I love planning parties, but I often feel that my efforts fall short. After the event, I usually think of something that would have made the party better - a wine to compliment the meal, a theme or game, or the perfect music to spice up the evening. This summer, my little sister turned 21 and I decided to throw her a surprise party. I wanted her birthday to be unforgettable; however, I didn't have the money to hire a party planner or caterer, and I didn't know where to start. Using the Internet, I found all the tools I needed to plan a memorable birthday party.

First, I needed to stealthily invite all our friends. Making phone calls seemed complicated and time consuming, and I worried that my sister might discover a set of traditional, snail mail invitations. So, I decided that electronic invitations would be the most efficient (and clandestine) approach. I didn't want to send a boring email with all the details, so I set up an account at online invitation service, Evite.

Evite sets up a unique page for each party, on which you can post information about the party and select decorations. I was able to enter all the details, including a map to our house, and a prominent reminder and that, "SHHHH, it's a surprise!"

Evite sends an invitation via email to all the invitees, including the URL for the invitation page, where guests can RSVP, and even post a little note to the site. I checked the site every few days, and it was really amusing to read what all our friends had to say. A week before the party, almost everyone had responded to the invitation. I knew exactly how many people where coming and if they were bringing anything with them.

After using Evite, I found several other online invitation services, such as Sendomatic, , and Invite Depot. I also found eInvite.com, you can order personalized invitations to be mailed to directly to guests.

Now, it was time for the preparations.

I wanted her party to be more than just a standard birthday affair, with great decorations and a theme. There are numerous party planning resources online, as well as an endless supply of cake recipes and advice. This site has party planning advice columns, seasonal party ideas, party themes, and etiquette tips. eHow has a complete party planning center, including directions on topics ranging from "Proper Filipino Dinnertime Manners" to planning a "Vegetarian Thanksgiving Meal."

My sister loves Mexican food and culture, so I decided to throw a party with a Mexican theme. I found the article "A Mexican Dinner Party" on My Backyard.com, that had recipe suggestions, tips for music selection, and instructions for creating authentic Mexican decorations. I learned to make papel picado, strings of colorful Mexican banners, cut with patterns. For the party, I bought balloons, hung the paper banners all over the house, and decorated the tables with vases of flowers.

Since it was her 21st birthday I wanted to have lots of fun drinks. I bought Corona and XX beers; however, margaritas were also in order. Aspiring bartenders and ambitious entertainers can find a wealth of drink recipes and tips on sites like Cocktail.com, which features seasonal drink recipes, feature articles, and a cocktail recipe finder, or at About.com - Cocktails.

I like Webtender, which has an extensive and searchable database of drink recipes, as well as suggestions for drinks using the liquors you already have in the cabinet. At Webtender, I found a recipe for frozen margaritas, as well as a recipe for Blackjack Margaritas, which adds a twist the traditional recipe with the addition of Chambord Raspberry Liquor. After selecting drinks for the party, I spent an hour surfing through the rest of the drink recipes and dreaming up plans for even more parties in the future.

In addition to the decorations and drinks, I wanted to make an impressive spread of Mexican snacks. I wasn´t sure where to start; however, once I started looking, I found an endless supply of recipes on the web. eHow's Cuisines of the World section has recipes from across the globe. I found recipes for Chipotle Salsa, Chiliquilas, and Black Bean Chili. I added some tortilla chips, sour cream, and guacamole, and served it all on colorful plates in the backyard.

For dessert, I wanted to make something a little more traditional, even though eHow had a recipe for the Mexican dessert, flan. I looked at dessert recipes on Recipe Box, and Cake Recipe. Finally, I decided to make the Heavenly Chocolate Cake on the Internet Cookbook.

The Internet Cookbook has recipes from cafes and restaurants all over the United States. The Heavenly Chocolate Cake recipe was posted by a small café in Fort Bragg, California.

I decided the party was going to be my gift to my sister, but if you are looking for the perfect gift, there are many gift giving guides on the Internet. Many will help you match the personality of your friend with a gift idea. These sites include Present Depot, and Gifts.com, as well as Astrology.com's diverting Astrological Gift Giving Guide, which helps users pick gifts based on the recipient's astrological predilections.

The fiesta was a smash success. My sister had a ball and was very impressed with my cooking. Now, I am already thinking about what I will do for her 22nd!