The Hostess with the Mostest

As party planners, we all know how much effort goes into planning the perfect event. So when the tables turn, and you are the one being invited to a great event, it's always nice to reward the efforts of your host or hostess with a small token of your appreciation. We've gathered some of our favorite host/hostess gifts to inspire and aid you in your gift-giving abilities.

1. Ice Buckets: What event planner can't use an ice bucket? Particularly one as cool (pardon our pun) as the ones from iomoi. You can select from a variety of unique icons or create your own custom ice bucket. These ice buckets are $68 and available online at iomoi.com.

2. Stationary: Handcrafted paper in the form of notecards, letterhead, greeting cards and the like never go out of style, especially for a party planner. Stationary designers these days are true artists when it comes to creating beautiful paper works of art. There are many wonderful places to find great stationary. Our picks are The Stationary Studio and if you are in the Seattle area, check out Paper Fling, All About Weddings & Celebrations, and Moxie Papergoods and Gifts.

3. Paulette Macarons: Who can turn down a sweet treat as divine and decadent as the macarons from Paulette? We don't hear anyone volunteering. Their signature giftboxes make Paulette macarons the perfect gift for any occasion. Select from our “champ de macarons,” just as you would pick a colorful bouquet from a field of flowers. From flavors like caramel, vanilla, pistachio, almond and lemon, these sweet treats will have your gift recipient making sure you are at the top of their party-invite list every time.

4. A Night Out: After planning a party, your host/hostess may just be happy to veg for a night. Giving someone a dinner gift certificate where they can take a night off once in a while is never a bad idea. Take this opportunity to share your favorite local hot spot with your party planner and they will be certain to appreciate your thoughtfulness. If you are in the Seattle area, check out this local dining hot spots.