Inspiration and ideas!

I loooove Calla Lilly it's my favorite flower. I decided to base my entire wedding around that flower! I used the colors in the flower, which are white, green and yellow. Now using that inspiration I decided that those colors will work best in a spring or summer wedding. And just like that my idea was born! I wanted green and white flowers (calla lilies of course) and cakes and grass to create an over all clean & fresh feeling, I saw it perfectly in my head but as I tried to explain this concept to my mother, a few friends and my then fiancée, they just couldn't see it! So I had to get creative, I searched magazines and the web for pictures to convey my thoughts to them and then I stumbled upon this idea. An inspiration board! aha!

What is an inspiration board?

It's a form of collage, where you can find pictures of things you would like at your event and put them all together on your board. Creating an inspiration board for your event is a great way to visualize all of your thoughts. There you can play around with your colors, flowers, decorations, etc. You can put pictures of cakes you like, table decorations, entertainment, favors gift bags, quotes and more! This will make it easier to convey your idea/theme to your vendors and others that maybe helping out with this event.

It’s easy! Grab a poster board from a local craft store or $1.00 store , some glue…and you are armed. As you begin to think about your event cut out pictures in magazines or off the web of things you like,if you see an invitation or thank you card that you like, put it on your board. You don’t have to be fancy…if you like blue then you can just get a blue crayon or marker and put it on your board. Be sure if you are having dresses made then add a color swatch on your board. This small idea will be very helpful; it will help you get your ideas out of your head and on paper. It’s up to you, you can add as much or as little as you like.

Remember inspiration is all around you, just look around and take pictures! As you put thoughts and pictures on your board it's easier to bring your event together.

People make the party great!

Great parties start and end with great guests. Your guest list will determine the outcome of your party. When I say this I don't mean the size of the list, it's not always about quantity it's about quality. You can have a great party with 5 people, as long as these people have the same goal as you do. When planning you guest list it is very important to think about the goal of your party, example: if your desired outcome is to set a scene where people can come and unwind, then you don't want to invite children.

As a person who will throw a party for just about anything, I know that everyone on your contact list doesn't get invited to every party, some crowds just can't mix! Now another key element in determining your guest list is the type of entertainment that you will have. You wouldn't want to have clowns with a room full of people who are terrified of clowns, just as you wouldn't want to invite your grandmother to a Hip-Hop concert!

I know we have all been to events where some of the people there just don't fit in. This is a party planning SIN! Do not feel obligated to invite anyone that you know will be a "stick in the mud". Save yourself the headache. Entertaining can be fun for the host and guests or it can be a disaster if the wrong people are there. Something to think about.....

Wow em with details.

It's all in the details.

In my previous post, I stated that the best parties incorporate personality and flair. I think a great way to bring in this concept is with your invitations, party favors and goody bags. Many times you can take a simple guest gift or favor and personalize it for the "wow" factor. When doing my research for guest favors my wedding I stumbled upon personalized candy bars...I thought this was the coolest thing ever (well maybe not ever, but it is pretty cool)!

What or how you will personalize depends on the party of course. Invitations are the first impression of your event, so you can definitely start your "wowing" process here. An easy way to personalize invitations is by just adding a picture of the guest of honor. You can do this very easily at home with word processing software such as Microsoft word. When doing invitations be creative...don't be afraid to play with the fonts and colors. Use non- traditional wording as a way to convey your theme. For example if you are having a Spa party, instead of just saying " You're invited"...try using "Come kick up your heels and relax!"..This gives the guests a good idea of what to expect at the event.

Another great way to add flair is with your guest gifts. Everyone loves to get a gift right? Most of the times when I host parties, my guests always leave with something cute, dainty and functional. Which I think is a great representation of me and my friends. One idea I love is scented candles..I haven't given this gift out yet so I hope my friends aren't reading this. Scented candles can be used at anytime, for any event where ladies are involved. When using candles the detail will be in the packaging. I suggest using small pillar candles, as they come in many different colors and heights. Purchase small to medium sized clear gift bags, labels and some nice colorful curling ribbon. Print your labels with your catch phrase, which could be a thank you ,the name of the guest or host and the name and date of the event. Place the label on the bag so it is aligned with the middle of your candle, place the candle in the gift bag and the close the top with your curling ribbon. Viola' you have a cute gift that can be used by the guests or displayed in their home or office!

Again with any party it's all about being creative. Spend some time planning your details, it will be time well spent.

Let's get this party started 1

Any great party begins with a simple thought!

It’s your party and you can cry if you want to! As a matter of fact you can do whatever you like. When planning an event the first thing that I suggest is that the planner considers the personality of the guest of honor. The best parties incorporate personality and flair. Think about what you like, things you like to do, your favorite colors, your favorite past time activities, things that make you happy and smile. There are some staples with most any event, from the backyard party for the one year old to the grandest wedding the world has ever seen. As you start your planning process there are many things to consider such as venues, budgets, menus, entertainment and decorations to name a few.

As a party planner I begin my process with a brainstorm. I just gather a pen and paper and write. I write whatever comes to mind when I think of my party. Don’t worry about any rhyme, reason or budget just write down what you like, you can narrow the list later. You will be surprised to find out that many ideas can be achieved on any budget, so don’t be afraid to dream big. If you have enough random ideas then you should have a good foundation to start with.

After you are done with your brainstorming, you should look back over your thoughts to begin to solidify your concept. At this point I suggest you get a notebook with folders and some paper clips, so you can easily keep all your information together. At this phase you should select at least the basic theme/tone of the event: will it be fun and whimsical, elegant, or a mixture of both, remember it’s your party you can do what you want! Some great themes to build upon are: colors, ages, movies, activities and scenery.

Now you are ready to start planning.