Italian Soda Bar

This italian soda bar post is part of a campaign with Shutterfly and LooksiSquare.  All opinions are my own.

It’s almost graduation time and if you’re celebrating a graduate this spring, I’ve got a fun idea for the party: a DIY Italian soda bar.  It couldn’t be easier to throw together and with a few simple DIY touches {like mason jars topped with graduation caps}, an Italian soda bar is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

The inspiration for this italian soda bar came from these elegant graduation announcements from Shutterfly.  I love the way they look and I borrowed the scalloped edges, the stripes, and accents of gold for the party!

I set up a piece of beadboard as a plain backdrop and added a black and white striped, scallop-edged awning to the top of it {you may remember this simple fabric awning from last summer’s wedding photo shoot}.  I added gold tulle {left over from our silver and gold party} to the table and directed guests to the fun with a scallop-edged chalkboard.

I used extra graduation announcements to create a garland, taping the soda bar instructions onto the pretty gold back of the announcements …

… then creating a garland across the backdrop, using tiny gold clothespins to clip the cards to gold and white twine.

A graduation party isn’t complete without a mortarboard so I created graduation caps on mason jar glasses.  To make them, simply turn a black cupcake wrapper upside down over the mason jar lid, add a dab of hot glue to hold it on if needed …

… then use a dab of hot glue to attach a black cardstock square on top.  The lids will still easily unscrew from the mason jars and you have a fun graduation-themed decoration that’s useful too!

Set out a big bowl of ice …

… add a few syrup choices, a pitcher of club soda, and a small carafe of half and half …

… and the Italian soda bar is open for business!  Each guest will add four pumps of syrup to their glass, fill the glass half full with ice, fill the glass to the top with club soda, and add a splash of half and half.  So simple that even the younger guests can make their own.  And the flavor is delicious!  {Caramel is one of my favorites.}

Celebrating graduation is easy … and Shutterfly makes it even easier with beautiful graduation invitations and announcements!  The custom color palette allows you to choose your school’s colors or just colors that you love.  Foil-stamped designs add a touch of elegance.  You can choose different formats {flat, 3/4 fold, tri-fold}, different sizes {6×8, 5×7, 4×8, 5×5, 4×5}, and different trim options {scallop, square, rounded, bracket, ticket}.

I love the back of the card designs and I love that you can upload your graduate’s instagram photos for a totally unique, graduation announcement that’s a true expression of who your graduate is!

Have you got a graduate in the family this year?  How are you celebrating?

For more graduation ideas, be sure to check out the simple graduation cap party backdrop made from paper plates …

… a simple tutorial for a graduation cap gift card holder …

… and upcycled graduation cap cupcake toppers made from water bottle lids!