Of course, we want all our friends and family to be a part of milestones like weddings, birthdays and graduation open houses, but the way we celebrate is going to look different for some time to come. Here are some great tips and recipes for keeping your special days personal and unique while saving money and planning for a smaller guest list.

Never before have we been so aware of the surfaces we touch, making buffet-style eating a thing of the past. Offering individual appetizers and desserts is a great way to eliminate contact with serving utensils, while offering your party guests premium eats.

Rather than putting out a fruit tray, try these super cute individual fruit cups. Add a few drops of Bavarian Cream Super Strength to the whipped cream topping for an extra tasty touch.

Rather than putting out a fruit tray, try these super cute individual fruit cups. Add a few drops of Bavarian Cream Super Strength to the whipped cream topping for an extra tasty touch.

What’s better than a cheese board? Your own personal cheeseboard. Load up some small plates with a few types of crackers, cheeses, dried fruits, cured meats, and nuts. Give out these plates of gold and your party will be remembered forever.

Small decorative glasses are another great way to serve some of our other party favorites without the worry of double-dipping. Shrimp cocktail, layered dips, vegetables and hummus, and pasta salads will look as stylish as they are delicious.

Towering layers of cake with breathtaking decoration, the cake cutting ceremony, and saving the top layer for the first anniversary have been long-standing wedding traditions. If your guest list is significantly smaller, there may be no need for such a large cake. What better time to start your own, new and tastier tradition? Try this recipe for elegant, multi-layered mini cakes, couples can make together. The cake layers and frosting are easily customized with flavor and color to suit your style. This little project is fun, inexpensive, and will take no time at all. And, you’ll know the exact recipe, so there is no need to store a piece. You can make a fresh one, together, on your one-year anniversary.

Sheet cakes are a graduation open-house staple. These larger cakes are perfect for writing a special message to the graduate, and they feed a large number of guests. If you are opting to keep the celebration less open house and more close family, cupcakes are a great alternative. Frosting swirls are easily created to match school colors. If cake isn’t your graduate’s thing, personalized popcorn is an even more fun way to show your school pride.

Mason jars are another adorable way to create small, classy desserts. Check out our No-Bake Apple Pie Trifle, or this awesome Banana Pudding recipe. If summer is your season and chocolate is your weakness, you’ll love S’mores in a jar.

In our opinion, food is always the best part of any celebration. With the current need for social distancing, there is less need for large volumes of food. Making your own unique, scaled down versions of your favorite party food is a great way to spend time together and save money.

Feature image by @cottonbro, http://www.pexels.com