Party Planning Has Gone Digital in 2020 with LYFETYMES

LYFETYMES Digital Party Planning

We created LYFETYMES for busy parents, one place where they could manage and plan important moments and celebrations like Birthday Parties, Baby Showers, Graduations, Holidays, etc. As moms ourselves, we spend hours and days planning, we get it. We want to be able to save moms all over the world hours and days of stressful planning.

Another reason was to create a place to share tutorials, DIY Ideas, and support women and build a community of sharing. And we wanted it to be free.

Planning Has Never Been Easier

To us, planning a party is more than décor, that's why we created a Platform and Marketplace that is one-stop and will help you plan from ideation to memories. When you join our party, you will have free access to planning tools where you will be able to start planning in 30 seconds. Anyone that is the family or friend designated “Party Planner” knows there are many verticals to plan for.

Party Planning for The Future

Party Planning for birthdays, baby showers and Holidays. Plan any party for free. All in one party planner. Free event planning for any party. Easy party planning tools and checklists.

• Create Personalized Party Websites to text email your guests who can RSVP and get party details. LYFETYMES just launched where you can send a video, not just a picture, and we think it will really knock your guest's socks off!

• Celebration Dashboard-Easily to read dashboards to keep track of valuable information and updates, including countdown clocks.

• Invitation Station- Build easy email, mailing and texting lists, import previous guest lists or from your contacts, send invites, and track RSVPs. Save the Dates & Thank You notes.

• Inspiration Boards-Upload and share your favorite pictures to capture or inspire your vision for decor, cakes, themes, etc.

• Vendor & Venues- Your "Party Motherboard" of all the things you may need for a party all in one place!

• Registry & Gift Board- Create wishlist’s or add registry URL's that can be shared with guests or begin a new registry with your favorite store.

• Planning & Tools- Interactive checklists, add and track to-do's, assign tasks, and due dates. Assign your celebration a budget and track spending.

• Food, Drink & Dessert Center- It's the center of every celebration! You can order catering, book a restaurant, order food delivery or DIY grocery lists – it's all in one place!

• Decoration Center- Browse decorations based on the occasion, purchase from top suppliers, or get inspiration for your celebration!

Hostess With The Mostess

Are you hosting for someone? Maybe a graduation party or baby or bridal shower? With LYFETYMES, you can send your Guest Of Honor a link to help personalize the celebration with a limited view (so you don't give all the details away!). That way, they can help with invites or provide registry information or theme favorites.

We know that not every day is a party, but it's still important to remember someone's birthday, anniversary, or any special day. To keep all those dates organized, we created LYFEMINDERS: You pick the day, and we will send you a reminder so you can send your love.

You can even plan multiple celebrations at the same time and access past parties to reuse tools and information like previous invite lists to make LYFE easier!

To Infinity and Beyond!

As we grow LYFETYMES, we will continue to share party ideas via our blog. So you can bring a party together quickly with the latest insights around themes when it comes to décor, food, games and activities, and everything party. Hopefully, make some friends, collaborate, and have some laughs along the way!

LYFETYMES Your Celebration Platform and Marketplace

We are committed to eliminating the pain points in planning celebrations and the stress that comes with it. We want to enable you to spend more time with your family and friends enjoying the moment and less time sweating over the details.

Here at LYFETYMES, we want to hear from you as far as the information you want to learn about. With the holidays fast approaching we will have a ton to share with each other, and we can’t wait to start Celebrating all of the milestones in LYFE with you.

Please feel free to reach out to us directly at katie@lyfetymes.com if you have feedback, ideas, or just want to connect. We have BIG things coming for the rest of the year and can't wait to share them.

Keep Partying,

Katie Founder & CEO LYFETYMES

Party Like A Mother

Mom, You Need to Party

We, as moms, think of parties as an obligation. Mostly kid-type events we attend that eats away at our weekends. Tit for tat, we must attend theirs, or they won't participate in yours. Some are more fun and meaningful like a friend or family members baby shower (we go for the Mimosa Bar). When you have kids, you become consumed by their events, but when was the last time you took time for you and your Girl Squad?

Friends or Kriend?

What’s a kriend? It is what we call mom’s we meet through our kids. Sometimes we assume the parents in your kids' circle are your friends, because you see familiar faces at all the parties, sporting event, or class functions. But the truth is that is not the universe putting you together to really bond (if it happens excellent), that's the school pulling a name out of a hat.

It's so important to keep touch with those and more importantly connect with friends (if they are family, even better) on an ongoing basis. You deserve it, also seeing each other once a month is fine, you can keep up to date on day to day or week to week updates through social media.

