed as if for a cruise. Everyone has something blue/white in their wardrobe. You could decorate in white and blue as well. You could do a theme in one colour, any other colour you like. You could do an Ascot theme, where everyone has to be dressed like for the races. You could also do a “hats” theme, where eveyone comes in a hat, the napkins are folded like hats, etc. For something funny you could do “come dressed in your worst clothes” party, where everyone will simply look awful just for a laugh
Personally I’m a huge fun of potluck parties – everyone brings food, this way the hostess only needs to provide the location and plates etc. This is really easy to do, and saves loads of money and time. Also you get to try food you normally wouldn’t! Just remember one thing, there is always too much food so loads of leftovers, keep some tupperware handy and give as much to guests to take home as you can!
Hi, I love your party ideas and I’m definitely going to use some for my party. Do you have any ideas for a Parisian nightclub theme ( a bit like Moulin rouge). Thanks
What a good idea for a theme!
you’d definitely need at least some people to come dressed as can-can dancers, not sure if everyone could afford this… in a nutshell, the ladies dress up in something very chic, and the gentlement either like Parisian men in berets, or high-class tuxedos, OR like Parisian waiters – white shirts and black pants, no tie? You’ll definitely need one of those French mixed CDs with old style songs, by the likes of Edith Piaf and Yves Montand and Maurice Chevalier. For food you would definintely need baguettes and cheese, first and foremost, and good French wine. For the rest of the food it’s easy – just serve anything you like, but put the names into Google translator and make little fake menus with all the food names written on them in French, like in a cafe. You could serve crepes and tartelettes of course, also souffle, which is hard to make (better to buy maybe?). You can decorate the room with posters of French movies, they are quite cheap on eBay. And of course you need to put an Eiffel Tower somewhere, either a replica like a toy, or a picture on the wall, or icing on the cake shaped like it, etc, in case anyone is in doubt where they are! I hope this helps – good luck! 
Thanks so much. I love the idea if the French cafe style menu.
You are very welcome
Hey kitty, m having a rain dance organised wit djs, the dance floor is by the river side with artificial rain i would like to have given it a name for the party. something unique would do. like wet-wet sunday.
Regards xo
What a great idea for a party!
sounds like super fun! I immediately thought what songs have anything to do with rain, so you could borrow the lyric? I’m personally a fan of that old classic by Milli Vanilli “Blame It On The Rain” (don’t tell anyone!) 
I found a super useful website that lists loads of songs to do with rain, maybe that will help? http://www.lacarte.org/songs/rain/
Let me know what you’ve decided!
Hi Kitty, I’m really headache on thinking a theme name for a beauty product company’s event ! It’s a combination of anniversary, appreciation night and new product launching. Could you give me some idea ? Boss want it to be a really grand night.
I love all your ideas, they are all creative ! Hope you can help me on this, pleaseee and thankyou ! 
Hey, thanks for your nice comment
what kind of product is it you are launching, you don’t have to tell me the details, but is it a cream, or perfume, or makeup, hair, anything more specific? Vintage-inspired or modern? Any extra info will help! 
Thanks for your reply ! Appreciate
awww…
It is a new skincare beauty product. There will be Music Live Band performing , models do catwalk for their skincare products on that night too. The company combines their anniversary , appreciation night and product launching all together on that dinner. And he wants me to think of a theme for that night. My friend recommends me ‘oscar night’ as the boss want it to be a grand dinner but I don’t think ‘oscar night’ is suitable
Thanks for the info, that helps!
Ok I thought of a few ideas, let me know if any of them are suitable, or if you need any more:
Starry Night – everything glittering basically, gems on tables, stars on the ceiling, a silver glitterball, guests dressed in white and lots of bling?
Black and Gold – decor with these colours, and everyone comes dressed in black and gold – very Bond and a bit “oscar night” without being “oscar night”, you know what I mean?
Face like Garbo – or Monroe, or Harlow, or whoever was old Hollywood glam beauty queen that’s most recognisable? You’d need a lot of black/white photos of old Hollywood stars to decorate the room, of course including the star you choose. Old Hollywood is always considered very glamorous.
Beauty and the Beat – this is for the product AND the band
Beauty in Bloom – you’d need a lot of flowers to decorate this party, you know how in skincare commercials they sometimes use rose petals? Make theme red and pink and ivory.
Ballroom Glam – you could hire some ballroom dancers to come in their formal attire and dance around the room or do an exhibition for the guests, to provide that unusual wow? Ballroom outfits are super glam always!
Hope this helps, let me know what you think!
thanks for lots of detailed ideas!!
hi KittyConfetti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im having a reunion party and i dont know what theme to do! can you help me?
Thank you for your comment!
any of our themes are good for a reunion party, especially as I don’t know anything about what you’ve planned. Have you tried looking on Google as well under “reunion party theme ideas”?
hey kitty! Im having my 15 birthday party and i want it to be super amazing! I was planning on having a huge party with almost everyone from school. Im having it at a catering hall but i want something no one has ever thought of! hope its not too much to ask for!! also the party is next week
It’ll be pretty hard to have a party no one has ever thought of before but you can try!
I don’t know your budget or how much help you’re getting from various people, but maybe a circus theme would be fun? You can also think of your favourite TV show or singer/band, and do a theme with them. You can ask people to dress up in costumes etc. If you are really stuck, you can look for some more unusual ideas online. Best of luck! 