Hello again! Malissa and I kind of took a semi-unintentional break from the blog last week so we could enjoy each other’s, and the rest of our family’s, company :) It was so nice to try and just relax and spend time together. We baked lots of treats, played games, gave gifts and even saw the new Hobbit (amazing!). We had such a nice time and now I’m trying to deal with the fact that Christmas is over..and soon 2014 will be too! It’s been such a crazy, wonderful year and my life has had many big events, one of which was my one year wedding anniversary.
I knew when I was 16 that I would marry Nathanial. I obviously questioned, along with everyone else, if my 16 year old self really knew anything let alone who I’d eventually marry and there were even several years where my life went a completely different direction and I thought for sure he’d never be a part of it again. But two and a half years ago, we found each other again and things just immediately picked up where we left off!
I remember about 2 months into our rekindled relationship, marriage was brought up and Nathanial said we should just do it in Vegas. I think at the time he was just thinking he needed to lock me down as quickly as possible (ha!) and I was almost offended at the thought! A vegas wedding for my party-throwing-loving self and the love of my life???! Never.
For many reasons though, a little over a year later, it sounded just perfect for us. Funny how that happens.
It was tacky, it was quick, it was cheap, it was personal and we loved it!
This year at the last minute we decided to have our friends over for a housewarming party and since it was on our anniversary I thought it definitely needed to be Vegas themed.
I decided to pay homage to card games and slot machines and decorated with a lot of red, black and gold and I thought sharing it this week might give you some ideas for your upcoming NYE celebrations! Let the glitter, games, drinks and another awesome year commence!
I tried to make all the food casino-game themed and had so much fun doing it!
Bean dip decorated like a playing card, dice cheese ball, domino brownies (I used cosmic brownies with white chocolate chips turned upside down and pressed down in to them), grapes and cherries since those two things are often pictures on a slot machine.
The backdrop was tons of gold foil fringe and a garland of triple 7’s and triple cherries (jackpot!) made from balloons.
Of course you can’t have anything Vegas or casino themed and not have plenty of drinks! We had a spread of our favorites including old fashioned whiskey cocktails, grapefruit vodka, whiskey shots and dirty Coke for the non-drinking guests.
Here I also played homage to slot machine graphics with a “bar bar bar” sign made from a black foam board and letters and lines cut from poster board and glued on.
I also decorated with lots of playing cards including affixing half of one to each paper straw and making a garland of our names cut out of them.
I hope I’ve inspired you a little bit for your next Vegas party, game night, bunco get together or NYE event! All simple ideas that can be thrown together in a day and will be lots of fun for you and your guests!
And I made the slot machine food tent signs available for you to download here. Just load the PDF into your favorite photo editing program, type in your foods (or hand write them!), print and cut them out and fold them each in half. They’ll look just like the spinning rows of a slot machine!
Tiffany says
December 29, 2014 at 10:01 amCongrats and happy anniversary!
Everything looks amazing and I love that you themed it with your wedding.
Machelle says
December 29, 2014 at 11:31 amThanks Tiffany! It was really fun, as was the wedding :)
Rebecca Somerville says
April 30, 2015 at 3:25 pmI liked the 777 party theme
ronnie wetzig says
April 30, 2015 at 11:11 ami would serve the best hot wings off the grill and ice cold beer.
Dorothy says
April 30, 2015 at 11:21 amLove them all. Couldn’t decide.
glenda says
April 30, 2015 at 11:42 amwe are planning a casino themed party already
joyce payton says
April 30, 2015 at 7:49 pmjoycecant decide
Marty Stimac says
April 30, 2015 at 11:49 ammini ham salad sandwiches shaped like spades,mini pimento cheese sandwiches shaped like clubs, tuna salad mini sandwiches shaped like diamonds,egg salad with crumbled bacon sandwiches shaped like hearts.Cheese ball shaped like slot machine, cheese ball like roulette wheel. the crackers shaped like suits on cards, colored ice cubes in suits of the cards molds. big sheet cake like Let it ride table with plastic figurines sitting around it and 1 for the dealer. Chips and dips, best drinks that can be made. cut outs of Red Sevens and furry Dice and playing cards scatted on serving table.
