j.soiree, event coordination & design

What's Wedding Insurance?

2011-02-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

Basically, wedding insurance protects a couple's investment from circumstances beyond their control, and reimburses expenses incurred. For example, what if your limo driver doesn't show up and you have to book another one the morning of the wedding -- for three times the price? Or what if the groom's custom-made tuxedo is lost in airport baggage, and he has to buy a new one the day before the wedding? What if your reception space goes out of business a month before the wedding, and you lose your deposit and have to book another space? These are the types of big-day financial losses that wedding insurance can help to protect.

So Why Get Wedding Insurance?

Consider these scenarios:
* Janet and Dan spend months planning their winter wedding. But on wedding day, their reception site is made inaccessible by an ice storm. With the right wedding insurance policy, the couple can postpone their wedding and receive every penny they lost (less the deductible) -- including money for the invites, cake, catering, attire, and non-refundable deposits for ceremony musicians, floral designer, and other vendors.
* The bride's father is injured in a car accident just before the wedding and cannot travel. If the couple has to postpone their wedding, with wedding insurance they could be paid back their expenses to enable them to have the wedding when the father recovers.
* Right before the ceremony, Brittany's gown catches a gust of wind. Unfortunately, the tulle dances right over to the end of Uncle Howard's cigar and the dress instantly goes up in flames. Fortunately, the right insurance policy covers the replacement of the veil and gown."

Read more: Wedding Planning: Wedding Insurance 101

Article from theknot.com

J.Soiree has a New Blog!

2010-07-29T09:53:00.001-07:00

Hello lovely J.Soiree blog fans!!
Just wanted to let you know that my blog has moved to a new and more hip spot!
Check out the same great info but on a brand new page by clicking here.
And remember to check back to my new blog as this one is officially retired.
Bookmark it!
http://www.jsoiree-events.com/blog/

Thanks for all your support thus far!

Difference between Venue Coordinators and Wedding Planners

2010-06-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

I hear a lot of questions from brides about not needing a wedding planner because they already have an on-site venue coordinator (I've also been told DJ's and florists also say they are wedding planners as well!). It's important to consider what will really be involved when orchestrating your wedding and what exactly each "planner" does for you.

Below are just some typical examples of what a venue Catering Manager/On-site Coordinator will handle vs. hiring your own Event Planner.

Typical Catering Manager Duties:
℘ Sell the venue
℘ Schedule personalized tour of venue
℘ Arrange and attend menu tasting
℘ Create catering contract related to venue's rentals and food
℘ May or may not have a preferred vendors list, help decorate, or create a timeline
℘ Oversee venue ceremony/reception set up and food prep
℘ Pass duties to venue's banquet captain before leaving
These coordinators are essential to understanding the space and layout, but please remember that they work for the venue. They are there to follow the rules and guidelines of the facility and at times may have several events going on at the same time.

Typical Event Planner Duties:
℘ Assess and recommend vendor professionals (music, flowers, rentals) to fit your needs
℘ Create comprehensive timeline of day
℘ Tie all vendors together and confirms "call times" and details
℘ Coordinate ceremony rehearsal, ceremony, reception
℘ Assist in the details like wording of invitations, cake tastings, favors, music, décor and design
℘ Deliver and arrange programs, place cards, favors, decorations; collect personal items, gifts
An event coordinator works for you, the client. Our job is to orchestrate your entire event from start to finish based on your style and personality. We deal with the emotions, the families, the emergencies, and the details to make it is a flawless event for you and your guests.

Though a venue coordinator does help coordinate your event, know that they are not a wedding coordinator. Neither is your DJ, photographer, or florist. They all coordinate things that directly relate to their field (ie, your DJ will create a timeline as it affects the music of your reception) but they are not orchestrating every single detail like a wedding coordinator will.
A venue coordinator and event coordinator are both very important to have as they both have specific jobs that they are good at doing, and they will work together to make sure you have a beautiful and stress-free party!

Top 5 Checklist for Bridesmaids

2010-05-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

You’ve just been asked to be a bridesmaid in a wedding party, congratulations! Aside from helping plan her bridal shower, helping her into her dress and standing on her side holding a 10 lb. bouquet, here are some other helpful tips that you could use to make sure your bride doesn’t turn into “Bridezilla” during the wedding process.

1. Help her find “The Dress”

Photo Credit: www.jeutonic.com

Agreeing with every dress choice and chiming in about how beautiful the extra tulle makes her look isn’t helpful. Bring a camera to take photos of the bride in each dress she tries on to give her a better idea of the fit. Also be there to step in whenever a pushy salesperson is trying to sell the bride a “one of a kind” avant-garde dress that’s worth 3 arms and a leg. This process should be a fun, adventurous, bonding discovery for you and the bride.

2. Help with the Gift Registry!

Photo Credit: www.wedding-planning-makes-perfect.com

Most men dread being in any store all day. Help out the groom and bride by volunteering to help her set up appointments and scan wedding presents. Make sure she is choosing reasonable items to use and also some fun things too.

3. Be the Wedding Representative!

Photo Credit: www.bride.ca

There are always last minute details and information for the wedding party. Be the life line for the bride and groom and communicate to the wedding party any last minute details or information. This could really help to avoid any wedding party disasters.

4. Keep the Bride Calm and Collected

Photo Credit: www.weddingplanninginstitute.com

It’s her special day and things are going to be hectic! Try to pull the fuse on some of the blow-ups and make sure the bride has everything she needs before getting dressed. Maybe having some snacks packed for any emergency hungry wedding party members or the bride. Also make sure that any staff working the event speaks to you or the Maid of Honor in order to not worry the Bride about a wedding décor or guest issue.

5. Enjoy the Reception, It’s a Party!

Photo Credit: www.engagements.ca

Whether the special couple is the life of the party or into food and alcohol, enjoy the atmosphere and the celebration! Dance, drink, and eat! Put aside anything negative that might be going on with bad guests or wilting flowers, the bride wants to see that her family and friends are enjoying her reception and sharing in her special day!

How to Properly Set Your Table

2010-05-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

So now that we've all learned about napkin etiquette, we can graduate to properly setting up a table! Fun Fun!

Writing Credit to www.napkinfolding.net.

There are a lot of variations in the way one can set up a table. The setup is dependent on what is being served and the formality of the meal. The following are guidelines and pictures for general table setting.

(Table Setting w/ Napkin on Left of Forks)

(Table Setting w/ Napkin on Plate)

The following are the items included in the left photo listed in order from left to right: salad plate, bread plate, napkin, salad fork, dinner fork, dinner plate, dinner knife, water glass, teaspoon, soup spoon and wine glass in the upper right.

Table Setting Guidelines

The napkin can be placed to the left of the forks, underneath the forks, on the plate or in a wine glass.

The bottom of the main dinner plate should be 1-2 inches from the edge of the table.

The silverware should be about half an inch apart from each other and the plates.

The bottom of the silverware should all be lined up with each other.

The salad plate can be placed either to the left of the forks or above it.

The bread plate is placed to the upper right of the salad plate.

Forks are placed on the left side of the dinner plate and knife and spoons are placed on the right.

The cutting-edge of the knife should be facing the plate.

Silverware that you use first should be placed farthest from the plate. The fork that you use first should be placed the far left of the plate and the spoon that you use first should be to the far right of the plate.

The water glass/goblet should be placed an inch above the point of the knife, with other glasses being lined up slightly below and to the right of the previous glass.

A butter knife can be placed horizontally on top of the bread plate if needed.

A name card can be placed directly above the dinner plate.

Etiquette about Napkins?!

2010-05-03T04:43:00.000-07:00

Writing credit and Photos given to www.NapkinFoldingGuide.com

About Napkins:

Today, discriminating hosts and hostesses have a wide variety of napkin products from which to select. For formal dining, there is the cloth napkin, the paper napkin being reserved for more informal settings.

Cloth napkins come in several sizes, each size tailored to a specific use. A beverage napkin, used when serving drinks and hors d’oeuvres, like most cloth napkins, is square, about five inches to each side. A luncheon napkin is a couple of inches larger, and a dinner napkin larger still. The theory, evidently, is that the more food and drink that is served, the more potential there is for spillage, so the bigger the napkin must be to catch it.

Cloth napkins may be purchased in a rainbow of colors and a variety of fabrics, imprinted with custom designs and monograms, and can even come with matching tablecloths. However, a high-thread-count, white, linen or linen-cotton mix damask napkin is still considered the zenith of elegance.

Though a wedding reception should be considered a formal occasion, only the very wealthy can afford to have a catered meal for scores of guests, one that is served on fine place settings where cloth napkins have been set out. An acceptable cost-cutting compromise for big celebrations including weddings is to use a paper napkin whose size, heft, and finish resemble a cloth napkin. They can be ordered embossed with the bride and groom’s monograms or otherwise tailored to the buyer’s specifications.

Napkin Etiquette:

Whether the napkin is cloth or paper, when in polite company, a napkin is to be used with a measure of etiquette, so as not to offend other diners through a display of boorishness. (You’re excused from these rules only when the napkin you are offered is one of those flimsy little paper things that pop out of tabletop dispensers – the kind of “napkin” you cannot place on your lap expecting it to not blow away within 20 seconds; even here, however, try to keep boorish behavior in check.)

Rule 1: When you’re given a napkin, use it. Don’t let it sit beside your plate. It was given to you for wiping your face when you need to and to protect your lap from spills. Leaving it beside your plate marks you as a slob.

Rule 2: Wait for the host to pick up and unfold his napkin before you do the same with yours.

Rule 3: If the napkin is larger than your lap, fold it such that it just covers your lap.

Rule 4: In polite society, movements at the dinner table tend to be small, so don’t make any ostentatious displays like wildly shaking the napkin to open it. Just unfold it. And when you wipe your mouth, don’t use the napkin as you would a wash cloth during your morning shower; gently dab at your mouth.

Rule 5: Don’t wait for the food to be served before you open your napkin. Should your napkin still be sitting on the table when the food arrives, the server may have to create space to set your plate.

Rule 6: Should you have to leave the table during the meal, leave the napkin, loosely folded, on your seat or on the table to the left of your plate. Also put the loosely folded napkin to the left of your plate when you’re done eating, never on the plate.

Rule 7: The place for a napkin? In your lap. It is not tucked into your pants, nor does it belong tucked into your shirt collar. However, if you are in a milieu where that kind of behavior is acceptable, don’t be afraid to go along. For example, diners from Southern Italy (or southern New Jersey) have long known that a bowl of spaghetti topped with marinara sauce can be better enjoyed when you don’t have to worry about the red stuff splattering on your shirt. Many Italian and Italian-American diners therefore tuck the napkin into their collars as a matter of course. Feel free to do the same. Live! Enjoy!

But what about that waiter who carries a napkin draped over one arm? In part, it’s practicality. It’s readily available to mop up any accidental spills or other messes at your table. But the practice dates back a couple of hundred years in France; that was how waiters carried the napkins they would distribute to diners. Napkins have been in use for thousands of years.

It’s possible that cavemen at their wooly mammoth barbeques wiped the grease from their mouths using the animal’s pelt... and then rubbed it in their hair to get that suave, slicked-back look. But we don’t really know that. What we do know is that, by the Bronze Age, it’s likely something like a napkin was in use in many parts of the world. The first recorded use of the napkin was by the Romans. When that hearty eater, Buffetus Allucaneatus, reached for his napkin at the Roman dinner table, he didn’t find a cloth. What he used was some wadded up unbaked dough, which he pressed to his face. That removed whatever bits and morsels of food were sticking to it. Later, if he wished, he could bake and eat his napkin, morsels and all.

With the fall of Rome, Europe entered that slovenly, napkin-less period of the Dark Ages, with its uncouth barons and unwashed princesses wiping their hands on their tunics and mopping their faces with their shirttails and cuffs. We don’t know how knights encased in steel armor managed to wipe off their mouths.

By the time of the Renaissance, the French had a single, large communal napkin about the size of a table cloth which everyone at the table used. It may have been the precursor of the table cloth. It got smaller and smaller over the years until everyone had his own napkin. By the 1700’s, the French aristocracy had even promulgated rules of napkin etiquette, some of which we still use today throughout the Western world; e.g., we don’t blow our nose into our napkin. Or anyone else’s napkin, either.

The Wedding Salon!

2010-04-26T04:20:00.000-07:00

You're invited to a very swanky Bridal trade show called "The Wedding Salon"

\Monday, May 3 from 4-9pm at the London Hotel in West Hollywood, Ca.

For complimentary tickets, use code BCLAC on their website.

Hope to see you there!

Step Up’s 4th Annual “I Dream to…” Gallery

2010-04-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Step Up’s 4th Annual “I Dream to…” gallery was held on Saturday April 17th. It was an evening of entertainment and inspiration celebrating the works of Step Up’s teen photojournalists.

The event is a culmination of Step Up’s “I Dream to…” program which helps under-served teens explore the careers they dream to pursue. Step Up Women's Network draws on its diverse network of professional women to give the students an opportunity to meet with, interview and photograph a women in the career field of each student's dream. The program was sponsored by SanDisk and ran at 3 different schools with over 45 high school girls.

It was a fantastic turnout with so many inspirational stories by the young girls involved in the program, and it was so fun to see them all dressed up with their families proud of what they've accomplished so far. Many of them presented their online blogs of their experiences and even went around answering questions about their mentors and what they want to pursue as careers.

I also bumped into Katrina from TPG who was volunteering at the membership table (I was working registration) and it turns out she's been a member for 3 years! Small world! I also bumped into Liz Dennery from the Uncensored Conference there with her husband. I'm looking forward to seeing who else is an active member of Step Up as I continue getting more involved!

ISES LA April Education Luncheon at Lawry's

2010-04-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

Join ISES LA Members and guests at this delicious luncheon that will also boast a double dose of education!

Audrey Burton of Tigress Coaching will join us as our featured speaker with two dynamite sessions.

Session 1: Closing the Sale is Not Complicated! The sales process is intimidating, but it does not have to be! Learn tricks of the trade Audrey has culled from years of sales training and experience and increase sales immediately!

Session 2: Build a Successful Referral Engine and Work Less! Is your networking effective? You attend meeting after meeting, month after month, but are you getting business? It could be you, or it could be the other people, or it could be the organization. This talk speaks to how to make all your networking efforts bring in clients. Networking more efficiently and with a specific purpose in mind will lead you to working less and making more! Audrey will address how marketing fundamentals play a huge part in the success of your networking, how to identify what methods are not working so you can maximize what is working, and how to create fruitful strategic alliances.

