As the season of entertaining starts, the pressure mounts to put together a gathering that will please everyone from your friends to your in-laws. Setting the right mood with your décor can put your guests in the mood to celebrate from the moment they walk in the door. Unfortunately, decorations (especially nice ones) can be expensive. This year, don’t spend a lot of money on things that may only see daylight once a year; you can have big style with cheap party supplies.

Place settings are important

Food is the focal point for many gatherings. If you’re planning a dinner party, you’ll want to concentrate on making your table, and the surrounding space, feel like a comfortable place to spend an evening.

Depending on your tastes, elegant dish sets have prices ranging from reasonable to astronomical. If you can’t find what you want on your budget, consider mixing and matching some second hand finds for a shabby-chic look. The I Heart Shabby Chic blog has some gorgeous visual inspiration for mixed dish patterns.

[Image Source: I Heart Shabby Chic] 

If you’re worried about your mixing and matching skills, try focusing on a theme (like floral designs) and then putting pieces together by color. You can come up with beautiful and unique combinations using a color wheel. If you’ve never tried a wheel before, the36thavenue blog can help you get started.

Don’t forget the centerpiece

Centerpieces are another dinner party staple, and you shouldn’t pay a lot for a nice one. There are many options to both make and buy them. Don’t let anyone convince you that yours must be custom made at great expense. Yours can be anything from a succulent terrarium to an elaborate arrangement of candle holders. There are no limits, and supplies are cheap.

If traditional floral arrangements are more your style, don’t despair. A quick trip to the farmer’s market will yield a beautiful assortment of flowers, and wonderful vases are available at thrift stores for minimal cost. If you aren’t confident in your flower arranging skills, a quick trip to eHow can fix that. It has a tutorial that will help your arrangement look professional.

Lighting is also key

Dimming the lighting in your space will immediately signal to your guests that they’ve entered a relaxed atmosphere. Don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Candlelight is a classic technique, and you’ll find no end of candle holders available. If you don’t find something that speaks to you, try decorating a plain glass candle holder. All Thumbs Crafts did some beautiful ones with thrifty glass and alcohol ink.

[Image Source: All Thumbs Crafts] 

Another popular option is using light strands to create atmosphere. They can be arranged in a limitless number of ways, and they can add an almost fairy tale effect on the scene you’re creating. In addition, they’ll fit in with most party themes, so they won’t be a single-use purchase.

[Image Source: Wedding Chicks]

Creating a night to remember is easy and fun. There are many ways to decorate a party and save money with cheap party supplies. Don’t let sticker shock keep you from having a wonderful time!