Digital party planning for all occasions

First things first: You need to get the word out there. Invitations set the tone for your get-together, so choose wisely. Protect Mother Earth (and your pocketbook) by going paperless. Websites like Evite provide a wide range of invitations. Paperless Post is another great option. Paperless Post prides itself on their unique invitations that reflect your personal style in an innovative way. To borrow their own words: “Beautiful design meets seamless technology”. Perhaps best of all, it’s free! Plus, think of all the money you’ll save on stamps. And, if you’re really feeling low-key about your impending fête, there’s always Facebook to connect your invitees to your event.

A laptop can make a digital DJ come to life. Songza and its extensive genres can satisfy even the biggest of music snobs at no cost. Grooveshark is great for artists or albums, but Songza casts a much wider net and supplies a variety of sounds all within one playlist. Connect to the venue’s sound system, and you’re in broadcasting business.

Worried about your great aunt’s lack of wireless service? Then you might want to check out services like Vistaprint for your paper needs. Customize everything from itineraries to thank-you cards for your special day. Etsy is another easy alternative to personalizing your paper needs. Templates are available for purchase (reasonably priced at that), and then print your pretty little heart out. Bonus: the nice people at Wedding Chicks have templates you can customize at no cost.

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Your crafty cousin will be clicking away with her Canon camera (as well as nearly every other attendee), so why pay for a professional photographer for your child’s birthday party? Create a personalized hashtag on Instagram so that guests can check out all the photos from the big event. If you’re not on Instagram, websites like Pixlr allow you to edit pictures painlessly. Plus, once you’re done there’s a ton of online photobook options; Shutterfly anyone?