This last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Tiffany Alyse Yelverton, Owner of Entice Me, a company which specializes in “Sexucation.” Essentially, Tiffany and her lovely “sexinistas” share their intimate knowledge and chic sexy toys at bachelorette parties, bridal showers, fundraisers, and nearly any sort of soiree they are requested to attend in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Tiffany’s company primarily provides toys and products to enhance couples’ private lives, with a focus placed on the benefits to women’s sexual health. In this interview, however, Tiffany shares her tips and knowledge in teaching us how to create a sexy atmosphere for any type of party we want to create. Enjoy the interview and put her knowledge into practice.
Sarah: What is the definition of a sexy party?
Tiffany: Any party that makes you feel a little bit better about yourself, and makes you feel a little sexier. Whether it be through food, décor or the theme of the party–a sexy party is meant to make you feel hot! This can be accomplished through candles and martinis or wine and rock, it’s whatever you define as sexy.
Sarah: What advice would you give to event planners on how to make a sexy party comfortable for guests, especially those who may feel a little shy about the whole idea? What are a few icebreakers that you recommend to help make guests feel comfortable?
Tiffany: There is a great company called Table Topics that has little card games that I use as icebreakers. The cards consist of different questions you can ask guests to break the ice. A few of the ones I use the most frequently are “Not Your Mama’s Dinner Party” and “Girls Night Out.” The way to play these games is to pair guests up when they arrive, and then give each guest a card. The guests will then go around the room asking each other the questions, and this will help them to feel more comfortable with one another and more at ease with the party. A few light cocktails will also make guests feel comfortable. (Laughs). A little champagne or even a non-alcoholic cocktail will help give your party a fun and playful mood. Another fun game I play with my guests is where we name a part of your body that you choose and everyone calls you by that nickname.
Overall, just let shy guests know that they’re sexy, we’re all sexy, and make them feel comfortable. We each have our own inhibitions, that we’re all there, and that we all have the same issues–we all just express them differently. We are all thinking the same things. This will help your shy guests to open up and join the fun!
Sarah: What sort of themes would you recommend for a sexy party?
Tiffany: Martini themed parties are really big right now, and so are ‘classic cocktail’ themed parties. One fun activity to try at a martini-themed party is to have each guest bring their favorite ingredient for a cocktail, and then all of you can try making the cocktails together. Champagne and Strawberry themed parties are also a classic, and so are chocolate themed parties. Lately I have noticed that Burlesque themed parties are very popular. I am personally a big fan of the Burlesque themed parties, as I find them to be very sexy, but also very classy and fun. The decorations for Burlesque themed parties are also quite simple–make sure to have lots of feather boas, pearls and diamonds. To get in more of the Burlesque spirit, I’m actually about to take a Burlesque class I found on Groupon in Hollywood with my fellow sexinista, Rikki. I’m really excited for it!
The most common theme I see at parties is called Girls’ Night In. There are already a great deal of pre-done napkins, plates, cups, etc. for this theme, and the traditional color schemes are pink and black. While this theme is fun, I recommend being more creative with your theme–especially with the color schemes. As the economy is starting to improve, I have noticed a shift from darker colors such as browns and grays to brighter colors such as red and orange. Pink and black colored schemed parties are also beginning to go out, and I predict that red and orange will be the new hot color scheme for sexy parties over the next few years.
Sarah: What sort of decorations would you recommend for a sexy party?
Tiffany: Anything that makes you feel good. Really tactile objects, such as feather boas are a really fun party favor. Candles are always a nice touch, as they add a classy feel but also make your party just a little bit more erotic. Look for decorations that will help create a mood for your party–and make sure that the decorations match the theme as well. I’m not a big fan of the male body part decorations, such as necklaces and wall art, as well as any sort of cheesier style of decorations. I much more prefer classic, sexy decorations.
For a long time, women were very fond of Parisian based themes and decorations. I have noticed that women seem to be moving away from that and are moving into more classic New York based themes and decorations. We might start to see more New York Seventh Avenue sexiness, Breakfast at Tiffany’s sexiness. In fact, a Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed party would be super fun and sexy!
Sarah: Do you have any recommendations for food at sexy parties?
Tiffany: Finger food is always a good choice. You will want to pick dishes that are easy to eat. You don’t want your guests fumbling around with their dishes, beverage, a fork etc. Right now I’ve noticed that baked brie is really in, as are mini-quiches. I would also recommend having a fondue–they require little set-up and clean up, and they are good because they are interactive. A fondue will make your guests want to interact with one another. In terms of deserts, you also want to have small, individual desserts. Cupcakes are on their way out–but I have noticed that mini pies, small tarts and petit-fours are growing in their popularity. One cute theme you could try–that connects in with the food–is “Be a tart;” where you could serve little tarts as the main dessert.
Do not ever serve super bowl food at a sexy party. Chips & dip are not very sexy. Burlesque and Doritos do not go together. Be sure to theme your food with the whole overall theme of the party. Remember that food is such an integral part of the party. There are so many great, simple recipes that you can make, or if you would really like to wow your guests, bring in an outside caterer and baker.
