3 Winners of entertaining simple!

Thanks so much to all who entered to win 1 of 3 copies of Michael Mead's entertaining simple. You all have so much good entertaining advice and tips/tricks to share - hopefully this helped others learn how to make entertaining a little easier. And now here are the 3 lucky readers who have won:

1) Melanie who said: I find that when I keep things simple, the food and colors etc, my life as a hostess is much simpler. I have a nice set of white china that I can use for ever occasion by changing my other decor and napkin colors etc. This also cuts down on price.

2) Dawn who said: My entertaining trick is to have a signature cocktail/mocktail. Always have a fun drink to match your theme, even if it means giving a regular drink a new name and serve in a fun glass. In the past, we've had "Chocolatinis" at Christmas, apple-ginger sparklers garnished with cinnamon stick stirrers in martini glasses, and "Blue Lagoon" (blue punch) in clear tumblers with drink umbrellas.

3) Michelle who said: No party is good without candlelight! Candles make everything look beautiful.

Congrats to all the winners! Please email me at rebecca [at] tastefullyentertaining.com with your name and mailing address so I can get the books sent out to you!

Thanks again to all who entered!

Entertaining Reads: entertaining simple + A Giveaway

Today's post is the next installment in my Entertaining Reads series! The featured book in this edition is entertaining simple by the ultra talented entertaining guru, Matthew Mead. And thanks to the Wiley publishing group, 3 lucky readers will receive a copy of this wonderful new book!

Anyone interested in entertaining should familiarize themselves with Matthew Mead and his massive portfolio of party tips and inspiration. His newest book, entertaining simple, is a great way to do just that! It starts by laying out everything you could need in your entertaining pantry as well as unique ways to organize it all. Next, Matthew Mead showcases a ton of ideas (all with lovely photos) for individual party elements - place cards, napkin rings and general tabletop inspiration. Lastly, entertaining simple provides a bunch of party menus with delicious recipes for several occasions. This a great book, packed with entertaining inspiration fit for the novice host or the expert hostess.

To purchase entertaining simple head over to Amazon. For more information or inspiration from Matthew Mead check out his main site or his page on Facebook (where you can become his Facebook fan).

**READER GIVEAWAY**

Now, I mentioned that I get to giveaway 3 copies of this great new book! Entering to win is very simple and each reader has 2 opportunities to win:

1) Head over to the Tastefully Entertaining page on Facebook and post a comment about something that no good party is without.

2) Post a comment on today's post (11/24) about a tip or trick that makes entertaining more simple.

To double your chance of winning leave a comment on both pages. Each reader can enter once on the Tastefully Entertaining page on Facebook and once on the Tastefully Entertaining blog, for a total of 2 entries. Please be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will be accepted up until 7:00 pm Eastern on Friday, November 28th. Winners will be selected by a random drawing and will be announced on Monday, December 1st.

5 Winners of Katie Brown Celebrates!

Thanks so much to all those who entered to win 1 of 5 copies of a great new entertaining book, Katie Brown Celebrates! It was a ton of fun reading about the best parties you've been to and the ones you can't wait to plan! Now, without further ado, here are the 5 lucky readers who have won:

1) beth who said: SO excited for the new book, looks lovely! Besides my own wedding :), the best wedding i have ever attended was definitely my brother's ... it was a small, intimate affair at a vineyard in Napa, the event was so filled with details that really remind me of who my brother and now sister-in-law are and what they love and it made all the guests feel included in their lives! from modern touches, to great wine and monograms everyone - you really got a sense of who they are. such good memories!

2) katie r who said: how super generous of you! The book looks wonderful. I am going to sound conceited and say the best wedding I ever attended was mine. It came off perfectly and was a perfect blend of traditional and SUPER FUN and was all totally us! It was also a ton of work and we did a lot ourselves, So I was pretty proud of how it turned out, on top of it being my happiest day ever!

3) Miranda Santiago who said: I would love to do a winter wonderland dinner party with tons of white christmas lights, large white feather centerpieces, DIY crystal beaded napkin rings, and peppermintinis garnished with mini candy canes. It's in the works... :)

4) rissa and jared who said: My favorite parties are the ones my mom has at her house with just some neighbors or friends. She always has great food and presentation. Plus, she is hilarious and can keep a party going all night!

5) Stacie Helm who said: I would love to host a fabulous baby or wedding shower. I have hosted a lot of events but have never hosted either of those. There are so many fun ideas I am dying to try!

Congrats to all the winners! Please email me at rebecca [at] tastefullyentertaining.com with your name and mailing address so I can get the books sent out to you. :)

If you didn't win, definitely consider heading to Amazon and ordering a copy for yourself. This book is a great entertaining resource and is packed with tons of creative and easy ideas to make your gatherings extra special!

Entertaining Reads: Katie Brown Celebrates + A Giveaway!

I am so excited for today's post! I'm unveiling a brand new series on Tastefully Entertaining entitled Entertaining Reads. I will be keeping an eye out for new entertaining books so I can recommend them to you as part of this series. But not only am I launching this fun new feature, I also get to giveaway copies of today's book! Thanks so much to the Hachette Book Group for generously providing copies of Katie Brown Celebrates for 5 lucky readers!


The moment I received my copy of Katie Brown Celebrates I was extremely excited to peak inside. Katie Brown is well known in the world of entertaining - a show on PBS, a column in The New York Times, several other books as well as being featured in many national magazines are just a few of her claims to fame. This most recent book, however, is a must read for anyone interested in entertaining. Filled with inspiration for hosting parties for every time of year, this book shines through easy table setting and decor ideas (materials list and instructions are included), appetizing recipes that don't require a pantry full of ingredients and simple but creative concepts for enjoyable events. Within just the first few pages, she features a New Year's party with a stunning and unique DIY centerpiece and an ingeniously easy and adorable favor idea, both of which I cannot wait to try out. And that is just the beginning of 12 party concepts, each meticulously planned out with invitation ideas, decor inspiration, craft guides, favors, party games, recipes and more. Trust me, this is a book you won't want to miss!

To purchase Katie Brown Celebrates head over to Amazon. They have copies in stock now for $19.80 (plus it qualifies for free super saver shipping!)

**READER GIVEAWAY**

Now, I mentioned that I get to giveaway 5 copies of this lovely new book! Entering to win is very simple and every reader has 2 opportunities to win:

1) Head over to the Tastefully Entertaining page on Facebook and post a comment on The Wall about an event you've always dreamed of hosting.

2) Post a comment on today's post (10/16) about the best party or wedding you've ever attended.

To double your chance of winning leave a comment on both pages. Each reader can enter once on the Tastefully Entertaining page on Facebook and once on the Tastefully Entertaining blog, for a total of 2 entries. Please be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will be accepted up until 7:00 pm Eastern on Monday, October 20th. Winners will be selected by a random drawing.