Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dreams: {Party Recap} Oscars Popcorn Bar Fit for Kids and Adults

So, let me start this post out by saying, that as much as I would have loved to share ideas from this party shoot last week, my life kind of got in the way and I needed to handle a few personal things. So, I do apologize for not sharing all the party prepping with you last week....but if you are following my instagram you got to catch sneak peeks of the party in progress. That being said, I created a popcorn bar/mini concession stand for my Oscars viewing pleasure meaning, I got to enjoy watching the Oscars while my kids are preoccupied eating treats and watching Disney movies!

To start I created a banner for the background of the bar. I used gold curling ribbon, tickets and printable flags to string against the back wall to create an eye-catching focal point.

I knew I wasn't going to want to make a huge popcorn bar, so, I put freshly popped buttered popcorn into a medium size oval galvanized tub. The popcorn boxes from my printable set were also pre-filled.

I thought adding mix-ins to the popcorn would be fun. I set out Oreo cookies, M&M's, mini marshmallows and gummy bears. The crushed Oreo cookies were a hit and NO ONE really enjoyed the gummy bears....strange combo. I embellished the individual sections of this serving tray with glitter and added coordinating washi tape to the wooden spoons - it's little details :)

It is always good to have a child appropriate cocktail on hand for any kid-centered event. This Golden Fizz Mocktini is my own creation....Tang, Cherry Syrup, a large can of Pineapple Juice and gingerale/Sprite....I do not have a recipe for this - but it is delicious....promise. Just follow your directions to make a large pitcher of Tang and toss in the rest of the ingredients to taste. If you don't like Tang, you can try Sunny D or good old fashioned OJ! If you want an adult version add some chilled vodka or gin!

I used left over curled ribbon to top off these wooden drink stirrers.

These golden cupcakes were very easy to make. I used gold food color spray that I purchased from Michaels and spritzed the frosting to give the cupcakes a touch of gold shimmer. I used the toppers from my printable set to create an Oscars version just for this party, but it comes with movie themed toppers.

Creating a popcorn bar or mini concession stand is also perfect for a movie night theme or slumber party like the one my client Natalie created for her son's video game sleepover! Popcorn bars are a great alternative to a dessert table or candy buffet. Here are a few popcorn bar ideas I found on Pinterest to give you a bit of inspiration.