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Country Western Theme Party Planning Guide

Ideas, Invitations, Decorations & Favors

For even more great Western decorating ideas visit Western Theme Party Decorating411

Your cowboy hat is starting to collect dust. You're humming the theme song to the classic TV western "Bonanza." Rather than talk in your sleep, you're calling out square dance directions. You're drawn to pointy snakeskin boots and chaps. Well, sit yourself down, pardner, get out the old address book and prepare to have yourself a country western party!  We have tons of western party ideas that will help you find invitations, decorations and favors that will make your party a foot stompin’, Hee-Hawin” success.  A rented barn or ranch is a great setting for all your favorite buckaroos to gather.

Western Invitations

Create a WANTED poster as the invitation to your party! Roll it up with all of the party details on the inside, and tie it with a bandanna. Use parchment colored paper and black lettering.

Use your imagination to set the stage for your adventurous western party. Hand deliver a colorful cowboy hat to your guests with all of the exciting party details folded up inside of the hat. Make sure to request that your guests come to the party wearing the invitation (the hat, not the paper).

You may want to send a Wild West invitation or an Out West invitation to your hoedown inserted in a child's cowboy hat.

Really make a ringing impression with customized cowbells. Buy cowbells, paint the name of each guest on the outside and attach the party details to the ringer inside. Send or hand-deliver. Cowbells can be found at your local novelty store or discount mass merchandiser.

This is a great theme party for a birthday party.  Start making your Western birthday party unforgettable by letting Party411 custom design a caricature for you! Whether you're dressed in cowboy garb riding a horse, or doing a do-si-do, this caricature will make you look like you are straight out of an old western.

Ask your guests to come dressed for the occasion. Of course as the host, you'll be dressed in denim (skirt or pants), fringe, cowboy boots with spurs, a bandanna, a sequin cowboy hat, holster or cutesy vest/skirt combo a la Dale Evans. Having some blinking western beads  available for every guest is a fun way to welcome your fellow cowhands and it lights up the party.  If cowboy is not your thing, but Native American is, find traditional headdress, moccasins and clothing to fit the bill.

Western Party Products

Try these 10-gallon favors and decorations for your western themed party or BBQ!  For our complete selection of unbelievable decorations and favors visit Western Party Decorating411 

MakesParties 

• Cowboy Hats - in neon, straw, for kids and adults. Use as centerpieces with balloons or to decorate the buffet or as seating cards with the name on the brim!

• 24" Foam Cowboy Hats - are great for buffets, photo opportunities and more!

• Western Vest - get one of these for each of your servers (if you’re having a caterer or dress yourself! The host/ess should always be in theme, don’t you think?

• Bandanas - these are great for both napkins, headbands, neckerchiefs and even as a handkerchief for a guest with a cold!

• Decorating Kit - the kit includes 1-19" and 2-14" tissue balls, 6-25" tissue fans, 12-16" western cutouts and 4-12' garlands.

• Western Party Goods

• Western Paper Goods

• Western Decorations

• Custom Western Banners

Western Party Decorations

Whoa, pardner, this is such a great theme for decorations since there are lots of things you can do to make your party authentic. First, set the stage for your event with real hay bales outside the entrance. Use real or plastic cactus around the hay as well to really give your presentations some depth. Plastic snakes should be all around the ground, but fear not, your cowboys and cowgirls will surely be able to handle them. If you have one or can borrow or rent one, place a western-style saddle on top of one of the bales. Naturally, this setting wouldn't be complete without a longhorn steer somewhere nearby.  Or better yet put up a Split Rail Fence with a Plastic Longhorn Skull and Wagon Wheel strategically placed to make your prairie scene realistic.

 

Now if the Party Girl were to go all out, she might rent a Covered Wagon, haul it to the front yard or venue entrance and hang a big sign on the outside that says something like "Jack & Jill's O.K. Corral" or "Welcome to American Corporation's Old West." If you can do without the wagon, go for the sign anyway, it will give your event charm and recognition. Party411's Creations For You can create a dazzling display for whatever you want to say.

 

Inside, greet your guests with their own tomahawks or sheriff badges.

