It is that time of year for some of us! Lot's of spring weddings on the calendar and that means engagement parties (among other celebratory events) are getting into full swing. Two years ago in May, I planned my sisters engagement party in Baltimore and it was a great success! About forty people came and went throughout the day and into the night and although we had limited space, we were able to make it happen. It was delicious, fun, and all around entertaining for everyone and because of that, I feel the need to share the details of how it was put together. Even when you have limited space to throw an event, you can make it happen with some simple additions and changes to the layout of the room(s). And, of course, you don't need to spend a ton to do it! My husband and I are lucky that we have a back patio that is surrounded by a fence and two stone walls on both sides. So, for the party we wanted to use the space. The weather in Baltimore tends to be hit or miss in May; it is either raining or absolutely gorgeous. Very rarely is there an in between. Luckily for us, on the day of the engagement party the weather was absolutely perfect! Because our patio is no larger than 20 x 30 feet, we knew space was limited but we had to utilize it for the number of people we were expecting. By incorporating 3 Foot Round Tables and Small Chivari Chairs (like those from Select Event Rentals) we opened up the space to provide ample seating for guests, both on the inside of the house through the use of our furniture and the oustide tables & chairs we had rented for a pretty low, reasonable price. And depending on the size of the space you are using and the attending guests, Tents are always a great option too! For our party we went with smaller tents like these from The Patio Furniture Station that were a bit cheaper & really more for shade than anything else. They did exactly what we needed them to do for what we were looking to accomplish. However, had it been really windy or rainy, these wouldn't have done much to keep our guests from getting soaked so if you are looking for tents that are more weather appropriate, Select Event Rentals is probably the way to go.
In terms of table decor, I went to Michael's and found these small bud vases that were just perfect. Ranging from $1-$2 a vase you really can't go wrong! Then on each table I placed a plastic white tablecloth (Party City $2-$3 a piece) and one vase with two different colored tulips on each table to really bring the color to the party. It wasn't too much decoration but it was clean looking and as we know, I love the clean look! I also placed a bundle of tulips in a large glass vase on my dining room table to tie both the outside and inside together. And if tulips aren't in season, no worries! There are lots of colored flowers in season during different times of year that you can find. Always check out Whole Foods as they seem to have a great variety no matter the season. 
So have fun planning your next engagement party...or whatever party you are planning! Hope you found these tips & ideas helpful. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!!!
