Diamonds and Denim Party

For my daughter's 16th birthday we had a Diamonds & Denim" theme. 

Invitations were hand-made using miniature denim jackets and blue jeans embellished with tiny rhinestones.  The denim jackets and jeans were found in the scrapbook section of a craft store.  Invitations included a message requesting that guests don their favorite jeans and dazzling "bling". 

I rented a large party room at a local recreation center.  We decorated the room with rope lighting along the ceiling perimeter.  The rope light was draped with glittery off-white netting that I found at a fabric store.  Tables were covered with denim tablecloths.  Diamond-like gemstones were glued only on the sides of tablecloths so that plates would lie flat and glasses would not tip over.  Loose gemstones and silver confetti were sprinkled on top of the tables.   

We grouped together silver and navy helium-filled balloons and tied them to paperweights shaped like huge diamond rings.  Three balloon bunches were evenly spaced atop the tables.  Each table represented a famous jewelry store.  We had Tiffany tables Harry Winston tables and Cartier tables. 

Every table had centerpieces made from boxes from their respective jewelry stores.  Different size boxes were obtained from all the jewelry stores except Harry Winston.  (We had to create our own since there is no local Harry Winston)  The boxes were filled with a block of foam.  The top of foam was that was covered with velvet.  A horizontal slit was made in the foam and diamond ring paperweights were placed inside the boxes.  We placed costume diamond necklaces and bracelets in boxes as well.  Centerpieces were draped with navy and silver curly ribbons and rhinestones were sprinkled on and around centerpieces.   

The head table was also covered with a denim tablecloth.  I found a sheer material with a blue jean pattern from a discount fabric store.  I placed the sheer fabric over the denim tablecloth.  Miniature dress forms were covered in black velvet and draped in costume diamond jewelry.  Two Barbie-doll styling heads wore white carnival masks we decorated with white feathers sequin glitter and rhinestones.  Black satin fabric was draped around each styling head and a very ornate rhinestone necklace was placed around the neck of each. I found diamond-shaped floating candles on-line.  They were put in glass bowls partially filled with water and placed on the head table.  We used place-card holders shaped like tiaras that we found at a party supply store.  

Gemstones were glued to the perimeter of silver plate chargers and on the base of plastic stemware.  Empty paper towel and tissue paper rolls were cut to make napkin rings.  We spray painted them silver and glued gemstones to them and inserted denim napkins   I browsed the Internet for interesting facts about diamonds.  I cut index cards into diamond shapes and wrote the diamond trivia on each card.  I scattered them around each table.  This made great conversation pieces while guests were waiting for others to arrive.  Life-size silhouettes in different poses were cut out of cardboard and foam board then spray-painted black. We clothed the silhouettes in blue jeans and costume jewelry and stuck them to the walls and doors.   

At local thrift stores I picked up inexpensive rhinestone jewelry.  We set up a table covered it with black velvet fabric and laid out all the thrift store jewelry.  Each piece was numbered and put on a list.  As guests entered they were ushered to the table to get some jewelry on "loan".  Guests signed jewelry out on the list.  This was done in case someone forgot to wear their "bling" or wanted to add to their "bling".   I burned a CD with Herb Alpert & Janet Jackson's "Diamond are a Girls Best Friend" Madonna's "Material Girl" Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend and Prince's "Diamonds and Pearls".  CD looped for the first 30 minutes or so while we waited for all guests to arrive.   

Various pictures of my daughter were copied on a DVD.  I rented a projector and showed them on the wall during the party.  We circulated two scrapbooks with my daughter's photos certificates artwork poetry and stories.   Dinner was catered by my daughter's favorite Italian restaurant.  During dinner a couple of relatives and friends read fake letters from celebrities who could not make it to the party.  Each letter included a funny and/or outlandish excuse for not coming.  Other guests told memorable stories about my daughter.  Dinner was concluded with a sparkling grape juice toast.  After the seated dinner most of the adult guests departed and we turned on the strobe lights and dance music for the kids.   

Each guest was given a small champagne bottle filled with jellybeans M & M's or Skittles. The candy-filled bottles were ordered on-line. The bottle labels were custom made to include the date occasion and a short message from my daughter.  We also allowed guests to take home the diamond ring paperweights.   "