INTERVIEW: Lauren Conrad Stopped By BuzzFeed & Teach Us Party Planning 101!
Lauren Conrad stopped by BuzzFeed New York to teach us Party Planning 101 - and because she’s so crafty, she did all of that while also showing us how to make the *perfect* not-flower bouquet
that your BFF would actually want to receive.
What are your must-haves when throwing a party?
Lauren Conrad: The three main ones are a good menu - good cocktails, appetizers, whatever you’re serving. Decor is really important: I think it separates that occasion from everyday life; it makes it feel more special. And then the last thing is music. I think a playlist is often forgotten and kind of left till the last minute, but i think it really sets the mood for any party so I think that’s important.
What should you not serve at a party?
LC: I think that it’s best not to serve anything that can be offensive breath-wise - in a social event you don’t wanna go too heavy on, like, garlic or onions. And if you’re doing appetizers, maybe bite-size, so you’re not trying to fit everything into your mouth.
Is there something someone could bring you that would make you even more excited than flowers?
LC: Probably! I don’t know; I have really thoughtful friends. I feel like whenever they show up with a little present it’s always so sweet. The best gifts I feel like aren’t forced - they’re like, I saw this and it reminded me of you. I think those are always really fun to receive. Even like a really beautiful card is really nice.
Is there a certain kind of gift you bring people when they’re hosting a party?
LC: If someone’s hosting I think it’s nice to bring them something they can either enjoy before or after the party. So something like, you know, the go-to is like a bottle of wine and flowers - I think that’s really nice. Some people are a little anti-flowers because they feel like if it’s a bigger event they have to run around and get a vase for it; I’ve heard that from several people. But I’m never really bothered by that. Also something nice [would be] a candle, a fancy deck of playing cards, a set of coasters, a really pretty wine opener. Again, just something you saw and thought was pretty. It’s just a thoughtful way of saying thanks for inviting me to your event.
What are your thoughts on regifting?
LC: Regifting is risky! I feel like it’s safer with a bottle of wine - like, say you get gifted a bottle of Cabernet and you only drink white wine, or you don’t drink wine at all, then that makes sense. Or if it’s a pretty common brand, I think it’s fine. But if you’re regifting something that is very specific and you get caught, I feel like that’s awkward.
How often do you go on Pinterest?
LC: I don’t go on it every day. I honestly go on Pinterest when I’m looking for something. If you go on it just because, then you get stuck in this dark hole, and like hours have passed and you don’t know what happened. So I try and do it when I’m looking for something specific.
Do you have any secret Pinterest boards?
LC: So many. I have the max amount - like I’m not allowed to do it, I have to, like, give up one if I want another secret Pinterest board. Because sometimes you’re just like really working through something, and you’re like, Oh, I like the concept here but it’s not like a beautiful photo, and then you have like a page curated so you don’t wanna mess that up, so. Probably overthinking it. [laughs]
If flowers mean “I’m sorry” and chocolates mean “I love you,” what do cookies mean?
LC: I think cookies say everything. They cover all the categories! They say I know you, and I know you like cookies.
Do you have a signature cocktail that you like to make?
LC: I have a couple - I’ve been really into making spicy margaritas lately. I kind of made it my mission this year to get down, like, the perfect margarita recipe. And I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting closer! That’s always a fun one. I feel like no one ever turns down a margarita.
If you’re gonna bake, do you do it from scratch or boxed?
LC: It depends. I only can bake, like, a few things. Whenever I’m doing stuff for my website or a party I have a good girlfriend who’s a baker so I always ask her to do it, because she’s so much better. But I can do a pie - that’s a pretty easy one for me. If I’m doing a cake a lot of times I start with a box mix because there are some really good ones out there - whether it’s a poppyseed or something really simple, or even a really good chocolate cake - and then I mix in berries and make my own frosting. But actually baking, unless you have a great recipe that you’ve tried a million times or you know through your family - it’s a risky move.
What did you serve for dessert at your wedding?
LC: At our wedding we served pie - me and two of my girlfriends made them all. And we made like a couple ones ahead of time and froze them, and day of brought them up, defrosted them, and baked them fresh that day. So everyone had warm apple pie. It was one of those thing where I was like, It’ll be great! I imagined like a cute rom-com, like us baking all day. And then it turned into a lot.[laughs]
For even more Pinterest-worthy lifestyle tips, check out her new book Lauren Conrad Celebrate, in stores now!
Source: BuzzFeed