You'll know the moment you arrive: Lawry's The Prime Rib is an extraordinary restaurant. This is a place of grand style, where classic elegance, rich woods and luxurious comfort invite your eye at every turn. A place whose privileges are so warmly conveyed that you instantly feel like an honored guest being welcomed into your own private club. Here you'll find the award-winning food, exceptional service and unmistakable atmosphere that has made Lawry's a dining legend.

Thank you to our Showcasers:

Designer Specialty Linens
DB Creativity
Jeremie Fremaux Photography
Marcia Perel Photography
Weinglass Music
Photosphere
Audrey Burton, Tigress Coaching
Lawry's The Prime Rib

When: Thursday, April 22, 2010 11:30 AM -2:00 PM
Where: Lawry's 100 N. La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Fees: ISES Members $35, Non-members $50

To register, click here.

Ready, Set, Spike!

2010-04-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

The ladies of Phi Sigma Sigma are holding their annual "Phi Set Spike" volleyball competition today from 2pm-5pm at Chapman University in Orange. All the funds raised will go to benefit the National Kidney Foundation and scholarships for women.
Please come and support by forming a team, making a donation, or purchasing tickets to attend!
Hope to see you there!

Green Up your Wedding or Party!

2010-04-12T05:23:00.000-07:00

As clients become more eco-friendly, vendors have to keep up and start thinking about the environment too. But what you can do to make sure your events are still fun, affordable, and good for the environment too? Here are some easy tips to think about when making those party decisions, from the food to the venue and decorations!

Venue
Consider doing an outdoor event or a venue with lots of windows so that you can try to conserve energy. Research venues that are certified with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design); they use their resources more efficiently.

Organic Food
Look for caters who use organic or sustainable products, including dessert and even wines! Check out Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

You're Invited
There are many eco-friendly invitations and paper products you can find. Get creative and find other ways to say what you want on paper, doubling your menu and table numbers together, or printing your RSVP's on a postcard.

Decor and Gifts
Think of some new ways to incorporate environmentally friendly decorations into your event, from organic flowers or potted plants as your centerpieces to soy candles, organic sweets, and seeds for planting later as party favors.

Say Cheese!
Photographers that use digital photos are being green by offering you an internet gallery instead of printing proofs on so much paper. Companies like Bryant Sentosa's Photoboothless offers the option of putting your photos up on a website to download instead of printing copies at the party.

So go out there and save the world, one event at a time!

My First WIPA Event!

2010-04-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

I attended my first WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) at the Langham in Pasadena and had a wonderful time!
First off, the Langham Pasadena is GORGEOUS! I want to take every bride there to check out their gardens and ballrooms!

The Viennese Room.

Second, everyone was so nice and friendly at WIPA, I had such a nice time chatting with everyone. Wedding planner Mary Dann was our keynote speaker presenting tips on how to stay balanced, which were fantastic tools that I will start implementing today!

Mary Dann Rocks!!!

Afterward everyone headed off to lunch catered by the Langham and included Japanese Tomato Avocado Ceviche, Balsamic Seared Artic Char, and a serious dessert table of goodies like Mango Sphere with Poprocks (yes, Poprocks!!) and hand-crafted truffles. Deeee-lish!After dessert, people were able to sit with their similar industry professionals and discuss various topics that related to their field. The wedding planners in our group discussed ways that we deal with stress, how we combat it, and finally, how we rid the world of the misconception and wording of "Day of Planner." This is Carol Rosen's mission and we all support her in it; no planner can ever come in and just do the "Day of," it's a long and meticulous process that can range from almost a year in advance to a few months before, but it takes planning, preparation, and clients to understand that arriving the day of to coordinate a wedding is just too late to do anything at all.
I was able to squeeze in a caricature drawing from "Caricatures by Dave" that's now hanging on my wall. The afternoon ended with Jill Hilts taking us on a tour of the Langham and sharing a bit of the history, although I just realize I didn't hear the story of where the $25million worth in jewelry went after the founder passed on! Jill owes me a story...!All in all a wonderful event! For more information on the non-profit organization WIPA, please go to their website, www.wipausa.org.

The Top 5 Wedding Tips for 2010

2010-04-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

Article written for WIPA by Joyce Scardina Becker, CMP
Events of Distinction

In the world of weddings, change is the norm. Tying the knot has never been easier, but tracking the newest options can be head-spinning. So here are five hip tips and sneak peeks about what lies ahead for this year’s nuptials.

1. Picking the Perfect Place and Time

Just as people are now choosing to go on “staycations” with their time off, brides and grooms are carefully considering the pocketbooks of their guests, and are selecting sites in their neck of the woods in lieu of distant destination weddings. The newest urban hotspots are rooftop gardens offering al fresco event space. Often required by City Planning Departments when approving building permits, these outdoor oases can be found in commercial buildings, as well as the newest hotels.

Photo Credit: Favors in the City

Although Saturday evenings will always be a preferred time for brides and grooms to host their weddings, WIPA member Linda Hylen, Director of Events at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco remarks, “I am really selling Fridays and a few Thursdays as well.” Unlike outdoor venues with strict county noise ordinances to end music by 10:00 p. m. (or sometimes even 9:00 p.m.), eco-friendly restaurants and night clubs attract the night owls who love a great party. These facilities often offer private dining or modest buy-outs, especially on off nights.

Couples will continue to consult the calendar for auspicious days to tie the knot. Remember the bridal bonanza back on 7-7-07? Luckily for brides, that jackpot-winning date landed on a Saturday. This year, couples are betting on 10-10-10 as a favorable day for wedded bliss! WIPA member and Wedding Planner Merliee Hennings, with Ever After Events in San Diego, finds that couples also pick lucky dates based on personal circumstances, such as “getting married on the date they were engaged or getting married on a parent’s anniversary.”

2. Transforming Dreams into Designs

The word “trend” does not appear here, because the trade secret to finding a “trendy” wedding design does not come from following the latest fads, but from capturing the bride and groom’s unique personalities. No bride wants her wedding to look like someone else’s. It’s up to you to be the creative genius and convert her dreams into a workable plan. Find inspiration points with your client, shape their visions and use all five senses to reveal the wedding day experience. Most important, tell the couple to keep it a secret – don’t reveal the plan to their family and friends, keep guests on the edge of their seats throughout the planning process and on the wedding day. Brides have an insatiable appetite for what’s new, and while they may be more selective in their purchases, they are inspired by great ideas from wedding professionals.

Photo Credit: PrettyChicky.com

3. Embracing Color

Escapism, Saturated and Bold are words that come to mind as color lifts the spirit for weddings in 2010. It’s a new decade after all! Put together extraordinary and unexpected color combinations…be daring. Here are some palettes to ponder:

Turquoise with Amparo Blue (bright, energetic blue) and a shot of Orange
Turquoise with Copper and a splash of Seafoam Mint and Spray Whites
Coral paired with a Aurora Yellow and Dover Silver
Tomato Puree (this Spring’s new red) with fuchsia and purples
A pale, cool palette of Violet, Lavender, Deeper Hues of Purple and Opulent Gold Accessories

Photo Credit: Wedding Paper Divas

Everyone loves a splash of color and there’s no better way to do this then by clearly dividing your space. Approach designing a wedding like an interior decorator designs rooms in a home. From ceremony to cocktails to dinner and the after-party, each room represents a transition of space, having its own personal identity, so no two rooms need to be all the same colors, same linens and same flowers. Glam up tabletop designs with color glass stones and broaches.

4. Sensational Ceremonies

Not all couples marry in a house of worship, so there are ways to make the ceremony design unique and personal other than the traditional church pews for seating. You can create seating in the “round” or “square” with the wedding couple and officiant in the center. There are so many options in various colors and sizes of chairs, cushions, chair caps and liners to chose from. For a beach theme wedding, consider benches with cushions. Or on a large, lush lawn, try a spiral circle of ottomans…oh so Zen!

Photo Credit: CaChic Designs

5. Sweet Dreams

Cutting the wedding cake will always remain a nuptial tradition, but other imaginative ways abound for giving guests their just desserts. Melons Catering in South San Francisco creates a fabulous “All Things Chocolate Station” which includes every imaginable form of chocolate – ice cream, truffles, mousse parfait, hot chocolate shots, macaroons, paired with dark chocolate martinis – even the tabletop surface is made of chocolate!

Photo Credit: Bride.ca

At a recent wedding I produced with Paula LeDuc Fine Catering, we added a twist to the typical menu presentation to provide a tasty conclusion to the festivities. Instead of serving all the hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail reception and all the desserts at the dessert buffet, we decided to butler-pass little “Good Night Treats” – farewell fare for guests to munch on while they waited for their valet-parked cars. Waitstaff graciously offered a choice of mini-burgers on slider rolls with balsamic onions, ketchup & mustard; or waffle ice cream cones filled with raspberry sorbet, rich chocolate gelato and vanilla bean ice cream. Bottled waters to go were placed in each car by the valet parking attendants.

While the lavishness may continue to be curtailed in 2010 wedding celebrations, you can be sure there will be no decline in creativity. Couples will continue to tie the knot, and imaginative new ideas will continue to make wedding celebrations fascinating and joyful.

How to Plan a Party Without Flowers!

2010-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Flowers are beautiful, elegant, and help add color, set the mood and even change the formality of any event. But flowers can also eat up a budget, so what do you do if you can't afford grand floral centerpieces to woo your guests? Or what if your guests are allergic to flowers or you're just not a big flower fan? Here are some creative tips on making your event décor grab anyone's attention without going over-budget or under-impressive.

1. Light them up! The great things about candles are that they come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors! You can group them together or spread them throughout the event to use as both decoration pieces ans ambiance lighting. Candles create a very private and intimate mood for any party, but please be aware of the fire safety guidelines for your venue and the city.

Photo by: Sugar Envy

2. Lighting packages. Most people don't think about lighting or how important it can be as part of your party décor, but it can sometimes make or break the whole event! Try using variations of lamp sizes and colors, rope lighting, twinkle lights, even glow sticks! Companies are now making lounge furniture that light up in specific colors or change throughout the evening.

Photo Credit: BizBash

3. Personalize your party using photos. Create a unique and personalized environment for your event by finding and framing any family photos, nature pictures, even table numbers in a creative and unique way that allows guests to reminisce and enjoy each photo placed as part of the decor.

Photo Credit: Becoming Mrs. McHugh

4. Nature inspirations. Fruits and vegetables (real or fake) and live plants can be displayed in creative ways to become innovative decor pieces for your party! Pick out fruit or veggies that match your theme or color, or look for interesting plants that are in season during the time of your event. Plus people can eat them or take them home to plant later!

Photo Credit: Project Wedding

5. Arts and crafts! Give your party a little sparkle with some fun simple art pieces. Think crystals, glass, and beading in various colors and sizes. You can even bring in art pieces (yours or of someone you admire) to show off your exquisite artistic taste!

Photo Credit: It's a Jaime Thing

6. Make it unusual and fun! What are some of the things you like? Decorate using your favorite color, hobby or sport memorabilia, or random interests you have (classic model cars, anyone?). Also don’t forget the all-time party favorites, BALLOONS! Sometimes they can be cheesy; but you'd be surprised how many amazingly creative and neat things that can be done with balloons that are modern and super impressive!

Photo Credit: PlanningElegance.com

Madame Tussauds in Hollywood Open for Events!

2010-03-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

I went and visited the new Madame Tussauds in Hollywood with Events Coordinator Jessica Rhoades. What a fun place to work! Since it's Spring Break season, there was a ton of people taking pictures and coming in for the museum. The museum itself is 3 stories tall and there are all sorts of fun themes inside, from Old Hollywood to a Clubbing room, and even a Western room! I even got my photo taken with Beyonce (that picture will be online soon, woohoo!).

George Lopez will be unveiling his wax figure on April 1st in the courtyard. Who says they never see any stars in LA?

In addition to being able to rent out the museum space (yes, you can party amongst the "celebrities!"), they also have this fantastic rooftop space for parties, dinners, and swanky cocktail parties! You can overlook Hollywood Blvd and even see the top of the Graumann's Chinese theatre!

Uh...Samuel L. Jackson is looking right at me!!!

There are smaller events you can do as well, like a VIP Champagne tour of the museum, and a small dinner party for about 40 people in the "Awards Room." In fact, Jessica forwarded me a special they're having right now if anyone is interested in having an event, party, or even an awards show!

I've been to the Madame Tussaud's museum in London and Las Vegas. I remember the one in London being very formal and elegant...but I couldn't touch any of the figures (but maybe that was just my mom's rule...?!). In Las Vegas they let you take pictures and stand next to the figures wearing props and stuff and I probably spent like 2 hours in there! And the Hollywood one, well let's just say I'm gonna be making another trip and taking a fully charged camera with me!

A Hottie even as a wax figure!

Jessica says it's all about having fun at her venue, so guests are encouraged to play, take photos, and have fun with the wax figures (as long as you don't damage them). How fun is that!?
Oh, and they even offer a hand-waxing gift while you're there! I had always seen them done at the LA County Fair but never tried it. So now I have my "Peace Sign" waxed forever!

Now if only I can figure out what to do with it now...?

I really hope to plan a cool party one day at Madame Tussauds! For more info on renting space, contact Jessica at (323) 798-1674. Thanks Jessica!

Brain Overload at "Uncensored" conference

2010-03-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

I attended the "Uncensored" conference for St. Patrick's Day last week, hosted by The Party Goddess! Marley Majcher, and boy did I get a wealth of information! Such great speakers, such fun and enthusiastic attendees, and of course, a fabulous team who put it all together!Wednesday was the first day of the conference and Simon T. Bailey spoke about "Releasing Your Inner Brilliance." What a funny and smart guy! He's written tons of books I took a lot of great notes. Here are just a few:
-Failure is just feedback. And if you're going to fail, fail FORWARD.
-Finding Clarity by asking #1. What would I do if I knew I wouldn't fail, #2. What would I do if I wasn't getting paid to do it? #3. What makes me come alive?
-Real confidence comes in the valleys of life.
-Believe in your self worth.Cocoe Voci is a wonderful wedding dress and dress designer who shared how she got into the business and what she loves about her job.
I also met Merri Jill Finstrom who actually designed the TPG logo (I always wondered that) but wasn't able to stay to hear her presentation or Laura Roeder, but don't worry! They videotaped it so you'll get to see everything on DVD later. There were hot seats featuring volunteers from the audience where both Marley and Simon asked the "uncomfortable" questions to get people thinking about how to really solve and grow their businesses.

