Parties in a Box Take Stress Out of Planning
In today’s Pinterest and DIY-driven society, the pressure is on to imagine and execute original, tasteful ideas, whether it’s food, crafts, fashion, or parties. The term “Pinterest Fail” might soon be a thing of the past, as Preston Hollow residents Sarah Brice-Calver and Jennifer Lothamer have invented a way for families to go all out, without wearing out.
All Out Celebrations, launched in November, was created in hopes of freeing parents from impending party doom.
“We thought, ‘how nice would it be to order all the things we need at once and have it delivered?’” Brice-Calver said. “And the pressure of Pinterest standards was making us feel like we weren’t doing enough, when our hard work honestly felt like too much. We wanted to make it easier for other parents.”
Brice-Calver, recipient of the final rose on season 7 of The Bachelor, moved to Preston Hollow three years ago, where she met Lothamer.
“Our boys are best friends,” said Lothamer. “And our families create one big family. Mine and Sarah’s friendship remains strong, and we are able to be business partners when we need to be. It’s about balance.”
The two easily bonded over their similar parenting styles and their common desire to make celebrations easier on the hosts. Parties should be less about the ample time spent trying to search and create the perfect products, and more about the actual celebration, they said.
That’s how their company came to be.
With positive feedback from neighborhood families and friends, Brice-Calver and Lothamer pursued their dream project, made possible by a $3,000 Parentpreneur Grant from The First Years company — a manufacture of juvenile products such as sippy cups.
They now sell kits that are relevant all year round, such as birthday kits, adventures with grandma, or the road trip kit; and kits for holidays such as Mother’s Day, Easter, or Valentine’s Day.
“We’ve already sold out of our Valentine’s Day kits and are waiting for more product, so I would say business is going good,” Brice-Calver said.
The kits range from $35 to $50 depending on the family size, and consist of instructions for each item, an idea of what the final product should look like, and tips and tricks to take the party to the next level. With games, clues, decorations, and more, the box is packed tightly with everything in one place.
The partners plan to make the kits different each year, with fresh twists on the old themes, as new ideas are always budding.
“We want to create tradition, one of which memories will be made, and photos will be taken,” Lothamer explained. “We want to get them off their iPads and be engaged.”
