Amidst silver stars, lanterns and flowers stands an elegant cradle nestled under a canopy with an enchanting chandelier of golden moon and stars. This is the setting for a baptism party today. The concept of party décor has undergone a dramatic change from what used to be limited to just flowers or balloons to an entire gamut of props that are mostly customised and handcrafted.
‘Paper craft’ seems to be the new buzz word in town with paper flowers slowly replacing real ones. The benefits being that they can be made much ahead of the D day, are available in every shade, don’t dry up or grow fetid, are easy to make and can be used as a part of home decor after the party.
“Real flowers are still very much ‘in’ but there is also an increased demand for dried flowers and other décor accessories like bunting banners, printed candles, pompoms and honeycomb balls. “The vintage style wooden boards that have ‘just married’ or ‘here comes the bride’ printed or engraved on it are also very popular”, says Joncy Sartho, founder of Petal Touch.
A theme-oriented ambience is the key element in the décor setting. “With all the visual inspiration and tutorials on craft blogs, Pinterest and Youtube, all one needs is the desire to craft,” says Seena Antony of Craft Montage, who enjoys decorating for family and friends. “There are a lot of new trends in party décor now. A handcrafted table centre piece is a fad that is fast replacing floral ones. For instance, miniature paper ‘baby’ props like a bottle, a footprint, a lace bib or a toy car aesthetically arranged in a glass jar makes for a great centre piece,” she says.
The need for personalised décor is another interesting trend. “A personalised photo display showcasing important milestones and quirky photo booth props are becoming very popular too,” she adds.
For those with a creative streak, the highlight of this décor is that it is mostly ‘Do It Yourself’. If you have the time, the access to raw materials and tools, online tutorials can easily guide you on how to make your own décor. Websites like Pinterest or marthastewart.com offer a treasure trove of ideas to give your home or party an instant makeover. The personal touch adds to the feel of the setting.
While paper is relatively cheap, there is a lot of effort and precision required in designing and making decorations. “Apart from paper, a variety of materials like lace, net, plastic, glass bottles or even rope is used in making the backdrop and the props. At the end of the day, it needs to look different from the regular party décor,” says Ria Verghese, whose party décor venture, Oona Love just turned one.
With increased access to the internet and social networking sites, there is a constant need for something new and different. “In terms of colours, while baby pink, blue and metallic gold or silver still rule the roost, bolder shades are also in. Peach and teal blue are some of the new colours on the block,” says Ria.
“Moving away from a single dominant shade, a combination of colours also works well like for instance Jade green, yellow and lavender,” adds Joncy.
A party is incomplete without favour boxes and that’s what Cissy Jose of ‘Gracias’ specialises in. “Every parent wants their baby’s milestones to be special. Clients ask for different themes like a rainbow, butterfly or a princess,” she says.
Her exotic collection has boxes in a wide range of shapes and sizes right from a wedding gown to baby booties. “The main challenge lies in procuring good quality paper. The quality of the end product depends on that. Each item needs to be made with a lot of care and meticulousness. It also needs to be stored and transported with care”, says Cissy.
