October 16, 2010
So, On a cold & windy Friday, a customer walks into my shoppe looking for a dozen roses. I ask what the occasion is, and his answer made me smile. It was for her birthday, but funny enough it was going to be extra special this year because he was going to propose to her. 
When he told me his plans for the engagement, i got goosebumps. This man loves his girl so much, he put so much thought into it, that it made me believe again that there are good men out there worth believing in. Not to get into much details due to their privacy, but He pretty much picked out a few locations that has to do with their dating history, like where they first met, etc…… and then he prepared an “Amazing Race” day. With the help of four of her friends who live long distance and whom she hasn’t seen in a while, they guided her through, until the final destination where he is prepared to propose in front of her friends and family……. and celebrate with a party.
He said that a wise man once told him that men ask themselves the wrong question when making this life long commitment:
Instead of asking “How do i know if i can live with this girl for the rest of my life”
ask instead “Can I live WITHOUT this girl for the rest of my life?”
SO…….. I wanted to say congratulations to
SCOTT & DASHIMA.
September 28, 2010
I can’t even begin to tell you how important it is to know what your budget is when planning an event. By knowing your budget you won’t waste your time looking at things that are either over your budget or below your budget. Also, having and knowing your budget could prevent you from spending more money than you can afford. So, Once you know about the event, whether it’s a wedding, a sweet sixteen, a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, a shower, a corporate event, or even a fund raiser… Then you should start taking notes right away.
Once you figure out your budget for the entire event, then you can figure out what percentage of the budget will go to what. There’s the invitations, the venue, the decorations, the cake, the favors, the entertainment, the photographers, the videographers, and If applicable: the hairstylist, and the make up artist. With a budget in mind, it will be so much easier to know how many guests you can invite. It will make booking a florist that much easier. When looking for a venue, it will save you so much time because you will go only to the venues that are in your price range per guest. Also, if you happen to go below your budget due to an amazing package that you were able to obtain, then you can possibly splurge a little more on another aspect of the event.
The more organized you are, especially with your budget, the more you can enjoy the whole planning of your event. Be smart about it and have fun.
If you decide to hire an event planner to help you, the rate may be somewhere between 10 to 20% of the entire cost of the event, depending on what you and the planner were able to negotiate. Just make sure that the planner earns his/her payment. They should be doing all the running around and bring things to the table for your approval.
March 10, 2010
Whether you are planning a Wedding, a Baby Shower, a Sweet Sixteen, or a Quincenera, whichever the event, an invitation is something that is absolutely needed. There are many ways to invite your guests in the 21st Century, there is word of mouth, mass text, e-vite, written, and your traditional printed invitation. Whichever the method, a good timeline is necessary to follow in order to keep your sanity and to keep organized.
With your traditional printed invites, you should start shopping about 6 – 8 months prior to the event. Giving yourself enough time to pick something that well fits your style and your event.
Every invitation is unique, so there is no set time for the printing process or for the delivery. So, you should be ready to place your order within 4 -5 months prior to your event. Anytime after that would just mean more stress for you, and more money, considering you would probably have to pay to rush the process along.
2 – 3 Months prior, you should have the invites ready and have them mailed out. This will give you ample time to receive as much of an accurate guest count for your venue once the RSVP’s start coming in. (TIP: remember to put your RSVP date at least 3-4 weeks prior to the event date)
There is so much more that goes into inviting your guests besides following a proper time line. But, you should be able to trust in your event planner or the shop that you use to have the invitations printed to guide you properly and effectively.
January 3, 2010
What determines the success of an event? The perfect combination between proper theme, well set budget, and a professional coordinator will definitely help make your life easier and less stressful while planing your party or event.
We recommend you start planing your event 3-6 months ahead the date. Last minute plans are always possible, but you must keep in mind your budget will increased, because of the short notice.
Having time to plan details and have things well organized will actually give you more control of the situation in case you have to deal with improvisations
Your party or event should be a place and a time for you to be appreciated and feel special. The best part of the party is, for sure, planing it, but having someone competent and responsible to be in charge of your needs is even better!
This blog post has 25 reasons you should hire a professional event coordinator to take care of your party or event!
- Determine the objective of the meeting and develop the program and budget
- Book meeting site and support services (check calendar of local events to avoid conflicting or inappropriate dates)
- Send letters of agreement to hotel and suppliers
- Set up master account for your meeting charges with the hotel (authorize who can sign charges)
- Invite speakers and inform them about your attendees and the facilities of the hotel, including audiovisual capabilities
- Notify attendees
- Make travel arrangements
- Confirm menus, room setups and supplies in writing at least 5 weeks before your event
- Monitor speakers’ presentation development and offer assistance in reproducing any handouts
- Order signs and printed materials
- Mail attendees the agendas, suggested dress and other instructions
- Order gifts and amenities. Arrange deliveries of gifts (and meeting registration materials) with your hotel contact
- Submit rooming list to hotel and confirm arrangements for amenities at least 3 weeks before your party or event
- Ship materials to arrive 24 hours before your arrival, and confirm arrival before leaving your office
- Make arrangements for shipping materials back to your office after the meeting
- Confirm your meal and beverage counts for the first day food functions 72 hours in advance
- Take a complete master set of all handouts with you
- Review details and walk through your meeting space at the day of the event
- Personally inspect shipped materials to be sure that all of your items have arrived and that they are in good condition
- Check the hotel function board and front desk for posted times and locations of your functions
- Check function space one hour in advance
- Take care of any changes in your plans or requirements
- Sign banquet checks each day and keep an ongoing record of your on-site expenses
- Meet with you review your sessions, charges and receipts, after your party or event
- Share with your event manager the names of personnel who have provided extraordinary service
