Mardi Gras Party: How to Plan a Spectacular Celebration

Mardi Gras is not a bash, but a wild carnival of excess, decadence, and unshackled depravity. If you're having a little soiree or wild bash, a Mardi Gras bash is the most excellent way to bring people together and let it all hang out in style. So how do you host the best Mardi Gras bash? Let's break it all down to what you'll need, starting with Mardi Gras party decorations to picking the most suitable Mardi Gras gift ideas. You're hosting the party of the year! 

Mardi Gras Party Decorations Ideas

The secret to a great Mardi Gras party is to get your space to look like a rainbow-colored and lively wonderland. Mardi Gras party decorations are all about setting the mood and getting into your party with the rainbow-colored vibrancy of New Orleans. Here are some cool and innovative ideas on how to party your space and your guests up as if they were in Mardi Gras.

1. Mardi Gras Color Palette

Start with the traditional Mardi Gras colors—purple, green, and gold. These rich, warm tones are your starting point for decor. Mix and alternate them throughout your party space to create a cohesive, energetic look. Purple tablecloths, green napkins, and gold balloons, for instance. Use them for banners, streamers, and even lighting as they represent Mardi Gras and will help the party begin.

2. Mask and Bead Garland

Masks are the soul of Mardi Gras, so make use of them as a theme.

Drape Mardi Gras masks on the wall or ceilings to provide a festive and curious setting. Create beaded garlands by unrolling out gilded Mardi Gras beads—the parade beads. They may be draped along furniture, left on the wall, or placed even in the background of your photographs. The beads will add texture and shine to the room, and your room will be Bourbon Street! 

3. Mardi Gras Float Flowers in Floral Arrangements

Flowers decorate Mardi Gras floats and parades, and it is not so hard to incorporate flowers into your party decor. Create stunning flower arrangements of bright flowers such as yellow lilies, purple irises, and green carnations and mimicking ones viewed on flowers of Mardi Gras parades. Put them on tables, mantles, or wherever they will be convenient for people to grab them easily so as to introduce revelry and elegance in the environment.

4. Mardi Gras Lights

Lighting is never a choice for any decent party, and Mardi Gras lights can really make it happen. Fairy lights dancing in red, green, and purple Mardi Gras colors or a little flashier and brasher with something like neon lights or LED lights, a little bit of glitz does the trick. Dangle them in your bedroom, place them on tables, or hang them over your doorway to bring a warm and glimmering atmosphere. When it comes to a celebratory atmosphere, place dim lights to provide lights for highlight to the color of the Mardi Gras accessory so the light can reflect off. 

5. Beaded Table Centerpieces and Settings

Mardi Gras beads make a lovely table setting for your dining table. Scatter a few strands over the tablecloth as a touch of color, or incorporate them along with the centerpiece. Even place tiny candles or tea lights in glass containers with additional beads for the gleaming effect. Make it slightly different by filling glass vases with Mardi Gras float flowers and beads to create a lavish centerpiece that will make your party guests make a lasting impression. By incorporating all these features, you will be able to create a lovely and festive Mardi Gras atmosphere that will make your guests feel like they are really in New Orleans' biggest parade. The brighter and more colorful your decorations are, the more enchanted your Mardi Gras party will be!

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Dressing the Part Ideas

Dressing up is a large part of the party when it comes to a Mardi Gras party that brings the fun to life! Mardi Gras is all about dressing up in bright colors and having a good time, so this is your chance to let your imagination be your guide and become a part of the celebratory holiday spirit. No matter how you want to dress up, whether big or small with elaborate costumes or something simple to brighten up holiday decorations, the possibilities are limited on how dressed up you need to get to celebrate the holiday.

1. Go Big with Mardi Gras Costumes

If it's go big or go home for you, then a Mardi Gras party is exactly the occasion on which to go all out and bring out the whole costume. Over-the-top, indulgent, and extravagant. You can re-create the decadence of the season by dressing up in a decadent gown, a feathered headdress, and glittering masks. Mardi Gras style is showy costumes inspired by the parade floats, glitter, beads, and sequins. Whatever you're costumed as, a Mardi Gras queen, a jester, or a celebrity New Orleans icon, there are plenty of choices to make.