Sarah: What are some current trending “sexy” cocktails seen at sexy parties?
Tiffany: Champagne cocktails are very popular right now. Old Hollywood cocktails, mixed with different flavors of spirits and bitters that are hand crafted are becoming really trendy. I have not only seen this trends at parties held at homes, but at bars as well. A few of the most popular cocktails include Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. Really sweet martinis such as cosmopolitans are beginning to go out of style, but this also depends on the age group and what sort of cocktails your guests prefer. I would recommend avoiding margaritas or even a margarita themed party, as they have become quite dated.
Another great way to really wow your guests is to have them make their own cocktails, or have a mixologist on site who can teach guests how to make them. I recommend checking out The P.D.T Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy. The book is a great guide to cocktails from New York, and has interesting and fun cocktails for your guests to try making.
I have also noticed that as more classic cocktails are coming into style, Mad Men themed-parties are beginning to become popular. The Mad Men themed parties are not only for sexy parties. My sister actually had a Mad Men themed holiday party, where all the guests brought food from the sixties. (There were so many molded Jell-O salads!) If you want to have a really unique party, a Mad Men themed party may be worth trying.
Sarah: What are some current trends for “sexy party” invitations?
Tiffany: E-vite is still very popular, but I think that people will start going back to sending invitations in the mail–it has a nice, personal touch to it. If you are looking to send your invitations via e-mail, Pingg is a new website for online invitations that’s great because you can upload your own pictures and graphics. I predict that reds and oranges as the primary color scheme for invitations is going to be really big. Turquoise and brown, pink, purples, grays is starting to go out, and invitations are starting to go back to a brighter color scheme. My favorite font for invitations is Parisian Standard because it’s so cute. Try fonts that are different–it’s much more fun. For example, try using Comic Sans MS to mix it up. Make sure that your font and color scheme are matched to the theme of your party. Study the fonts and pick the best one really reflects your personality and the theme of your event. It’s easy to do.
Sarah: Are there any products/demonstrations you would recommend to not have at a sexy party?
Tiffany: I think that drinking games are a definite no-no. You don’t want anyone getting too drunk to the point that they are not having any fun. Do not encourage your guests to play any games with shots, with quarters, etc. I would also recommend avoiding truth or dare type games, as you do not want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, do not have your guests engage in any games/discussions that involve politics, sports or religion. People get very touchy about those subjects. You can really divide a crowd by UCLA vs. USC fans. (Laughs.) I don’t think you ever want to force a guest to do anything at a party. You want them to be comfortable. It’s not about you, it’s about the guests. Your job is to make sure that they are having a fun time.
Sarah: What advice would you give to hosts who are planning a co-ed party?
Tiffany: They are very possible and very fun. Men are very gung-ho about sexy parties. They are particularly fun for couples. Men and women learn together then read their partner on what they want. We’ve had great success with couples parties. They are becoming more and more popular–not only with straight couples, but with same-sex couples as well. I’ve noticed that the main audience has been in 40-50 year old range, who are interested in trying to re-connect with their partners and spice up their love life.
For singles parties, you always want to have more women than men. We had almost all men at one party with one woman. She felt very comfortable. Try to make your guest list even between the men and women.
When you are planning ice-breakers for a co-ed party, try to incorporate more touch-related games (especially with couples.) A great game to play is the lock and key game. This is a very fun ice-breaker. Essentially one person has the key, the other has the lock, and their mission is to find the person who has your lock/key. This game allows your guests to interact with one another and become comfortable with each other.
Sarah: Are there any floral trends you have noticed at sexy parties?
Tiffany: Roses are always beautiful, white roses are really pretty. I haven’t seen many flowers at parties. But flowers would be gorgeous and a great way to stand out.
Sarah: What would you recommend in terms of entertainment for sexy parties? (In addition to sexy presentations?)
Tiffany: Be sure to have the right music to go with your theme, as well as the right sexy games to go with your theme. Playing a movie in the background such as Burlesque or Casablanca will give your guests a little eye candy and is a great conversation starter. I would not recommend hiring a band or D.J. unless you have a big enough patio to house them–bands and D.J.’s tend to feel a little confined if they are inside. Consider hiring a boudoir photographer for your party as well. I would actually recommend having your party at the photographer’s studio, where you and your guests can try doing boudoir photography. Boudoir photography is super fun–and will make your guests feel super sexy.
Sexy parties do not always have to be hosted in your home–I’ve held sexy parties at restaurants, hotels, churches, community centers and gyms. A great way to support your local restaurants is to have a sexy party on a night that they’re slow. This brings the restaurant extra business, food and drinks are covered, and you will cut down on costs. If you want to have your sexy party at a hotel, make sure that the hotel is friendly and let them know what’s going on, as some hotels have regulations.
Just be sure to make your guests feel comfortable and relaxed. And remember the most important tip of all: HAVE FUN!
For more information on Tiffany Alysve Yelverton and Entice Me, as well as for more tips on sexy parties, you can visit www.enticeme.co.
-Written by Sarah Osman. You can read more from Sarah on Twitter.
Hey These are FUN! 🙂