The event celebrated St. Patty's day by having a green candy station, green uplights, and a full St. Patty's themed cocktail party with manicures, a photobooth, book signings, and of course, mingling!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Thursday was Day #2 and even more amazing info for event planners. Tara Wilson and Kathy Nenneker spoke about PR and how to get publicity for your events. I absolutely love Tara, I met her at TSE and she is just brilliant not only as an event planner but also as a PR hound!
Mary Dann, whom I just friended on twitter, was also a speaker, along with Gianna Provenzano (super smart lady), Liz Dennery Sanders (how to book A-list celebrities), and Kelly O'Neill (boy is she a smart seller or what!?) on how to find your perfect client.

Marley has worked with Brittney Spears, Snoop Dogg, Pierce Brosnan, Katherine Heigl. and Nick Lachey, just to name a few!

Thursday was more of a pink day and we worked on a beautiful pink candy station and the girls started preparing for the evening event of "Man Candy Martinis".... yummy!

The event continued until mid-day Friday, but unfortunately I wasn't able to stay for that day. But it was a super successful and great event! Thanks again to the volunteers who came to help, the TPG ladies for their kick-a$$ event (Katrina, Camilla, Jisan, and Donna), and to Marley and all of her wonderful successful friends for sharing their knowledge with us!
For those who missed it, save the date for the next one set for October 2010!

Speaking at Chapman University

2010-03-15T16:49:00.001-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity and pleasure to speak to the lovely women of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority at my alma mater, Chapman University in Orange, CA. I hadn't visited the school in years and was really impressed by how much the school (and the chapter!) had grown in such a short time.

The Epsilon Delta chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma.

My presentation was entitled "The Wonderful World of Event Planning and How Phi Sigma Sigma helped shape 'The Rest of your Life'." I really wanted to show the girls how my experiences in sorority, however small, trivial, difficult, or dramatic it was at the time, really helped me grow not only as a person but as a leader and business woman. Not only did those three years sharpen my event planning skills (because these girls deal with just as much as an event planner does) but I really learned how to present myself in the best light, network and build relationships with the right people, and always seek new ways to learn through volunteering and "putting myself out there" in as many ways as possible.

Photo: Philadelphia Phi Sigma Sigma

Afterward I chatted with some of the girls who were interested in the event planning industry and we're planning on keeping in touch so I can help guide them towards their goals.
For more information about speaking opportunities, please contact me!

Classy Clover Inspirations

2010-03-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

So for St. Patrick's Day, I decided to play make-believe and make up where I wanted to go and how I wanted to dress this year. In the wonderful world of virtual reality, I got my entire outfit picked out and I'm ready to paint the town GREEN! Now if only I could wiggle my nose and make them appear....

O'Fluff's Lucky Charms March 13th!

2010-03-11T03:41:00.000-08:00

Hi all you St. Patrick's day lovers! Here's a way to celebrate with your lovable pet!

Donations to go a great non-profit organization Four Legged Friends Foundation! And Debra Skelton from MadTV will be the event's spokesperson.

They're still looking for some volunteers for the event, so if you're interested, please email Sandra at sandra@flff.org by Friday!

Be Green on the Greenest Day of the Year!

2010-03-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

Seems like everyone is getting excited about St. Patrick's Day coming up in a few weeks, and why wouldn't they be? My favorite color is green, so when people get dressed up in green and make everything green, doesn't it just make everything all more fun?!

This year, why not go the extra mile and "Go Green" on the Greenest Day of the Year!? You can still have fun while you think about how to better the environment and even eat a little healthier too. Here are some fun tips on how!

1. Green Beer. Yes, they do make green beer for St. Patrick's day, but what about another kind of green beer? Consider the environmental benefits of buying from local breweries!

Photo: Tara's Kitchen Online Blog

2. Kale Salads. If you haven't heard of Kale yet, you're missing out! Kale is rich in calcium, vitamin K, folic acid, magnesium, and beta carotene. Especially for vegans, who are often calcium deficient, kale is a great source of dietary calcium. Kale can be used in a variety of recipes for St. Patrick's Day. Think about it sauteed, steamed, grilled, or fried, plain or ornamented with olive oil, salt, lemon, or butter. Be the one who brings in something besides the same boring lettuce salads or green chips, and it can also be added to stir-fries and soups!

Kale Salad, Yummy and Good for You!
Photo: Tasty Planet

3. Safe Gas...Carpool or Walk! Acting green is even better than dressing green! Schedule a carpool together for work (or St. Patty's hot spots), ride public transportation, or walk/crawl to the pubs that day!

4. Wear Green, Buy Green! Show off your Irish roots with an organic shirt to show off your Nature roots too!

Photo: TCritic.com

5. Beans, Beans, They're good for your Heart! Now I lived in Japan for a year, and I must say it was probably the healthiest I ever ate in my life with all the veggies, fish, and eggs! Edamame was a norm for me, but not many people eat it here in America! Here's what you can find in a half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods):
120 calories, 9 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids) ,0.5 gram monounsaturated fat ,11 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, 15 mg sodium, 10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C, 10% Daily Value for iron, 8% Daily Value for vitamin A, 4% Daily Value for calcium

Who knew you could get so much from so little??
Photo: WorldCommunityCookbook.com

First Invitation Impressions

2010-03-08T03:16:00.000-08:00

Article Written by Carrie Hunter Vice President Invitation Dealers of America, Inc. p 320-240-0479 f 320-240-1632 CHunter@invitationstores.org

Every bride knows her guests first impression of her wedding comes from the invitation. Invitations not only set the tone for the event but also convey the couples personalities. While searching through hundreds of invitation styles, brides may find themselves being overwhelmed by the choices not to mention the etiquette that should be followed. Often, your best bet in ordering invitations comes from visiting your local stationery expert. Stationery experts will listen to your thoughts and plans and help you pull all the pieces together so your guests will receive the perfect invitation to the event you've spent so much time planning.

So how do you find your local expert? Look in the yellow pages under Invitations. Now that you've found someone local who can help you with your invitations you make plans to stop by the store one afternoon on your lunch hour only to find ordering invitations is not something you can do in 15 minutes. Even with your stationery expert guiding you through multiple invitation albums and writing your order, you can plan on spending a good 2 hours at the store.

Tips to ordering your invitations:

1. Bring all the necessary information. This includes the name & address of the ceremony site, reception site, any artwork you need for a map.

Photo: Romance-Fire.com

2. Know how many invitations to order. Remember when counting this number to only count the number of invitations, not the number of guests.

3. Make your stop all inclusive. Your stationery store provides a lot more than invitations. Look over your "to do" list, as you will be able to cross off many of these items. Some of these include: thank you cards, informals, programs, napkins, table favors, reception decorations, albums, pens, glasses, garters, flower girl baskets, ring bearer pillows, unity candles, gifts for your wedding party, etc.

Photo: MyExpression.com

4. Have fun! This is the most important step. Plan on making an event out of it. Bring your mom, maid of honor or maybe even your fiancee. Your wedding is a time of joy and should not be rushed or stressful.

Photo: Wild and Woolly Invitations

Whichever style of wedding invitations you choose, be sure to let your local invitation expert assist you with every step of the process. After all, your wedding is the most important event, so don't just flip through impersonal catalogs and web sites when there is a wonderful person in your town waiting to offer you years of experience.

Wedding And Event Specialists Open House

2010-03-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

Attended a very fun Wedding and Event Specialist Open House today at the studio of the very talented Jen O' Sullivan. Met many cool people who do not only weddings but just about everything in special events. I met some new people as well as familiar faces, including a girl I went to high school with (what a small world!!).
Because Jen is the awesome photographer she is, we were able to get fantastic photos just hours after the event (I said she was awesome, right?) so please enjoy! You can also check out more pictures on her blog along with each vendors' info if you're interested in meeting them!

Info booklets about joining the Wedding and Events Specialists group.

Myself, Nesly (Nesly's Floral Designs & Events), and Arley (Arley Ann Laman Studios).

This is Sabrina and we were on the high school swim team together!!!! And now she makes this kick-a$$ cookies through Sabrina's Sweetery!

Sabrina brought these sample cookies.
My favorite were the lemon ones...tarty!

This was taken in the middle of me telling Sabrina,
"OMG You went to South Pasadena High School?!"

So it turns out Tara (Makeup Therapy) standing next to me is going to be one of my speakers at the "Get Pampered!" event in April, so it was great to finally meet her and chat!

We got these very try these Flipp'ncool flipbooks.
You gotta see mine...Very fun!
I JUST ate this cupcake lollipop thing from Cake Goodness, and it was DEELISH!
All Photos: Jen O'Sullivan

Learn all the Secrets to Event Planning at "Uncensored" Conference

2010-03-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

Get ready my little event planning rock stars!
This is your lucky year! Your all-access pass to the hottest gig in town:

The Party Goddess! UNCENSORED

Join me and a host of A-list panelists for 2-1/2 action packed days in Los Angeles at the ultra-swank Hotel Palomar for the time of your life!

We'll be hosting an opening night cocktail reception where guest speaker, Simon T. Bailey, will be personally autographing copies of his best selling books, and in addition, you will have access to:

All of the networking and new friends you can possibly handle!

Non-stop classes taught by me and my fabulous agenda of speakers who will
teach you how to:

- Land an A-list celebrity client
- Get the PR you deserve
- Double your income
- Release your brilliance
- Reignite your creative spirit (even if that pilot light is slim to none!)

Plus, you will receive a complimentary binder complete with:

- Strategy for identifying the PERFECT client for you
- Action plan for setting and ACHIEVING your goals in 2010
- Full list of attendees so you can be friends later, stay in touch and hopefully make some money together!

And as if this weren't enough, you'll get your Hollywood, crazy cool SWAG bag
full of fun treats you're sure to treasure, Continental breakfast every morning, the
chance to hang out in L.A. with The Party Goddess! AND the opportunity to
participate in VIP lunches with the speakers!

Excited yet? Don't delay! Book your seat today!
Go to: www.thepartygoddessuncensored.com for all the details on how you can live it up L.A. style and learn from the best of the best while you do it!

Helping Charities through Events

2010-02-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

With the tragic events of the Haiti earthquake occurring, more and more people are incorporating the theme of giving back to those in need within their party planning. Recently a wedding couple decided to donate the money saved for their wedding décor and reception dinner to Haiti instead. So you don’t have to go to that extreme, but if you want to find a way to give back, here are some easy and interesting ideas on being generous to others.

1. Buying gifts that give back. Giftsthatgive.com is a website that allows you purchase items where 20% of the purchase will go towards a school or non-profit of your choice. Each month you shop, you receive a receipt to track your donations. This website is a great idea for birthday, wedding, or baby shower gifts.

Photo: Gifts that Give

2. Chocolates for charity. If you’re going to give chocolate away as a party favor or dessert, you might as well help a good cause as well! There are 2 different types of companies that allow you to enjoy chocolate and also give back: Sarah’s Box is a chocolate gift box to which all the profits go toward Autism. Sold through Romanicos Chocolates, Sarah’s Box is sold for $15 with a variety of chocolates included. Endangered Species Chocolate produces chocolate bars to which 10% of the proceeds go towards wildlife conservation such as the African Wildlife Foundation and the Ocean Conservancy. These chocolate bars are sold in packages from $25 to $75.

Photo: Endangered Species Chocolate

3. The Color of Hope. We all want to look good for our special events, especially if you’re the host. L’Oreal Paris has a collection of make-up kits for $25.00, that donates 20% towards Ovarian Cancer Research. What a beautiful way to give and receive for brides, bridemaids gifts, or just to use every day.

Photo: L’Oreal Paris

4. John Hardy Jewelry. This company has a new line of eco-friendly jewelry created from bamboo. The collection includes cuff links, necklaces and earrings. Proceeds are then donated to replant bamboo or other grasses in the Indonesian ecosystem. This is an awesome idea for any event to become ec0-friendly!

Photo: John Hardy Jewelry

6. Start your Own Charity event! When having a party, consider having guests bring special items for discounted tickets or just for the fun of it! And it doesn't always have to be money. You can collect old clothes to donate to charities, canned goods for local Food drives, even toys for children. You can also incorporate helping others in activities for your guests, such as making blankets for foster homes and animal shelters.

Photo: The Quiet Library

Working the Grammy's After-party

2010-02-10T02:22:00.000-08:00

What an amazing experience to work the Grammy's this year! I have to give a big thank you to Dora Olvera for working this gig out for me. It was actually a lot of fun to see the afterparty up-close, enjoy the live singing of Ne-yo and Sam Moore, and work directly with the talented performers of Lucent Dossier, whom I happened to see at H.Wood just a few weeks ago!

OMG Ne-yo is amazing!!!! Jamie Foxx and Fabulous came out to sing as well!

It's interesting because the Grammy's actually have over 120 awards to give out, but they only show a few dozen on TV (otherwise we'd be there forever!) so while the live show was going on for the east coast, by the time it played for everyone in LA at 8pm, the afterparty hosted by Along Came Mary and Wolfgang Puck Catering, was already in full swing.

Circus theme this year. Hence the 3-ring circus stages.

I worked one of the 3 stages as the stage manager making sure that each performer was ready and prepped by the time they went on stage, and that there was a steady flow of performers the whole time. It doesn't sound too hard, but when you've got some performers running late on the other stages and a few more of them running amongst the thousands of guests that filled the LA Convention center, it becomes a bit of a challenge.

Ice bar.

It was a lot of fun though and it was amazing seeing all the crazy juggling, unicycling, game-playing, tight-rope and hoola-hoop spinning these guys could do! If you ever get a chance to see Lucent Dossier perform, they are hilarious and uber talented!Needless to say it was a long night, but I got to take home some flowers and get one fun photobooth picture in with some of my fellow stage managers and production team. Thanks Dora and Abby for the fabulous pictures!

ISES Breakfast Education Mixer

2010-02-08T04:47:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was our ISES LA Power Breakfast Educational Session. Our breakfast team consisted of the awesome Jeff Sigler of FormDecor, newly-inducted Takowa Patterson, and myself.
The event was a smashing success, despite the starting hour of of 7:30am! I definitely felt I accomplished a lot by 7:30am though!

The venue was The Ebell of Los Angeles who provided all the yummy drinks (like Sunrise Sangria!!) and hearty breakfast; Jeremy Weinglass played a melodious piano to add to the Victorian presence of the historic Ebell.Attendees enjoyed our 2 Educational speakers Chien Wang, who spoke about better ways to network and make connections, and Sandra Sellani, who talked about branding and company differentiation. I loved that they related to all businesses in our industry but also tied really well together. Needless to say I have LOTS of notes!Afterward, books were sold by the speakers and Melissa of the Ebell offered tours of the beautiful venue, which includes the Ebell theatre next door.The event was a great success and I really enjoyed working on this event! Apparently I'll be in charge of planning the next breakfast (Yikes/Yay!!) and I'm excited to continue this growing momentum with education, breakfast, and networking!
For more information about ISES ( International Special Events Society), please click here.

