party

IMPRESS YOUR VINAS WITH THESE COCKTAIL-MAKING TIPS

/ SimplyAshley / Leave a comment

Vina: bold, intelligent, badass. She’s the life of the party. She can mix a drink.

To help bring out that life-of-the-party vina that’s inside of you, I’ve compiled a tried-and-true list of cocktail-making tips so you can be that girl wherever you’ll be celebrating next.

Before I started following these five simple steps, not even my most beautiful glasses, stainless steel shakers, or a phone full of Pinterest recipes could save my drinks from coming out too strong, too sour, too much like juice, or too much like toxic waste. These tricks have helped me become more creative behind the bar and have given me a better understanding of how much alcohol each drink needs, all while keeping things simple, sweet, and cheap.


1. LESS IS MORE WHEN IT COMES TO INGREDIENTS

A good cocktail doesn’t need to be complicated. Many of the best cocktails have three or fewer ingredients. The important thing to know is what mixes well with what. Here are two of my favorite simple drinks that have less than three ingredients:

The Paloma: 1/4 cup of tequila, 1/4 cup grapefruit soda (like Fresca or Jarritos), served on the rocks with a lime wedge. Add a salted rim to feel like a real pro.

The Bellini: 2 ounces chilled fruit purée (traditionally peach), 3 ounces prosecco. Usually served in a champagne flute, start with the fruit puree on the bottom, then pour the prosecco over the top. Feel free to add a fragrant garnish to up your bar cred.

These and other gorgeous two-ingredient cocktails can be found at http://www.mydomaine.com/two-ingredient-cocktails

Clear cocktail


WHEN IN DOUBT, STICK TO THE CLASSICS

Who’s ever turned down a whiskey and Coke or vodka and soda? These drinks are well known for a reason and are simple to make. The best part about their simplicity is that it makes them easy to customize and dress up. Put your own original spin on any of the classics with fresh herbs, splashes of fruit juice, or even a simple lime or lemon to impress your vinas.

GET CREATIVE WITH FRESH FRUIT AND KOMBUCHA

When you’re drinking, you ’re probably not drinking for the health benefits (unless you’re one of those red-wine-with-dinner people). Still, it’s nice to mix up a fun drink that ’s light on guilt sometimes. Fresh fruit, kombucha, and even Perrier can make awesome additions to classic drinks. (HINT: The Real Food Dietitians suggest replacing the ginger beer in the classic Moscow Mule with kombucha and adding fresh ginger, mint, and cucumbers.)

Women drinking at a bar

CHEAT SHEETS ARE A VINA’S BEST FRIEND

Now that you have the inspiration, it ’s time to get technical. You don’t want to make your drinks too strong or watered down. To ensure that you pour just right every time, check out this amazing cheat sheet that explains the use of “parts” in drink recipes. You can always print it out and keep in your kitchen so you ’re ready for your next soirée.

USE THE TOOLS AVAILABLE

There are so many amazing resources where you can find easy drink recipes. Use them! There’s no shame in borrowing a few tips and tools from the pros. Here are two personal favorites:

Now that you know the tricks of the trade, I fully expect to see you giving back to the Vina community by hosting a meet and greet cocktail party with your new matches!

Find some new vinas to invite to your next cocktail party by downloading Hey! VINA on the App Store today! You’re new best friend could be just a swipe away! 👯📱

HOW TO ATTEND AN EVENT ALONE AND COMPLETELY OWN THE ROOM

/ mariacolalancia / Leave a comment

I was recently in Los Angeles for work. My twelve hour day wrapped up and I was starving. I’d passed a gorgeous Italian restaurant on my walk to the showroom earlier that morning and decided I would go back for a big plate of pasta and an equally big glass of wine. My day had consisted of meeting after meeting, followed by a panel and networking event and my brain felt fried from human interaction. I could not wait to sit down and have a meal by myself and read the news.

When I arrived at the restaurant, I walked in and asked for a table for one. My waitress came over and asked if anyone else would be joining me and with a smile, I said nope, just me. She took my order and I pulled out my iPad and started scrolling through the media to see what had happened in the real world while I was in the fashion world. She returned with my glass of wine and asked if she could sit for a moment and I said sure. She asked: how do you do it? Men come into the restaurant all the time and eat alone, but I rarely see a woman do it. I personally don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. What’s your secret? I laughed and then paused for a moment. I don’t have a secret, I said. I felt the same way you did for a very long time, but when I studied abroad in college I made it a personal goal to step out of my comfort zone and do things alone, and it honestly changed my life.

tanialee-gonzalez-791789-unsplash.jpg

For the rest of my evening, I spent a lot of time thinking about this interaction. It really made myself examine what it means to be alone and why we are so hesitant to do things by ourselves. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just one of those societal things that we have to find the courage to break through. We perceive being alone as an embarrassment when in reality we should see it as a source of empowerment. We learn something about ourselves when we’re forced to spend time alone. Even more shockingly, we learn something about other people when we’re by ourselves. When you do something by yourself, you are free to act according to your standards-completely exempt from others’ opinions and desires.

