Evelyn Martin shot the photos that are used in this article.

When Vancouver-based Evelyn Martin hosted her first themed party, she didn’t imagine it would grow into a full-grown creative outlet spanning more than 50 celebrations.

“Parties are my love language,” the 31-year-old says. “I absolutely love hosting. For me, it’s all about creating really elaborate decorations and giving people the kind of parties they wish they were invited to.”

From brand work to personal passion

Like many creative passions, Evelyn’s took root early. She served on her elementary school’s dance organizing committee and later worked in brand activations for alcohol companies like Budweiser, Johnnie Walker, and Don Julio. Her job was literally to throw parties — happy hours, trivia nights, and other branded events — but on her own time, she preferred hosting celebrations that were more personal than anything she was paid to produce.

The challenge of going big

Throwing dozens of parties a year comes with several challenges. According to Thumbtack, professional event decorators typically charge between $80 to $100 per hour, while decor costs can escalate quickly. For example, uplighting a wedding ballroom alone can cost up to $2,500.

Even when Evelyn had access to a personal expense account during her brand rep days, the budget still couldn’t cover the elaborate themes and décor she envisioned. “I always wanted to go bigger, but I just couldn’t justify the cost,” said Evelyn.

Beyond cost, sourcing the right materials posed another hurdle. Party supplies are often scattered across different stores, with limited options for unique or themed items, making it difficult to find everything needed in one place.

(link erica golf partee video)

That pressure could have forced Evelyn to scale back, but instead it pushed her to get creative about sourcing materials. She began experimenting with DIY, repurposing household items, and eventually turned to online marketplace Temu, which made it possible to find a wide range of themed décor in one accessible platform.

Making immersive experiences accessible through Temu

Evelyn is dedicated to shaping a fully realized experience for each theme, ensuring guests are completely immersed. Her Harry Potter-inspired Hogwarts bash, for example, featured potion-making stations, house banners and floating candles.

And the annual Valentine’s Day single party, complete with candy-coloured décor, interactive games, and Instagram-worthy installations, has become a tradition with her friends.

Evelyn describes the creative process as part treasure hunt, part creative puzzle — something she loves solving with the help of Temu. “If I can imagine it, chances are I can find it on Temu,” she says. Whether it’s a neon sign to set the vibe, fairy lights for ambiance, or quirky details like oversized props, she’s able to source items that bring her vision to life. The most rewarding part for Evelyn is seeing people’s faces light up when they realize how much thought went into every detail.

Viral moments, shared inspiration

Evelyn’s gatherings have always been popular with friends, but documenting them on TikTok has taken things further. More than 31 of her videos have garnered over a million views each this year, showing how creativity can capture widespread attention.

A clip of her “party bathrooms” — mirror spaces she decorates as photo backdrops — went viral with 2.5 million views. Comments on her videos often highlight not just the beauty of the setups but also how achievable they feel for ordinary hosts. A big part of that accessibility, she shares openly, comes from Temu, where she finds everything from disco ball drinkware to Hogwarts-inspired décor.

For Evelyn, hosting is about more than just throwing parties, it’s about turning imagination into experiences that people truly remember. “It’s not just about the parties,” she says. “It’s about creating moments people remember and inspiring others to do the same.”

Editorial Notes:

This was an editorial piece as part of a larger brand collaboration between Evelyn Martin and Temu which included her throwing a Golf themed par-tee using Temu products to demonstrate how you can host on a budget.

A swing toward speciality, niche flavour profiles is not without its risks, points out Vancouver, Canada-based brand activation expert & founder of Directionless Creative Evelyn Martin, who counts drinks multi-nationals Diageo and Anheuser-Busch as past clients.

“We need to be careful we’re not switching people from high-volume, versatile standard flavours to super-speciality flavour profiles,” she argues. “Most people probably wouldn’t need to repurchase a bottle of spicy pickle vodka as quickly as plain vodka.

“I worked on the launch of Cîroc Vanilla, and it was a product that was a challenge for a lot of bartenders, because it was such a strong flavour. It was absolutely ideal for an espresso martini, and worth having on my bar cart forever purely for espresso martinis, but if I am not making that one drink, I don't reach for it.”

"Even the largest of dogs has sass to spare, and you don’t have to look any further than Roman the Great Dane for a perfect example! This gentle giant may be a perfect angel for his mama, but it’s an entirely different story when he’s alone with his dad. On September 23, Roman gave people on the street quite a show as he refused to walk for Dad. When Mom walked up, though, everything changed!"

