Eventfully Yours

Use Your Heritage

Looking for that missing piece to your event?  Look no further than your own family heritage!  Use some part of your heritage to make your event stand out from all the rest.  Incorporate a reading, dance, song or even color that represents your background and make your guests know what it is and means.

Don't think there is anything interesting in your background?  Do some research and you may be pleasantly surprised!  Maybe there isn't anything about your heritage, but an interesting family story of a trip someone took or even where your parents met the first time.  Seek and you shall find!

Until next time, eventfully yours!
Kandice

Something New

I am so tired of going to the same old places, aren't you?  When you get an invitation to a wedding is your excitement cooled when you realize that you're going to the same place for the ceremony and reception that you have been to many times before?

My goal for 2008 is to get my clients to think outside the box and take chances on different venues.  Unheard of spaces that will keep guests talking well after the wedding is over.  If you're a couple who wants something different and exciting give us a call.  Take your wedding to the next level.

Your Place or Mine

Continuing my blog about event trends in 2008, I have discussed in this blog before, destination events are more popular than ever.  More and more people are opting to move their parties out of town or even out of the country.  2008 is the time to take your party on the road!

How can you move your party out of town?  Now there are companies that cater to this.  They are called Destination Management Companies or DMC's.  There are costs involved with their services.  Think you can do it on your own?

Be sure to do your research and contact the government offices in your destination of choice to get any information you can about regulations, travel requirements, etc.  If at all possible, visit the destination prior to your event or get there early to work out any lat minute details.

Stay tuned for more event trends of 2008!

Until next time, eventfully yours!
Kandice

New Trends in Events

Now that it is 2008, what are the new trends in entertaining that regular people (meaning non-celebrity types) can use and not go broke doing it.

COLOR
It is all about color in decorations, linens, napkins and even the food.  Gone are the days of just white and ivory invites and linens.  Now hosts and hostesses can infuse their favorite color into every phase of their event. 

Start with an invitation.  You can now get  creative and colorful invitations for not a lot of money.  If you are in the market for some, contact  us as Signature Soirees now carries the social invitation line of  Carlson Craft.

For linens, if you can't afford to shell out up to $30.00 per table, use an overlay or color up your centerpiece with flowers, fruits or candles.

Keep the color alive through any foods you serve.  Many people coordinate their cake with their decor.  Even develop a signature drink that incorporates your color as well.

Tune in tomorrow for more event trends for 2008!

Until next time, eventfully yours!
Kandice

Location, Location, Location

Before you begin to find the perfect location for your next event, think about some of the crucial factors that will help to determine what location is a good fit for you.

Your Budget
On a scaled down budget, you're probably not going to be looking at that five star hotel's main ballroom.  Your budget determines nearly every choice you make for your event and location adheres to the same rules.  Some sites do require a minimum expenditure of $8,000 to $15,000 to even let you in the door.  So knowing your budget ahead of time will eliminate these costly options and open doors to more reasonable ones.

Your Personal Preferences
Even on a budget, you can have elements of your own fabulous event.  Even though you may want to save money, its important that you don't sacrifice what you really want, because then what is the point.  Nine times out of ten, your perfect location is out there for you in your price range.

Your Guest List
If you read any of my other posts, I always talk about your guest list, because in a nutshell it holds the power over your event.  You'll need to know how many people are on your list, so you can book a location that will fit them all comfortably and within the site's safety code.  A smaller guest list opens up some unique and inexpensive possibilities.

Style of Your Event
Certain locations are just a better fit for a smaller more intimate event.  If you know you are looking for a laid back spot for thirty guests, your options are different than if you are looking for a formal setting for 100 guests.  Just the same, if you have your heart set on an outdoor fete, that wish determines the scope of your search.

until next time, eventfully yours!
Kandice

Greening Your Event

Green is the new black!  Everyone is doing all they can to go green, or become more environmentally responsible.  People are working hard to do so in their homes and businesses, but often times drop the ball when it comes to event planning.

How can you green your next event?  Here are a few simple steps:

Invitations
Use invitations that are made of recycled paper.  You'll be surprised at the many designs and choices that are offered these days.

Suppliers
Only choose to work with vendors and/or suppliers who share your green views and have  programs  in place that reflect that.

Venues
Same as suppliers.  Use a venue that agrees with your green values.

Trash
Instead of garbage being hauled to a landfill, turn some trash into compost to further benefit the environment.

For more information on a green event visit www.greeneventmanagement.com

Runaway Events

"I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me" - Abraham Lincoln

Of course, Abraham Lincoln was referring to World events and not parties, but this statement could apply.  How many times have you been knee deep in planning an event and thought to yourself, why did I start this anyway?

You are the victim of a runaway event.  How do you know if your event has run away from you?  Here are  some clues:

1. Your guest/attendees list is out of control. 
2. You have no idea who is coming and who isn't.
3. Your bank balance is getting smaller by the second.

How can you get your event back on track and under your control?

• The first step is to get your guest list under control.  Your guest list controls everything that effects your budget.  It determines how many invitations you need, the amount of food and drink, etc.  This is the most common cause of runaway events.  Like that infomercial says, set it and forget it!  Set the number for your event and stick to it.  No matter how many people your mom wants to invite from her job.

• Next, make sure that those who are on the list, understand who is included in the invitation.  Is there whole family invited or just mom and dad.   For a work related event, are spouses and children included as well?  Be clear or you will end up with more people than you bargained for and lots of confusion.

• Finally, keeping your guest list under control will do a lot to help your bank balance stay intact.  You also need to be realistic about what you can afford.  Many of us have champagne taste but sadly, beer budgets.  Remember, to k.i.s.s. it!  Keep it simple, sweeties!  A simple event can still be an elegant event.

If you have any problem implementing things, call in a professional planner to help you get everything under control.

Until next time!
Eventfully yours

Welcome

This blog is to help the event challenged.  You know who you are.   You want to have a party and have no clue where to start.  This is for you.  To have a great event there are many things you can do, but the most important is to try and have fun from start to finish.  If it is not fun, you won't want to do it.

For those of you who are very event challenged, call in the professionals.  You can log onto www.signaturesoirees.com for professional help.  This is the website for my event planning firm.  I have over 10 years of experience in event planning, so I might just be able to help you!

Feel free to post questions or concerns here and I'll try my best to address them.  Thank you for stopping by!

Eventfully yours,
Kandice