So, to the point of the article, if I had to give a single answer to the question: How do I attend an event alone? I figure the best answer is to fake it until you make it. I don’t think there is anyone in the world who could walk into a room completely alone and truly thrive on their first go-round. We all experience the same butterfly sensation and general anxiety, it’s a normal human reaction. The beautiful thing is that no one else has to know that. I think it’s equally important to remember that every single person that you see is probably having the same feelings that you are, but you more than likely wouldn’t know that from looking at them.

michael-discenza-199756-unsplash.jpg

I would like to suggest one simple adjustment that will make a world of difference. It’s the night of the event and you are busily getting ready, throwing outfits about the room in a panic. You finally decide on something and you dress yourself before rushing out the door. Here’s where my suggestion comes in. Before you run out the door, take a minute to stand in front of the mirror and look at yourself and repeat the following: I am confident, I can do this, and if I believe something magical will happen-it will. Take a deep breath and repeat as needed. Think of it as getting ready for your mind. If you tell yourself something enough, you’ll believe it, just the same way we believe that it’s scary to attend an event alone.

Walking into an event with an instilled sense of confidence is a contagious thing. Think about your confidence as your customer service voice. You put in on when needed and even though it may not always feel genuine internally, it is perceived as such. This confident energy will quite literally radiate from you, and before you know it you’ll be striking up conversations left and right. Much like riding a bike, the first time is always scary and uncomfortable and hard, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be amazed at the world of opportunity that has suddenly become available to you.

So, moral of the story, push yourself to do something uncomfortable. Take some deep breaths. Repeat those words over and over to yourself. Put on your confidence and remember that everyone else is probably in a similar situation that you are. Hop into the comments, I’d love to hear how you attend an event alone and totally rock it!

Ready to totally own the room? Come over to the Hey! VINA app now to find an open event happening around you! 🥂☕️👭

STARTING HOLIDAY TRADITIONS IN A FAMILY THAT NEVER HAD ANY

/ Misterie Ink / Leave a comment

For as long as I can remember, my family never had those traditions that most families have when the holidays rolled around. Whenever it came to anything holiday related, my dad would be working for the extra money, and sometimes we’d go and see him at work for dinner. That was basically our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration every year for as long as I can remember.

About four years ago when I started dating my now husband, I began to see what the holidays should really be like. His family is very big on holidays to the extent of arguing over who gets to host which holiday each year. And that’s when I started to see how much fun the holidays could actually be.

My sister and I decided right then and there that we were going to make our own traditions. Forget the fact that all these years we never had any. We just decided with the snap of our fingers we needed to do this for us, and if we met others along the way that would join us, great! If not, we would still make it happen.

photo of green leafed plants

We started with little things like watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carrey version) and listening to Christmas songs when they played on the radio. Pinterest wasn’t as big as it is now, but we were able to find ideas through that and Google. We saw that “Elf on a Shelf” was big with parents, and how adults in general were using the idea of naughty elves to make funny jokes.

That year my husband actually bought us both an “Elf on a Shelf” for Christmas. It was one of the best things we’d ever received because we’d never had anything like it. We kept it in the box because we didn’t want to ruin it, but we put it to use the next year. The second year was a little hard to do anything because of health issues with my dad, but the year after we decided to wear ugly Christmas sweaters with our significant others, and they were FUNNY! I bought mine but my sister made hers and my husband’s that year.

Last year, we brought my husband’s cousin into the family traditions. We all chose to wear some kind of Grinch themed clothing and it was great! It made us all happy that we could start doing these small things which meant a great deal. This year we’re still trying to decide what we are going to do, but we are steering towards actually dressing up as our very own “Elf on a Shelf.” We are very crafty people so we might even sew our own costumes!

What hits us especially this year is that my sister is pregnant and will be giving birth around Christmas time. We’ve promised to give her daughter these traditions that we never had growing up, because we want her to be happy during a time that always felt like a chore to us as kids. It just takes one person (or two in our case) to decide that the holidays are going to be happy time, rather than something to dread.