Photo Credit: Melissa Allen

Get Social on Valentine's Day!

2010-02-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

February 14th is the day couples celebrate their love and compassion for one another…and this year you may not have a significant other and find yourself single. So now what? Well first off, this doesn’t mean you can bury your head in a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and watch a “Law and Order” marathon on Valentine’s Day! What it does mean is to check out our cool and fun Valentine’s Day activities for singles!

1. Day at the Spa. Grab your single friends and make an appointment at an exclusive Spa in your area. Take the time to sit back, relax and pamper yourself. If you can’t afford a day of facials and mud baths; try planning an at-home spa party with your friends.

2. Dinner and Movie Night. Plan a special night out with your closest friends to celebrate your friendship with a dinner at a nice restaurant (make sure to book reservations!) and a fun movie. Take this time to remember and appreciate the good friendships that you have!

Photo: Saint Margaret Mary

3. Throw a “Singles Awareness” Day party. Yes this can be cliché for the single ladies, but instead of an all night “Man-hating” party, celebrate and uplift the good relationships in your life such as your family and friends. Good food, music, and company makes for a good party all the time.

4. Game Night. Grab the snacks and gather all your fun single friends for a night of games. Don’t just stop at board games, but include card games (a la Vegas night) and video games (Rock Band, anyone?).

Photo: Ehow.com

5. Singles Night Out! Get dressed in your best outfit and grab your friends for a night out on the town. Who says that singles have to stay home and be sad? NO! Dance the night away or hangout for drinks at a bar or posh restaurant. You’ll be surprised how many other singles you might meet going solo.

Photo: Dry Icons

Valentine's Day Theme Parties!

2010-01-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

January is almost over and Valentine’s Day is around the corner. The holiday of “Love” can become very expensive with all the flowers, chocolates, dinners and jewelry. Try something different this year and host a cost efficient party without feeling like Cupid has shot you in the wallet. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, here are some creative and non-traditional Valentine’s Day party themes to enjoy with your loved one or fun friends.

1. Famous Couples Costume Party. Halloween shouldn’t be the only holiday you can dress in costume for! Have your guests dress up as famous couples or duets throughout the past or present. For example; Sunny and Cher or Obama and Biden. Have every guest throughout the party vote for the best costumed duo/couple.

Photo by: Costume for Couples

2. A Red Hot Event! This theme can become cheesy but, with a few adjustments it can be a very classy event. Have your guest dress in shades of red. Decorate the party using flowers, candles and candy in any shade of red. Serve red desserts such as chocolate covered strawberries, spicy foods or Red Velvet cake.

3. Matchmaker Party: Ok so you don’t have to play Cupid to make love connections. The whole idea of this theme is to allow singles the opportunity to meet new possible matches. Have your guest all bring a single friend. Play games such as Pictionary or Charades in order to get your guest talking. Remember humor can help to loosen up the crowd. Don’t serve food/drinks that leave you with stained teeth or tongues, smelly breath or ruined clothing. Remember, the whole point is to find a match!

4. A Dive into Love Tasting Party: When you think of Valentine’s Day, you think of lots of Chocolate! Host a chocolate tasting party; allowing your guest to taste anything chocolate. Serve some unusual chocolate products such as chocolate covered bugs, Chocolate beer, or deep fried chocolate candy. For those non-chocolate lovers try a “fondue” like theme. Serve foods such as chips, fruit, cheese, and meats to dip in an assortment of sauces or mixes.

Photo: Chocolate Fountains R Us

5. A Night in Paris: Take a trip for one night and bring your guest to Paris, France: the city of Love. Create perfect décor by utilizing those old Christmas tree lights and re-create a beautiful evening at a Paris café. To set the mood, try live music. Serve crepes, cappuccinos, wines and cheese, and other French foods. Before you know it, love will be in the air!

Photo: Paintless Design blog

The Special Event 2010: Final Week Review!

2010-01-16T00:28:00.000-08:00

Okay peeps! The final review of TSE 2010 is in! I write this as I sit in my room for the last night as the rain outside slowly lets up. The weather is warmer than usual, so I'm surprisingly warm and happy, but it's suspicious too. We'll see how cold it is tomorrow, but I hope my plane doesn't get delayed from the thunderstorms they predict!

Thursday I decided to sleep in. Last year I got really sick with a kidney infection after TSE 2009 in San Diego, so in order to prevent sleep deprivation and possible sickness, I thought sleeping the extra hour would do me good.

Sessions were a little lighter but I did get some good notes and see a lot of the same faces I've been meeting all week (which is a great thing!). This was our only free evening of the week, so I spent it with Marley Majcher, The Party Goddess!, at her cocktail hour at the Marriott mingling with all types of folks and getting to know planners from all over the world!

Friday, the last day of TSE. Some people are eager to get home while others try to squeeze every last minute out of the trip. I attended 3 sessions (getting press, networking, and table design) before heading over to the last bit of the exhibition hall and hit up the last of the vendors there.
Then I decided to head over to Cafe du Monde for the last bit of beignets and hot chocolate of the trip! OMG it was soooo cold and windy!!! Thursday was such a beautiful day, I almost considered taking off one of my 4 layers, but Friday was crazy cold! The worst part of it was getting ready for the Gala dinner and realizing it was raining outside! Who wants to dress up in formal attire and heels when it's pouring out?

I finally made it back to the auditorium for the Awards Ceremony and Gala dinner. I helped set up and welcome people to the event, then headed over to prepare for the dinner, which was beautifully set up!

The centerpieces to the Gala Awards cocktail hour.

We were able to take a big group picture (to be posted soon!) and sit for dinner. The entertainment was AMAZING!!! I will post all those entertainers, photos, and links soon, but trust me, it was so good that everyone had to get up and dance, clap, and give standing ovations!
The dinner ended with more amazing Flutter-fetti exploding everywhere and a Champagne Chandelier girl from Champagne Entertainment Group (Rolando rocks!!) and then we danced the night away! And BTW, Steve from Party Hats is an AMAZING dancer!!! I was doing moves I didn't even know I could do on the dance floor with him! So fun!Sad to be leaving New Orleans after being here for almost 10 days! But with the rain, the cold, the football game tomorrow, and Mardi Gras in a few weeks, it might be a good time to start heading out before it starts getting really crazy! I have met so many amazing people, vendors, speakers, and have gotten so many ideas (I almost finished my notebook full of notes!) that I can't wait to read over and start implementing!

The Special Event 2010: Mid-Week Review!

2010-01-14T23:04:00.000-08:00

Here in New Orleans, or as the locals call it, N'awlins, for The Special Event conference 2010. It's definitely colder than it is in LA, but I'm pulling through and getting to the sessions, my volunteer events, and the evening parties. Gotta make the best of it, right?

My boyfriend and I were out here 5 days before the conference started to really enjoy and tour NOLA, so if you wanna hear about the plantation tours, Katrina, the French Quarter, beignets (yummy!), muffulettas, or any other Cajun or Creole food, let me know and I'll send you a link to my travel journal. But this blog is about the happenings of TSE thus far; my 2 day report!

Tuesday was all sessions. Met some really phenomenal speakers and designers, and met some fabulous people from LA and NY!

Tabletop sample by speaker Christina Springfield, Events by Nouveau Flowers, Inc.

In the evening, mingled at the "TSE Starts Here" party at the Generations Hall, which was a beautiful venue! Food was catered by BIO and included all the southern cajun delights like po boys, brisket, shrimp and grits, and their famous sweet pralines for dessert. But the most impressive of the evening was the Mojeaux band, which totally ROCKED!! They had guests dancing the entire night, and did everything from old skool classics to rock to rap to hip hop! I have never seen a live band RAP, but they did so flawlessly!

Rocking out with the Mojeaux Band! Holla for the Saints going to the Superbowl!

Wednesday was all work. I worked at the Wedding luncheon and got to check out the Gallery early, and it was beautiful! The themes this year involved using natural elements, so table designs were based on Metal, Wood, and Paper.

Metal theme was done by Frank Andonoplas, Frank Event Design.

The table setting for the "Wood" theme was done by Sasha Souza Events.

Paper theme table setting by Janet Flowers.
(I heard those cardboard chairs could hold up to 500 pounds!)

The wedding luncheon theme was also a landscape of trees and meadows with a river of collective blue tables with jumping water and flowers connecting them together-Georgous!

The meadows and forest tables surrounded the blue river tables in the center.

In the evening I worked with Party Hats as they welcomed and fitted everyone with their infamous decorative hats at the "Welcome party."

Teresa from Texas in her Mardi Gras getup.

Afterward we checked out the Mardi Gras floats at the venue, Mardi Gras World, and enjoyed the Mansion section (very "Pirates of the Caribbean" with the outdoors indoors), food, drinks, and live band. The night ended with a huge spray of confetti butterflies and a barge on the Mississippi river shooting off a grand fireworks show!

Confetti butterflies are so pretty!

Linens in a Whole New Way!

2010-01-11T05:21:00.000-08:00

Tabletop Fashions will be showcasing their newest look at TSE 2010 in New Orleans: the Scarf Overlay Line!A great way to dress up a table with bold accents and colors, and look at how many ways you can play with it!
The line includes a "Carnival" scarf with oversize polka dots, or "Florence" that features delicate embroidery. There's also the "Edgewater" design, a modern look with circles mixing with undulating lines.Make sure to visit TableTop Fashions (booth 122) at TSE as they debut nine new lines of linen rentals in the trade show area!

Photo Credit: Tabletop Fashions

Wedding Predictions for 2010

2010-01-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

About This Blog: Christine Dyer has an MBA in marketing and shares over ten years of marketing expertise with the wedding community. In this weekly blog called Supercharge Your Wedding Business, you'll find advice on an array of wedding business topics such as how to market to brides, social networking, wedding PR, wedding sales, vendor networking, branding, pricing and much more.

In 2010, we’ll see a continued increase in weddings that are personalized, green, vintage, destination and DIY. Brides will still want their “red carpet moment” but they will plan their weddings with a more practical, down-to-earth mindset. Think smaller, more intimate weddings with bigger, more dramatic details. I believe that many of the values that brides cared about in 2009 still hold true. Brides will look to be transformed on their big day, they will value shared experiences and they will make their day an extension of their personal individuality.

Photo: The Knot

New wedding themes will also emerge in 2010. Thanks in part to Vera Wang’s 2009 classical design of Ivanka Trump’s dress, I believe we will start to see fewer strapless gowns and more creative accents like feathers. “The stuffy by-the-rule-book wedding of years past has completely vanished. There is a woman in white, music, food, cake and vows - but every other aspect of the American wedding has been reconsidered,” reports BRIDES Magazine New American Wedding Survey.

Photo: The Knot

Here are some additional statistics from the survey related to emerging wedding trends:
• Fewer than half of weddings take place in a house of worship.
• 20% of couples have a friend or relative deputized to perform the ceremony.
• 13% of receptions feature music via iPod.
• Couples going with live bands are hiring specialty bands such as salsa, R&B and Polka.
• Over 1/4 of couples plan their weddings around a theme.
• 97% of grooms get involved with the planning.
• Soul-food and Mexican are the new go-to wedding cuisines.

Despite the surge in new wedding trends, many old traditions will still live on throughout the next decade. BRIDES Magazine New American Wedding Survey also reported:
• 76% will have a large wedding with all the traditions.
• 87% of women will wear a long white dress.
• 93% will indulge in a cake-cutting ceremony.
• 75% of brides will toss the bouquet and just under that amount will share a father/daughter dance.

Photo: She Knows Weddings

Niche wedding blogs as well as free wedding websites will continue to proliferate in 2010. One of the greatest trends from 2009 was the explosion of so many FREE online resources and social networks to promote our wedding businesses. This has become somewhat of a double-edged sword because these resources can be overwhelming to brides.

Wedding professionals with the most entrepreneurial mindsets will thrive. During tough economic times, it is the smaller, nimbler organizations that can be creative and adapt. In 2010, we’ll see many entrepreneurial minds partnering together, cross-promoting each other and bartering. Social networks are a great place to create and foster these types of symbiotic relationships with other wedding professionals.

Technology and innovation will continue to evolve the wedding industry. Wedding professionals will increase their productivity as more software tools are introduced into the marketplace. More people will join the wedding industry because it is becoming easier to set up a website and market one’s services. Finally, adjacent wedding businesses will emerge. A great example of this was the launch of RecycledBride in 2009. Technology was one of the biggest enablers of the new marketplace at RecycledBride where brides and vendors buy and sell all things wedding-related. 2010 will be a year where the wedding industry will see new technology platforms, new marketplaces and new ways to connect.

Hosting a Holiday Party

2009-12-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

December is always filled with company parties, socials and luncheons for work, it can be a bit overwhelming! How do you make yours different?

I planned a holiday party for a martial arts school last weekend and it was great! The venue, A Cow Jumped Over the Moon, has always had such a great staff and the restaurant's look is already elegant, sophisticated, and fun.

With just a little bit of holiday magic, I was able to create a casual yet chic holiday party for families, couples, and single ready to mingle people. Thanks to Christine Chang for capturing these beautiful photos of the night.

Signage is key, especially if your guests have never been there before.

The venue already had such great ambiance, it made it easy to just accents and little details to finish the festive look.

Great (kosher!) sushi was featured in Angeleno magazine.

Ornament-shaped name tags and a
customized wreath featuring the company's logo on silver medallions.

A live DJ makes all the difference!

Ready for the party to begin!

Decorating for the Holidays on a Budget!

2009-12-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

So the economy is down and you’re trying to keep your expenses low this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring in the New Year with decorations for the holidays! I always believe that when you’re on a tight budget, it only makes you more creative and resourceful! So let’s get those creative juices flowing as I show you some fun tips to make your house ready for the holiday spirit without spending any of that gift money!

1. It Smells Like Christmas! Nothing feels more like the holidays to me than all the wonderful smells that come with it. Peppermint, pine, and cinnamon scents are easy to capture with candles. Decorate the candles with some greenery or even a ribbon, and you’ve got a beautiful tabletop piece that also smells great!

Photo: HelloBeautiful.com

2. Edible Centerpieces. Don’t know what to do for the center of your table? Place a few jars of various shapes and sizes and fill them with yummy holiday-colored candy! Your guests won’t be able to resist grabbing a handful of sweets every time they walk by.

Photo: Inspire Me Crafts

3. Display Your Christmas Cards. What do you usually do with all the holiday cards you receive in the mail, place it on the mantel? This year, use those cards as part of the decor, displaying them in groups around the house, or putting them up on a wall or door in the shape of a tree, or placed in a basket or bowl.

