Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, things are about to get decidedly merry around these parts! Tis the season for entertaining and I, for one, could not be happier to host family and friends as often as possible over the next several weeks. Today I’ve teamed up with 34 Degrees to share a few easy tips and inspiring ideas for hosting a simple yet super chic holiday cocktail party. I think this is truly the easiest way to entertain over the holidays and oftentimes the most fun, too! You won’t have to spend hours prepping, cooking and then cleaning the kitchen and with a stash of 34 Degrees crisps at the ready, you can serve up tasty gourmet bites in a flash. Plate them alongside a selection of delicious cocktails, crank your favorite holiday playlist and you’ve got a hip holiday party waiting to happen.

This post was sponsored by Dr. Oetker Virtuoso Pizza. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make The Sweetest Occasion possible! In our town going out for Bloody Marys is a longstanding New Year’s Day tradition to the point where some folks skip New Year’s Eve festivities entirely in order to better partake in the Bloody …

This post was sponsored by Keurig Green Mountain®. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make The Sweetest Occasion possible! When I think about entertaining during the holidays, I like things to feel really fun and special for friends and family, but not at the expense of my sanity. We have a huge family and …

This post was sponsored by Eagle Brand. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make The Sweetest Occasion possible! Baking cookies around the holidays has a long, sweet history in my family. I remember gathering as a kid with my mom, grandmother and aunts to mix, roll, cut and bake cookies for an entire weekend …

This post was sponsored by The Glad Products Company. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make The Sweetest Occasion possible! Over the last few years, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about ways to give back as a family during the holidays, but this year we really wanted to take it up a notch. I’m …

Sometimes it makes good sense to start the day with something super pretty. When it’s the week before Thanksgiving and that something happens to be in the form of a gorgeous Thanksgiving table and the yummiest looking dessert buffet you ever did see, well, then it’s even more appropriate. Today we’re talking about this beautiful …

We’re ushering in the New Year with a look back at this colorful and festive New Year’s Eve party that Mindy Kaisner of Modern Mindy planned last year for a group of girlfriends. Mindy is an interior designer turned event planner, and with this party she was all about bringing the sparkle with a fun at-home party that’s …

This post was sponsored by Kendall-Jackson. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that so generously help The Sweetest Occasion keep on keepin’ on! Last week I hosted an impromptu gift wrapping party and invited a couple of my best friends to spend an afternoon with me wrapping gifts, sipping wine and stuffing ourselves with Christmas cookies. …

St. Patrick’s Day being next Monday and all, this weekend is the perfect time to gather your friends and indulge in a little Irish inspired bash! This stunner of a St. Patrick’s Day party was designed by our friend Andrea Harper of Gray Harper Event Maker and I’m loving the gorgeous kelly green and navy color combination. Another …

I make no secret of the fact that I love putting a non-romantic spin on Valentine’s Day. Remember how in elementary school Valentine’s Day was all about passing out little notes and candy to your friends? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. After sharing my take on a girlfriend-friendly Valentine’s Day with pretty DIY mini bouquets last …

You guys know by now that I love a good dinner party. Those gatherings of friends, good food and plenty of laughter that are really just about celebrating the every day. That’s what this gorgeous dinner party is all about. Shared by Veronica Lola, this rustic dinner party was a Friendsgiving celebration that Veronica and …

You guys should know by now that I’m big fan of the growing Friendsgiving trend. A couple of years ago I shared my own Friendsgiving dinner and last year it was this Friendsgiving spread that had us all feeling inspired to show our friends a little love. Well this year we’re keeping the tradition rolling with this …