Find new friends to start your traditions with by downloading the Hey! VINA app today!

VINA NIGHT IN! 8 IDEAS FOR A COZY NIGHT WITH YOUR VINAS

/ Sydney Cole / 4 Comments

So it’s Saturday night and you’re just not in the mood to go out – we’ve all been there. But that doesn’t mean staying in has to be a drag. That’s where your vinas come in. Keeping things super chill has major potential to be super fun! Check out these 8 ideas to make your gals night in a night to remember!

1. MOVIE NIGHT

This is a classic for your vina’s night in. Maybe even pick a theme like rom-com night, or fright night flicks! Grab some wine or a batch of virgin cocktails (whatever you prefer), and get the corn popping! All that’s left to do is enjoy some good movies and laughs with your vinas. How can a girl say no?

2. SPA NIGHT

Picture this: your nails are a mess, you’ve got a totally annoying breakout, and you’ve  had a crazy stressful week. No time to schedule a slot at the salon? No big! Call up the girls and get a spa night going! Nobody knows how to relieve your tension and cheer you up better than your vinas. Make this one a night complete with fluffy robes, nail equipment, face masks, hair braiding – the whole nine yards. If you’re feeling really spoiled, throw in a bottle of champs!

Champagne from Unsplash

3. KARAOKE NIGHT

Ok, this idea is not as complicated as it may sound. And no, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your living room. For those of us without a classic 2000’s era karaoke machine, it may seem a little over your head. But fear not! YouTube has a fix for everything. Look up your fav classics or current hits and tack on “karaoke version” and you’re in business. Play it from your laptop, TV, or even your phone. Crank the volume and sing out (on or off-key) in a judgement free zone!

4. GAME NIGHT

This one can mean Monopoly and Twister, Super Mario Kart, Never Have I Ever and Cards Against Humanity, or even Call Of Duty and Mortal Kombat if you’ve got a group of serious gamers on your hands. And let’s not forget our classic card gamers. Gin, Rummy, even Uno! Or better yet, call up the vinas and get a poker night started. You can play for nickles and dimes, or make it high stakes with some bigger bets – whatever the group is willing to play for. Grab some chips and dip, a deck of cards, and put on your best poker face. Game on.

5. TAROT NIGHT

You don’t have to be a self-proclaimed psychic to get in on the fun of tarot cards. If no one in the group is experienced in reading tarot, do a quick Google search. Or if one of your vinas knows what she’s talking about, have her give the rest of you a crash course. Learning about it together doubles the fun! Grab your crystal ball and take a look into your BFF’s future for a night! This is bound to be one you won’t forget.

psychic

6. MUKBANG NIGHT

So if you haven’t heard of Mukbang, look up a couple videos and you will find that this is one of the hottest trends out right now. It’s basically eating food in front of a video camera, either alone or with a group. Fun right? And it’s totally sweeping the web, why not bring it to your girls night in? Mukbang videos gained their popularity in South Korea in the 2010’s and have since become a favorite in the US. The Mukbanger’s are seen recording themselves eating large portions of food while interacting with their viewers. Go live on Insta or Facebook, or record a video just for you and the girls to watch back! Pick a cuisine that all the vinas agree on, order several dishes off the menu, and stuff your faces while discussing various topics of interest! Fair warning: this one may have to be a sleepover considering the food coma you’re about to slip into.

7. MAKEOVER NIGHT

I am all for the glamour, honey. I love to get dressed up, even if I’m just sitting around the house. Think about this, instead of getting glammed up for another club night, bring the nightlife to your place! Pool your fav makeup together, or head to the local drugstore and pick up some products to try your hand at that smokey eye you’ve been dying to rock! Get that LBD out of the back of your closet and prepare to get glam and dance all night, vinas! If you’re feeling daring, turn it into a photo-shoot, have fun with it!

8. HENNA NIGHT

I have at least 6 tattoos, but for those that want something a little more temporary, Henna is a great option! Plus it’s super fun to do with your vinas, and so easy to learn. Head to a craft store and grab some DIY henna kits, then draw up some beautiful henna designs for you and your friends. This is an inexpensive and super cute way to bond with your girls. Get yourself inked minus the pain and money!

A night in with your girls has never looked better. Each of these ideas vary in price, effort, and interest, but whatever you choose, it’ll totally be worth it! Let’s make staying in the new going out. All you need is a little creativity, some snacks, a bottle of something, and the will to have a great time! Oh, and your vinas, of course!

