A Swashbuckling Celebration by the Water
Nothing says celebrate like a pirate party on the beach! When staging a pirate party the obvious first choice would be near water, but a pool will do just as well. We staged this party on the beach of nearby park before they opened to the public one day. It was the perfect venue for this celebration, and because it’s a state park, the entrance fees are low and sometimes even free for parties.
DIY Pirate Invitations with Treasure Map Flair
Every party needs an invitation. We bordered ours with pirate sayings such as “yo-ho!” and a dotted line reminiscent of a treasure map to style it in a classic way, making it perfect for pirates of all ages. We made these at home; selected what wording we wanted and formatted the PDF file (on my etsy shop) and printed them—easy and extremely budget-friendly.
Table Décor That Sparkles Like Treasure
To set a table worthy of the Pirate’s of the Caribbean, look for all things shiny! Pirates love sparkly treasure. I used dozens of strands of Christmas beaded gold garland and colored Mardi Gras beads, then I added in shells, costume jewelry, faux gold coins and lots of sand. To anchor each setting, I used gold chargers piled high with lots of “treasure” then folded black cardstock into paper boats and floated these atop the treasure piles. Placecards set at each place along with gold plastic flatware was tied with twine and set on black napkins for added touches.
A Creative Pirate-Themed Food Display
I love setting up a creative food display and had lots of fun with this party. A “Happy Birthday” banner strung from wooden dowels that are stuck in small-galvanized buckets filled with sand and a pirate ship create a dramatic backdrop for this buffet.
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Custom Touches Make the Buffet Special
To personalize the buffet, I designed custom drink wrappers, food signs, bag designs, and cupcake circles. If you are filling bags with popcorn like I did, I recommend not using buttered popcorn. The grease from the popcorn made lots of spots on my bags. I also used 10-ounce Hawaiian Punch Polar Blast bottles for the drinks. I loved that pop of aqua.
Edible “Gold Dust” and Sandy Cupcake Treats
The cupcakes were nestled in a bed of sand, which was actually light brown sugar! I wasn’t comfortable putting “real” sand that close to the food. The plain cupcakes were dressed up with a bit of yellow sprinkles (like Gold dust!) and personalized cupcake circles. The cute sandwiches were actually tuna fish sandwiches on bread.
Don’t Forget the Buried Treasure!
And what’s a pirate party without buried treasure? We had trunks overflowing with sparkly fabrics, jewels, books, swords, more beads and even a paper chandelier.
Need Help Throwing A Birthday Party?
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JENNIFER CARROLL is a Southern gal with an unquenchable thirst for all things creative. She wears many hats, sometimes she’s a photographer, blogger or designer, but always, an extremely enthusiastic home entertainer. From cooking to decorating — no matter what she is doing she is committed to celebrating everyday life. Visit celebratingeverydaylife.com