Moroccan Party 43yr

For my 43rd birthday I threw a Moroccan birthday bash for about 30 close friends. Invitations were handmade as scrolls. I bought dowels and balls to fit on each end and painted them gold. I printed party details in gold with translations in Arabic printed in red and cut scalloped edges around the paper, before gluing it to a deep red card stock, wrapping it around the gold scrolls and tying it off with gold ribbon. Each invitation was hand delivered.  To create the right ambience, I rented a 20x20 ft tent from AtoZrentall. The best part was, AtoZ delivered and set it up for me so I didn't have to worry about it at all. I strung white lights around the entire perimeter of the tent, and put up only 3 of the 4 walls that came with it. I left the 4th wall off the tent so that it could open into my garden. I downloaded 3 hours worth of authentic Moroccan music from iTunes which created a perfect atmosphere.  My friends and I spent a day and a half making all of the food. The menu included Moroccan Crockpot Stew; chicken kebabs; beef kebabs; Moroccan roasted chickens; salads; breads; fruit platters; Casbah Couscous; Roasted Red Pepper, Cucumber and Tomato Salad; and lots of wine.    The tables were all set with gold table cloths, plates, and utensils with red napkins and crystal wine goblets. Multiple candles were lit on each table to create a warm glow over everything. My daughter, who loves to sew, made about a dozen pillows which where strategically placed about the tent. They were either cotton or silk fabrics in bright reds, yellows and greens.  For entertainment, we hired a belly dancer who performed for about 15 minutes. She even had a dance in which she balanced a silver tray of candles on her head while dancing and doing deep back-bends, etc. It was spectacular.  Then she gave private lessons to the group. All the women took lessons and the men loved it!   A henna tattoo artist spend about 3 hours giving tattoos to everyone who wanted one (which was just about everyone) and they were gorgeous! I tried to find a snake charmer,  but that was the one thing I couldn't find.   Many guests wore African clothing or accessories to create an even more festive atmosphere. Conversation flowed freely, everyone laughed and danced and a great time was had by all. Most guests said that this was the best party they had ever been to!