How to Plan an Arabian Nights Themed Party/Bridal Shower

A beautiful setting for an Arabian Nights themed party

Dear Readers,

After the success of my Howto Host a Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed Bridal shower post, I've decided to do another How-to post. Of course, you will have to alter my suggestions to suite your budget, guests, and space available, but here are some general guidelines to work by.

Arabian nights themed Bridal shower/Party invites:

There are a number of ways you can set the tone for your Arabian Nights party by choosing the appropriate invite.

 You can use black card paper and write out the invites in gold or copper ink. Or you can have them similarly printed.

You  can roll up the invite and fasten it with string faux gems, or gold ribbon, or even pop them into a tiny bottles made of coloured glass.

If you want to go the cheaper-environmentally friendly and hassle-free invites you can send Arabian nights themed e-vites instead.

Check out some sample Arabian nights themed invites below.

Arabian Nights themed invite

Arabian Nights themed invite

Arabian Nights theme invite

Arabian Nights themed Bridal shower decor/ambience

Orange and gold theme for arabian nights theme from artchetak.blogspot.com

Arabian Nights themed decor in pink and purple

• First of all you make sure your party is in the evening for the ambience to go with the theme. 
• Secondly try and DIY /borrow/ rent a marquee or Bedouin tent.
• Alternatively, you could hang a wire loop or even a hula hoop in the centre of the room near the celing, and drape fabric from the loop to the walls creating a tent effect.
• Use sheer shimmering gauze fabrics for draping to create that romantic ambience.
• Get some Morrocan lanterns, candle holders or coloured glass tea-light votives , and hang/place them around your tent. (Check out my DIYMorrocan tea-light holder/ lantern post)
• Line the floor with a plush carpet ideally a Persian rug and pile on cushions, bean bags, and poufs.
• Think of using colours like red, pink, purple and gold.
• Everyone should sit/lounge on the cushions and even the food should be served on the floor or on very low tables.
• Play light melodious oriental music in the background or Arab-Western mix music for example Sting’s Desert Rose, Aicha by Cheb Mami, 
• There should be shisha/ hookahs /hubbly bubbly/ water pipes/nargiles  they can be used as decor or if your all your guests are smokers, then functional shishas with fruit flavoured tobacco will be a very authentic if unhealthy addition to your Arabian Nights party.

What are you looking at ya habibi?

Arabian Nights themed Bridal shower/Party activities

For a bridal shower and sweet 16,  hire a belly dancer, the performance will captivate and entertain also try and arrange for the dancer to give a a few tips to the audience on how to belly-dance and let the guests try it out for themselves.

Belly dancer is a popular form of entertainment at an Arabian Nights themed party

Hire a henna artist, to do henna tattoo designs on hands, ankles, mid-riffs, backs for guests. 

You can also buy henna tattoo stickers, and can guests can put them on each other.

Arabian Nights themed Bridal shower/Party menu

Arrange catering from your local Lebanese/Turkish/Morrocan restaurant whichever you prefer.

All food is meant to be eaten without cutlery so if your guests are game: have a finger bowl for each guest scented with lemon and rosewater for cleansing.

Include appetisers such as

Pita with zaatar

Filled vine leaves

Zaitune (mixed olives) and pickled cucumber and pepper

Broschetta.

Tabbouleh with pita bread

Middle Eastern salads

Hummus (blended Chick peas with Tahini and herbs)

Matbucha (Moroccan salad with grilled peppers and tomatoes)

Falafel

Arabic vegetable salad

Tahini (ground sesame seed white sauce)

Tabbouleh( Couscous salad with tomato and fresh herbs)

 Nibbles with cut vegetables like carrot and celery

Mains

Mixed grill- a variety of kebabs

Morrocan  tagine dish chicken with couscous

Mandi (slow cooked leg of lamb on rice)

Desserts:

Baklava- Lebanese dessert make from pastry and nuts doused in syrup

Turkish delight  

Umm Ali- dessert made with pastry and milk served warm

Drinks

Mocktails or fruit smoothies

Arabic coffee served in small gilt cups, made with cardamom

Morrocan mint tea served in small glasses with fresh mint

If it's a birthday party then you can get Arabian Nights themed birthday cake

Arabian Nights themed Party favours

An Arabian nights themed party is supposed be decadently indulgent, a feast for the senses.

Here are some ways you can offer gift items to appeal to all five:

•     Arabian spices, tea leaves, dried dates or turkish delight - presented in authentic tea glasses and packaged in beautiful fabric, and finished with embellishments inspired by Bedouin jewellry
•     For those with a bigger budget -Velvet or silk scarves - packaged as part of special gift baskets
•     Morrocan Emroidered and beaded Slippers - tucked into tulle and tied with a trinkets/anklets that jingle
•     Morrocan Tea-light holders or tea glasses – they can be used both as party decor, then going home as guest favours
•     Incense sticks tied, rolled in fabric and tied with ribbon (can double as drawer scent packs as well) or tiny hand made Egyptian perfume bottles. 

Moroccon tealights from chilloutfurniture.com

Arabian  Nights Themed Party Dress code:

Women should come as Princesses ala Jasmine, be sure to accessorise with arabian inspired jewellery and bold smoky eye make-up.

and men can come as thieves or ala Alladin.

Have fun with costumes, there are plent available online or from your local costume store

Hope you enjoy your Arabian Nights themed party, Ma’salama!

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*This how- to is aimed at Western audiences, and by Arabian nights theme I mean more like Jasmine/Aladdin, Morroccan, Harem Nights, 1001 Arabian Nights! Readers in Saudi don’t take  it literally please- I know this is not how we live or party or dress!*

Sources for images and research:
etsy.com

greenprophet.com
jandrewproject.blogspot.com/2012/05/party-party.html

paperdivas.com.au
minted.com
haremnights.co.uk/bedouin_corner.html
garageprotection.com/arabian-nights-theme-party-12-tremendous-ideas
bellenza.com/wedding-ideas/decorate/an-arabian-nights-bridal-shower-theme-a-feast-for-the-senses.html
vector-clip-art.com
artchetak.blogspot.com
whole-living.com