"This Great Dane is the epitome of sass, but apparently, only for his dad. Whether he likes the attention, wants to play, or just doesn’t want to walk on a leash, he makes his discomfort perfectly clear. It’s important for everyone, including dogs, to express their feelings, but I imagine his dad is flustered about how the gentle giant tried to do it. 

"Commenters like @brookebell13 agreed that Roman isn’t really the man’s dog, as the video explains. “Ma’am, that’s clearly your dog. He was being kidnapped & trying to escape.”

"Not every pup grabs your attention quite like a Marmaduke-lookalike tugging on his own leash! It looked like Roman had already gathered a crowd by the time his mom walked up, but not even he had any idea his tantrum would gain him over 36 million views! 

Evelyn Martin's videos are the subject of this article. The "mama" and "mom" referenced in this article is Evelyn Martin.

"A woman out walking the streets of Vancouver randomly bumped into her ex's dog, a pleasant surprise, until she began walking away."

"Evelyn Martin, who posts on TikTok as @evelynmmartin, used to date someone who owned a Great Dane named Roman. However, when the relationship ended, so did her bonding time with Roman, whom she told Newsweek was always the best dog. And the feeling was mutual, as her July 7 video showed."

"Roman immediately lit up when he saw her on the same block while being walked by the dog walker. Martin went over to say hello and give him some long-overdue pets."

"The quick exchange wasn't enough for Roman, though. Martin began walking away, but she hesitated after seeing how distraught Roman became at the thought of her not coming home with him. His wagging tail slowed down, sinking with sadness. He wouldn't budge as the dog walker tried to move him along."

"Screenshots from a July 7 TikTok video of a Great Dane showing "big emotions" as his owner's ex runs into him and leaves.|@evelynmmartin/TikTok/@evelynmmartin/TikTok"

"Martin couldn't stand the thought of leaving him that way, so she rushed over for a few more pets. As she approached him, Roman began jumping up and down, still holding onto hope she'd return home with him."

"Funny enough, Martin knew this was how Roman would react. He's always been one with "big feelings," she said. He would give the same worried look to Martin when she would leave the house while dating his owner."

"Previous videos from her Instagram account, @evelyn_martin, show how strong the relationship between Martin and Roman had been. He would follow her home on walks, making sure she arrived safely. He never turned down cuddles. And while he received attention from strangers, he only ever perked up when Martin arrived."

"The TikTok clip had reached over 1.1 million views and 232,700 likes as of Tuesday, with people demanding that she prioritize the dog's needs, stop breaking his heart, and get back together with her ex."

"If a dog tells you you're coming over, you're coming over," commented one viewer."

"Sounds like a co-parenting situation is needed," another person said."

"But, because not all relationships are meant to last forever, a commenter pointed out: "At least there's one thing y'all can agree on: he seems like a really good boy.

The article cites this as @evelynmmartin but that account has since been renamed @evelynsparties.

As Halloween spending hits $13.1 billion, the aesthetic is shifting. Designers favor dried florals, antique candlesticks and moody lighting over dollar-store cobwebs.

Halloween decor has evolved. As consumers potentially spend a record $13.1 billion on Halloween this year, aesthetic preferences have shifted from plastic pumpkins and yard inflatables to something more refined. Consider layered pumpkins in various colors, ambient lighting and organic materials.

Homeowners are moving away from cartoonish ghouls toward what experts call “spooky-chic,” which blends the holiday’s eerie spirit with sophisticated design elements. Animatronic brain-eating zombies haven’t been entirely banished, but chances are, you’ll see something tasteful like arranged fall foliage mixed with such subtle gothic touches as black feathers and aged books.

DIY Decor From Your Own Backyard

“The twisted, gnarled branches of a downed tree, combined with a well-placed colored light, make an effect more impressive than any dollar store cobwebs,” says brand expert Evelyn Martin.

“I collected twigs from the garden to build a Blair Witch Project theme using a little hot glue. I had a six-foot floating terrifying symbol that cost zero dollars. It looks more unique and impressive than a $300 inflatable prop.”

Brand expert Evelyn Martin created this ‘Blair Witch Project’ themed wall from tree branches and zero cost.”

Martin collects a tall weed that grows along the side of the roadway where she lives in Vancouver. “I call it ‘Halloweed,’” she says. “It dries out to a dark burgundy-black color, and looks equally elegant as it looks spooky when styled in a vase.”