 

Have a Country Western Music CD playing. You might also play other classic country artists like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, June Carter Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Decorate for the rodeo or square dance and bring back the feeling of the Old West with our Western Party Kit, including tissue balls, garlands, fans and cutouts. Your guests will get a laugh out of the arrow through your head trick. Don't worry, though, this gimmick will cause you no pain.

 

Hang "wanted" posters all over the walls with the host/hostesses pictures as well as a jointed American Indian, cowboy, and other western cutouts. Hang "Cowboys" and "Cowgirls" signs on your bathroom doors. Use rope to make lassos and hang as garland.

Tables & Centerpieces

Use checkered toppers over red linens for great looking tables, and use solid red and solid white napkins (every other placesetting) for a little more pizzazz. Denim table covers are another way to go, too. You can even use metal sheriff's badges as napkin rings (pin one in the middle of each napkin). If paper products are the way to go, You can use country check plates, napkins and table covers combined with apple red cutlery is a necessity, too.

 

If you want some great paper goods for your country western theme party check out these fun options.

• Red Bandanna Plates

• Old West Plates 

• Wild West Plates

Believe it or not, there are fabulous Molded Mini Western Candles.  2 ½” votive candles are perfect for your table.   you can use as votives to add some fun to the table decorations.

 

A cactus makes a wonderful centerpiece for a western party! Tie red and blue bandannas around your clay pots to brighten up those cactus plants. Stick mini-spurs in the plant soil for an added WOW. You can find these in a toy store or toy department of your local stores.  Don’t forget to sprinkle Cactus Confetti around.  It adds a great touch!

 

Another fun idea is to re-create a "western setting" in the middle of the table. For a really creative centerpiece, use an old-style metal coffeepot, a bandanna-lined basket (that you can fill with just about anything), some old-style metal coffee cups, and several bottles of fancy barbecue sauce. Just arrange these all together in the center of the table.

 

For Kids' tables, try a cowboy play set as the centerpiece. Not only will it look inviting to them, but also they can entertain themselves as they sit and eat.

 

Some other great options for a western centerpiece include:

• Straw Bale Centerpiece 

• Western Boot Centerpiece 

• 3D Cactus Centerpiece.  Bring the desert home!

Seating Cards

Roll up and ribbon-tie one bandanna for each person as a seating card. Tie off the seating card with their name and table number and you have a party favor, too. Another idea for seating cards is plastic horseshoes, found in your local toy store. Print the name and table number of your guests on each one.  We've also got a Western seating card that you can fill in your guests name, or have us do it for you!

Western Menu

The most popular type of food for a western theme party is barbecued anything. Whether you feast on chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, or steak, make sure that you cover the food in rich and tasty barbecue sauces. Other great foods to add to the menu at this party are chili, stew, and baked beans. Don't forget a variety of salsas, chips and other dips. For unique ways to serve food try these ideas:

• Place a small bowl in the top of a cowboy boot and fill it with salsa. Use boots of different sizes to give your salsa bar depth and variety

• Use a real cowboy hat, turned upside down and line with a check napkin to hold chips. You can place bowls inside the hats, too, if you are hesitant about napkins.

• Tie bandannas around other bowls and lay them flat underneath serving platters to carry your theme throughout.

• Vinyl horses make great cardholders for your food names on the buffet table.

 

Western Party Activities

Hire a professional "caller" to entertain you with authentic square dancing. While you're at it, you might as well hire a professional dance instructor to teach you how to do-si-do.

 

Play "musical hats" to keep everyone entertained. Make sure to buy authentic cowboy hats and American Indian headdresses though, or the game won't be nearly as much fun. Gather everyone together and try to bust the Western Pinatas.  A sure fire party hit!

 

Fill the piñata with candy and fun toys that go with the western theme.

 

We've got more great Western Party Games!

Western Party Favors

Everyone knows that we think a personalized western theme candy bar wrapper makes the perfect party favor. The candy is delicious, the bar is huge and best of all it gives your guests a lasting memory of a great party.

Let your guests go home with their very own bandanna, as well as a fun and colorful foam cowboy hat.

 

Everyone loves a plant that requires no maintenance. Give each guest his or her very own cactus. Make little labels that say something like "I did some boot scootin' at Ted & Mary's Buckaroo Bash." It's the gift that keeps on giving!