Golden Girls Party Planning Guide

Invitations & guest list

• Set the date, time and guest countEvening works well for this theme. Cheesecake and late-night talk are the whole point.
• Send invitationsSend a text, an e-vite or mailed invitations. Ask guests to RSVP 1 week out.
• Optional: dress codeAsk guests to come as their favorite girl: Dorothy (long cardigans), Rose (pastels), Blanche (florals and pearls) or Sophia (wicker purse).
• Decide on a formatSit-down dinner, dessert-only, or a bingo night. It decides how much food you need.

Order your party supplies

• Tableware for 8The Standard or Deluxe Pack Prime Party covers this. To build your own, get 8 dinner plates, 8 dessert plates, luncheon napkins, beverage napkins and a table cover.
• CupsThere are no Golden Girls cups, so plan on solid pink or gold cups from the store.
• Forks & spoonsGrab 20 of each: gold forks and gold spoons, or bright pink forks and spoons. Prime Party
• StreamersTwist two colors together: gold, bright pink or Caribbean blue for a Miami lanai feel. The gold chevron streamer is great over the dessert table. Prime Party
• Latex balloonsGold and pink pearlized balloons, plus a pair of pink-and-gold heart confetti balloons for the photo backdrop. Prime Party
• ConfettiScatter tropical confetti down the middle of the table for an instant Miami touch. Prime Party
• DécorFabric wall banner, jointed birthday banner and the red rose bouquet centerpiece.
• Cupcake wrappers (12) and water bottle labels (16)These set how many cupcakes and bottles you buy. See the food section.
• GamesBingo (up to 24 players) and Pin-the-Glasses on Sophia Prime Party.
• Yard sign"Another Year Closer to Shady Pines" or "Honk It's My Birthday." Stakes are included.
• Favor boxes (8)One per guest.

Plan the food & drinks

• Order or bake a cheesecakeOne 9-inch cheesecake serves 10–12. Strawberry topping is the classic. This is the centerpiece dessert, so serve it on the dessert plates.
• Order or bake 12 cupcakesYou have 12 cupcake wrappers, so get cupcakes, not a sheet cake. Plain white or strawberry frosting matches the theme. Put candles in one for the guest of honor.
• Buy 16 bottles of waterYou have 16 bottle labels, so that's 2 per guest. Standard 16.9 oz bottles are the easiest to wrap.
• Plan a main dish (if serving dinner)Sophia's Sicilian cooking is a natural fit: baked ziti, meatballs or lasagna, plus a salad and garlic bread.
• Plan the drinksMake a pitcher of Rose's St. Olaf Strawberry Lemonade Spritz (the recipe is after the store list), plus iced tea. Plan for 2–3 drinks per guest, plus the water.
• IcePlan on about 1 lb per guest, so one 10 lb bag.

Games & prizes

• Bingo: prizesWinners pick from the prize basket (see the DIY games below). Bingo is always a hit, so plan on 4–5 games. The boxed bingo game comes with markers. If you use a printable bingo game, pick up pennies or buttons as markers.
• Bingo: pick a callerHave the guest of honor call the first round.
• Pin-the-Glasses: blindfold + tapeHang the poster at eye level with painter's tape. Blindfold each player with a scarf, spin them twice, and the closest pin wins a small prize.
• Photo boothHang the fabric wall banner as the backdrop and set out the photo booth props Prime Party. A phone tripod or ring light helps.
• TriviaPrint this guide and leave the trivia page on the table. It's at the end of this checklist.

Bonus DIY games (free to make)

• Number Scramble: make the numbersWrite one big number per guest (1–8) on half sheets of 8.5 × 11 paper and tape them to the floor around the house. Write the same numbers on slips of paper and put them in a bowl.
• Number Scramble: how to playAbout every 15 minutes, ring a bell or play "Thank You for Being a Friend" on a speaker. Everyone scrambles to stand on an open number. Draw a slip from the bowl, and whoever is standing on that number picks a prize. Set the winning slip aside so more guests get a turn.
• Lucky Plate: mark one plateBefore you set the table, draw a small red heart or rose on the bottom of one dinner plate.
• Lucky Plate: the revealHalfway through the meal, announce that everyone should check under their plate. Whoever has the heart picks a prize.
• Prize basketFill a basket with 15–20 inexpensive prizes for winners to pick from: movie-theater candy boxes, $1–2 scratch tickets, mini candles, lip balm or cheesecake bites. Use it for bingo too. Buy more than you think you'll need. Leftover candy and scratch tickets make great thank-you prizes for your clean-up crew. 😉

Favors

• Buy favor box fillers for 8Chocolate truffles, butterscotch candies, mini lip balms, a cheesecake-flavored treat or a mini scratch-off.
• Optional take-homeA rose from the bouquet makes a sweet send-off.

Prep & set up

• Wrap the water bottlesPeel off the store labels, wrap with the Golden Girls labels and chill.
• Fill and fold the 8 favor boxes
• Make the Number Scramble signs and slips; mark the lucky plateTape the numbers down on party day so they don't get kicked around.
• Hang the wall banner and birthday bannerPut the wall banner behind the dessert or photo spot. Drape the jointed banner over a doorway or the food table.
• Inflate balloonsMix gold, pink and sunshine yellow. Air-filled balloons in clusters last longer than helium. Hang the streamers and scatter the confetti on the table last.
• Set out serving dishesPlan where each dish goes so the plate artwork stays visible. Food goes in bowls, not on the printed plates.
• Charge the phone or camera for photos

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