Marriage brings two love birds together to make one super familial unit, so when celebrating engagements, marriages, or anniversaries, why not let the idea of two-becoming-one inspire the drinks as well?

Just as couples morph from "John and Jane" into "the Smiths," many cocktails are as simple as a one-two punch -- harsh or bland on their own, or divine when merged with a mate. Some two-ingredient libations are a double helping of stiff alcohol, while some require just a splash of the strong stuff, and others are a marriage of alcohol and some other liquid -- either way, these babies will please without a long line of ingredients.

Martini: Made of gin or vodka, this may seem like a cheat on the two-ingredient rule, since a dry martini calls for only a touch of vermouth. Some martini purists, in fact, prefer to skip the vermouth all together, while others like their garnish (olives, onions, or lemon twists) soaked in the it beforehand. But we're still counting it as a two-ingredient cocktail, if only because it's so chic and classy -- perfect for toasting the happy couple.

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Party planning is simple, with these tried-and-true tips and strategies.

Time and again, my wife throws unforgettable parties. The conversation is endless. The music goes of without a hitch (or better yet, without an expensive D.J). And the food is a work of art. I've studied her technique over the years, gotten a bit of a behind-the-scenes education on what goes into party planning, and I'm sharing the best of the best with you.

Greet guests at the door. If guests feel welcome when they arrive, then they will be welcoming all night long. Whenever someone rings our bell, my wife is sure to drop everything to welcome them. It's so important to make sure guests feel appreciated individually! This will raise their comfort level and give you the chance to introduce them to other guests so that the conversation gets going strong.

Think carefully about seating. Make sure guests have a location to sit or stand (preferably both). You want them to be able to get comfy and mingle for hours. This might mean a little furniture re-arrangement or making sure you have a fire pit outside so everyone stays warm into the night. Be sure to position furniture for optimal conversation -- no one wants to get stuck in that chair in the corner!

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An empty wallet shouldn't dictate whether or not you celebrate your anniversary with a gourmet feast.

During hard economic times, having a wonderful anniversary celebration might seem like an impossible feat. There's no money to hit that fancy restaurant, and it's hard to light the candles, cook up some delicious eats, and surprise your beloved. The surprise and mystery are gone when you're picking up anniversary groceries during the weekly supermarket trek, or desperately trying to hide them from prying eyes until the big day.

But while it's sometimes tricky, it isn't impossible to prepare a super-secret and affordable dinner for that romantic anniversary night. The key is to work with what you have, what you can afford, what you know, and what you can prepare easily. We all know the allure of flowers, dim lights, and flickering candles, but when it comes to food, we often get stuck.

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Children love to embrace the role of their favorite hero. That's why firefighter themed birthday parties rate high with the younger set.

Invitations
Invite guests to visit the firehouse for a five-alarm celebration! A picture of your child in front of a fire truck is a an easy way to make the invitations both personal and a keepsake for family and friends. Contact a local station and ask them if you can stop by for a quick pic of your child in front of one of their nice shiny trucks. Print out all of the information for the party on one side of 4x6 piece of card stock and then secure a copy of the photo to the other side.

Turn Your House into a Firehouse
Cut flame shapes out of cellophane and tape them to your windows or sliding glass doors to create your own safe "five-alarm-fire." Decorate with red, orange and yellow streamers and your own life size fire fighter cut out to make the kids feel "engulfed" in the theme.

You can really get into the firefighter theme with all of the great party supplies that are out there. Birthday Express has some of the coolest supplies in this theme around -- plates and cups feature a fire truck with lights and sirens a blaze! They also have a money-saving kit that offers everything you need for a fire fighter children's party. Don't forget to order fire fighter hats for each guest.

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"Lost" is coming to an end -- celebrate with a party.

Have you been there from the beginning? And are you ready for the end? Six seasons ago, Oceanic Airlines flight 815 departed from Sydney for Los Angeles. We watched Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid, Claire, Sawyer, Jin, Sun, and Locke board the plane and things were never the same. But who had any idea that this trip would be so turbulent?

What better way to say goodbye to our favorite castaways than by throwing a "Lost" party. The show's series finale airs on Sunday, May 23rd at 9pm EST and runs for two and a half hours. This gives the show's creators, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, plenty of time to reveal the answers to all of those still-nagging questions, and gives you and your friends plenty of time to be stunned by the answers.

