26 Fun & Festive DIY Party Decorations

There are so many reasons to throw a celebration, and there are even more ways to decorate for said celebration. Even if you aren't crafty, spending some time to make your place more festive will contribute to the success of the event you're throwing.

These DIY party decor ideas are suitable for a wide range of get-togethers. Each party decoration will enhance the ambiance of your event without costing you a ton of money in the process.

01 of 25

Create an Insta-Worthy Wall

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

Photo booths are always a party hit, but now bright photo backdrops have taken over Instagram feeds. Design a festive, colorful wall using crepe paper and glue dots—this project is fast, cheap, and it will last the whole party. Watch or take part as your guests snap selfies and "candids" for their 'grams.

DIY Photo Backdrop from The Spruce
02 of 25

Build a Brilliant Balloon Arch

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

Add extra pizazz and pop to your party with a pretty balloon arch. All it takes is a few colors of balloons, wire, and command hooks to take your space to the next level. You can use it as a photo booth background or as a little style boost above a gift or light bites table.

DIY Balloon Arch from The Spruce
03 of 25

DIY a Festive Tassel Garland

The Spruce / Caylin Harris

A colorful garland fashioned from tissue paper and twine is not only easy, cheap, and colorful, it's versatile to fit any celebration. Dress up a dessert or snack table, frame a mantel, or jazz up a doorway. There are endless ways to incorporate this fun fringe garland into your next party.

DIY Tassel Garland from The Spruce
04 of 25

Fashion Paper Fans to Hang From the Ceiling

The Spruce / Rita Shehan

Paper fans are a classic party decoration that truly works for any type of event. Make a whole bunch, using a variety of decorative paper and patterns, and hang from the ceiling at varying lengths. They also look great on a wall, clustered together in a random grouping.

Paper Fan Decorations from The Spruce

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05 of 25

Fill a Table With Tiny Vase Bouquets

Paper & Stitch

Flowers are a must for events like weddings, but they can even dress up a small dinner party or cocktail hour. If you're on a budget, buy one larger bouquet then split it up among small vases and other eclectic vessels like a teacup.

How to Arrange Tiny Bouquets in Vases from Paper & Stitch
06 of 25

Light up the Event With Paper Lanterns

Lia Griffith

Paper lanterns might be too fragile to make their way into your everyday decor, but they are perfect for parties because they are inexpensive enough to make a handful of them. When the party is complete, you can either save them or throw them away if they become damaged.

Papercut Honeycomb Lanterns from Lia Griffith
07 of 25

Spell out Something Festive in Glitter

The Spruce / Stephanie White

You might spell out something obvious like "happy birthday" on a banner for a birthday celebration. However, even a dinner party amongst friends could use a glittery word banner. If you can't think of what to write, "cheers" is a good declaration for pretty much any occasion.

DIY Glitter Party Banner from The Spruce
08 of 25

Craft a Piñata out of a Paper Bag

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

Buying a piñata from the store is easy enough, but then you're limited to the designs they have available. Instead, you can make this very straightforward piñata using a paper bag and tissue paper. In some cases, this piñata might serve better as just a decoration and not one you'd use because it would open relatively easily compared to some that are constructed from cardboard.

How to Make a Fun Paper Bag Piñata from The Spruce

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09 of 25

Add Levels to Your Dessert Table

Something Turquoise

One simple way to add decorations to your party is to turn your food into part of your decor. Decorate food with flags, labels, and other toppers. Also, make sure the levels of your food vary. For instance, these varied cupcake stands will easily draw your guest's eyes to the dessert table.

DIY Wooden Cupcake Stands from Something Turquoise
10 of 25

Upgrade Inexpensive Champagne Flutes

The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

There are a few different ways you can make your drinking glasses more memorable for a party. This foolproof method involves cutting gold adhesive vinyl into different sized triangles and layering them onto the glass. Don't try to make your pattern too perfect. The more variation, the better.

DIY Fun Patterned Champagne Flutes from The Spruce
11 of 25

Top the Cake With Something Colorful

Tell Love and Party

Cake toppers work well when you want to keep the cake simple without writing on it, but still want it to look decorated. This garland cake topper idea is perfect for a general get together where there's no message you want to send like "happy birthday" or something wedding related. Throwing a spring bash? Consider this colorful addition to your dessert table.

Garland Cake Topper from Tell Love and Party
12 of 25

Fill a Wall up With Balloons

You Are My Fave

You can hang balloons in an entrance or at the end of a streamer, but that is a pretty basic way to use balloons to decorate a party. Instead, think about creating one focal wall in your space using multicolored balloons. Keep the rows and columns of the balloon wall level with one another for the best results.

