Matriculate, Then Celebrate!

The academic year is winding down, and schools across the country will be sending their seniors out into the real world. If you have a graduate, it’s time to celebrate! Follow these handy tips to show your grad how proud you are.

Picture day
Custom graduation backdrops are the hot new trend, giving friends and family a sense of red carpet occasion as they pose for pics with the honored grad. For a high-quality custom backdrop, Sign Art has you covered! You can add any kind of design you like with the graduate’s name, date or something more unique. Whatever you come up with, our team will help you get it done.

Catering versus home cooking
When it comes to preparing the food, your mileage may vary. It really depends on how many guests you have coming and how much time you have to prepare. If this is a midday party, a simple cold cuts spread should be fine, letting guests make their own sandwiches while they chat. If you want to go more upscale and wow the crowds, or if you know you’re not going to have time to prepare food, look into local caterers.

Congratulations to the Class of 2016 from Sign Art Etc!

Spoil your graduate with sweets
Seventeen featured a cute snack idea: fill an empty cookie jar with Ring Pops and label the jar “Class Rings”. A congratulatory cake is customary. If you’re not a baker, find a local bakery that can provide a cake with a message for the graduate. Either way, just make sure the cake doesn’t end up on this list of graduation cake fails from Buzzfeed.

Decorations
Etsy has a great selection for graduation party decor. If your graduate is heading off to college, grad school or starting work, you may want to incorporate those into a theme.

One of the first and most important steps in wedding planning is picking a venue. While most typically go for a hotel, function hall or country club, you have a lot more options than you may realize. Are you looking for a different kind of spot for your big day? Consider some of these off-the-beaten-path ideas.

Prioritize
What do you most want out of your wedding? A beautiful view? An easy trip for family and friends? Saving money? Great food? Whatever it is, keep that in mind when choosing your venue. There’s a perfect spot for every wedding.

Breweries
Wine and beer are usually in pretty high demand at a wedding. Craft breweries pepper the landscape of every state, and they’re quite family-friendly. Many of these venues serve food, and welcome children and pets. Holding your wedding at a brewery will not only ensure that everyone has enough to drink, but many of these establishments also include corn hole sets or other outdoor games.

Many wineries can convert tasting rooms into function halls for weddings or other events.

Wineries
Vineyards provide a gorgeous backdrop for wedding photos, and they’re already stocked with wine! Many wineries host different types of functions, including weddings, so they should be well prepared. Souvenir wine glasses would make excellent favors for your guests, too.

The great outdoors
Whether it’s in a public park, on the beach or camping out under the stars, adding the splendor of nature will help set your wedding apart as a memorable one.

Destination weddings
If you’d like to visit someplace truly unique in the U.S., Green Wedding Shoes has shared a list of the 26 coolest wedding venues in the United States, including a tree house in Washington state and a former icehouse in Arizona. If you’re looking to go international, Fodor’s has a slideshow on the best wedding locations in the world.

Wherever you hold your special day, Sign Art Etc has got your pictures covered. A custom backdrop will give your wedding photos that red carpet atmosphere. Visit the Sign Art website to learn more about how our team can create the perfect banner for your big day.

Including dogs in weddings is becoming increasingly popular. Your pet is part of the family, so why not?Here are some tips to make sure Fluffy has as much fun as your human guests.

Test your dog out in crowds to make sure he or she has the right temperament
Not all dogs are comfortable around large groups of people. Even if your pooch has a great temperament, putting him or her in a big crowd can be stressful. Set up a test run by bringing your dog to a busy, public place so you can make sure crowds aren’t too much.

Watch out for the cake
Chocolate is hazardous for dogs. If you’re serving a chocolate cake or cupcakes, make sure everyone knows not to give any to your dog. If your dog likes to jump up to get food, keep him or her away from any food display tables. Pack a special dinner for your 4-legged guest so he or she doesn’t feel left out during dinner.

Why not include your best friend on your big day?

Make sure the venues and vendors are dog-friendly
If your ceremony or reception venues don’t allow dogs, then you’re going to have to make a decision. Consider how dog-friendly they are when you’re checking them out. Even if they do allow dogs, there may be local leash laws, so it’s a good idea to assign doggy duty to a few friends or family members.