To turn your pad into a tropical paradise, start by blowing up some plastic palm trees. To create a "Lost" beach in your living room, cover a large folding table with a light blue disposable table cloth; add sand and seashells. Make sure to leave spots on the table for the food!

Complete your island decor by sticking the numbers that reoccurred throughout the episodes up on the wall with a decal. Don't forget the two ways the cast tried to leave the island. Place a submarine on a small table and a plane on another.

Now that the island scene is complete, its time to prepare the food and drinks that remind us of "Lost." Start off the snacks with fruit kabobs. In you are feeling especially adventurous, try roasting a leg of wild boar -- or you could go with a pork roast. You could also take a cue from Jin, who preferred to look to the ocean for food. Two good options here would be steamed mussels and linguine with sea urchins.

The food wouldn't be complete with out some Dharma-branded items including beer and chocolate. Create your own labels and stick them on jars and cans.

After you and your guest have enjoyed the show and the food, make sure to give each of them a scratch off lottery ticket. They might not win as much as Hurley did, but they can take home a prize. The guest who wins the most money gets to take home a stuffed polar bear like the one Walt spotted.

Need to catch up on Season 6? SlashControl can help, with streaming episodes of "Lost."

Unless you've raised Doogie Howser, your child's college graduation marks the jump from childhood to adulthood, and it's the perfect opportunity to add some tasty liquor to your upcoming celebration.

We always think of 21 as that year when kids let loose on the waves of libation liberation. But it also marks a whole new world of celebration opportunities. Graduation parties are no longer limited to hot dogs, hamburgers, and coolers fill of soda. They can now have a boozy twist -- one that is best served in the food. We wouldn't dare suggest everyone drink 'til they pass out; instead, this year's college graduation shindig can use alcohol in a more mature way, digging into delectable eats while ushering the grad from red plastic cups of beer to cocktails and maturity.

As delicious as alcohol is when it's well-prepared and served in a glass, it's equally tasty in a number of foods that can celebrate flavor without an ever-rising blood-alcohol level. To get you started, here are some great eats that thrive on a little libation:

Rum Cake
Instead of a frosting-laden monstrosity from the store, whip up a simple rum cake. It's nothing more than a simple cake that's baked and then soaked in a rum glaze. Just be sure to use a good-tasting rum. Skimping on the liquor will leave you with a cheap-tasting cake.

Brown Sugar and Bourbon Ribs
Lots of graduation celebrations take place outside, so put the bourbon to work with roast ribs that are finished on the barbecue. These babies are grilled 'til sticky and served with some extra sauce on top.

Beer-Brined Grilled Turkey Wings
On the same track, add poultry to the mix with Emeril's brined turkey, which gets amped up with 2 12-ounce beers -- what kind is up to you. (As an added taste of bourbon, the wings are topped with a Bourbon BBQ Sauce.)

Penne with Vodka Sauce
A pretty simple recipe from an old favorite, Giada's sauce is just a simple tomato sauce boiled with vodka and then perked up with some heavy cream and grated parmesan. Super simple and super tasty.

Boozy Truffles
You may have noticed artisanal truffles gaining popularity. Here's the secret: they're super easy to make! A quick chocolate mixture is melted up, mixed with alcohol, and cooled in the refrigerator. When firm, they're simply rolled and re-chilled. Any number of liquors will do the trick -- Grand Marnier, kirsch, Kahlua, cognac, you name it.

Amaretto Almond Carrots
As a simple side, carrots are sliced, simmered, topped with amaretto and seasoning, and then simmered until tender.

Italian Cheeses, Sliced Gennel, and Citrus Rings with Brandy
Super-easy for the party situation, Rachel Ray gives a cheese plate a kid with sliced oranges doused in brandy. The alcohol quotient can be increased by hitting your local cheesemonger and finding cheeses with wine, vodka, and other libations.

Tequila Lime Chicken Brochettes
A quick marinade with tequila and lime is all this chicken needs. After cut into strips, the bird is marinated, grilled, and topped with cooked marinade.

Cheers!