DIY Balloon Wall Idea from You Are My Fave

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13 of 25

Cut out Paper Star Bursts

The Spruce / Katherine Lee

DIY party decor doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, sometimes all you need is a sheet of colored paper and some patience. The more paper starbursts you create, the more impact they'll have on your decor. Cluster them into a bowl or hang them from a string from the ceiling.

DIY Paper Starburst Party Decorations from The Spruce
14 of 25

Fold up Paper to Create a Fruit-Inspired Banner

Bugaboo City

There are so many different types of paper garlands you can make for a party. However, if you're throwing a general party for no reason, keep that garland pretty general, too. Perhaps match the garland to the season instead. This watermelon garland is perfect for summer get-togethers.

Watermelon Medallion Banner from Bugaboo City
15 of 25

Fill Eggs With Some Confetti

The Spruce / Rita Shehan

Egg-related DIY party decorations aren't just limited to Easter. You could use these at a gender reveal, a spring dinner party, a wedding, New Year's Eve, or even a bunny-themed child's birthday party. The point of filling them is that they will eventually be broken during the party, and the confetti will be thrown about. Think about how you will have your guests smash the eggs and for what reason.

How to Make Confetti Filled Eggs from The Spruce
16 of 25

Use a Template to Create a Feature Wall

The House That Lars Built

Creating something that is blogger-worthy can be intimidating, which is why there are tutorials and templates to guide you. You can replicate this feature wall for a party very easily by downloading the template then using that as your cutting guide for these colorful tulips.

Paper Tulip Backdrop from The House That Lars Built

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17 of 25

Convert Balloons Into Hot Air Balloons

Oh Happy Day

Creating a centerpiece over a food table at a party doesn't always have to happen at the center of the table. Consider floating something above the table to add interest and draw your eye to that section of the room. This idea converts simple white balloons into hot air balloons using cardstock, thread, and a hot glue gun.

Hanging Hot Air Balloons from Oh Happy Day
18 of 25

Paint Some Napkins for a Dinner Party

The Spruce / Caylin Harris

The most important part of decorating for a dinner party is the table. In fact, the table is going to function as the main party decor for your event. Make sure you go the extra mile to have each place setting set up before guests arrive. To dress up the table, paint some simple designs on napkins using fabric paint.

DIY Painted Cloth Napkins from The Spruce
19 of 25

Shape Balloons Into an Arch

Bird's Party

Balloon arches are a popular way to decorate for a party, and they come in varying degrees of difficulty. Some require hundreds of balloons that get tied together to cascade down a table. In this case, the arch is very straightforward and easy to recreate.

DIY Easy Rainbow Balloon Arch from Bird's Party
20 of 25

Make Your Own Streamers

Studio DIY

It's easy to buy ready-made streamers and twist them around an entryway. However, if you make your own streamers, you can get very specific with the look you want. You can make them thick, you can customize the color, and you can create different lengths of fringe.

DIY Mylar Party Streamers from Studio DIY

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21 of 25

Dye a Plain Tablecloth With This Ombre Technique

Green Wedding Shoes

Tablecloths pull a party together by covering unsightly serving tables. Instead of white plastic, opt for a tablecloth that adds a pop of color by dyeing fabric in shades that make sense given your other party decor. Another way to use a tablecloth as party decor is as a backdrop for a food table or photo booth.

DIY Ombre Tablecloth from Green Wedding Shoes
22 of 25

Experiment With Paper Chains for a Backdrop

Design Improvised

Party decor has evolved from twisted streamers to backdrops. The more eye-popping your backdrop, the more festive your party is going to feel. One idea is to set up an area for a photo booth and use paper chains to anchor the space.

Ombre Paper Chain Wall Hanging from Design Improvised
23 of 25

Craft Flowers That Can Be Reused Over and Over

Think Make Share

If you throw a lot of get-togethers and the idea of buying fresh flowers every time seems intimidating, maybe make some beautiful paper flowers instead to use as centerpieces and accents.

Crepe Paper Flowers from Think Make Share
24 of 25

Craft Crowns Instead of Party Hats

The Melrose Family

What's a kid's party without party hats and favors? This craft project works as both. The kids can make pretend with their crowns, and once the party is down, they can take their crown home with them.

DIY Kings Crowns from The Melrose Family

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25 of 25

Amp up a Drink Stirrer With a Horse

Inspired by Charm

You don't have to add a horse figurine to a stir stick necessarily, but anything you add to make the stick more festive will enhance the look and feel of your party. Simply purchase clear stir sticks and embellish as you see fit.

DIY Horse Drink Stirrers from Inspired by Charm