2. Mardi Gras Masks and Beads

The simplest, most rapid thing to do is add any old garment a Mardi Gras mask, and some beads. Masks are Mardi Gras, and the fairy tale essence, the magic they will bring, will be done in awe of any piece you cover with one. Utilize an austere, gorgeous one, or make it go totally insane in feathers, beads, and glitter.

3. Vibrant Mardi Gras Attire

If you want to do something a little more casual but Mardi Gras-themed, wear the colors of the holiday in their traditional colors. Purple, green, and gold are the classic holiday colors. You don't have to dress up completely as a character in order to wear in the spirit of Mardi Gras – even wearing any of these colors in your wardrobe can make a huge impact. Wear a purple top, a green skirt, or gold accessories.

4. Shoes: Mardi Gras Shoes

The Mardi Gras shoe is casual but has to be comfy to party and dance. Wear the shoes in the traditional shades of Mardi Gras or opt for a little glamour with gold glitter heel shoes or beaded green sandal shoes. For a less formal event, fashionable sneakers that have Mardi Gras themes also can work best.

5. Add Mardi Gras Panache to Your Accessories

And now that you've got your base of costume covered, let's add some flair with accessories! Load up on the silly details with feathers boas, oversized hats, or über-giant costume jewelry. Mardi Gras beads are a total necessity accessory, so bedazzle them around your neck and wrists. Alternatively, add some Mardi Gras blue bell jewelry to your ensemble or decorate some bells as an appliqué to the shoes or to the costume.

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Entertainment & Activities for Your Mardi Gras Party

A Mardi Gras party is all about fun, revelry, and excitement! Along with good food and liquor, your Mardi Gras party needs activities and entertainment to make the place sizzling hot and keep the guests entertained. From dancing and great music to interactive games, there are a number of ways to turn your Mardi Gras party into a laugh fest. Here are some ideas for entertainment and activities that will turn your Mardi Gras party into one to remember.

1. Mardi Gras Parade and Procession

The grand parade is the most favorite part of Mardi Gras, so why not bring it to your party? Have a mini parade or procession at your celebration. Dress costumed people in their best Mardi Gras finery and masks and have them take turns around the party area having a silly "parade." Get some tunes going and have everyone marching, dancing, and waving beads down the route. You can even throw in some extra pizzazz by giving prizes for best costume or most "float" (a.k.a., fancy decorated wagons or carts). This one brings the Mardi Gras parade tradition to your party!

2. Scavenger Hunt with Mardi Gras Beads

Make one of the most iconic Mardi Gras traditions – beads! Conduct a scavenger hunt with Mardi Gras beads scattered all across your grounds. Place strands of beads in various spots around the house or party area. Provide clues or challenges to find them, and the guest who collects the most beads wins. It's an exciting interactive activity that not only gets people up on their feet and moving, but also in the mix with the fun. And it's also a great way to scatter those multicolored beads around in a fun way!

3. Mask Decorating Station

Mardi Gras masks are part of the Mardi Gras party, and it might be a fun, creative activity for your party guests to decorate them. Create a Mardi Gras mask decorating station with plain masks, markers, glue, glitter, feathers, beads, and sequins. The party guests would also be able to create their own customized mask to wear to the party, and thus have a hands-on creative experience. The masks will also serve as good party favors because they will get to bring them home as a party keepsake.

4. Mardi Gras Trivia

In order to test the knowledge of your party guests when it comes to the practices of Mardi Gras, play a game of Mardi Gras trivia. Create a turn of creative and entertaining questions drawn from Mardi Gras history, mythological New Orleans tradition, Mardi Gras ballads, or even general information related to city parades. Get your guests prepared in advance and treat them occasionally during the night with small rewards for good answers to what they believed was the simplest. It is a fantastic ice-breaker, and it is a fantastic way in which everyone might learn something new and enjoy themselves.

5. Mardi Gras Dance-Off

Mardi Gras has great dancing and music, so it is not a matter of whether or not to have a dance-off at your party! Play some of the old Mardi Gras jazz, some carnival music that is uptempo, or the new hot current hits and get your party dancers moving. Have the judges give prizes to the dancers so that it becomes a contest. This is the way to involve everyone and have the energy all night. Don't miss the Mardi Gras colors playing in your set, either – all about that party vibe!