Download Hey! VINA and find your group of gal pals to take on girls night in!

10 SIGNS YOU’RE AN “EXTRA” PET PARENT

/ Brooklyn Mullen / Leave a comment

I think it’s safe to say that everyone loves puppies (and if you know someone who doesn’t, they’re probably/definitely inhuman). We can get a little excessive when it comes to expressing our love for our little furry friends, understandably so. Here are ten signs that say you’re an “extra” pet owner. Don’t worry, no judgements here!

YOU HAVE A DOG WALKER

You worry that your dog will get too lonely while you’re busy being a working parent (and we can’t all take our dogs to work); you hire a nanny for your pup to come walk ’em during the day. In my case, it’s my grandma; but if she isn’t available, there are a few backups on standby to race over and make sure my dog isn’t too lonely.

OUTFITS

How many ensembles do they have? My dog, Skeeter, just has a bowtie (he wears it most every day), a red knitted scarf (we live in CA, so he really doesn’t need it), and a holiday sweater (only worn once). I’m not too bad; how many outfits does your pet have?

SEPARATE INSTAGRAMS

You bombard us with pictures of the, not only on your own Instagram, but there’s more. They have their own separate account, where they are personified as thinking (speaking) beings. It’s really cute, but definitely extra. I follow my fair share of famous Instagram pets. Who are your favorite celebrity animals?

YOU CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAY

puppy party

via Rover

With a party, cake, and pictures, their special day is jam-packed full of fun. They have no clue what’s happening; we all know the celebration is really for your benefit. But who’s going to complain about another excuse to eat cake and party? Not I.

FRIDAY NIGHTS INCLUDE:

Binge watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, talking to your pet (out loud), imagining their response, live-tweeting what they say (whatever you imagined it to be), and cracking up about it. Not to mention all the ice cream you’ll share; it’s true love. May or may not be based on personal experience.

YOU ONLY EVER TALK ABOUT THE ‘BABY’

Passerby’s and eavesdroppers are bound to be confused when they overhear your conversations with friends. They think, “wow, her body bounced back quickly” – although, why do bodies need to bounce back? That body just grew another in it and then pushed it out. Be proud of all the change that accompanies it… end mini rant– but they really are the only baby you have ever had, so it’s understandable.

CAMERA ROLL

Your phone is 1% selfie, 96% pictures of the ‘baby’ and 4% screenshots of memes (of other animals). It would almost be embarrassing if someone were to scroll through your camera roll, but you can’t help it; your little guy looks so cute in every picture. It’s totally justified!

SPECIAL MEALS

You cook more for your pet than you do for yourself. “They have a sensitive tummy,” you say, “kibble is too hard for their teeth.” Whatever the reason, you slave away, grilling chicken, squash and rice for the little royal highness– so bougie. Next they’ll be sitting in a chair, fine dining avec toi. 

 

DOGGIE DECOR

tipi2

via ishine365

This goes beyond the outfits. Your space is overrun by their toys and tipis (a custom tipi is being designed for my Skeeter to lounge in). Your friends come by and wonder if the apartment is yours or the dog’s.

PHOTOSHOOTS

puppy pregnancy

via People

Backdrops, props and hired photographers. You document milestones like birthdays, adoption anniversaries, and even pregnancies. Yes, the dog’s pregnancy. It’s really curious, really cute and now it’s something you’re secretly wanting to do.

If you want to continue talking about your pet 24/7, download the Hey! VINA app to meet similarly “extra” pet owners in your neighborhood.

(Feature image via @marte_marie_forsberg)

SaveSave

CINCO DE MAYO: PARTY OP OR PARTY FOUL?

/ swiertori18 / Leave a comment

Dilemma:  Your friends invite you to go shopping for their “Cinco de Drinko” party. You want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo but you’re not trying to be a cultural appropriator.giphy (3).gif You try telling your friends maybe buying sombreros, fake mustaches and changing “Mayo” to “Drinko” isn’t the most respectful way to celebrate the holiday. So they retort with, “well then what is a respectful way to celebrate?” Now you start to wonder yourself.

Many people believe that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, but that day is actually celebrated on September 16. Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico’s victory in the Franco-Mexican war. In 1861, Mexico found itself in debt to Britain, Spain, and France. France decided to engage in war with Mexico while the other countries did not.

On May 5, 1862 the two countries fought in the Battle at Puebla. Although things were not looking good for Mexico because they were heavily outnumbered, they were still able to secure a victory thus creating a massive spark of hope for their country. This spark was what contributed to the creation of Cinco de Mayo.