Photo: Efe Designs

4. Back to Nature. Take a brisk walk outside (chilly!) and collect some pinecones, acorns, leaves, small branches, berries, and evergreens. Arrange them together as a nice display in a tall vase or tied together as a bouquet. To add some color, spray paint the pinecones and branches gold or silver to make it really sparkle!

Photo: Real Country Living

5. Happy Green Holidays! You may not even realize it, but being creative and resourceful with your decorating helps the environment too! My final tip is to skip on all the unnecessary wrapping paper (they’ll just throw it away, right?) and use newspaper or any other large printed material instead! Know an architect who throws out blueprints all the time, or banner paper that schools throw out at the end of the year? Use those interesting prints to create a unique gift wrapping idea for your friends and family. Finish off the wrapping with an elegant bow. Not only will everyone notice how eco-friendly you are, but your gifts will probably be the first to be opened!

Photo: The Fickle Nickel

My funniest moment in Event Planning So Far

2009-12-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

So I've been meaning to write about the funniest moment in my event planning career so far. I would say other people had the laugh, I was just trying to get my work done!

For Halloween this year, my boss requested 2 "dead" bodies to float in a swimming pool at a party. Since we only had a few days to procure this and it wasn't in the original budget, I had to think of something fast. After much research online and calling for prices, I decided to get resourceful. I went over to the local sex shop and the woman there was very helpful about explaining the various looks and positions of inflatable lifesize dolls.

After purchasing 2, I headed back to the office and began creating a "dead man" and "dead woman" in distinct clothing. The man got to wear a pair of my old jeans, a plaid button-down shirt, and a fun hat to cover the big gaping hole of the inflatable doll's mouth. I also had a problem with the gy-normous chest on the man, so I had to roll up the plastic and tie them down! For the woman, unfortunately I didn't have a dress picked out so I had to put together a sexy dress of random fabrics that we had in the warehouse, but I made sure she wore matching black bra and panties (she was a DD). I was also able to snag a black wig for her to give her some long locks.

The end result is what you see before, and guess what? My boss LOVED it, and I got to learn about the 3 holes that all inflatable dolls come with!

My "Dead Man" to float in the pool.

Look at the dress on her!

My happy Halloween couple!

Wedding Traditions, What Do They Mean Anyway?

2009-12-01T01:30:00.000-08:00

Working on another wedding in a few weeks, and I started wondering where all the wedding customs and traditions came from and what they meant back then. I was able to find some really interesting and fun stuff!

Photo: San Francisco Wedding Flowers

The Wedding Bouquet
There are several reasons for the wedding bouquet. In ancient Poland for example, when you sprinkled sugar on the bouquet it would keep her temper sweet. For Greeks and Romans, the bouquet was a mix of garlic and herbs or grains. The garlic was used to ward off evil spirits, and the herbs or grain was to ensure a fruitful union.

Photo: Alibaba.com

Wedding Dress
Traditionally, brides didn't wear white! Up through the 18th century, most brides just wore their "Sunday best" to their wedding, including red as a favorite during the Middle Ages in Europe. Other colors were worn for symbolic reasons: blue meant constancy, green meant youth, and eventually white was worn as a symbol of purity.

Throwing Rice
One of the oldest wedding traditions, the custom of throwing rice originated with the ancient Hindus and Chinese. In these cultures, rice is the symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity. Tossing it after the ceremony was believed to bestow fertility upon the bride and groom. Eating rice and other grains was thought to guarantee health, wealth and happiness for the newlyweds. Today, rice tossing is being replaced by the more ecologically friendly birdseed tossing, because uncooked rice is damaging to birds who eat it off the church lawn.

Wedding Veil
Originally, the veil was thought to have been used to hide the bride from abductors, much like dressing the bridesmaids in similar dresses was supposed to do. But more recently it has been to romantically conceal the bride's face because it was believed what was hidden is more valuable. Another early interpretation of the veil was that it symbolized youth and virginity.

Wedding Ring
The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart. The third finger of the left hand has become the customary wedding-ring finger for all
English-speaking cultures.

Photo: MindfulMarriage.net

Kiss
The first kiss at the close of the ceremony is still very important today. Many cultures believe that when the couples kiss, they exchange spirits with their breath and with that, part of their souls are united.

Photo: Bridefu.com

Cake
The wedding cake has always played an important part in the wedding. Ancient Romans broke a cake over the bride's head to symbolize fertility or abundance. Many other cultures dropped wheat, flour or cake on the bride's head, and then ate the crumbs for good luck. The early British baked baskets of dry crackers, and every guest took one home after the wedding. In medieval times, guests brought small cakes and piled them on a table. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the cakes. Eventually, a young baker decided to put all the cakes together and cover them with frosting, thus the tiered wedding cake was born.

The Party Goddess! Parties it Up!

2009-11-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

I work part time at The Party Goddess! and Marley Majcher, the boss lady, just celebrated her big 40th birthday bash on Saturday. Jen O' Sullivan was one of the amazing photographers who captured the night with her stellar photos, including this one with me, Ji San, and Camilla, 2 coworkers that were in charge of checking in the guests with me (hence the matching outfits!).

Photos by Jen O Sullivan. Super fab!

It was a fantastical event with the theme, "The 4 Seasons, more than just a hotel" and showcased 4 rooms of each season and included a Hunky Santa in a gingerbread house, massage chairs and a Pama bar, a tiki bar, and a pirate ship with pilgrims and a mashed potato bar! More pictures to come!

A Hot Beach Wedding

2009-11-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to work on Sue Cook's daughter Kristen's wedding earlier this month and by far had the most fun I have ever had at a wedding!!Both Lauren Ho and I worked the day-of coordination of the event which was held at the Beach Club in Santa Monica. Kristen and Toshi, the bride and groom, have been together since high school and shared a beautiful beach front wedding during sunset and cocktail dinner.
But the FUN part was definitely the people, from their sense of humor to dancing and singing to Grease's "Summer Nights!"Christine Chang was the talented photographer along with Sean who did the photobooth. Here are some pictures from her blog.

The bride and her beautiful bridesmaids who were very supportive and attentive.

These crazy party animal groomsmen with Toshi the groom.

Photographers Christine and Sean with the newlyweds.

The newlyweds were led to their car by guests holding sparklers and headed off to the Huntley Hotel where the rest of the party wedding guests met up for more drinking and dancing. They closed the club down and I went home exhausted but having had a great time!

Count Fluffula's Costumes and Cocktails

2009-11-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

I spent a super fun Saturday night helping a wonderful non-profit called the "Four Legged Friends Foundation (FLFF) raise money at their Halloween fundraiser where pets got to dress up in Halloween costumes!! It was adorable!
Sandra Lollino, founder of FLFF, put this even together that featured face painting, a doggie-and-companion fashion show, raffle tickets for prizes, a silent auction, and the main event, a costume contest! Animals and their companions walked the red carpet (and grass!) to show off their coolest, cutest, scariest, and funniest costumes for a chance to win!

Gotta love a Chihuahua mermaid!!

OMG this dog was ADORABLE!!!!
(and he had his own business card!)

Debra Skelton from MadTV was the Emcee for the night and did a great job keeping the vibe up!

These girls rock! DeAnne Millais and Sandra Lollino

For more information about FLFF or about the event, click here.

Stepping Up in the City

2009-11-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

I attended a Step Up Women's Network event last week to honor friend Jaclyn Mullen's award to her Commitment to Philanthropy and their annual membership celebration. Held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, this event was wall-to-wall packed! Photoboothless with Bryant Sentosa was there promoting their new photobooth and 6 ladies were honored for their amazing support to Step Up and to their community. After hearing the speakers and one of the young ladies who was sponsored by Step Up's mentorship program, I decided to join the non-profit organization and see what I could offer the community!! =D
Congratulations to Jaclyn and all the wonderful women for all their hard work. I'll keep you posted on all the fun upcoming events from Step Up!

Halloween Party, ISES Hollywood Style!

2009-10-26T23:45:00.000-07:00

ISES had their monthly meeting in October and it was a Hollywood Halloween-themed party!

Coffin Tables...a nice touch!

Held at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, it was the perfect place for ISES members to dress in their costumed best, play games, eat orange-white chocolate from Chocolate Delights, and dance the night away! Doyle Borden from My Flower Guy designed all the flowers and decor of the event, including the overall design, which was a perfect mix of Halloween at a vintage Hollywood hotel!Met some very nice people, including Kevin Viner who did an amazing magic trick for us that involved lemons that I'd never seen before, a talking photobooth from E-pod Events, and I even got a tarot card reading from Susanna with Leonard Neil productions.

"Marilyn Monroe" from Champagne Creative Group shared her goodies at the party.

I always love attending ISES events because you get to see familiar faces and brand new faces, and everyone is just so talented! I plan on lunching with Erika from An Catering, attending a show at the Magic Castle this week for Andrew Goldenhersh, and I'll be volunteering at the "Meet the Masters" event in November! The life of an event planner is always busy!

But definitely the best part of the night was the costume contest and the scavenger hunt. Congrats to Jeremy for having that competitive spirit and to everyone who dressed up for the occasion!

The Fab Winners of Costume Contest!

Enter the Red Carpet Wedding Contest from BridalTweet!

2009-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK – September 15, 2009 – BridalTweet.com today announced a contest awarding one lucky bride a complimentary rental of dazzling diamond earrings to wear on her wedding day. Each bride who joins BridalTweet.com before October 30 will be entered to win, compliments of Adorn Brides.1 “The Red Carpet Wedding contest is our way of thanking brides for joining our wedding community,” said Christine Dyer, creator and founder of BridalTweet.com. “We’re seeing that brides will rent anything from visual props to floral arrangements, table linens, head-pieces and sometimes even dresses; why not rent diamonds for the special day.”

Each bride that joins BridalTweet.com will also gain access to the wedding community’s ongoing benefits such as free wedding advice, exclusive offers, giveaways, information about local events, a local vendor directory, and more. All BridalTweet.com members, including brides, wedding vendors, and wedding bloggers, can also share tips and information via chats, blogs, discussions, groups, photos, and videos.

Early results indicate BridalTweet.com’s growing leadership position within the wedding industry. Since its inception in April of 2009, the wedding community at BridalTweet.com has exceeded 3,500 members, with 64 percent of the community’s visitors returning to the website in a given month – a strong signal of BridalTweet.com’s active and engaged audience.2

“We are excited to work with BridalTweet.com to bring the red carpet glamour of diamonds on loan to one lucky bride’s big event,” shared Laura Carrintgon, co-founder and chief stylist for Adorn Brides. “Every bride, regardless of her budget deserves to have access to the very best in bridal accessories. Now, brides can rent thousands of dollars of diamond jewelry for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase them thanks to Adorn Brides.”

To learn more about BridalTweet and read the press release, click here.
Hurry! The contest ends October 30th!

Featured on Utterly Engaged!

2009-10-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Great news! Our Mad Hatter's Tea Party was featured in "Utterly Engaged" this month! You can find the e-zine on the website in issue #004, but I also posted all the pages here for you to enjoy!
Special thanks to Adrienne Gunde, my photographer who also got the event in the magazine, and Eva Chiou, who allowed us the opportunity to post! Looking forward to the next one!

Let's Jam! 2009

2009-09-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was ISES-LA's annual JAM (Joint Allied Mixer) event, held at the Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown LA. As a committee member, we have been planning since March for this big event which involves all the event planning associations, vendors, exhibitors, ISES members, and attendees, usually with an attendance of over 500. What makes this event stand out from the usual trade shows is that we make it a fun social event as well, with drinks, food from our catering vendors, and music and lounge furniture to relax and chat.
It was a long day as we prepared the load in, set up, and prep all the booths, tables, music, registration, goody bags, decorations, and food. By the time the event started I was all sweaty and tired, but by the time I got in and saw the party in full swing, it definitely brought back my second wind!
Here are just some pictures of the amazing lounges set up on all three floors from our sponsors, Luna Party Rentals, FormDecor, Dazian Fabrics, and RrivreWorks.

Luna Party Rentals designed this one. Love the chandelier!

Jeff from FormDecor rocks! What great light-up furniture!

Amazing Chinese-inspired lounge area from RrvireWorks.

Here are some fabulous companies I was able to meet:

Lattes on Location
Chocolate Delights
Get Flipped!
Luna Party Rentals

And of course there were all the familiar faces whom I love and adore!

Me with Dora (my super fab Event Associate) and good friend Sue Cook (LAPD).

I was able to snap a few pictures during the event, but before I knew it 4 hours had passed and it was time to wrap up!

Champagne Showgirls always know how to show it off!

The fall tabletop from Divine Luxury Design.

Shirvan Designs creates a beautiful table masterpiece.

Thanks so much to the JAM committee members for all their hard work and dedication to make this event such a success! I felt truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with some of the industry's best. And many many thanks to all the fabulous volunteers who came out to help on the day of the event, including Joyce (my parking partner in crime!), Camilla Z. (TPG!) and her friend Lauren, and Lauren T.

Congrats Leslie and Kenny!

2009-09-24T23:06:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of coordinating my friend Leslie and Kenny's wedding last Saturday. Before the professional pictures get sent, I just wanted to wish them a very BIG Congratulations!
Their wedding was gorgeous and I'm so glad I got to be a part of making that happen. And super major props to my Event Associate, Dora Olvera!
More pictures and wedding details to come!

The Wedding Salon

2009-09-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

Last week my friend Sandra Williams from Finishing Touch and I checked out the Wedding Salon at the London Hotel. The venue was beautiful, a perfect setting for this event!
First thing we got to try as soon as we walked into the door were delish treats from Primal Alchemy, whom I totally love and adore! Then we saw all the amazing furniture done by Revelry, who is a super high-end linen and decor company who has done weddings for Brad Pitt and Christina Aguilera.The event was a bit smaller than I expected, but they also squeezed everything into 3 rooms, so it was HOT (or maybe it was all that free alcohol from Hyptoniq?), but I absolutely loved all the displays, samples, and vendors! From customizable wedding shoes to destination weddings and candy stations, they covered all of your luxury wedding needs. My pictures could only say so much, so I'm directing you to Jen O'Sullivan's fabulous photos of the event as well.
Afterward about 12 of us (most from Hawaii) went off to eat at the very hip modern Ketchup, which serves some super rich mac and cheese! When I asked how the restaurant was chosen, someone said they had seen it on "The Hills!"
Ooh, sooo LA!

