Host an Oscar Night Party

After weeks of bowl games and playoffs, aren’t you in the mood for something different? Get out of those sweats and off of that couch, step away from the clicker and get ready to bust up those winter blues with your own red carpet party!

The Academy Awards nominations are out (get the nominations) and the race is on as Hollywood gears up for its big night. You  can go all glitz and glam or keep it movie night casual; either mood is easy to create.

For a sophisticated soiree, roll out a real red carpet and ask guests to dress up. Everyone has a formal gown hiding in back of the closet to wear; even an old bridesmaid gown can fit the bill. Guys can dust off and wear a tuxedo in old Hollywood style or rock an indie vibe with their own unique look. 

INVITATIONS

Send out invitations with a red carpet, Hollywood, or movie ticket theme. Weigh and check the dimensions of your invitation to make sure you have sufficient postage before mailing. Include an RSVP to get an accurate head count for food and beverages. An evite is also perfectly acceptable.

DECORATIONS

Rent a red carpet and velvet rope to line your entrance. This isn’t expensive and adds an authentic touch to your décor. Party stores including our online fav, Oriental Trading Company, have a cheap faux red carpet and all of the Hollywood props you'll need to set the mood.

FOOD AND BEVERAGES

Keep the food California casual and easy to eat. If you aren’t up to cooking, serve Wolfgang Puck cuisine... his soup and pizza is available at your local grocery. Just make the presentation "Wolfgang style" by serving food on white platters and  cut everything in the same shape. Or, you can use a pretty glass or martini glass to serve your food. That's a signature Puck move. Try this Shrimp Martini with Napa Cabbage Slaw. It's a showstopper.

Serve a signature cocktail to make bartending easyFor cocktails, create a signature cocktail to match your color scheme. Pre-mix to make serving easy but don’t add ice to the pitcher; it dilutes the mix. Serving rows of drinks in one color makes serving easy and is a stylish presentation.

For an elegant party, chocolate fondue with fruit dippers is a great choice.

For a casual party, have movie-style boxes of gourmet popcorn, Junior Mints, Milk Duds, and other movie theatre candy for guests to nibble on while watching the show.

Another elegant idea for an Oscar party is a Champagne tasting. Be sure to serve plenty of food, though. You don't want guests to go home hungry. Our Champagne & Chevre party would be absolutely perfect for Oscar night!

Print ballots directly from the Oscar site so guests can vote.

A candy bar with movie candy is easy to set up and guests love it!ENTERTAINMENT

Before the show starts, ask guests to fill out their own ballots and predict their winners. Award guests with the most winners prizes like movie tickets, DVD’s of current movies, or online movie rental gift cards.

What red carpet party would be complete without swag? Assemble a fun gift bag to give your guests; chocolates, small bottles of liqueur, and note cards, and free movie rental cards are all inexpensive tems for your party swag! Read all about the Academy Awards on their official website.

Make your party casual or elegant... the style is up to you!