Why the history lesson? Well it’s because I believe that the first step to respecting something, is understanding it. One of the worst things we as human beings can do is surround ourselves with ignorance. Today, with the click of a button we can read about anything we want to. Yet all too often, people would rather keep believing what they have always been told than do some research for themselves.

Here in the states we commonly celebrate Cinco de Mayo by getting together with friends and partying.  Bars decorate for the holiday and cities throw parades. It’s a lot of fun and should be thoroughly enjoyed but it should also be understood. It is a day which has very strong cultural significance, to treat it just as an excuse to get wasted and wear a poncho could cost you.

This is why I suggest getting immersed in the actual culture before anything else. Find out if your city or town is putting on a parade. Or even go out to your local authentic Mexican restaurant and support it. It’s okay to do those kinds of things, and shucks it’s even okay to chase those tacos down with some tequila. It’s not okay to show up in a costume and attempt to order in what little Spanish you remember from 10th grade.

Remember, there is a fine line today between having fun and making fun of. Granted, it can be hard to see these days, trust me–the line is there. And if you aren’t careful with how you engage in these things, it can really hurt you. Many people have lost friends, jobs, and sometimes their lives because they offended someone else’s culture.

The holiday is intended to be fun and exciting, but please remember to keep it appropriate. In a bar full of drunk people screaming “Happy Cinco de Drinko!” be the voice of reason. Just say ” Happy Cinco de Mayo.”

 

Now you know how to respectfully celebrate this holiday, grab a vina and have a blast!

 

HOW TO THROW A LOW BUDGET PARTY IN NYC

/ sofiakarliner / Leave a comment
It’s not news that New York City is crazy expensive, but I was still shocked when, this year, as I was planning my birthday, I could not find a single way to get all my friends together without breaking my bank! After a little research and the wise and (seemingly obvious) solutions were presented to me by others, I have gathered some tips on how to celebrate in NYC without having to simultaneously throw yourself a going-away party because you can no longer afford rent.

YOUR FAVE BAR

Invite all your friends to a trendy bar and take over. The only downsides to this are that you can’t put up decorations and you never know how full it will be. But the upside is that you don’t have to rent out a place for a bajillion dollars. There are a bunch of cool bars that aren’t super popular, yet have a chic and classy (or whatever vibe you’re going for) feel to them. Plus, everyone only needs to spend as much money as they’re willing to, especially if there’s no cover!

A SUNNY PARK

When it’s nice out, head outside to WSP or Central Park, and throw a picnic party. Set up balloons or whatever cheap decorations please you. Make sure you grab a boombox and pop that bubbly! Do the whole potluck style so you’re not stuck with a large food budget!

YOUR ROOF (OR A FRIEND’S)

Roof parties are a thing for a reason. Basically everyone in NYC has an incredible view from their roof, and maybe even some choice furniture! If yours or a friend’s is accessible, hit it up for a cheap and easy celebration! Just like the picnic – make it potluck style (and BYOB).
Where do you like to celebrate in the city? Tag a vina and comment below!
(Featured image via @tealcheesecake)

VINAS NIGHT OUT IN GIFS

/ henny kwon / Leave a comment

It’s the weekend, vinas, which means it’s time for the rollercoaster of emotions that is partying. This is usually how it goes:

giphy (11).gif

Then I think, or not…

giphy (2).gif

Actually no—let’s do this sh*t!

giphy (3).gif

Then I meet up with my vinas, and we let the bad bitches in us take over:

giphy (5).gif

And we proceed to do this:

giphy (4)

And even though, we feel like this:

giphy (6).gif

We know we’re lookin’ like this:

giphy (7).gif

But we really don’t give any f*cks!

giphy (12).gif

And when the creeps come out, we’re like:

giphy (8).gif

But they keep comin’!

giphy (10).gif

So we just make this our mantra:

giphy (9)

As the night goes on, we start to worry about each other:

giphy (13).gif

But it’s still the best night ever!

giphy (14)

Totally!

giphy (15).gif

Sort of…giphy (16).gif

But it’s all good because we end the night like this:

giphy (17).gif

Knowing tomorrow this will be us all day:

giphy (19).gif

Tell us what your vinas’ night out looks like in the comments below!

