When it’s time to move, it’s generally a mixed emotion type of party — sad to leave old friends, but excited for a new chapter. I think Haeley of Design Improvised perfectly captured all of these feelings in her Colorful Moving Party. Going from Chicago to San Antonio, of course a taco bar and succulent centerpiece was in place, but really my favorite part are the simple, bright decorations that make this a memorable occasion.

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– Painted kraft letters with Chicago and San Antonio airport codes and little city-scapes
– San Antonio inspired succulent centerpieces + Tex Mex inspired “Big Star Taco Bar”
– Sweet “Memories & Messages” boards for guests to leave well wishes, photos & happy memories

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PARTY DETAILS, as told by Haeley… ;
:

After spending 7 great years in downtown Chicago, our little family of 4 is moving to San Antonio, TX.  We celebrated our move south with our Chicago friends and family with an ORD –> SAT themed moving party. In addition to some fun decor, we had a make-your-own taco bar for guests and an instant Polaroid camera on hand. Here are some of the party details:

ORD –> SAT Party Table

The focal point of the party was a wall of brightly painted kraft letters with the Chicago and San Antonio airport codes and a little city scene underneath. The garlands, kraft letters, and wood houses all are from The Land of Nod. I incorporated some of my daughters’ toy cars and traffic signs into the city scene.

Memory Wall

I wanted a way to capture special memories from the party, so I painted and stenciled a couple cork boards for our guests to post notes and Polaroids from the party. In addition to the camera, I set out push pins, pens, and little note cards that mimicked our party invites. It was fun seeing the boards fill up over the course of the party and now we have some special keepsakes to take with us when we move!

Succulent Centerpiece

As a little nod to San Antonio, I planted some succulents in brightly painted egg cups (you can find the tutorial here!) and centered them along a simple DIY table runner of kraft paper lined with bright orange pom-pom fringe.

Make Your Own Taco Bar

We had one of our favorite Chicago restaurants, Big Star, to provide the ingredients for a make-your-own taco bar. The food was delicious and it was a big hit with the guests!

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VENDOR CREDITS & RESOURCES:

– Styling & Design: Haeley Giambalvo of Design Improvised
– Garlands, Kraft Letters, Wood Houses, Goodbye Pennant Garland: The Land of Nod
– Taco Bar: Big Star