How to Make an Easy Party Backdrop

Ford provided the vehicle used in this party backdrop post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Summer is coming and I’m so excited about it! I think I get almost as excited as my kids when the end of school is near and summer break is looming on the horizon. We’ve planned some summer fun {I’ll be sharing all the details of our summer shindig next month} and if you’re planning a summer party, let me show you how to make an easy party backdrop out of inexpensive plastic tablecloths. This simple party backdrop can be made in any color or a mix of colors to match your party decor and it’s the perfect way to add color and texture to your party table or photo booth.

The 2019 Ford Expedition Max

We invited some friends over for some backyard fun and because of the activities we had we actually hosted the party in my parent’s backyard. That meant we had to transport all the food, decor, and the large backdrop and thankfully we had the 2019 Ford Expedition Max to haul our load.

I loved driving this vehicle during the week we had it and received so many comments about the aesthetics of it. The metallic blue color is fun in a subtle, not-too-bright way and the ebony leather interior with red stitching made it feel luxurious.

The 2019 Ford Expedition is not only comfortable {it has tri-zone climate control, ventilated front row seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and heated front and second row seats} but this particular vehicle was decked out with second row bucket seats for added comfort and a panoramic vista roof.

The cargo space in the Ford Expedition, accessed through a hands-free lift gate, is so large and easy to customize for whatever you’re carrying. With just a push of a button, the second and third rows fold down, providing lots of space for luggage and gear. With only the third row down, I was able to load up the backdrop {without bending or crushing it}, all the other food and party supplies …

… and I still had lots of room for a handful of girls.

{While I had the Expedition, I also drove it down to Austin, carrying a few other adults for a conference, and everyone commented on the spacious room in the second and third rows.}

Other Ford Expedition Adventures

The 2019 Ford Expedition is hands-down one of my favorite vehicles to drive. To see more adventures in the Ford Expedition, be sure to check out our Christmas lights tour with a free printable, our soccer tournament weekend {and an easy DIY soccer mom shirt tutorial}, and a fun trip to Austin with some recommendations of what to see and do!

How to Make an Easy Party Backdrop

Ready to see how simple it is to make this party backdrop?

To make one backdrop, you’ll need chicken wire, scissors or a rotary cutter, a cutting ruler, a cutting mat, command hooks for hanging, and light plastic disposable tablecloths.

The backdrop in these photos was about five feet long and I used three rectangular plastic tablecloths in three different colors {to create a bit of an ombre effect}. If you want the backdrop bulkier or longer, or you want more colors, you’ll need a few more.

Cut the chicken wire to the width you need {long enough to stretch across your party space} and fold it in half if you plan to do a party table backdrop, or keep it as a whole piece if you’re making a photo booth backdrop.

Press all the pointy ends in toward the middle of the chicken wire to prevent them from poking anyone.

Using scissors or a rotary cutter, cut two inch strips all across the tablecloth. I kept the tablecloths folded in fourths lengthwise to make it more manageable to cut.

Once the pieces are cut, fold the strips in half, loop a strip through one of the holes in the chicken wire, and pull the ends through the loop.

Repeat with the same color all the way across the chicken wire to create a row. You don’t have to put a loop in every hole but you want to make sure it’s fairly filled in. You also don’t have to start at the very bottom of the chicken wire since the fringe will hang down, adding more length.

Once you’ve completed a row, start another row, either in the same color or a different color. Space it slightly higher so you’ll be able to see the other color showing under it.

Continue that process until the backdrop is complete, filling in any spaces or gaps, and filling in every hole along the top row so the chicken wire doesn’t show.

If desired, trim some of the pieces to different lengths once the backdrop is complete. This will add a bit of texture and movement and allow other colors to show through.

Use command hooks to hang the backdrop, placing the command hooks on the wall and then looping the chicken wire over the hooks. Two to three command strips will hold it well.

{3M doesn’t recommend using command hooks on a brick wall like we did but they’ve always worked great for me and make it much easier to hang a backdrop if you’re hosting an outdoor party.}