"The Princess Bride" Party Ideas

If the words "As you wish" trigger the thought of a man rolling down a steep hill for you, you're probably a fan of the movie "The Princess Bride," or at least very familiar with the film. Get some friends together for a party and pay homage to this '80s classic with a few easy ideas.

Decorate with signs that say "fire swamp" and throw in some fake rats, sand and tiki torches. You can also adorn the room with yellow buttercups (named after Princess Buttercup, the damsel in distress). You could go with the pirate theme in the movie as well, drawing a tablecloth map of everywhere the Dread Pirate Roberts has been.

For munchies, no Princess Bride party is complete without some iocane juice. Simply mix your favorite punch recipe or prepare a couple bowls of wine. Label one bowl that says "Iocane" and another that says "Poison-free." Add some tiny truffles to pay homage to the "resurrection" miracle cure Wesley is given in the film. You can incorporate peanuts in the cuisine for the famous quote, "Anybody want a peanut?"

You can't have the party without the film. Watch the movie and try to spot goofs, pause it to read interesting trivia facts, or have a "quote along" where everyone chimes in when characters say memorable things. You can also have a "Which cup has the iocane?" game. Use opaque glasses with dark-colored juice or punch in them. Wine works as well. A cherry represents the iocane. One person knows which goblet has the iocane, and another has to guess from clues given by the other.

Send out Invitations in the form of a love letter (presumably from Wesley to Buttercup). You can also make them look like an invitation from Prince Humperdink to his "loyal" subjects. A ransom note stating you have Princess Buttercup in captivity also works well. Ask guests to arrive in costumes from the film or formal attire, depending on how fancy you want the party to be.