"Endgame" Screening

2009-09-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Attended another screening last Saturday for a short film I helped produce back in 2006 (Yes, movies take that long to finish up, especially if you're on a super small budget and you're the only one working the entire project!). I have to give major props to the writer/director/actor/good friend of mine, John Ruby, who worked his heart out putting this thing together and believing in himself enough to finish this project.

See John in the upcoming Subaru commercial!

The screening was held at the ever-popular Cinespace in Hollywood, which they've renovated since I was last there. Bumped into my friend/event planner DeAnne Millais and FLFF President/event planner Sandra Lollino, so we were able to catch up on life a little bit over drinks. John had a photographer at the venue so that everyone could get photographed, which I thought was great since I always forget to bring my camera to these things!

Lovely Ladies! Sandra, DeAnna, and I.

ENDGAME tells the story of Bennett Dale (John Ruby), an unemployed, engaged man, who is struggling to find meaning in life. With no job prospects and constant fighting with his girlfriend, Bennett's at the end of his rope. But when, through a chance encounter, he befriends a chess player in the park, things start to change. This new friend teaches Bennett not only the right moves to make on the chess board, but also, the right moves in life.
I thought it was very well done and I wish John well as he sends his project through the festival circuit!! Check out his trailer here!

9 Movie Screening

2009-09-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Thursday night I was invited to watch Tim Burton's latest animated film, 9. I was the editorial coordinator on the picture during pre-production in 2006, so it was very exciting to finally see the completed project.I brought along my cousin Angie as my date and the screening took place at ICM in Culver City. There was a delicious and adorable reception afterward with the movie's colors green and brown as their theme. I loved the little details, including the "9" cupcakes, the green and brown linen cocktail tables, and as gifts, 9 books were given to each guest. I was able to steal director Shane Acker away for a minute to autograph our books, and it was great to see all the familiar faces I haven't talked to in 2 years!And the movie? AMAZING!!! Action, adventure, suspense, explosions, heartfelt moments, great actors (voices), and in the end, not a typical Tim Burton film, which I thought was kinda nice. I will definitely go and see it in the theatres when it comes out again. I hope you will too! It's pretty easy to remember, 9 on 9/9/09. Check out the trailer here.

A Movie Night of Martial Arts!

2009-08-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

Last month I hosted a first ever "Movie night" for a martial arts school the turnout was a huge surprise! Over 45 people attended (the estimate was originally 25) and attendees were happy to be able to enjoy a community feel while enjoying food, mingling, and watching a free movie (not to mention parents loving a few hours free on Friday night)! It was a fun event to plan because it was simple but still creative, unique, and fun! Here are just some of the things we did to create a "Movie Night" mood.

Choosing the right movie. Since this was for a martial arts school, obviously everyone was going to love action movies. We decided to go with a movie that featured the master of the school ("Ninja Turf") and that brought a lot of students in because it was a hard DVD to find. Attendees has a blast watching this "classic," and afterward we did a Q&A with him and the writer.

Photo: City on Fire

Everyone loves food! We know everyone is struggling with the economy, so we didn't want this to be an expensive event to attend. Instead we offered this as a FREE event with a movie, popcorn, and soda. Then if people wanted pizza, we asked for a $5 donation. We called our local pizzeria and they were able to give us a great discount and even donated a gift certificate to raffle off. The pizza is always a big hit, and since our first Movie Night they've gotten even more business from the school and want to continue offering their pizzas at the event.

Add some fun accents. Since there wasn't much to decorate for the Movie Night, we had to get creative with the decor and fun additions. We popped fresh popcorn and put them into clear individual bags with the school logo on it to show off that school pride. We also made a mini candy station for the kids to enjoy in case they wanted something sweet. We were able to find old vintage posters of the movie, so we hung them up before the movie so that people could get excited about it.Ask for Feedback. Since this was the first social event of its kind, we wanted to see what the feedback was from the attendees. Immediately following the movie, we passed out "raffle cards" which basically had 5 questions about the event and how to rate it. We motivated people to fill it out and return it by making it a raffle drawing. After the Q&A, we collected all the cards and raffled some martial arts equipment, and of course, the Pizzeria's gift certificate. The school was able to pull together the pros and cons of the event and keep what worked and change what needed work.

Making friends is easy when there's food and a movie!

This event was a great way to build a community amongst the students without having to spend extra money. As the word spreads, more and more people are asking about the next Movie Night and what movies they'd like to see. Whether you do this with friends at home or as a social activity for work, it's a great way to build relationships while having fun!

Highlights from the Bride Expo

2009-08-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

I attended the Bride Expo last Sunday at the Universal Hilton next to Universal Studios. Unfortunately, it was a fairly small trade show with a little over 50 booths, but I enjoyed walking around and seeing what new vendors I hadn't met yet. I was probably done walking it after about 40 minutes.
In addition to the girls dressed up in wedding dresses to showcase their designer, some of the booths did stand out, so I listed them below along with their links.

Hansen's Cake: Beautiful cakes that tasted delicious (yay for free samples!). What I thought was most amazing about these cakes were her design details ad frosting was all made from butter cream instead of fondant! Truly impressive!Heavenly Hands: De Leon was giving out free massages and I had to take advantage! In 15 minutes, he was able to work out all the knots in my neck and relax my entire back (I could have taken a nap then and there!). His services also include a manicure and pedicure station, and everything is available for bridal showers, pampering parties, and even as gifts to the bridal party from the bride.

Laserbird: What a unique and creative way to make personalized gifts! Kathy Ruiz showcased laser-engraved shotglasses, champagne flutes, party favors, even chopsticks! She's very affordable and will work with your wedding theme and decor to make sure you get beautiful customized gifts you can give your guests, your bridal party, your parents, even your new spouse!

High School Reunions, Make it a Party to Remember!

2009-08-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

I went to my high school reunion last weekend and realized that, though there must be thousands of these events all over the country almost every weekend, I never seem to find someone who says they had a blast at their reunion (feel free to let me know if you loved yours and why!). So I got to thinking, and besides being totally open to planning them in the future (for the sake of everyone who will have to go one of these days), there are many ways to make a high school reunion fun, entertaining, and possibly even an event that everyone looks forward to going to! Check them out below.

1. Make your invitation POP! With everyone getting married and having husiness meetings, holiday parties, and conferences, your invitation has to really catch the attention of your classmates! Think about the type of party you're hosting (casual, themed, cocktail hour) and try to get creative with it. Our mascots were the Tigers, so I was inspired with a tiger print "Walk on the Wild Side" theme to show a fun "cocktail hour" lounge theme.

2. Stop the food! We've all been to enough networking and social events to know that the food is not important!! Have enough hours d'ouerves to let people snack, but a full sit down dinner is not necessary. The reason people are attending the reunion is to reaquaint themselves with lost friends and catch up with what's been going on. The last you want to do is lock everyone down to a seat the whole night with food in their mouths. As a candy lover, I'm all about the candy stations with little take home bags that people can pack for later.3. Keep the Drinks Flowing! Not that everyone drinks alcohol, but for those that do, I imagine you'll want a cocktail in hand when you're re-meeting people again. Open bar would be fantastic, but it could also be dangerous. So perhaps allowing the ticket price to include 2 drinks, or if you come early that there's free drinks for the first 30 minutes would be an incentive to come early and start mingling.

Following the theme, create a signature drink! This one is called "Orange Blossom"

4. Play some games. Now this one will depend on the type of class you have, but since everyone attending is obviously interested in learning what everyone else has been doing, might as well make some games out of it and make it fun! Games can be as simple as asking who traveled the furthest, who has been married the longest, who has the most kids, etc. Prizes can be given afterward.

5. Be nostalgic. I personally had a great time in high school but didn't really keep up with as many friends as I'd hoped. I don't quite remember who was in what class and what our theme was for prom, so I would have loved some pictures, posters, or even a slideshow of pictures from the past. Ask guests to submit photos to be put into a slideshow that you can show that evening. Have a photobooth where pictures can be seen from the outside as well, like my fab vendors Photocube. Have the mascots show up for a portion of the party so that alumni can take pictures with them. There are many ways you can bring back that old high school spirit.

6. Invite the family. For those who can't make it to an evening reunion, consider having a picnic in the day time. This is great for those guests who did travel from afar to be there, and it also allows guests with spouses or kids to share in the festivities. This can be as informal as a potluck picnic in the quad of your high school or at the local restaurant hang out.
Reunions are supposed to be fun! Remember that you want to make all your classmates comfortable and make it worthwhile to have traveled all the way there to see everyone again. It should be a good mix of high school/adult mixer/ice breakers so that you can incorporate all types of people. Have fun!

Girl's Only Cocktail Party/Sleepover

2009-08-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about a party we're planning tonight for just the girls! I have about 5 cousins coming over to have our all-too-seldom "Cousin Sleepover." Of course our youngest cousin is 17 and the oldest are in our late 20's, but it's all in good fun and a great excuse to have a party and catch up.
Even when planning your most informal events, it's nice to show you care in the details that you present for the party. It just brings the whole event up a notch from a regular sleepover to a full-blown Girl's Night Cocktail Party/All Night Sleepover!

Food. Instead of ordering the typical pizza or snack foods, we opted for a fun activity food: FONDUE!!! There are so many fun ways to make fondue, and it's inexpensive but classy! Go with a cheese fondue for a dinner setting, or for those sweet tooths (like us), we're going for chocolate with all the fixings!Drinks. We asked everyone to tell us their favorite cocktails and we provided all the mixers and made up fun names for each drink to create a mini bar of our favorites to share with everyone. Every guest will get a drink charm that they can put on their drink glass to distinguish their cup. These can easily be bought or made at an arts and crafts store like Michael's. Activities. I'm a BIG fan of having activities, whether it be games, entertainment, or just a focal point that people can enjoy if there is ever a lull. We'll be playing boardgames (that's our "thing") but I also had a wonderful idea to make every single guest feel extra special, especially since it's difficult to see everyone all the time.
We'll be making "Cousin Jars" ( you can name them to fit your theme/purpose) where every person will get a jar with their name/special embellishment on it. There will be small note-sized cards given out with statements like "My funniest moment with you.." and "I admire you because..." that everyone can write about you and put in your jar. Each person can share their messages aloud afterward, and it makes a beautiful keepsake of memories!Entertainment. My cousins are unique in that we all grew up together and are very close. As an aspiring filmmaker in my younger days, I used to videotape entire productions involving all of my cousins as the cast. We thought it might be fun (and embarrassing??!) to find all those lost tapes and showcase all the recently discovered footage. Afterward we'll give everyone a copy on DVD to keep whenever they need a good laugh!

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

2009-07-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Pictures are up from my mother's birthday party, themed a "Mad Hatter's Tea Party." I've gotten such wonderful responses from people regarding this theme, so thanks so much!
We decided to go with a tea party and mix it up with bright colors in order to create an intimate and whimsical world for our guests. We even asked guests to wear the "maddest" hat they had!To create the space, we hung paper lanterns above the long tables, placed confusing directional signs (a la "Alice in Wonderland") sporatically on the fence to set the background, and surrounded the party with handmade paper mache flowers planted into the ground around the table. As soon as guests sat down, they would feel as though they entered a whole new world.The colors of the party included deep saturated colors of blue, purple, green, orange, pink, yellow, and red (lots of colors!). The floral arrangements were done by my good friend Sue Cook from SooziCook Events! She went with colorful colors and unusual big bright flowers put in cute tea pots and canisters.The food (homemade by my mom!) consisted of tea sandwiches, scones, mini cheesecakes, cupcakes, baby cakes, cut fruit, and offered 6 different types of teas that the guests could choose from. Guests played some games and winners were able to keep a flower arrangement of their choice. As a parting gift, guests received thank you card with a selection of teas from the party tied with a ribbon.
And of course, my wonderful photographer Adrienne Gunde captured all of these intricate details and the essence of the event in all of these beautiful photos!

Check out the following website for more details on this party:
www.adriennegunde.com
www.spontaneousclapping.blogspot.com
www.trendsettingwedding.com

BrideWorld Expo

2009-07-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

I attended my first Bridal expo this weekend, Brideworld, held at the LA Convention Center. It head over 220 vendors for all the lucky brides and grooms. I met so many talented and fun people that are there to make sure your special day is unforgettable.

Here are some vendors I really LOVED:
Screenbooth-my new friend Stephen Park invented this phenomenal machine that combines guestbook signing and a photobooth into one amazing product! Your guests can either take photos that are printed instantaneously, or you can video-record a 45 second message to the bride and groom that they can keep forever! Both photos and videos are made into a CD and given to the couple afterward.

So nice and slim, it can be placed anywhere!

The Vineyards-A new venue that just opened up 1.5 years ago features waterfalls, a beautiful view, an outdoor ceremony area, and indoor reception area. It's a family owned business and I will be heading up for a personal tour soon so I'll post more info and photos soon!

Nature's Beauty-a wonderful way to keep your flowers and bouquet FOREVER!

Different samples of freeze-dried bouquets in frames, boxes, and other keepsakes.

One and Only Figures-Custom Design Clay Figures (my friends Jeremy and April had these made for their wedding and it was a huge hit!!) by sending 2 photos of yourself. They also sell Towel Cakes, which are small towels shaped into cakes and sweets and can be given as gifts.

These are all towels and make great party favors or gifts!

The Theodore Collection-Customized, monogrammed, Swarovski crystal cake toppers and accessories. They can be made out of glass or metal be letters, words, or shapes and designs.

One Night Affair-They rent thousands of designer gowns and will do personal fittings to make sure you look your best! So you can send less money still looking fabulous, and you won't have to box and store your big box of a wedding dress that you only wore once!

Shutterbooth-This photobooth is also a family business. What I liked about their photobooth was the depth inside (so it can fit more people) and the video screen is height-adjustable for wheelchairs.

Southern California Brides-Brides magazine has started new regional magazines that cover 19 different areas. They gave away the fall/winter 2009 issue so I'll make sure to share any tips with you.

I also bumped into a few vendors whom I already worked with, so I can definitely vouch for them:
Brave Strings-Ripsi and her team are very professional. They can play popular or classical music.

Vida Dulce Photography-Joe has been doing photography for many years and is always looking for the sweet shots. He works hard and is very personable.

The Los Angeles Athletic Club-Kelly Bland is the Catering Manager and super helpful at this hotel. They have several ballrooms that can work for all sorts of events.

Birthday Lollipop Madness!

2009-07-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

I worked with The Party Goddess! yesterday for a very fun birthday party for Ali Landry's 2 year-old daughter at the celebrity exclusive Beach House in Malibu. The theme was inspired by Shirley Temple's "Good Ship Lollipop" and included a lemonade stand, a Shirley Temple Table lady, and lots and lots of ribbons! The Party Goddess! also made sure there were enough candy and lollipops to keep the kids on a sugar high for the next 2 days!!