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Mardi Gras Gift Ideas

A Mardi Gras party is not all about the decor, the food, and the beverages – it's also an opportunity where you can thank your guests for coming with thoughtful gifts as vibrant and festive as your party. Whether you want something quick and festive or something personalized keepsake, Mardi Gras gift ideas can be the added party fun experience to your party. Some of the new gift suggestions for your guests will make them special and complete in the Mardi Gras atmosphere. 

1. Mardi Gras Trinkets & Beads

It's Mardi Gras without beads?

One of the most well-liked of all Mardi Gras activities is to wear and toss around the Mardi Gras beads, so provide your guests each a set to bring home as a party favor! You can even get a selection of beads in Mardi Gras's traditional colors—purple, green, and gold. You can give them to every one of your guests as they arrive, or you might have a "bead station" where guests can choose and select their own. 

2. Mardi Gras Masks

Since Mardi Gras masks are one of the central themes of the celebration, why not give your guests a custom mask that they can wear to the party or take home with them?

You can get any kind of design, from a plain look to elaborate masks loaded with feathers, beads, and sequins. Either buy pre-assembled ones or create a DIY Mardi Gras mask-making station where they can assemble them as a fun party activity. Custom-made masks can be also an amazing favor, so they can take away a bit of the party itself. 

3. Mardi Gras-Spiced Candies & Snacks

There is always food, and what a big role it plays for all the festivals, and this Mardi Gras isn't an exception either. Make your Mardi Gras gift-giving sweeter by stocking goodie bags with Mardi Gras-themed goodies and sweets. Stock them with King Cake-flavored cookies, brightly colored macarons, or gold-wrapped chocolate coins in honor of the celebratory and sinful nature of the holiday. Go one step further by filling the treats in purple, green, and gold goodie bags with festive ribbons. 

4. Mardi Gras-Themed Home Decor

Provide your guests with something to utilize for a very long time after the party by offering them Mardi Gras-themed home decor. Decorative candles, Mardi Gras float flower floral arrangements, or small replicas of the symbol Mardi Gras bluebell can be wonderful souvenirs. Your guests will always remember your wonderful Mardi Gras party whenever they place the items in their home. You can also provide themed kitchen accessories such as mugs or coasters with Mardi Gras themes or the traditional fleur-de-lis. 

5. Personalized Mardi Gras Apparel

One of the great ways to express your gratitude to your guests is to provide them with Mardi Gras apparel that they can wear during the party and even after. Branded t-shirts, hats, or scarves with Mardi Gras motifs or the date and theme of your party are a wonderful party favor and gift. They can be adorned with traditional Mardi Gras designs such as holiday colors, Mardi Gras masks, or even humorous one-liners holiday-specific.

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Mardi Gras Cards on Theecards.com

The kindest and most genuine communication of the excitement and exhilaration of Mardi Gras is in the form of a heartfelt greeting, and Mardi Gras ecards at Theecards.com are ideal for it! Sent as a greeting to someone, someone dear to you, or to an invited guest for a party, these internet-based ecards are a fitting communication of the carefree and celebratory spirit of Mardi Gras in a thoughtful and easily accessible form. Theecards.com Mardi Gras greeting cards have vivid hues and symbolic designs like Mardi Gras masks, beads, float flowers, and the classic Mardi Gras colors purple, green, and gold.

These online cards enable you to transmit the celebratory mood without the head-scratching mad dash to the store for an old-fashioned greeting card. Just surf through Theecards.com large collection of Mardi Gras templates, pick the ideal one, and share it with the recipient instantly via email or social media. 

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Conclusion

Organizing a Mardi Gras party is all about getting caught up in the infectious spirit and colorful tones that are so inextricably bound up with the festival. From the Mardi Gras theme itself to the playfully colorful costumes and festive entertainment, it all has to be focused on creating a night of memories for your guests. Do not forget to utilize the great Mardi Gras gift ideas for expressing appreciation, and don't forget about the party itself during the party's length. Whether you're having a few close friends over or you're throwing a big Mardi Gras bash, this guide will have you hosting one fabulous party. Let the beads fly, the music pump and good times roll as you host the party of the year at your Mardi Gras party!