Lists, Lists and more Lists

The list is your best friend as you get your party details in order. This will help make sure you get everything done that needs to be done. There are so many small details that go into any great party that it will be almost impossible to remember everything. Take time at the beginning to map out your plan, picture it - tip- if you figure that you will have tables then think that you will need tablecloths, centerpieces, napkins as well as people to set up and tear down the tables. Start with the end result in mind, and then break it down into smaller details, making your tasks easier to tackle. As you complete a task , scratch it off! It feels great to check things off of your list. I also suggest that you make copies and take your list with you everywhere you go. You never know when you may need it or need to add to it. You may find inspiration while you are out.

How sweet it is.....

While I was doing some research for my business I stumbled upon the cutest concept...A CANDY BUFFET! Now since I am a candy lover I thought this would be a great presentation piece. As a matter of fact I loved the idea so much I decided to add it to the list of services I provide. :-). A candy buffet is a spin on the traditional dessert table, but just as the name implies it is full a candy (however you can feel free to throw in some cake and cookies as you see fit). One of the great things about a candy buffet is that it is totally customizable, it can be as fun or as formal as you like. I have seen displays large and small, I have seen displays for weddings, graduation parties, baby showers and birthday parties. The buffet can double as a display and as guest favors...it's totally up to you! This can be a do it yourself project, with just a few display items, or you can hire a professional to do it for you ( waving my hand here) and have it grand. When having a candy buffet it's all about color and theme, that will be basis for your display.Here is your chance to relive moments from your youth, add old school candies such as : Fruit chews, Boston baked beans, Now & laters and taffy! This is another way you can wow your guests with details!

****pictures courtesy of bridal buds blog******

You want steak but you can only afford Ramen Noodles

Money, Money, Money ! Today we are going to talk about cost cutting do's & don'ts and when enough is enough. I know I have previously said that you can achieve many ideas on any budget, but let's be realistic.

If you want steak but can only afford Ramen noodles, then something has gotta give! It's not always about how much money you have it's about what ways can stretch your dollar. When you begin to plan your event you must decide what is important to you. Some areas can be cut or eliminated all together to achieve your desired results. You must decide how you want your event to appear, I will say that again, you MUST decide how you want you event to appear. It's okay to have a backyard BBQ if that is what you want, but you do not want your elegant wedding to come off looking like a backyard BBQ...get it?

I will discuss a few ways to cut costs...think about this...you want STEAK but you can only afford RAMEN NOODLES, so what do you do? Well this one is easy....you can have steak but you just won't be able to feed as many people, so the first piece of advice I offer is to trim your guest list. Do you really need 300 of your closet friends? If you insist on having 300 people you have a choice to make...you can serve Ramen Noodles or serve 300 people a very very very small toothpick sized portion of steak. What is more important to you?

Another area where many people attempt to cut costs is the family and friend "hook-up", now this is tricky. Most people have good intentions when they offer to provide a good or service for you, but what YOU the planner must consider is that most times you get what you pay for. FREE is FREE , are you willing to accept the level of service that your cousin will provide just because it is free? I know that we all have people in our lives that can do something really well and that will do it for you at a low cost, but what I advise in this situation is that you still treat it somewhat like a business transaction. You have to be clear on what you are looking for and what you expect, and the provider has to be clear about what they can provide.

I'm a huge advocate of Do It Yourself, but this only works if you know what you are doing! Before you take on any tasks, learn how to do it! Practice, study and then try it out. You don't want to just assume you can make a wedding cake because it seems easy enough. There are plenty of place you can go to learn how to do things that will save you money. The internet is a valuable tool...but again I say beware...try it out before the day of your event.

I will share more on this topic later, but for today I leave you with this.. when you plan your event be REALISTIC about your WANTS and your FINANCES and your RESOURCES, it's easier to plan when you know exactly what you have available to utilize.

Oh this is ladies night!

One of my favorite parties to put together is the traditional ladies nite! It doesn't require much planning at all, just grab a few friends, your favorite cocktail and some form of entertainment and there you have it! Just like that you have the recipe for fun times. This type of party is so flexible...it doesn't even have to be at night! Traditionally women got together for Tupperware or hen parties in an effort to get away from the house, men and children...the goal is still the same today.

When you mix good friends and cocktails fun is sure to follow. We have had some really great ladies night events, some of our ideas were:

Belly Dance Lessons- I held this at the house....I hired a dance instructor from my daughter's school to come out and teach me and 30 of my closest friends to belly dance! I served a light menu, something like tacos will work just fine.....but I think the best ingredients were the jell-o shots I passed out at the door and the jolly rancher martinis...yum!

Chair Dance Lessons- I attended this at one of my friends house. It's was so much fun, we laughed all evening long. The ladies and I learned a sexy dance routine and the instructor even gave us a CD with the music to take home after the party. This was another easy one....requirements: food, cocktails, chairs, music and friends.

and lastly Game Night....This can be presented for any group. Grab some interactive board games and have some fun! I personally like Taboo and Guesstures, these are great for group competition and participation. To add to the fun be sure to place a friendly wager at the start of the game!

These are all really inexpensive ways to have a good time, you can even have everyone bring a dish or beverage so that no-one gets hit with a hefty cost.

What are you waiting for....grab your girlfriends, some wine, music and have fun!

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.