Anne did a wonderful job as the Table Lady!

It was a beautiful day to be at a private beach with food provided by Johnny Rocket's and drinks sponsored by Rose's, Orchid Liqueurs, Nika Water, and Grandma's Sweet Leaf Teas. The house is completely sponsored by Pirate's Booty (yummy snacks!) so there were sand sculptors creating a pirate ship, a treasure hunt for the kids, a face painter, a photo booth, beach toys, and even a Shirley Temple look-a-like who played games with the kids.Estela, the birthday girl, was super adorable as she wore 4 outfits throughout the party, from an A-line dress (much like Shirley Temple), a tutu dress, a white summer outfit, and an adorable swimsuit, always with a matching ribbon in her hair and a lollipop in hand!

Photos: Celebrity-Gossip.net.

The guests were very easy going and perhaps famous, but I don't watch much TV so I didn't have a clue. It sunk in when I saw a group of paparazzi "tanning" at the beach next door with their camera gear and phones handy. One guest I did recogize was WNBA start Lisa Leslie with her husband and cute daughter, and I was told that the hostess of "Dance Your Ass Off" was also there. The party ended nicely with a beautiful cake and swag bags full of goodies.As everyone headed out and the paparazzi left, who shows up but Lindsay Lohan with her entourage!! She's a regular at the Beach House, so she hung out on the balcony while all the NEW paparazzi showed up and waited for.... her to do something amazing?? It must be so hard being a paparazzi photographer... doesn't it get annoying to follow celebrities around all the time while they do mundane things like smoke a cigarette and chat with their friends? The day definitely made me realize that, famous or not, everyone parties with friends, takes care of their kids, eats burgers and candy, and hangs out at the beach.

6 Secrets To Fighting Isolation In A Home Based Business

2009-06-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Running your business from home has many advantages, like setting your own schedule and avoiding the daily commute. They say Los Angeles traffic is among the worst in the United States, and I believe it. Other benefits of working from home are plentiful. If you have children, you are home when they get home from school, and you can take a break to hear about their day. You can make your own lunch, which means you are saving money by not having to go out to Starbucks for that afternoon snack.

On the flip side, people who have chosen to work at home can feel isolated, especially if they have worked in an office or retail environment before. Having much less contact with colleagues or customers is a big shift. Don't stress! There are a wide variety of techniques you can use to break the silence!

1. Create a distinct personal & work space. If you work at home, you must- I repeat, must--separate your workspace from your personal space. You need to find a place where you can set up the necessities of an office. While the dining room table does not count, a walk in closet does. You get the picture. Remember you are still the creative and successful professional you have worked so hard to be, except now you are your own boss. Make sure to get dressed in the morning. I don't mean that you have to put on a suit, but get out of your sleeping attire and sweats! Keeping your new office self-contained will preserve your focus, and possibly your sanity. When your work is done for the day, close the computer. Walk away. Shift into time with your family or friends, and doing what you enjoy.2. Set a daily schedule for yourself. If you have chosen a home-based business, you already know you are solely responsible for your time--all of it. And in lieu of the work distractions of a typical business, co-workers stopping at your desk to gossip, going out for lunch, etc., you'll have a whole new set of distractions. Setting and maintaining a schedule that works for you will provide stability, with the benefit of being able to shift your time if necessary. Now, you can start at 6 a.m. if you choose and be done at 2 p.m., or start at 10 a.m. and work to 7 p.m. Stick to what works for you and provides the strongest productivity and well-being.

3. Don't "burrow" - get out of the house! One of the traps of working for yourself is the impulse to over focus. Of course being industrious is essential to success, but so is balance. No matter what, give yourself some down time.
Have a coffee date with a friend. Make it a professional outing. Sharing experiences can be very supportive. Perhaps that person is having the same struggles or successes you are. You can share what has worked best. Of course, it doesn't have to be business-related. Refresh yourself with what you love to do, such as a running club, book club, or whatever works for you.

Gardening is a great way to take a break, enjoy the outdoors, and improve your home!

4. Meet your customers. Research shows that meeting with your customers personally, especially new ones, will win you more business. This is a particular advantage for those who work for themselves. Getting out of your home office for these meetings gives you the opportunity to build your clientele as well as establish strong and positive relationships with each of them personally.

5. Mix it up. Taking time to participate in established groups and professional activities is time well spent. Your local chamber of commerce may host a working breakfast with a speaker pertinent to your business. Take a day to attend a trade show. These are wonderful opportunities to network, as well as learn about other businesses, assess your competition, and learn what's new. Spending time at these events is invigorating and is likely to prompt new ideas and perspective for your own business. Definitely check out ISES, WIPA, and ABC.6. Keep in Touch. Many people who establish their own businesses have a background in a traditional office environment, ripe with opportunities to interact with co-workers, albeit within the particular environment of the
company. Choosing to work on your own is a huge shift. At the same time, it's a great opportunity to develop or re-build relationships with new friends and colleagues. Before you know it, you'll have a dynamic personal support network. You may even choose to have a partner or mentor in your field to share experiences and consult with one another.

Whatever you choose, be creative, and enjoy your independence!

Leading Entertainment Expert, Entrepreneur, TV Personality, Coach, Author and Sought After Speaker, Marley Majcher is CEO of The Party Goddess! and publisher of the Ezine, "...But Are You Making Any Money". If you are ready to take your career or business to the next level, make more money and just be happier with your work life, then get your free tips at www.butareyoumakinganymoney.com

Find me in the Transformers 2 Game!

2009-06-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

It was a random request but I was asked to model for the newest Transformers 2 video game last year. I got this pictures a few months ago but couldn't post them until the game came out Tuesday.
It's weird to see yourself as an animation (is this really what I look like?!!). I like the ones where I'm running away from them (look at the size of them!).

Ah! The transformers are coming! Duck and cover!

I don't know, I think my face would be a bit more scared, right?

Cool Ideas for Your Independence Day Party!

2009-06-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Independence Day is just around the corner, what are you going to do to celebrate? I say do it the "American" way, making your party just a bit more unique and always fun!

1. Sure, the traditional BBQ in the yard always works. But what if you don't have a backyard, picnic area, or rooftop to host your party? If you're going to do it indoors (which might be nice with some major air conditioning!), why not celebrate your patriotism with a col 50's theme? Decorate your space with checkered prints, bright colored tablecloths, classic Coca-Cola bottles, oversized musical notes, a jukebox (or at least some 50's music), and vinyl records. You can go one step further and ask your guests to dress up to the theme with poodle skirts and denim rocker jeans for the full effect!2. If you'd rather share the cooking responsibilities, go potluck style and ask everyone to bring something "All American" to see what your guests will come up with! Have a contest to see who is most creative! They can be as easy as American flag-shaped pizzas, star-shaped corn bread, blueberries and strawberries in cream, or even simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Find over 3,000 recipes at RecipeZaar.

3. I love naming drinks, so create some signature drinks to go with your menu, like a "Patriotic Pina Colada" or "Liberty Lemonade." Provide a wide range of American beers for guests to enjoy, like Coors, Michelob, Rolling Rock, and Miller.4. Centerpieces can do double-duty as candy jars of red, white, and blue for your guests to enjoy while mingling, or with fruit bouquets like Edible Arrangements.

This one is called the "Sweet Liberty Bouquet."

5. Let the kids have fun with a scavenger hunt! Hide red and blue paper stars all around the house and yard for the kids to find during the party. When they come to redeem them, have a prize bag ready for them to pick out silly toys like squirt guns, stickers, frisbees, and beach balls that will also keep them busy afterward. Check out prize favors and candy in bulk at Oriental Trading.

6. Don't forget dessert! Your guests will love a dessert station of ice cream floats complete with Root Beer and Coca-Cola, and classic shakes made with real ice cream. Make sure you've got plenty of whipped cream and cherries to top them with!

I Passed My Black belt Exam!

2009-06-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share the good news: I passed my 3rd degree black belt test!
It was a 2-day test of endless punching and kicking combos, over 40 hapkido techniques to execute, weapons training, 3 black belt forms, made up hapkido techniques, sparring, and of course, breaking boards and bricks with just my hands and feet.
I am very proud to say that I received and "Outstanding" on my test and am now a proud 3rd dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido at Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do. Here are some pictures to enjoy!

I had to complete a 5 combination board break with a front kick, hammerfist, side kick, back kick, and drop kick.

And of course, my brick breaking. My hand still hurts!
Photo Credit: Kip Ebanks

Hilarious Cake!

2009-06-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

My uncle emailed me this hilarious cake! May be considered inappropriate but I suppose it is appropriate for the party theme! Gotta love the creativity!

3rd Annual BizBash Expo Review!

2009-06-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's just me, but nothing feels more amazing than the satisfied exhaustion after a 12-hour day on your feet running around putting out fires, keeping schedule, and making sure everyone has a great time. I volunteered at Bizbash's Expo and Awards today and it was really fast-paced and fun! Call time was 7am at the LA Mart in downtown LA and I was on my feet nonstop until 7:30pm!!! Sue Cook was our volunteer coordinator and did a fantabulous job accommodating everyone and keeping everything going smoothly. In the morning I helped with the first educational session "Financial Issues for Planning Events From the Inside Out" (which was wall-to-wall packed!) with speaker Robb Thornsberry of Infinity Events and then worked the main desk in the VIP Lounge. Then we escorted attendees to the General Session where Howard Bragman (Fifteen Minutes), Paul Dreher (Beverly Hilton), and Hillary Harris (Warner Brothers) were all inducted into Bizbash's Hall of Fame.

Highlights from the trade show floor included:

*The uber impressive Glimmer Body Art! This was a serious hit. They are all glitter, last 5-7 days, waterproof, and completely customizable! And (the best part!) really affordable! I decided to go with a nice Laker's logo since they were playing tonight (Go Lakers!) and I think that sparked a lot of attendees to go and check out their booth!*Fifty Flowers with their amazing and impressive flowers all the way from South America! I was completely taken aback with their "Rainbow Roses" and thought all of their flowers were just so big, fat and fragrantly beautiful!*LA Photo Party launched their new 3D photobooth today for the first time at BizBash. Basically everyone gets into an enclosed tent and spreads around a camera stand in the middle. It takes pictures of the entire 360 space and prints in a long horizontal line. It's definitely an interesting concept, but the pictures print pretty small and sometimes looks stretched out. But I ALWAYS have fun at their regular LA Photo Party booth! I took some crazy pictures with another volunteer Dora from Santa Barbara.

*The Champagne Showgirls Strolling hors d'oeuvres tables (like from "The Special Event" in January) are still a favorite because no matter what, you can't beat a girl wearing a food table and singing opera or playing the violin!*I finally got to meet Angie from My M&M's who had commented on my Candy Stations blog post. I was really happy to put a name to a face and am continually impresed with M&M's color, message, photo, and packaging options.

*Elegant Designs Specialty Linens showcased a linen called the "mushroom" that I thought was so cute and unusual.*And as always, I am a forever fan of Party Hats Entertainment, who were our sponsored activity for the cocktail hour. My last shift ended at 3pm but I stuck around for another 3 hours just to make hats! You wouldn't think it much fun at first, but to see the creative hats that people come up with is half the fun! And you just get so into choosing and making a hat and then showing it off afterward!

Lunch was provided by California Pizza Kitchen (I never knew their chicken sandwiches were so good! The bread was so soft and yummy!) and I bumped into a lot of ISES JAM committee members as well (JAM is September 23rd!). I assisted the last session and then watched the awards ceremony (which was run much more smoothly than last year!) and then we all finally headed down for the cocktail hour, which consisted of mostly making hats from Party Hats!

DeAnne and I with our fun Party Hats creations!

The space probably wasn't the best for this type of event because the partitions between the speaker sessions and the tradeshow were just pipe and draping (bad echo) and the session B room was significantly small. Also, the stage TV's in the main room were really small so sometimes it was difficult to see what was being shown, although I thought the colored light changes were a great effect.

All in all, another successful event for BizBash. I am thoroughly BEAT but it feels so darn good to have worked hard and got a job well done!

Father's Day Ideas!

2009-06-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

I bet you just realized Father's Day is only 3 weeks away (June 21st) and you have no ideas! Gifts are great, but what people really appreciate now is quality time spend together. So whether you're on a budget or just in need of some time with Dad, any of these ideas will work for you!

1. The Good ol' Breakfast in Bed. Yes, this one is a classic. But why not spice it up a bit by changing up the menu? Heart-shaped waffles, homemade chocolate chip pancakes, or fresh squeezed orange juice!2. Clean his baby. No, not your sibling, I mean his car! Go all out with a full wash, wax, and vacuuming of the interior. Include an oil change and new air freshener for full effect.

3. Share his hobby! Hobbies are only as fun as the people you're with, so spend some time together doing things that he enjoys. So if he likes golfing, fishing, or building things, treat him out to his favorite hobby and add to the fun by joining him! Perhaps you're not a big golf fan, so take him to a mini-golf course instead. He'll get into it once you bet that you'll win him.

4. If you have many fathers to celebrate around you, why not host a picnic or BBQ in your yard or at a park? Have guests bring food with creative names after their Dads (pig in a blanket can be "Pete in a blanket") and play some fun father/kids games like the 3-legged race, a pie eating contest, or potato sack races. Don't forget to make 1st place ribbons for the winners!

Mexican Restaurant "La Fonda"

2009-05-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed dinner at this wonderful restaurant near downtown LA called La Fonda on Friday for my parent's wedding anniversary. They decided to invite the whole family (us 3 kids) and chose this restaurant because it was where they had their first date. How cute!Dinner was delicious, but the best thing about the venue was the mariachi singers! They worked great with the audience, there was traditional Mexican dancing, and they even brought up guests to dance with them (like us)!

Dancing it up on stage!

Another random tidbit of history was that my father shot a movie called "Ninja Turf" back in the 80's and a scene from the movie was shot at this restaurant. How funny! How many restaurants in LA has lasted more than 2 decades?!? I give them major props for their great service, their fun entertainment, and for being timeless through the changes.