Caption: Brand expert Evelyn Martin created this gnarled, dramatically lit entry from stray tree branches.

Caption: Brand expert Evelyn Martin staged this tree branch perched with crows and ‘Blair Witch Project’ symbols.”

'In general, as soon as you see a leaf displaying signs of damage my advice is always going to be to remove that leaf,' plant influencer Evelyn Martin (@thefiddleleaflady) advises.

'It makes it a lot more difficult for you to tell if your plant is continuing to deteriorate if new damage is mixed in with old damage,' she adds.

Evelyn Martin was one of the three plant experts cited in this article.The fiddle leaf lady is one of Evelyn Martin’s social media personas.

“One boyfriend’s dog has been turning on the charm around his owner’s girl, and it looks like the guy might have some competition! A woman on social media caught some hilarious footage of her partner’s friendly Great Dane, Roman. In the clip, she compared her boyfriend’s reaction to seeing her vs. his dog’s."

"This adorable video has received over 26 million views!"

"Commenters loved seeing this woman’s relationship with her boyfriend’s sweet dog. Many pointed out how the pooch amended his mischievous behavior as soon as his owner’s girlfriend arrived!

“He changed up his act real quick lol,” joked one user."

"When the woman greeted her partner, he was losing a game of tug of war with his four-legged friend. His expression brightened when he noticed his girlfriend walking up to him. However, this was nothing compared to Roman’s response. As soon as this pup heard the woman’s voice, he immediately dropped what he was doing and ran up to her, tail wagging. Then, he rushed back over to his owner as if to say, “Look who’s here!”"

"Another added, “He said, ‘Ope. Ma’s here! Activate angel mode!'”

"Roman may be a smooth operator when it comes to greeting the ladies, but how does he fare against his owner when it’s time to get dressed for date night? Well, in another video, the Great Dane absolutely blew his dad out of the water with a sharp tux! When this dog got all dolled up to join his favorite couple on their romantic dinner, the boyfriend’s simple polo shirt never stood a chance."

"Even though Roman the Great Dane keeps showing up his owner, it doesn’t look like there are any hard feelings. What a lucky woman this girlfriend is to have two such handsome men in her life!"

Evelyn Martin's videos are the subject of this article. The "girlfriend" and "woman on social media" referenced in this article is Evelyn Martin. The "boyfriend" & "owner" referenced in this article is Dr. David Grant.

For much of this season the Rockridge Ravens senior rugby team was slugging away like a boxer unable to throw his best punch.

They were still winning bouts — including the Lower Mainland title with a win over their powerful cross-town rivals from Collingwood — but knew they could do even more damage if only they could unleash their most dangerous weapon: a swift uppercut named Adam Martin. The Grade 12 scrum half was practising with the team mostly in a non-contact role, unable to get into the real action as he came back from a fully torn ACL he suffered in November of 2012 that required surgery and intensive rehab. It was obvious to all observers that if Martin was cleared to play, he would be a difference maker right away.

“He’s an unreal player,” said coach Perino Zambon. “We see him in practice all the time playing touch and it’s like, ‘Oh, when can Adam come back?’”

Last week, Adam came back. It was a knockout.

Martin’s first action since the injury was last weekend’s provincial championship tournament and all he did was earn a spot on the Commissioner’s XV team as Rockridge’s MVP while guiding the Ravens to their first B.C. title since 2010. Rockridge clinched the crown with a 28-15 win over Collingwood Saturday at Abbotsford’s Rotary Stadium. Zambon lauded Martin’s efforts to get back on the pitch in time to finish his high school career with a championship.

“We knew he was a great player, it was just a matter of would he be able to come back in time,” he said. “He just committed himself to being able to get back to those provincials in Grade 12. I thought it was very fitting that he came back, played a great tournament and was our Commissioner’s XV.”

Martin, who didn’t have his surgery until September 2013, admits that he wasn’t given full clearance from his medical team but he and his parents decided to take a chance at the provincial championships.

“My surgeons and my physio both said to wait a year, so I was pushing it,” he said. “My physio said it was a 50/50 chance. If I played I could re-injure it, or I could be fine.”

Martin took the chance and came up lucky. Battling some nerves, he still managed to score in the first game and the Ravens cruised through their opening round opponents. Their first stiff test came from a talented St. Michaels team in the semifinals when Rockridge raced out to a 20-0 lead but barely hung on for a 20-17 win.