Carol Scott says
April 30, 2015 at 12:00 pmWow, what inventive novel ways to celebrate, at 78 I’ll probably not use them but I know I would have loved to 15 years ago. Thanks, again.
Jim says
April 30, 2015 at 12:12 pmServe SHRIMP ,dip and CRABCAKES
OYSTER on the HALF SHELL.
Char says
April 30, 2015 at 12:27 pmLUCKY STUFFED PEPPERS
Wash about 12 jalapeno peppers. Slice in half and remove the seeds.
Fill halves with Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15- 20 minutes. Great on the grill!!
Gwen says
April 30, 2015 at 12:29 pmI would make cookies in shape of 777, have drinks with floating dice in them, make some dip and chips, play games , have a roulette board for a dart board, bomb fire and just relax and think of my favorite game. Wearing all my diamonds to represent Double Diamond on Double Down Casino.
Gerri Sjoland says
April 30, 2015 at 12:40 pmI waited to long my computer timed out I was going to say the 777 cookies….I love rotel dip so that is mine
Gerri Sjoland says
April 30, 2015 at 12:41 pmthank you for all you do for us gamblers
Chris MacDonald says
April 30, 2015 at 12:59 pmI am a donut maker at Tim Horton so i would make Timbits made to look like Bingo balls Love Doulbledown Casino!!!!!
Pat Garrow says
April 30, 2015 at 1:17 pmThank you for all the free chips you generously give us. Double Down is my very favorite casino.
Becky says
April 30, 2015 at 1:21 pmChips and jalepeno ranch dip
Denice Webb says
April 30, 2015 at 1:31 pmFirst I would make sure to serve Chips and Lucky 7 Layer Dip!
Then I would have platters of Pinwheel Spin Again Sandwiches in several different flavors:
Tuna Go Fish
Don’t Put All Your Egg Salad In One Basket
Bring Home the Bacon Lettuce and Tomato
Of course I would have to serve a great beverage at the party, so Jackpot Cherry Punch is on the menu.
The Coctail of the night will be the Million Dollar Martini with a Gold Coin Garnish.
For dessert, we will have a Progressive Chocolate Fountain with all the fixings!
PATSY BALDWIN says
April 30, 2015 at 1:50 pmI SAY WE SERVE CHERRY CHEESE CAKE SO WHEN YOU WIN YOU CAN SAY CHEESE WITH THAT GREAT SMILE AND A SHIRLEY TEMPLE WITH CHERRIES OF COURSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barbie says
April 30, 2015 at 1:52 pmMy lucky beans sandwiches /with chip and dips Mango TEA.
marie bosse says
April 30, 2015 at 2:01 pmI WOULD SERVE MY OLD FASHION ICE BOX CAKE ALWAYS A BIG HIT
Rosemary Brandt says
April 30, 2015 at 2:18 pmcheese cakes shape in DDC
Al Larkin says
April 30, 2015 at 2:30 pmThanks for the free chips!I would love to win them so I could bet MAX! MAX! MAX!
gail says
April 30, 2015 at 2:37 pmmardi gras masked ball
Linda says
April 30, 2015 at 3:09 pmI would have my party in my back yard staring with a casino back there serving all good food and games to play as slots and poker be there and giving out great coins to play with all day ,all the food would be shaped as poker cards and chips be made out of cake and brownies, and drinks name after every game there is , such as double down coolers and for mix drinks it would be ,hard liquror double duzzy,
leonard ziebart says
April 30, 2015 at 4:11 pmi like the 777 cookies
charlene coulter says
April 30, 2015 at 4:19 pmI would serve spicey chicken wings ,jalapeno poppers, cheese ball ,chips.
Rosalyn Piercey says
April 30, 2015 at 4:41 pmI would have Brandy SNAPS.DICED crispy potatoes.CLUB soda and BRAG about what a card I am a real DIAMOND with a HEART of gold and calls a SPADE a SPADE.
bubba hodge says
April 30, 2015 at 4:51 pmjello shooters with gum drop dice roulette wheel cake and crownroyal for kings
roberta says
April 30, 2015 at 4:51 pmi would serve chocolate gold coins
Belinda Logan says
April 30, 2015 at 4:52 pmI would make my casino based party all about the cards, I luv anything and everything about cards!!