Low key can still mean a great 1st birthday bash; we just wish we were invited. - OhDeeDoh

Don't waste good table space on vases! A table flower means there's more room for the eats. - Ikea Hacker

Get ready for the big barbecue weekend with spring cleaning tips that will make Memorial Day safe. - The Stir

Barbecues rule the summer party scene, but we'd prefer to travel the festival scene. Somebody else is cooking. - Slashfood

We're saving on theme park tickets for the kids' party -- we're making ferris wheel pancakes instead! - Jim's Pancakes

In honor of National Barbecue Month, skip the meat and go straight for pizza on the barbie! - BlogHer

Summer is (nearly) here and the time is right for to have a fantastic -- and convenient! -- BBQ.

This week, just in time for Father's Day, we have a Holidash Giveaway to help you pull together a last minute party in minutes, with a Backyard BBQ Party Pack featuring the latest and greatest BBQ supplies from FlameDisk® and Solo Squared.

FlameDisk is a new eco-friendly and easy-to-use fuel for your grill. It's a self-contained aluminum shell (that kinda looks like an unpopped Jiffy Pop) filled with solid ethanol fuel. It lights in seconds and is ready with 40 minutes of grilling time in just a minute. When you're done grilling, there's no ash, soot, or hot coals and the shell goes right in your recycling bin. Easy!

And of course you know the red and blue cups from Solo! Their newest product is the Solo Squared, which re-imagines the iconic party cups with an easier to hold shape, plus more side grips. That should cut down on the number of party foul spills!

The Backyard BBQ party pack includes:

• 5 FlameDisks
• 2 packs of Solo Squared plastic cups, plates and bowls
• $50 Target gift card to get some dogs, buns and brews, or whatever you like!

Enter Now!
Want to have the party at your house? Here's how you can enter:

• Enter your name and email in the form below.
• The entry must be left before 5 pm ET on Friday, May 21st.
• You may enter only once on this post.
• Winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• Winner will receive a BBQ Party Pack (value: $92.53)
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• Click here for complete Official Rules.

We'll notify the winner by email, and you'll have 24 hours to respond. If we don't hear back, we'll pick a new winner, so remember to check your email!

May is not only the kick-off of soon-to-be-summer warmth and delicious seasonal herbs and vegetables. It's also National Burger Month -- celebrating the end of the long winter and return to the beauty of barbecuing. Patty upon patty is slipped on the grill every year, yet no matter how many we make, we always slip into a few bad habits that keep us from having the ultimate burger experience.

As you head outside to the grill, follow these tips and make your best burger:

Flat is Better Than Thick
When we make our own patties, there's the irresistible tendency to make it super-thick. Ignore it! Those huge patties are the reason your homemade burgers turn into small, round balls after grilling, leaving you with too much bun and a towering, messy pile of condiments and toppings. To avoid the bloat, make them thinner. (Some grillers also suggest making indentations in the middle to fight the expansion.) If you must, you can always add an extra patty to the bun.

Salt Right Before Grilling
If you're making your own patties, don't salt your meat until you're ready to grill -- form the patties first. If you do not, the salt will have a chance to dissolve the muscle protein in the meat and make your patty look like re-fashioned steak instead of a moist and crumbling burger.

Don't Move 'Em
Whenever food hits the pan or grill, our first instinct is to move it around, play with it, and keep it from sticking, but the fact of the matter is -- moving a burger too early makes is what it stick. Exercise patience and let the patties sear for a few minutes before touching them. By searing the outside, the delicious juices will stay inside, and the burger will stay in-tact.

There is some debate on flipping. While many chefs and grillers swear by the one-flip, recent research suggests that gently flipping a burger every 15 minutes is the best way to go.

Never Press the Patty
It's easy to get impatient and want your burger to cook quicker, but never, ever press the patty. It might sound like a great way to speed up the cooking process, but each squeeze pushes moisture, juices, and flavor out of the burger.

Let it Rest
Don't slap your patty onto a bun and devour it straight off the grill. Let the burgers sit for a few minutes. While it rests, gather your condiments, toast your buns, and then slap it all together for the perfect backyard meal.

Make it a party under the big top, and you can skip the clowns (everyone will thank you). - Birthday Girl

Take the pinwheels for a spin at the next baby shower and you've got a ready made mobile for mama. - Hostess With the Mostess

Mix and match isn't just for little kids parties anymore. Let your hair down and mismatch the decor. - Attic Mag

All the camping fun without the mosquitoes makes this a happy party. - The Stir

Make your Memorial Day menu now -- picks for the vegetarians, the meat-eaters and more are all here. - Kitchen Daily

If you're still debating the engagement party, how about five reasons you'll be calling the party planner tomorrow. - TresSugar