Coach Zambon said his team chose to view the win as a testament to their strength rather than an almost collapse. 

“That was a huge win for us, it really gave the guys confidence that if they keep their heads on and keep their discipline, they could beat anybody,” he said. “These kids are good kids that we get to coach and teach, they’re tough kids mentally and physically. Rather than looking at that as a thing that might weaken us, we looked at it as a strong test that we survived.”

The good vibes did carry over to the final as the Ravens battled to a 7-3 lead at halftime — Martin opened the scoring with a diving try — before building up a 28-10 lead in the second half. Collingwood scored in the final minute to make it 28-15 but that was the end of the action. Rockridge’s other tries came from Wyatt Vickerstaff, Jackson Claridge and Brandon Leschert while Angus Carroll, co-captain along with Mitch Melenbacher, kicked four tough converts in the swirling Fraser Valley wind.

“Collingwood was defending and doing what they do really well, which is hold onto the ball through multiple phases,” said Zambon. “Our guys just relied on their defence and in the second half managed to get a couple of scores and develop a bit of a lead. . . . Our forward pack as a group played well. Charlie Macdonald played well. Brock Duncan was a boy who started playing rugby for us in Grade 12. He had just an incredible tournament. Incredible year, considering that he started in Grade 12.”

As for Collingwood, they cruised through the tournament until slamming up against the Rock.

“Rockridge just played really good rugby,” said head coach David Speirs. “They were worthy winners and that’s the way it goes sometimes. . . . We missed some key tackles. That was the bottom line. We put in some good tactical kicks and they escaped our grasp, got it into our half and played some good rugby from there.”

Carlos Sheppard and Bailey Speirs scored tries in the final, with Speirs earning a spot on the Commissioner’s XV team.

“He had a great game,” coach Speirs said of MVP Bailey, who also happens to be his son. “He was really strong on offence, made a lot of good runs and was outstanding defensively. It’s a bad sign when your scrum half has to make a lot of tackles. And he had to make a lot of tackles.”

The game marked the final Collingwood contest for co-coach Roger Hatch who is retiring this year after a 29-year run with the program that included 15 provincial medals.

“The storybook ending didn’t occur,” said Speirs, “(But) he went out going to five straight B.C. finals. A record of seven golds, six silvers and two bronze medals. That’s a pretty amazing record.”

This year’s final was just one more chapter in the Rockridge/Collingwood rivalry that ebbs and flows with neither team ever gaining full control. The Cavaliers won last year’s final over the Ravens.

“I definitely think both programs drive each other to get better,” said Zambon. “Because the expectations are high for each program, I think we do kind of force the other one to keep pace. It’s always kind of a challenge back and forth to see who can better the other one.”

The win was especially sweet for Martin who had to watch from the sidelines last year as the Cavaliers claimed the championship.

“I really felt like I let down the team not being able to play there — all this year I’ve been trying to get back on it,” he said, adding that the contests against Collingwood are always the most intense matchups of the year.

“All of our guys know each other from Capilano (Rugby Club) and all of the other leagues so there’s a massive rivalry,” he said. “We’ve always been out to get them. It’s always the most physical game and always a really close game.”

As for winning the team’s MVP award in his first action in 18 months, Martin deflected the praise onto his teammates.

“I’m still surprised,” he said of earning the award. “Our team is full of so many good players. It was just an amazing game for our entire team. At the end of the year everything just clicked. I can’t really say it was just me.”

Martin also seemed content with his decision to take his chances on the field knowing his knee wasn’t back to 100 per cent.

“It was definitely worth the risk,” he said, adding that he owes a lot of thanks to his coaches for the faith they had in him. “I was a year and a half without playing rugby and they still had the confidence to put me back out there. That really just made me want to prove to them that was the right decision.”

Adam Martin is Evelyn Martin's little brother.

Forbes article citing Evelyn Martin as a party expert.

“What Makes a Board Game Great for Parties? “This is a trick question because ‘board’ games aren’t good for groups larger than the number of players. Nothing kills a party atmosphere faster than watching somebody else roll dice for an hour,” says Evelyn Martin, brand activation expert at Directionless Creative and party gamer extraordinaire."