Dan Rasmussen says
April 30, 2015 at 5:20 pmromulen ale. From star trek, with a spalsh of revenge best served cold.
darrin says
April 30, 2015 at 5:22 pmThats pretty cool, l got married in las vegas 2 times the 2nd one was the first one’s work partner who my ex wife introduced me to and it’s been great for 8 wonderful year’s.
Quang dieu says
April 30, 2015 at 5:33 pmI would have the salty grape and add with chili is good
Ken Mohr says
April 30, 2015 at 6:37 pmI would serve Beer, vodka, bourbon and Tequila!!! I would DownDown all bets!!!
Berniece VanHouten says
April 30, 2015 at 6:52 pmI would serve red 7s cake, sandwiches shaped like cards, chips and drinks with cherries.
Wayne Longley says
April 30, 2015 at 7:11 pmI would serve hos for the bros and Keno cards bingo boards for their wives lol
Jeanette Fuller says
April 30, 2015 at 8:29 pmidiamond shaped, club shaped, heart shaped sandwiches, ,and spade shaped sandwiches. 7 shaped cookies. as well as those shaped as coins, and bills. Hot wing and mixers available for drinks, as well as pop for non-drinkers. Also lots of chips and dips
Johnnie Melton says
April 30, 2015 at 9:08 pmStrawberry Cheese cake and coffee
Johnnie Melton says
April 30, 2015 at 9:09 pmStrawberry cheesecake and coffee
Daniel Cappi says
April 30, 2015 at 9:46 pmI would serve spicey chicken wings , french fries & oniion rings. For dessert Strawberry Cheesecake & espresso.
jerry says
April 30, 2015 at 9:47 pmchips and dip
Hiram K. Ballew says
April 30, 2015 at 10:31 pmSince i’m half Japanese and half caucasisan and lived in Japan til I was 18 when I went to Hawaii to go to college. My theme would be at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel with sashimi, sushi and bunch of other oriental foods along with good wine and good scotch at least 18 years old.
Mary Lou Allison says
May 1, 2015 at 5:29 amNo matter what is served the entertainment will be with Double Downs Casino. I love your sight and only play with you. I love fast great games and of course great food.. Keep up the great job ..
monroe says
May 1, 2015 at 5:47 amNo matter what is served the entertainment will be with Double Downs Casino. I love your sight and only play with you. I love fast great games and of course great food.. Keep up the great job ..
Carmen Lopez says
May 1, 2015 at 8:32 amI LOVE DOUBLE DOWN I PLAY IT EVERY DAY THE GRAPHICS ARE great
Carolyn Fisher says
May 1, 2015 at 9:39 amCheese cake, wine and confetti. (Pun intended, for all those members who whine on line about DDC and loosing their chips, afterall, who is forcing them to push the buttons) DDC is the best on-line gaming site that I have found and would love to have a party to celebrate.
Joette fabbri says
May 1, 2015 at 10:00 amCongrats on your party.
Linda says
May 1, 2015 at 10:42 amVery interesting. Good ideas like it
William H Adams says
May 1, 2015 at 11:26 amI always am happy winning chips. Heart shaped ham and egg salad sandwiches are always welcome around here.
ROGER POLLOCK says
May 1, 2015 at 4:10 pmA PINT OF MAD DOG 20/20 AND 4 OREOS
Jim says
May 2, 2015 at 8:33 amI Like 776
milly says
May 3, 2015 at 1:41 pmu were misses
kimberley myers says
May 3, 2015 at 3:43 pmI WOULD SERVE JELLO SHOTS SHAPED IN THE FORM OF SEVENS IN SEVEN DIFFERENT FLAVORS… GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK
Uli says
May 3, 2015 at 8:07 pmWould make dips in shape of diamond, clubs, hearts and spades.
Ann T says
May 6, 2015 at 7:40 pmFun fun all night long!!!!!!
Ann T says
May 6, 2015 at 7:41 pmFun all night long!!!
ken snider says
May 10, 2015 at 8:47 amI couldn’t decide everything looks amazing and I would take all these ideas and make them work for my vegas party