Five Questions with Jessica Garvey, Party Planner Extraordinaire
Posted on February 7, 2012 1 Comment
I recently came across Jessica Garvey’s web site, The Hostess Handbook for the Young, Broke, and Fabulous, when she wrote asking if I accept guest posts. I do not. But I checked out her site and was so impressed with the concept, the layout, and her ideas, that I wanted to know more about her. I asked if she’d be willing to do a Q&A instead, and she enthusiastically agreed. So, without further ado, here is Five Questions with Jessica Garvey, actress, party planner, blogger, and above all a broke budgeting babe herself.
Budgeting Babe: How did you get into budget-friendly event planning?
Jessica Garvey: I moved to Los Angeles to act and found myself with a side job assisting a celebrity party planner. She is well known for her destination weddings and big gala events. I learned where to get the best of the best in cakes, party favors, flowers, cocktails and invitations. And of course, how to access the most prominent entertainers and exclusive red carpets! Soon, I began daydreaming about throwing my own outrageous extravaganzas a la white doves and fireworks. Unfortunately there was one hitch – I was YBF and that B stands for Broke. What would I do? How would I pull off the perfect party without breaking the bank?? I quickly learned that I could adapt the design elements and techniques used at work to throw amazing parties for my friends with all the glitz and glamour of a large-scale event. Tailoring the latest trends, tastes and tips to my own needs, I’ve realized that I can be the hostess with the mostest using the leastest. That is how The Hostess Handbook for the Young, Broke and Fabulous began!
BB: What’s a great way to surprise your valentine for under $50?
JG: I always like doing something unique that can be a great memory. Think about what the other person likes to do, or what type of food they enjoy, and see what is going on around town that they would like to do. A lot of places have Valentine’s Day specials that are cheaper than their regular offers. For example, last year my boyfriend took me to an art class in Venice Beach. It was a small group of about five couples, they had a wine and cheese tasting set up and a whole bunch of canvases. My boyfriend and I are not painters, but it was so fun to sit and be creative and drink some wine. The art studio had teachers that were more than welcome to help, and it became a true experience. The best part is that one year later we still have the paintings in our apartment. Do something that results in a keep sake, and one that is not cheese-tastic like a teddy bear. Find out if there is a beer tasting or cooking class. If your guy is a real man’s man, see if there is a shooting range near by (weird, I know, but its unique and an experience) or exhibit on something car or sports related.
*BB: Side note, man-friend and I usually head over to our local seafood bar that features a valentine’s special of $20 lobster or crab dinners. YUM! We go more than once during the week it’s on sale and this year we have gift certificates, so we’ll be eating FREE!
BB: So many of my friends are pregnant or already have kids. Where can new moms find inspiration for throwing fun kids parties that won’t break the bank?
JG: When throwing a kid’s party, think back to when you were a child, to the bashes that you loved. Were they at home? Were they at a roller skating rink? Were they at a restaurant? This might help to start you out with a unique location. Then think about what your child likes to do, and cater it to that. If you are looking to save money, I think the best party is thrown at home with a bunch of different “activity stations.” Make the party like a fair! Ask you friends to help out and head up the stations. One could be the arts and crafts table with painting, and drawing, the next could be the cupcake station where you have baked cupcakes ready to decorate, and the final station could be the “game spot” preferably outside where you could have relay races! For younger children, I always love a good tea party (and solely british accents allowed when you speak). Have the girls dress up, and make tea sandwiches and scones!
*BB: Increasingly, Pinterest is a great place to find ideas. You can also check out KidWorldCitizen for some interesting globally-themed ideas. Reggae dance party, anyone? Yes please.
BB: We’ve been talking a lot about budget parties … What’s the most extravagant event you’ve ever been to, and what made it so over the top?
JG: Celebrities are known to have the most extravagant parties, and that is no lie! I attended the Pink Party, benefiting breast cancer at the Drais Hollywood, and also worked on the event with the party planner, so I knew how much went into the party behind the scenes. Lets just say that the gift bags all had porsche keys in them, and two lucky people got keys that won a free lease for a year! Pretty nice huh? Of course, the event was for charity and people had paid a lot to come to the party. It is a celeb studded event each year with a “Pink” carpet and the best of the best in food and liquor! Jennifer Garner spoke and was the face of the event. There was a fashion show with a runway built above the rooftop pool and dancers ready to get the party kicked up a notch! It is a fun event, and I wanted to highlight this one because not only was it extravagant but it also raised a lot of money for Breast Cancer. Extravagance with a purpose!
Golden Globes Theme
BB: What’s your best advice for hosting a successful party or event?
JG: There are a couple key elements that must be present at a good party. For one, signature drinks that are special and displayed prominently, along with drink menus that have kitschy names for the specialty cocktails (you can make 4×6 menus on your computer,print them out, and fan them on tables as decor). Another great idea? Have a theme and tell people to dress up; have an activity and a prize. For example, at my Golden Globes party I printed out ballots, and people could vote for who they thought would win. At the end the person with the most correct votes won a prize. It is really important to keep people entertained! Have ample food and drink that fit in with your theme. Make a couple displays based on your theme. For the Golden Globes, I got a doorway photo prop banner for people to take pictures. Also, I love the 99 Cents Store, and will always tell people to start there when looking for decor (they do have good stuff) before going to more expensive places.
I wish Jessica the best of luck in all her careers 
I’ve added her to my blogroll and look forward to seeing more of her work in the future!
Category: Life
Tags: parties , Q&A
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February 7th, 2012 @ 8:51 am
Thanks for sharing this! It is hard to entertain on a budget, but she had some awesome ideas!