"Martin has hosted over 50 game parties at her house and hundreds of group events for her clients. These are their favorite party games and the ones that Martin has seen liven up groups the most:"

"The best party game for groups of any size, of any age, is Catchphrase. It’s fast, interactive, vocal (not sitting silently around a board), high energy, different every time, and people can join or leave whenever. “If you gave me an entire games store, told me I could only keep one party game, I would pick Catchphrase 99/100 times,” says Martin."

The "hundreds of group events for her clients" mentioned in this article refers to Evelyn Martin's decade as a Brand Activation Specialist inside Diageo & AB-InBev; it was her job to throw parties on and off-premise for all the billion-dollar alcohol brands in those companies portfolios.

"Humongous" plant is living proof that peace lilies will continue to grow if given proper care."

"Social media is awash with reports from plant owners who have achieved great success with their houseplants, such as The Fiddle Leaf Lady on TikTok. The content creator has built a large following sharing science-backed tips, and one of her recent clips is about growing peace lilies."

“My mum bought a peace lily 20 years ago at IKEA,” the TikToker said, with her mother confirming: “It’s now humongous.” Lifting the lid on her trusted care routine, the plant owner revealed she waters her peace lily once a week. She uses either one or two full watering cans, depending on how droopy the leaves appear."

“I haven’t repotted it in 15 years,” she shared. “I give it plant fertiliser in the spring and through the summer, but not in autumn and winter.” Sometimes, the leaves become crispy and dry and may even drop off the stem, the mother revealed, adding: “Then you cut them off.”

“And then new ones come up in the middle. Just remember to turn the plant occasionally,” she advised, with her daughter echoing: “Yes, turning is essential.”

The "TikToker", "Content Creator" and "Daughter" quoted in this article is Evelyn Martin. The "Mum" quoted is Susan A Goodeve Martin, Evelyn's Mom.

"Pup cups are a rite of passage for dogs everywhere. Starbucks often gets credited with starting the trend, and even if that’s not exactly true, they’ve definitely helped catapult it to popularity, and it’s where most pups end up going to get their fix."

"Roman is the best boy there ever was. He’s actually recovering from surgery to treat his Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, and pup cups are a huge part of his healing routine! Unfortunately, HOD is common in giant breeds like Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds: it’s a bone disease and, left untreated, it’s very painful. He had a surgery to help eliminate potential causes and correct a few things, hence why his back legs don’t really work."

"Normally, it’s just a tiny little cup with some whipped cream in it: probably about a tablespoon, maybe two if you’ve got a really generous barista. On Tuesday, October 29th, though, one Starbucks decided to give a Great Dane a Great Dane sized pup cup, and jaws hit the floor: Roman the Great Dane must’ve been in heaven eating this thing! It’s fit for the king he totally is!"

"No matter. Roman isn’t thinking about that: all he’s thinking about is the massive pup cup he was just gifted by his most favorite barista. Usually, pup cups are around 4 ounces, and they’re not all the way full. However, Roman’s pup cup came in a grande hot cup – that’s 16 ounces, and it really does look mostly full!

Evelyn Martin's video is the subject of this article

"Hearts have melted at a giant dog who was reunited with one of his favorite people after six months apart. Evelyn Martin, 31, is from Vancouver, Canada, and has a strong bond with Roman, a Great Dane dog who she used to spend a lot of time with. Martin had been in a relationship with Roman's owner, but when that relationship came to an end, she naturally didn't get to see Roman as much. But the bond remained, as proven by a sweet video posted to Martin's TikTok account, @evelynsparties on August 7."

"Martin explained in a comment that she lives in the same neighborhood as her ex, who she described as a "wonderful person," adding that in the end they "just weren't each other's forever people and that's okay." Living in close proximity to an ex can come with its problems, but in Martin's case, it has major positives—because she randomly met Roman the Dane while he was out for a walk with a dog walker."

"In the video, Roman stops dead still as he recognizes her from across a green area, and she calls out excitedly to him: "Hi, baby!" The dog jumps onto the grassy area, shakes his head with his whole body moving in excitement, and jumps up to greet Martin, showering her with licks and nuzzles before spinning excitedly in a circle. The video then suddenly cuts off, as Martin wrote in a caption: "Sorry it cut off, I was tackled!" She wrote over the video: "My ex's Great Dane seeing me for the first time in six months."

"TikTok users loved it, awarding the video more than 540,000 likes and watching it a whopping 3.7 million times, as one commenter called it "the hard side of a break up."

The TikTok handle previously known as @evelynmmartin is now @evelynsparties