We have a lot of poker theme hanging decorations including playing card suit stringers, card suit whirls, and a casino cascade with all of the playing card symbols. You can decorate the walls of your poker parlor with 17 inch Card Suit Cutouts or 25 inch Playing Card Cutouts. These decorations can also be used for Casino night parties as well. Jan 12, 2013 - Explore Kadri Matt's board 'Poker Party ideas' on Pinterest. See more ideas about Poker party, Party, Casino theme parties.
Poker night? We’re all in. Check out our pointers for planning one.
Invitations
Get started by sending an Evite invitation, like the free “Who’s In?” cards-themed invitation below or a premium “Ante Up” poker night invitation. Check out our game night invitation gallery for more designs.
Decorations
It’s easy to find a home poker kit that includes cards, nice chips and a good playing surface. But if you don’t have one of these fancy kits, take a trip to a fabric store and get a big swatch of green felt to put over your tabletop.
It’s important to make sure you have enough poker chips for all of your guests. You probably can’t get by with less than 35 chips per person — most experts suggest more like 50 to 100 per head. If you don’t mind a mish-mash, ask your guests to bring some extra chips of their own. If you’re playing Texas Hold ‘Em, make sure you have a special chip set aside for the button.
To round out the theme, pick up some casino-themed napkins and plates decorated with images of dice, cards or dollar signs from a party store.
Attire
Even if you’re not playing for high stakes, you can still dress the part. Asking guests to come in suits and ties or cocktail dresses makes a simple get-together seem like an event.
You can also go casual and ironic by getting cheap costume armbands and green plastic dealer visors — poker doesn’t have to be super serious.
Playing with some card sharks? If they arrive wearing shirts with billowy sleeves, make sure they roll them up when you play so they can’t hide cards in them.
Variants
Texas Hold ‘Em is all the rage, but you can have a great card party with other poker variations: five-card draw, seven-card stud, hi/lo, baseball poker and other make-up-your-own-rules games.
The most important thing when playing poker is to be familiar with the winning hands. Here they are from high to low:
Too confusing? Just remember that a full house flushes a straight.
Food
Get a pizza delivered for quick sustenance that minimizes card-playing down time. Or put together a simple spread of appetizers. Make your own or get a big box of warm-in-the-oven hors d’oeurves at a warehouse club store. Just keep the food away from the playing table.
Drinks
If you’re playing poker, you might be thinking martinis are in order. Martinis will make your party upscale for sure (but they do call to mind James Bond, and his game was baccarat). If you’re going to go for some straight liquor, grab a bottle of single-malt scotch. Or, to mix cards and cocktails, consider the classy, old-fashioned cocktail called the Sidecar.
Sidecar
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake, then strain into a chilled highball glass.
There are many who say that serious cards need to be played without the hazy influence of booze. So for a non-alcoholic alternative, grab some carbonated soda water and mix it up with some Italian syrup.
All bets are in, the action’s high, and you’re hosting a poker night. Need some party ideas? I’ve got you covered. Below is a round-up of ideas, decorations, food, invitations, and more! So don’t fold just yet, throw those chips all in, and let’s go!
If you haven’t ever checked out Big Dot of Happiness, you’re missing out! They have everything you need to throw a party, all in one spot. If you’re not up to creating your own decorations, then you really should check out what they have to offer your Poker Party here.
If you’re up to making your own decorations, try taking the suit symbols and stringing them up on clear fishing line or string. You can cut them out yourself or grab a set of glittery ones here. You can hang the bunting from your mantle, over doorways, or even from the ceiling!
When it comes to colors, the answer is easy! Play up the red, white, and black for a formal affair and a sure-fire tie-in with playing cards.
While you’re at it, why not create a cute table setting using a pack of playing cards? Adding them as place cards, or even tying them onto a clear glass vase is an effective way to tie in your theme.
When it comes to inviting your guests, it’s best to make sure they know what they’re in for. You can purchase some beautiful ones from Big Dot of Happiness here. If you’ve got some skills with Photoshop, then make your own! You can create something uniquely your own and have it printed through Minted. By adding in elements like poker chips or card suits, you’re sure to create something on theme with minimal creative effort.
When it comes to food, it’s pretty easy to carry the theme. Whether you opt for a fondant covered cake with cards and a lucky clover, or simply try focusing on colors, you can’t go wrong with some of these ideas!
Who wouldn’t gamble on a fruit kebab, especially when aces are wild? Try alternating black grapes with strawberries cut in half and placing a hole-punched card at the bottom.
You can also buy or make a cheese ball, re-form it into a square and place halved olives in each side for the pips. Then ta-da! You’re done. You can also serve tiny sliders and keep them together using these card suit toothpicks. Grab them here in black as well.
For serving the drinks thathave that little something extra, try freezing dice and placing them in cups in place of ice cubes. I know, dice aren’t part of poker but they make for a fun addition! If you’re not up for frozen dice, then you can give that pack of cards you’ve already taken apart for the kebabs and use them on the stems of your glasses! They can act as name tags as well as adding to your theme.
Okay, so you want to throw a poker party, but you don’t want the night to crumble into madness. This is where keeping it classy comes into play. If you want to throw a legit Poker Party, here are some suggestions for keeping things classy:
Another way to make your evening a night to remember is to dress up! Whether you opt for a full 20s party (because it is the Roaring ’20s, take two!) or just a formal event, you can’t go wrong with dressing up. You can get a gorgeous beaded dress here complete with gloves, feathers, and more! You can also hit up your local thrift store and go hunting through old formal dresses. One thing’s for sure, dressing up is definitely an ace in the hole.
What would your Poker Party staples be? Let me know in the comments below, and happy party planning! Now go get your poker faces on and have some fun!
For a fun summer party try this post.