Earlier this month, the retailer Party City invited I Am Modern (along with other top publications throughout the US) to Hilton Head, South Carolina for a weekend of parties. Partnering with celebrity event and home stylist Tara Riceberg (who, by the way, is also Paula Abdul’s cousin), Party City decorated several area homes and hosted seven parties in three days to highlight the latest trends in event planning and decorating.

We will highlight each party throughout the coming weeks to give you the low-down on all the hottest trends.

The ‘devil is in the details’ for Tara as she ensured everything maintained the feel of simple elegance. To create the look, Tara pulled from the Fisher Price collection, which features fun polka dot tableware with jungle animal accents. Centerpieces featured monogrammed white eyelet dresses coordinating with the Fisher Price animal theme hung from doll stands and floating above the tables were cloud-like displays of white fluffy decoration tying the whole design together.

Additionally, Tara shared the following tips for chic, budget-friendly baby showers for anyone looking to shower their glowing friend in style:

• Incorporate Baby Apparel as Décor: 

• Doll stands with monogrammed dresses for baby girl or rompers for baby boy make the perfect table centerpiece.
•  String white baby onesies with clothespins to create a special garland over a fireplace or buffet table. Add a decorative touch by applying pieces from the Fisher Price garland to the front of each with double stick tape. (NOTE: this was a HUGE hit with all of the attendees).
• Clip little girls’ pink bows to the center of each napkin roll for a unique twist on napkin rings.
•  A child’s crocheted sweater hung on decorative hooks, and framed makes for adorable wall art.
• The great thing about using children’s clothing and accessories as part of the shower’s décor is that these items can all double as gifts for the mom to be or even take-home favors for the guests.

• Dress the Table for Less:

o Adding a charger plate can add elegance to any table.
o Use guest’s baby photos as place cards.
o Layer a patterned bread plate with a solid dinner plate atop a neutral color charger to make each element pop.

• Timing is Everything:
o Two o’clock p.m. on Sunday afternoon is no longer the requirement for baby showers.
o Having an event during off-peak hours outside the home can potentially save between 20-40 percent.
o Choosing brunch means less expensive menu options as well, and an early brunch shower could be the perfect start to an expecting mother’s busy day.

• DIY Made Simple:
o Using ribbon, suspend white wooden letters spelling out B-A-B-Y or the new baby’s name from Party City’s paper lanterns and hang from the ceiling over the mom’s gift table.
o Large apothecary glass jars and brandy jars from Party City are the perfect containers for a spread of coordinating candy chocolate and gumballs. Make sure each vase has a silver candy ladle to help guests fill their favor takeout boxes.