Leave the mom guilt at the door, because you are the only one who can care for your mind, body, and soul and if that isn't a bit balanced and in check, then you can’t be your best for everyone else who are depending on you. Most importantly, it gives you something to look forward to that is just yours.

Self Love Challenge

Let's challenge all the women we know: stay at home moms, work from home, corporate moms (work dinners three times a week with colleagues DO NOT COUNT), and mompreneurs. Let’s take a 3-month challenge, and get your squad together to meet. At the very least, do it once a month, put it on the schedule and treat it as doctor appointment, it’s immovable.

I promise after three months you will realize how much you not only need it, but enjoy it and look forward to it. Here are some fun ideas to get this challenge started for you and your squad.

Watch Party

Watch parties are great to bring your squad together. No matter if it's an Oldie but Goodie Movie Night, Newly released PPV, Real Housewives Season Finale, Oscar Watch Party, or Little Big Lies we can always find something that we love to watch. We get we could be doing more productive things, but we somehow know it is the food for our soul and makes us all warm and fuzzy inside.

This isn't a sit-down dinner kind of dinner party. Depending on the length, have everyone bring an appetizer or take turns. Everyone gets to show off their favorite little culinary specialty, and the person hosting won't have to clean AND cook. Have one person bring a dessert. We love this showstopping 3-D Marilyn Monroe Cake. If you're in the Champaign, Illinois area contact her at carissa.thomas1972@gmail.com to have your fantastic cake at your next Movie Party.

Ladies who Lunch/Brunch

Nothing is better than brunch. Keep in mind brunch is defined as between breakfast and lunch, a two-fer, two birds, one rock. Most associate it with Sunday, but it can really be any day of the week. From an outdoor place setting to dressing up and meeting up at a favorite restaurant, so you leave the cooking to someone else, it's a beautiful treat to know you can sneak away for a couple hours and relax. Let's also get "Linner" trending, combing Lunch and Dinner, you're welcome moms. Check out out favorite Brunch Ideas here.

Tea party

This is a bit posh, but who doesn't love a summer dress, a nice cup of tea and delicious finger sandwiches? Coupled with a beautiful table setting, you can cover any topic, favorite book you are reading or favorite new life-saving app. If you want to kick it up a notch, try an Alice In Wonderland Theme to showcase your sense of humor. Get some inspiration for a great Tea Party here.

Wine Tasting

Rose All Day Party. Get your Wine, cheese, crackers, fruit all equals a sexy charcuterie board. This is a great way to share new wines and pairings. Just make sure we are all responsible, and we have designated rides home. But let your hair down and have a good laugh with friends. Check out our favorite wine tasting parties here.

CBD Party

A CBD Spa Party was Kim Kardashians last baby shower! Introduce your friends to the world of CBD topicals and spa product that are providing new relief and healing to millions. You can now find CBD in creams, shampoos, skincare and there is a ton science to back up its claim on how wonderful these oils and lotions are. Click here for the article cover Kim (yeah, because we are that close) Shower.

Game & Appetizer Party

Nothing will get people out of their comfort zone and everyone smiling like playing games. It sounds cheeky, but we kind of long for it. I'm not talking Twister or Chess, but there are a ton of funny games to play that will crack the entire group up. One of our favorites is Heads Up, an Ellen favorite. Its an app, all you need is your phone, and you will laugh, guaranteed. Click here for other great ideas

Farmers Market/Food Mall Field Trip

Food Malls and Indoor and Outdoor Farmers Markets are some of the best outing experiences with your squad. They are quaint; usually, you can find something fresh and new you want to try, fantastic ambiance, experience getting out and going somewhere. Most places have a place to grab a quick bit or eat along the way. All you have to do it google it and you will be surprised how many options you have. This is also a wonderful fall activity when it is a bit cooler and every mom welcomes backs jeans and riding boots.

Now Go For It!

So now that you have some ideas, the question is, will you do it? Invest in yourself, just do it, no "thank you" required. You will feel immediately better and excited and looking forward to your next adventure.

Free Digital DIY Party Planner

LYFETYMES is Your FREE Digital Party Planner. We will help you plan your perfect party stress-free so you can enjoy the party and soak up every moment. Start Stress-Free Planning in 30 seconds: Create a Party Website, manage guests & track RSVPs, add a registry, shop for decor, and more! You will never know how you did it before LYFETYMES. Follow us for the latest party ideas and trends at LYFETYMES. 