(Featured image via collegemagazine.com)

DEFEATING BIRTHDAY DISAPPOINTMENT

/ sofiakarliner / Leave a comment
We’ve all been there: that place of soul crushing disappointment where your birthday expectations don’t meet up with your reality. The truth is, adult birthdays are a lot of responsibility. No parent is planning your bash or buying you a cake anymore.
Yet, somehow, we hold this unwavering belief that someone is going to plan our perfect day without us saying anything at all! Or we do plan things… and they always seem to go very, very wrong. Here are some tips for overcoming birthday disappointment.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

If you want a party… throw yourself a party! I can’t count the amount of times I’ve decided to hold low expectations and make zero plans in an attempt to avoid disappointment. Let’s just see what happens, blah blah blah, and then… surprise! Nothing happens. As adults we need to take our birthdays into our own hands. The key here is to not stress too much about people showing up or other nitty gritty details. Recruit a friend to be your party planner. Your vinas want to make your birthday great, but chances are no one is going to plan you a party unless you ask them to.

TREAT YO’ SELF

Take yourself shopping and buy yourself a present. Plan a nice dinner for yourself and your vinas, or (if you can) take the day off of work and treat yourself to a spa day. Eat a lot of birthday cake! You don’t need a huge bash to make yourself feel special. When you let the world know that you are celebrating, it will rally and celebrate with you.

DON’T BE PASSIVE

Don’t tell people your birthday doesn’t matter to you if it does. They will (surprise) actually think it doesn’t matter. Or even if they see through you, they won’t know what you want from them. Tell people what you want! You don’t have to be demanding or greedy, just clearly mention what you hope to gain from the day. Disappointment is not a softer blow when you don’t speak up, but it is more likely to happen.

JOURNAL

Write a journal entry on your birthday! Reflect on the past year and the year to come. Make resolutions. Your birthday can be a lot more therapeutic and productive than New Years when it comes to starting fresh. Regardless of the celebration (or lack thereof) you will still get meaning out of your special day.

BIRTHDAY WEEK

Spend the whole week celebrating. This is helpful because not so much hangs on one day or gathering. You don’t have to have a whole bunch of activities planned, but enjoy the whole week in a cloud of birthday specialness.
What do you do to enjoy your birthday? Tag a vina and comment below! 
(Featured Image via Pintrest)

THROW THE BEST GOING-AWAY PARTY FOR YOUR VINA!

/ henny kwon / Leave a comment

Is your bff of like ten years moving all the way across the country, or even just leaving for another city? Well vinas- party now, and cry later. We have work to do!

LOCATION

I’m all about a big ole’ red carpet slash black tie event, but I’m pretty much always workin’ on a brown rug slash t-shirt budget—if that makes sense. In other words, we’re going to get creative. Luckily, I know how you can turn your living room into the coolest spot in town! First, move all the big furniture out the way—we’ll need room to dance. Next: decorate! I like to use chalkboards, which you can get a craft stores for great prices, to display “We’ll miss you” messages for your departing vina. Put ’em all over the place so everywhere they look, your vina will know how much they’re loved. Another decoration that is absolutely necessary: banners! Just go into DIY mode and make super adorable banners to hang on the walls—since your vina is embarking on a new journey, you may want to use something like maps for the banner! And just a little tip: Christmas lights turn any place into a charming venue.

FOOD

As the hostess with the mostest, you are responsible for feeding the folks you invite. I honestly prefer small finger foods for full-on parties. Some of my faves are potato wedges, bruschetta, and cheesy bread, because who doesn’t love those things? I also recommend inviting a couple friends over ahead of time to help you do all the cooking and prep! And if your group is super laid-back like mine, you might even consider doing a potluck type of party! It’s always fun to have everyone bring different dishes!

HIRE A DJ AND A BARTENDER

Hah, gotcha! Yeah, when you’re on a budget, you become the DJ and the bartender. But the best parties do take effort to run smoothly. No worries if you don’t have your own turntables–just hook up your phone to your speakers. But take a moment to make a few playlists ahead of time! I’ve totally just hooked up my phone and put it on shuffle before, and well, it was a mistake. One minute we were twerkin’ to Nelly, and the next Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah started playing–beautiful song, but kind of killed the mood. Speaking of mood, nothing livens up a party like some great cocktails! Please enjoy these delicious recipes responsibly, vinas. 

Honestly, throwing the best going-away party for your vina may sound like a lot of work, but they deserve to be sent off right! And when you’re celebrating your friendship, it really takes no effort to have a great time, so just remember to have fun, take tons of pictures, and make your vina feel special!

Are you planning a party for your vina? Share some tips in the comments below!

(Featured image via thesoutherntrunk.com)