We were partial frills, and the fight to keep helium balloons went on much longer than the fight to keep food after I left.
In my time (2003-2007 at Case Western) we had a budget for the food and decor for each party, but it didn't include things the house owned (like platters or christmas lights.... so many christmas lights) or stuff we borrowed from alumnae (like table clothes). Also alumnae could donate up to $X in food for each party so it was pretty frilly. We did recruitment out university buildings because not every chapter had a house so there was always some random stuff on the walls we either covered or worked into our decor.
One year one of my sisters who was amazing at embossing did special embossed name tags for each party. I need to find a picture of those.
There was one party that I am going to see if I can find a picture of that was just over the top. We had a punch fountain and chocolate covered fruit inside of a light covered tent. I don't know how that was on budget....
We would literally cover the room in christmas lights and helium balloons.
We often did a winter wonderland theme and had snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.
For skit days we would do elaborate backdrops and props. These were the frills I loved.
My favorite frilly party was Candy Land (how sweet it is to be Phi Mu!) and had areas of the room decorated like parts of the game and colored squares along the floor, though one of the PNMs (a future sister) tripped on one coming into the party.....
