On My Coffee Table: Lauren Conrad Celebrate

On My Coffee Table: Lauren Conrad Celebrate ($17.25)

Do you want the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Well, here it goes: I love to style and design parties, but I’m not too keen on actually having people over to said parties. The fact is, I get so much joy out of arranging pretty centerpieces and curating a coordinated collection of tableware and dishes, but I honestly get suuuuuuper stressed by the idea of actually hosting our friends and family.

Will they like the food? Can I get the house clean enough in time (here’s looking at you, our four beloved fur babies)? And what the heck am I gonna wear? It’s just all so much to handle, but now that we have a bigger house to host from, I’m thinking it’s time to challenge myself to throw a real live party instead of just a faux fête that I only end up sharing here on the blog. Enter: Celebrate, by Lauren Conrad.

WHO SHOULD READ IT

I picked this book up with the sole purpose of learning new tips and tricks for getting my hosting butt in gear. Little did I know that Lauren Conrad’s book is actually much more than just a simple party planning book though. I was able to pick up all sorts of inspiration from this best seller—from color palette ideas, to outfit pairings and even some peppy lipstick motivation, too. If you’re on the hunt for creative inspiration of all kinds, this book is definitely for you.

THE TAKEAWAY

Entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful. If you start planning in advance and focus on creating a fun environment for those you love, the process can actually be pretty thrilling. Lauren’s book also taught me that it’s not so much about hosting the perfect event as it is just making time to celebrate with the people who matter most.

Your guests are probably not going to be fixating on the dog hair on the couch and they probably won’t even be sizing up your outfit—it’s all about making the most of life’s milestones (or even just a spontaneous need for colorful confetti) and making a few memories to carry you through until the next gathering. Heartfelt cliches aside, if you’re able to pull together the kind of inspiration that tugs hard at your creative motivation, you’ll be able to think past the stress to host one drop-down, drag-out fabulous event.

FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE BOOK

I’m a sucker for matte pages in a book, so this one is easily a new favorite for random flipping. It’s really a joy to browse the pretty photos and thoughtful copy throughout, and although I can’t say that I’ve finished all 290-odd pages, it’s probably only a matter of time because I’ve been devouring it section by section since buying it last month.

My favorite chapters? I adore the birthday party that starts on page 73, and the housewarming party that kicks off on page 121 also got my creative juices churning. You’ve just gotta see ’em to believe ’em!

If you’ve read (or plan to read) the book, be sure to leave your own review in the comments! And don’t forget to tag us in your social shares and use the hashtag #DGDonmycoffeetable for a chance to be featured.