Is your dog going to have a role in the ceremony?
Okay, so you’ve gone through all the previous steps. Your dog is allowed at the wedding and can handle crowds. What kind of role will you assign your furry friend? Here are some options:

• Greeter/usher: What’s better than greeting your guests with a wagging tail?
• Ring bearer: Depending on how well-trained Fido is, you may want to use decoy rings for this.
• Groomsman/bridesmaid: Dress your dog up to match the wedding party. You can find plenty of canine wedding attire at Baxter Boo.
• Best man/maid of honor: Hey, if your furry friend is also your best friend, then more power to you. The best part is, the speech will be short and sweet. Woof!
• Flower dog: Your dog can carry a basket of flowers down the aisle. Just make sure they’re non-toxic in case your pooch gets into them.
• Stress reliever: Nothing helps an anxious speaker or in-law de-stress like petting a dog!
• Honored guest: Your dog can just chill out and look cute.

Don’t forget to take pictures!
Who doesn’t love pictures of cute dogs? Your wedding party, your families and your fur baby can all pose in front of a backdrop customized for your special day! To learn more, visit Sign Art Etc.

Hockey fans, it’s almost Stanley Cup Finals time! This will be the 123rd time Lord Stanley’s Cup is awarded to the best team in hockey. These party ideas will make your celebration worthy of this amazing championship series.

Unlike the Super Bowl, the champion of the National Hockey League is determined in a best-of-seven series, with the title going to the first team to win four games. That gives you some flexibility if you’d like to host multiple parties. You can make it a kickoff party for Game 1, a mid-series party for Game 4, or if you’re really dedicated you can host a party for every game!

Gear up
Hungry? Here’s a recipe for hockey-theme Oreo cookie cupcakes from Bite Me More that you can serve to your guests. Decorating your home for the series will help get you and your guests excited for the games! Check out the hockey party favors at Shindigz, including goalie mask party favors.

You can watch this Youtube video from MLive to learn how to make your own Stanley Cup trophy. Apologies to Detroit fans, as their Red Wings won’t be in the finals this year.

Play Stanley Cup trivia games
Keep the crowd busy by playing a Stanley Cup trivia game during breaks in play. Here is an example of some trivia questions you can ask, from Mental Floss writer Sean Hutchinson:

• How many actual Stanley Cup trophies existed? Three. The original cup was awarded in 1892. It was replaced by a sturdier cup in 1963, which was then replaced by the current trophy in 1993.
• How much time can each winning player spend with the Cup? One day each.
• What was the original name of the trophy? The original trophy was call the Dominion Challenge Hockey Cup.

Pose with the Stanley Cup
Pose with these quirky hockey photo props from Etsy, including a Stanley Cup prop, a penalty box frame and a goalie mask.  You and your friends can also pose with the Cup in front of a backdrop of your own design. You can use your team’s logo, the Stanley Cup Finals logo or your own unique design for the perfect Stanley Cup Finals atmosphere. For more banner ideas, visit Sign Art Etc.

Game on!

Millions of viewers are expected to tune in to the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 to witness the 100th running of the race. To commemorate this occasion, Indiana residents are encouraged to get together with friends and family to host their own “porch parties.” Register your porch party on Eventbrite.

Porch parties can be hosted on your porch, in your yard or inside your home. The important thing is that you show off that famous Hoosier hospitality. Some lucky registered porch parties may be visited by Indy Car drivers or other celebrities! Even if you’re not an Indiana resident, you’re welcome to celebrate the race with a party of your own. Read on for some tips to get your engines revved up!

Tailgating
Tailgating is all about the meats: Hot dogs, bratwurst and burgers. A big sloppy burger would be tough for your guests to manage while watching the race and handling a beverage, so stick with mini hamburger sliders. Set up a buffet with other tailgating favorites like chicken wings and nachos.

Enjoy the Indianapolis 500 with friends and family.

Setting the scene
Make sure to include decorations with checkered flags, traffic cones and, of course, Indy cars! Oriental Trading has a great selection of race car-inspired decorations.

Pictures
A custom banner can make any party a memorable one. Whether you’re looking for a checkerboard banner or a backdrop of your favorite racing team, the helpful staff at Sign Art Etc can work with you to create the perfect design for your Indy 500 party. And don’t forget the photo props! You can find race car-themed photo props on Etsy.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!