My First Indian Wedding

2009-05-27T12:09:00.001-07:00

I attended my first Indian wedding on Sunday with Diya Events. It was wedding that was booked under a month with a couple from Michigan, Samir and Anjali, who was going to be celebrating from Friday to Sunday.
Indian weddings are very colorful and full of festivities and ceremonies. The groom and all the guests started around the corner of the Renaissance hotel on a white horse adorned with beautiful fabric. Music led the guests to dance along the street towards the lobby entrance where he met with the bride's family and a ceremony was done to present the bride to him. They walked hand in hand and led the guests to the ceremony room, which was beautifully decorated with dark red and gold.The Hindu ceremony was over 90 minutes long but was really inclusive because there was a translator with the priest who would explain all of the rituals in English.
After the ceremony it was a bit tricky. They had been running late on their pictures so family and couple photos were taken then. In the midst of it all, the mother of the bride lost her purse and everyone was on scavenger hunt looking for it. After the photos, the bride still had to go and change into her reception dress, which was going to take another 1.5 hours before the cocktail hour would start.
Cocktail hour started and everyone enjoyed Indian appetizers and an open bar. The bride and groom didn't want a cash box at their gift table, so an uncle was chosen to receive all the envelopes. They also had a beautiful photo album made so that all of their guests could write a special note to them. During this time rehearsals were being done in the reception ballroom for the dance performances to be presented later. We were also told that more guests were invited after the guest list was printed, so we would have to fit them to tables as people were sitting down.We pushed the reception time another half an hour because the bride wasn't ready after 1.5 hours, so when guests finally sat down to dinner it was 9:30! They had speeches done by all the siblings and fathers, then a dance performed by family members, a slideshow, and some Bhangra dancing! Dinner buffet was announced at 10:30pm and included all the traditional Indian food (delicious!) and it was the first moment that the 2 event planners Hima and Preet, and I got to relax a bit! The catering managers Michael Fox and Jamiee Heu was super amazing and really rolled with all the changes that we kept throwing at them.I left the reception after 11pm but I know they were going to be partying it up until 2am. It was a really fun and I totally loved working with Diya Events. Great job girls!

Congrats James and Vivian!

2009-05-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

A very special congratulations to my good friend James on his engagement to his longtime girlfriend Vivian (I totally predicted they'd be next!!). This couple got engaged over the weekend in Palm Springs. It was a very cute story where he serenaded her on his guitar singing Adam Sandler's "Grow Old With You" (from the Wedding Singer) and then proposing with a beautiful 1.71 carat ring. Congratulations guys!

Wacky Funny Inventions!

2009-05-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

My uncle sent me this ridiculous email with all of these crazy inventions for the year. I thought they were hilarious, some of them actually pretty functional, so I thought I'd share these brilliant ideas with you. You know what they say, when things get tough, people start getting creative!

An easy way to carry a tray.

No need to ask other people to take pictures anymore!

Cookies and coffee all in one!

Yay! An umbrella built for 2!

This one is my favorite! Good marketing Viagra!

Scary Airplane Story!!

2009-05-23T18:22:00.001-07:00

OMG! This is a true story found on NBC LA News on May 12th. The scary part is, I flew out of this airport all the time when going to and from Japan whenI lived there for a year! Just be careful out there guys, the picture below will blow your mind!

Here is the actual article from NBC:

Who's to blame? That's the question FAA inspectors are hoping to answer at LAX. But the more frightening one is: How catastrophic could the accident have been?

The feds are doing follow-up interviews at the Japan Airlines terminal after Monday's bizarre mishap on the tarmac near Runway 24 Left. Video from the scene shows a 200-pound metal luggage container firmly lodged in the front end of a JAL 747-400's jet engine. It somehow got sucked in while the plane -- Flight 61 to Narita Airport, Japan -- was preparing for takeoff with 249 passengers and 18 crew.
Japan Airlines says the container did not belong to JAL.

Paul Hedlund is a west L.A. litigation attorney who specializes in aviation cases. He says the investigation is likely focusing on one of three individuals -- either the pilot, the guy operating the luggage transport cart or whoever was towing the plane from its berth to the taxiway.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they're gone already, whoever caused this," he said.

Aviation experts say even at an idle, jet engines on a plane as massive as a 747 can be deadly. Pilots are taught to check and re-check the "cones of danger," imaginary areas in front of the engines where objects, debris -- even people, can be sucked in to the whirling fan blades, sometimes with catastrophic results.

Hedlund points out that, with a fuel capacity of nearly 60,000 gallons, the jetliner's engine is directly connected to fuel lines. He says if the luggage container had shredded, or even sent a small piece of metal sparking through the engine, there may very well have been a huge explosion.

"Fuel-air mixture and ignition source is all you need," he said. "(It would) take out that whole airplane. Real quick. Real quick." Fortunately, no one was injured in the mishap and passengers were accommodated with other flights or overnighted in local hotels.

ISES Event @ Crustacean

2009-05-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

Went to the ISES LA networking event last Tuesday the 19th at the Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills. It was a crazy drive from Monterey Park to Beverly Hills but I made it just "fashionably late."
We entered from the side door up the stairs to the private area where they had a very small tabletop room, a hallway with the bar and the wine bar across the way, and then the entrance where DJ Nachey was playing. Once you passed that area though, it was this huge open area with a balcony to see down into the main dining area.
Met a lot of nice people, including Chris and Natalie from Argyle Event staffing, Daryl from mb2racing, and Justin and Jason from Plan It Interactive. I also chatted with Mike from Dazian lienes and Val from City Connection, and bumped into Ani from Social Hollywood (I attended a Step Up Network event there).
An Catering introduced their catering services and we were able to sample the pass appetizers. There was a sushi table but unfortunately I got there too late to try anything, though I heard it was very good.

No Doubt Concert!

2009-05-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend took me to a No Doubt concert for my birthday last night (yes, I know my bday was last month!). It was a 2 part combo actually, he really wanted to see the opening band Paramore and I was super psyched to see No Doubt after 5 years of hiatus.
We left LA at 4pm to drive 2 hours to Baskersfield. Did a pitstop at Sonic because because we don't have one near us (their liimeades are yummy!) and then drove right up to the parking lot next door, paid $5 (OMG what a deal!) and parked right in a small little 50-car lot. We both looked at each other and thought...this is most definitely NOT LA!
Walked across the street to the Rabobank arena and walked right up (no line?) and had great seats close enough to the stage on the first row of the balcony.

Hello from Bakersfield!

The Sounds played first, then Paramore did some great songs (Hayley is soo small and young!) and then it was all about No Doubt! Gwen is such an inspiration! She is so beautiful, I love all of her songs, and I think she just has so much charisma, charm, and high energy. How can you not like her?

Paramore opens the No Doubt concert. They're actually a really great band. Good choice!

No Doubt's stage design was very clean, ultra-modern quasi-space age. They played a lot with the lighting and had a huge projector in the back that synched up with each song.

We stood up the whole time and shared binoculars, and of I sang every single song they did! It was great high energy and everyone seemed to be having a great time. The craziest moment was when Gwen jumped off the stage and ran clear across the the entire arena, stopping midway and yelling into the microphone that if you're going to touch her, NOT to touch her dress cuz she's only got 2 of them! She took pictures with fans, signed autographs, and even sang one song on her upcoming album.

Two large projector screens were at both ends of the stage for close-ups.
We love you Gwen!!

The concert lasted about 4 hours and as we headed out, we were shocked to see how quickly we just walked to our car, got in, and drove out of the driveway and back onto the freeway. No traffic, no lines, not even waiting for loads of pedestrians to walk by... is this what life is like outside of LA?! Cheap parking and easy access around even the big events? Crazy!

ISES Jam Event-Sept 23rd!

2009-05-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

HeyHey! So ISES is having their annual JAM (Joint Allied Meeting) on Wednesday, September 23rd and I'm on the entertainment committee! We're very excited to have to Biltmore hotel in downtown LA and we've got some great talent on our team this year.
What is JAM? JAM is a great combination of a trade show and mixer. It's sponsored by ISES and happens once a year. All of the event professionals and affiliate associations come together to show off their stuff, share ideas, and have a great time. We expect some great music, entertainment, food, table tops, and a great networking opportunities everywhere you turn!
The flyer s below. Definitely sign up to attend, and if you're interested in renting a booth space, contact me and I'll send you to the right people: jsoiree[at]gmail.com.

9/23 from 5:30pm-9:30pm, Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles.

Connie and Robert's Wedding

2009-05-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend and I attended his college friend's wedding this last Saturday in Costa Mesa. The couple are both optometrists who met in Optometry school whom I met briefly last year when they were engaged.
The Turnip Rose hosted the outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. It was a bit cloudy near the beach but it allowed for nice lighting for pictures and a cool breeze during the ceremony and cocktail hour. The ceremony itself was short and sweet, the officiant Doc Johnson was very fun and sincere, and he focused a lot on the love and support of family and each other. They included a simple candle-lighting and sand-mixing ceremony.

Connie and Robert.

Although the outdoor venue was beautiful, the seating had to conform to the cirular water fountains and balconied coves surrounding the area. Part of my view was obscured from the huge water fountain, but at least they had the decency to turn off the water during the ceremony.
The cocktail hour was just on the other side of the patio with open bars and a fun little margarita blending table complete with unique margarita glasses. I met several UCLA alumni including another Joanna (cool!) and her husband Jordan, who is opening a jewelry store in Costa Mesa soon.

Fresh margaritas! Yummy!

The reception was held inside and followed the floral Victorian theme. The food was amazing (I loved the apple salad!) and guests enjoyed toasts, thank you's, and a slideshow of the bride and groom. I don't think there was an event planner other than the catering manager who spoke directly with the bride, so things would sometimes move really fast or really slow and the newlyweds were hardly ever at their sweetheart table.

Wonderful presentation.

After the entree, the DJ asked guests to come out and dance on the dance floor, and later the bride (changed into a Chinese dress) was cutting the cake with her groom.Another hightlight was the strawberry desserts (in addition to the marbled cake and red velvet tiered cake). Guests could choose from peanut butter to white chocolate strawberries and have a chosen liqueor injected into each strawberry with an actual syringe! They had amaretto, chocolate, orange, and coffee flavors! They were very rich but delicious! You could also choose to dip your own strawberries.

Spencer enjoyed injecting all the strawberries.

The rest of the evening was spent dancing the night away to hip hop, 80's music, and top 40. We were able to keep the beautiful centerpiece and the party favors were a mix of both Chinese and Armenian: 9 Jordan Almonds. 9 in Chinese means "longstanding" and an odd number of almonds in Armenian signify health, wealth, happiness, children, and a long life. A perfect blend of both cultures. Congratulations Connie and Rob!

This is now sitting in my dining room!

Our Birthday Beach Bash!

2009-05-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

The Birthday beach bash turned out great! Everyone had a great time and we were able to incorporate all the things the birthday boy wanted: the local brewing company's laid back feel, and beach activities, and the Laker game all in one party!
The restaurant was called the Manhattan Beach Brewing Company and it was literally down the street from the beach! It's a pretty small venue but they had plenty of TV's to watch the Laker's game 7. We arrived early knowing our party of 19 was going to be hard to seat together even with our reservations. And even though we had made the reservation 2 weeks before, there was no way they could fit everyone together at the same table, so 4 people had to sit in a separate booth. The food and beer was great though, and everyone was surprisingly satisfied at the menu options and how delicious everything was.
Parking was a bit tricky since the restaurant could only offer 2 hour meter parking. Guests found parking around the area and then met near the Manhattan Beach pier. It was quite a trek with folding chairs, an umbrella, towels, toys, and about 3 coolers worth of food and drinks, but we made it and set up camp.
Guests lounged around and snacked, threw around the football, and read magazines. It was nice and relaxing, though too cold to get in the water. At one point the birthday boy got buried in the sand and shaped him into a sexy mermaid with long seaweed hair. And then they made him a sand cake which he accidentally took a bite out of.

Nice stars!

Probably the only thing missing was the hot summer sun! It was pretty warm inland but I found as we drove to the ocean that it got really cool and grey...I don't know how people who live near the beach deal with the constant marine layer! It wasn't cold persay, but eventually the winds and lack of sun got to everyone and we packed up around 5:30pm. And even with no sun, I was exhausted! It was a very busy weekend!

Happy Birthday Dave!

Beach Party Tips!

2009-05-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

Summer is right next door and the beach is calling you! As you pack the essential sunblock and swimsuit, don't forget to add a bit of personality to your beach parties to make sure it's memorable for all your beach-going guests.

1. Make it BIG! It can be hard spotting your group at a beach, especially on the weekends! Make your party easy to spot with pop-up canopies, personalized umbrellas (they can say "Happy Birthday David!") or stake some colored flags around the site.2. Change up the Menu! Burgers and hot dogs are always a favorite, so why not mix in several types of meats and toppings that other countries use? You can cook stuffed patties and a variety of sausages and offer different kinds of toppings like chopped cabbage, sauerkraut, spaghetti sauce, and even sugar (popular in S. Korea)!3. Party favors they can wear! Make everyone feel like part of the party with customized slippers, hats, sarongs, reuseable bags, or t-shirts to wear throughout the party.

Check out AllProducts.com for prices.

4. Try new toys! Don't forget the frisbees, footballs, and volleyballs for group games, but you might want to see if there's rentals or classes for surfing, boogie boarding, banana-boats, kites, bicycles, rollerblades, or even handgliding or parasailing!5. Play some games! Depending on your guests, they may or may not want to play games, but it's always a good idea to have some just in case. Some quick easy games are limbo, sand castle contests, or a scavenger hunt! Break people up into small groups or partners and give them a list of items that need to be retrieved by the end of the party. They can be easy things like shells and sand crabs to scissors and a phone charger. At the end of the party, whoever collected the most items wins a prize!6. Kick off the after-party! Who says the party has to end when the sun goes down? Choose a beach that has fire pits and enjoy an evening of smore's, skewers, and hot dogs. Just make sure you’ve got some blankets or a light jacket handy!

Weapons of the Orient seminar

2009-05-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

I coordinated a Weapons of the Orient seminar last Sunday May 3rd in West Los Angeles through the World United Martial Arts Organization. Participants came from various schools in the area including Abrigo Martial Arts, Chul Jin Martial Arts, Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do and Jun Chong Martial Arts branches, totaling to 78 students at the seminar.
We introduced three different types of weapons during the seminar: Nunchuks, Escrima, and Kendo. Everyone was able to practice each weapon first-hand, learning the basic forms and strikes of each weapon and how they are used in combat.

Instructor Jay Schlauch puts on his Kendo gear.

I designed the commemorative shirt that was given to all the students as a gift for participating and they also received a Certificate of Completion. At the end of the seminar, the masters each gave a brief demonstration of each weapon and students were able to purchase weapons and DVD's to practice at home.

My Karate rubber duckies were a big hit!

Thanks to my volunteers Ada Chong and Spencer Groh for your help in registration, check in, and merchandise sales. Everything went really smoothly and even I was impressed that we were always on time!
For information on escrima, nunchuk, and kendo classes at Jun Chong Tae Kwon Do, please check their website or call (323)658-7570, (310) 979-9222.

A great job to all of our participants!