Best Back to School Party Ideas

Back to School Party Ideas

Can you possibly imagine that summer is ending and it’s almost the beginning of the school year? It seems every year that the start date creeps a little closer and closer and the summers get shorter and shorter. Most parents are going through some range of emotions: A child starting kindergarten for the first time; entering a middle school; a first-year high school student or a senior preparing for adulthood. No matter where you are in the circle of life, it's normal for parents to feel anxious with any changes coming to their child's routine or environment.

So the good news is we are all going through this emotional roller coaster together. And yes, it’s a roller coaster: the other side of the coin is the guilty exhilaration we parents feel with back to school; doing cartwheels of freedom; full time accredited child supervision; grocery bill going in half by not having to feed "human food inhalers."

But the more significant point should be, it's a milestone, and it's worth celebrating. It is essential our children feel loved, excited, and confident going back into school and we are a part of that ecosystem.

To help navigate these waters for parents AND your kids, we wanted to share some of our favorite Back to School/end of Summer Party ideas to celebrate another year passing and another milestone beginning, So before you go, Saber that Champagne bottle, we put together a list of fun ideas to wrap this summer up! Also, head over to LYFETYMES Pinterest page for over 60,000 Party Ideas and Themes.

Slumber Parties and Camping Under the Stars

Sleepovers are a great way to bring kids back together and help them keep reacquainted after a long summer. They help keep friendships intact to ease those "first day of school" nerves. Host a Spa Party for girls to give some well-needed pampering before going back to school. We have great DIY inexpensive ideas and hacks from cucumber slices, facials, DIY Mani and Pedis, and more. https://blog.lyfetymes.com/home/slumber-party

Host a Camping or Glamping party, timing is great before we head into fall and then winter and nothing bonds friends more than stories by a campfire, making smores and gazing at the stars. Check out our favorites here https://www.pinterest.com/lyfetymes/camping-birthday-party/ Highly recommend pitching a tent and asking the kids to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. Even if you have it inside, there is nothing better than building an indoor fort!

New Adventure Class Party

If you have a youngster that still has a teacher and same class most of the day, you usually know who the teacher and kids in the class are prior to school beginning. Those are the children who most of your kids will be with most of their time. Arrange a "Back to School" party or "Meet & Greet" at the local park for a picnic with the kids. Think of it as a large organized play date. Have each parent bring a treat that wants to participate. Trust me, and these parents can really help you in a jam and its since classmates usually change every year, nice for your little one to know some familiar faces Day 1 of school.

Too Cool for School

This is fun for pre-teen/ teen kids who can be awkward and goofy and probably the most nervous about school. This age is also the age where you as a parent may not realize that adorable angel that said "I love you" every second, may morph into Satan's little helper at times no matter what you do. So while you are trying to help "kid network" like you would a LinkedIn even, you can also go on recon for who is going to be around them. Get their guard down by organizing an activity like Skating- 80's neon theme- bonus they won't be on their phones on skate due to fear of dropping their precious ring, I mean phone. Get neon inspired ideas at https://www.pinterest.com/lyfetymes/80s-party-ideas/

"Backpack Bash"

This can be done with friends, family, or classmates. All the kids bring backpacks, and each parent is responsible for bringing one supply from those god-awful supply lists kiosk at a Walmart that looks like it's been ransacked as if it had free money in it. Have the kids hand them out the supplies or trade t with each other. Makes a great scavenger hunt or treasure hunt activity by providing each child the list and clues or a map. It does take a bit to organize, but if you use www.lyfetymes.com – it will be painless to pull your party and school items together. Remember its all about the experience and building confidence and social skills and having fun doing it.

Coachella Party, Festival or Fair

The end of summer can be a great time to hold a festival, fair, or carnival. A great reason to bring a community together, and have a fundraiser for a great cause.

So many DIY inspirations and parents are eager to help. It can set a fun, positive tone for your group and school and become an annual event.

You can split it up in age-friendly groups k-5 Farmers Market Fair, Grade 5-8 Carnival and High School age Coachella. Fun activities ring toss, face-painting, and crafts. As well, you can help keep families cool in hot weather by renting a blow-up water slide and offering items such as shaved ice and water toys. Check out amazing Coachella ideas at https://www.pinterest.com/lyfetymes/coachella-theme-party/

Planning a Back to School Party?

Planning a party can be stressful and time-consuming, and that's why we created LYFETYMES. LYFETYMES is Your All-In-One FREE Digital Party Planner. We will help you plan your perfect Back to School party stress-free so you can soak up every moment. Start Party Planning in 30 seconds: Create a Party Website, manage guests & track RSVPs, add a registry, shop for decor, make food and items lists, add Co-Hosts to help, and more! You will never know how you did it before LYFETYMES. Follow us for the latest party ideas and trends at here.