Hi there! Amy from Amy Nichols Special Events here. I’m so excited to be reviewing Tori Spelling’s new book: celebraTORI!

I must admit I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up a copy of “celebraTORI: Unleashing Your Inner Party Planner to Entertain Family and Friends”. When I hear the name Tori Spelling, my mind still immediately jumps to Donna Martin as opposed to “entertaining goddess”, so I was pleasantly surprised to find her book well organized and full of some great entertaining tips!

The Introduction

In the beginning of the book, Tori talks about her exposure to grand parties from a young age, thanks to her famous parents. It is not surprising that she ended up loving the art of the affair, though she admits her style is more cozy and family/friend-focused now instead of the lavish bashes favored by her parents.

While she acknowledges she’s a control freak and décor is now her “obsession” – the parties she started throwing in her early years of independence had the expected bumps and starts, along with some failed kitchen experiments. But those experiences of course led to lessons and learning what works and what doesn’t.

Overview

celebraTORI begins with sections and chapters dedicated on how to get started, and advice on décor, food, desserts, and details. Then, Tori walks through four parties (a cowboys & lace party, a do-it-yourself spa party, game night, and cocktails in caftans).

In reading the first few chapters, I found them to be full of substantial advice to first-time entertainers or those who need a little confidence and some general tips when it comes to entertaining. Tori dispenses advice that I could see myself giving – such as scouring garage sales for stylish and unique tabletop pieces (but being careful when mixing genres and styles).

She encourages readers to consider throwing a party at home (a much more affordable option than a restaurant), and I agree completely with her recommendation that color is the single easiest and most inexpensive way to develop a concept. She also offers some good tips for how to avoid taking themes (or “concepts” as she calls them) too far. In the food/drinks chapter, Tori has some festive suggestions for a DIY champagne/vodka bar.

Real Parties

In the real parties chapters, Tori shares four different concepts that she came up with (along with a few caveats on mistakes she made). My favorite party (and I think the most unique of the four) is the cowboy & lace party. There are some really adorable touches from the food to the belt-making bar. While she admits this book is geared towards adult parties, the cowboy & lace party could easily be geared towards kids too.

Her game night party has some cute touches too – frozen Boggle ice cubes in beverages and other fun game-inspired desserts! Here’s a peek:

It’s a Wrap

For the seasoned event planner, the party planning tips in celebraTORI will likely be a {beautifully packaged} refresher on things you already know. But for a first time entertainer or a gal who is just finding her party planning legs, CelebraTORI has great tips, easy instructions, and beautiful pictures along with solid advice.

You can find CelebraTORI at your local book store or online at Amazon.com! Here are a few more sneak peeks at what’s inside {images courtesy of Simon and Schuster}: